If you can’t fight, wear a big hat…

On a spur of the moment we decided to go to the Country 2 Country show that was being held at the O2 (the Dome). I had heard it promoted on the radio and it was a lovely day so we jumped on the train (and met the Brown’s who were also heading into town, though to Camden).

We hadn’t booked for any of the arena shows (too big a place and not that keen on C&W), but we heard that there were several pop-up stages around that would be playing free music. After a quick beer we found the Armadillo Restaurant with a stage right outside so we set up base there for lunch and watched a few acts while we had a relaxed meal and a few more drinks.

Afterwards we wondered down to the ‘town square’ and watched some more standing in a crowd of people, a large proportion of who were sporting Stetsons, denim and cowboy boots.

Several of the acts were UK based but some were from the US of A. We saw:

Hannah Jane Lewis

Hometown Show

Dexeter

Sticking Matches (who have several songs in the hit TV show Nashville)

Jill and Kate

The Shires

Jessica Clemmons

More of wot I have seen…

We went down to Brighton to see a wonderfully be-bearded American Folk artist called William Fitzsimmons.

We went with our friends Paul and Lorraine and first had a bite to eat at the Gourmet Burger Kitchen where spectacular burgers are made in the chain of joints started by a couple of Kiwi’s. Naturally I had to have the Kiwiburger (who doesn’t want a fried egg on theirs?). The others had the Habanero, Smokin’ Joe and one of the day’s specials.

Komedia is next door and is a great intimate venue with three separate rooms. This time we were in the basement which suited the folksy sounding acts playing.

Denison Witmer played a fabulous one-man-and-his-guitar warm up for William Fitzsimmons who in turn was accompanied by his band. Fitzsimmons is a big man with huge beard and a bald head, his gruff deep speaking voice belies his soft and hypnotic singing voice.

More of wot I have heard…

Denison Witmer self titled album

I picked this album up when we went out to see William Fitzsimmons and Denison Witmer opened for him. It is a lovely gentle guitar based American Folk styled collection of songs sung in his melancholic haunting voice, great to play on a sleepy Sunday morning to ease you into the day softly.

More of wot I have read…

2^nd and 3^rd books of the Chaos Walking saga by Patrick Ness

These are the second and third books in the Chaos Walking trilogy. I read the first earlier on.

They are exciting young-adult books but I did find some of the plot themes and character development rather frustrating to deal with over such a long period.

The Ask and the Answer

‘Fleeing before a relentless army, Todd has carried a desperately wounded Viola right into the hands of their worst enemy, Mayor Prentiss. Immediately separated from Viola and imprisoned, Todd is forced to learn the ways of the Mayor's new order.

But what secrets are hiding just outside of town? And where is Viola? Is she even still alive? And who are the mysterious Answer?

And then, one day, the bombs begin to explode...’

Monsters of Men

‘Three armies march on New Prentisstown, each one intent on destroying the others.

Todd and Viola are caught in the middle, with no chance of escape.

As the battles commence, how can they hope to stop the fighting? How can there be peace when they’re so hopelessly outnumbered? And if war makes monsters of men, what terrible choices await?

But then a third voice breaks into the battle, one bent on revenge...’

 

The Call of Cthulhu by HP Lovecraft

 

I have taken the plunge and bought a collection the Lovecraft best works and I started with perhaps the most well known one. I like the descriptive writing and the journal style, but not much actually happens – I guess the period writing relied a lot more on your imagination than modern horrors often do these days. I will work my way through them and see if I become possessed by the bug.

Herring Two Ways…

This year for my birthday we jetted off to Stockholm, a city I have had on my (long) list of places to visit for a while. Now that Marc and Heather live there it seemed to be a perfect time to go.

Sweden has been basking in the warmer weather that has been bringing the rains to the UK and so we did not see much of the expected snow.

It is a compact city with a good public transport system that means the many islands that make up Stockholm don’t stop you from getting around with ease.

We visited the Vasa Museum to see the huge royal flagship that sank on its maiden voyage and spent a third of a century at the bottom of the sea before being raised and preserved in its custom built museum.

Gamla Stan – the old town has lovely cobbled streets full of tourist shops, squares with grand buildings such as the Nobel museum and royal palace.

Fotografiska – is a photograph gallery created out of an old customs building. It houses several galleries with different artists on display such as -

Elliot Erwitt

Jill Greenberg – Works 2001 – 2011

Corinne Mercadier – Wicked Gravity

At the top is a lovely café that sells fabulous kanelbullar (I recommend the cardamom toped one) and offers a sweeping panoramic view back across the water towards the city and the old town.

The Swedish History Museum has a great collection displayed in an interesting manner. We spent time in the

The Gold Room, Prehistory and Vikings areas.

We stumbled upon the Hedvig Eleonora Church as we tried to (unsuccessfully) meet up with Heather after work on day. It is a lovely bright and surprisingly bling church.

The Ostermalms Saluhall was our planned destination. Here we strolled through the market stalls displaying a stunning array of foodstuffs and mouth-watering delicacies. Eventually it was too much and we had to stop and have lunch. Cakes were bought and carefully transported back to share with Heather at home.

To celebrate their wedding anniversary Marc and Heather took us out to eat at Nalen, a modern Swedish restaurant where the service was impeccable and the food divine (I had to indulge in a bit of ‘food porn’ photography). It was a lovely evening.

During our stay we did try a few local delicacies including herring, elk, kottbullar (meatballs), kanelbullar (baked rolls, cinnamon, cardamom), all quite delicious though as is everything in Stockholm, quite expensive too.

We had a brilliant time with Marc & Heather and we are hoping to revisit for one summer in the near future.