no one shall sleep (nessun dorma)

A late night again yesterday - it was 'The Last Night of the Proms' in London. This is a traditional night at the end of the series of inexpensive concerts put on throughout the summer at the Royal Albert Hall. They are rooted in classical music, though the definition becomes broader every year.

On the last night everyone attending the main concert dresses up and takes flags, streamers and similar and there is always a conclusion with stirring British music comprising sea shanties, "land of hope and glory" and "Jerusalem".

flags whilst will young sings
Tickets for the Alb are like duck's teeth, so along with several hundred thousand others, we ambled to the Park to watch it on the big television screens. Actually there's a full show also from Hyde Park and we managed to get very close to the main stage and also near to one of the big screens, so it was easy to see everything.

trexstacy
Whilst the main performance from the Royal Albert Hall comprises classical music, the Park has a mixture and this year included Lesley Garrett, Juan Diego Florez, a T-Rex tribute band and Julie and Andrea's favourite, Will Young. More of that later when I can load some mobile phone video.

Great evening, with much flag waving as well as various sporting victories for England along the way, winning the soccer against Israel, the cricket and then beating the USA at rugby. "Tramontate, stelle! All'alba vincerò!"..."Set, stars; at dawn I will win!", as Pavarotti had sung from the same spot.

you say potato, I say potato art

Thanks, storm, for bringing the London bus shelter potato art phenomenon to rashbre central's attention. Now will there be any at Black Friar's? or maybe some on the Tubers? or on the Bakedloo line?

These spudniks are all very sci-fry.

tags technorati : rashbre potato bus shelter art spudnik

another invader

This is not just any brick wall, this brick wall has another one of those space invaders half way up it.

I spotted it a few days ago during my travels around London.

You may have to look carefully to see it as well as to wonder how it got there in the first place.

tetris

This week has been a bit like one of those games of tetris - you know the one where you have to get all the blocks arranged as they come streaming towards you. In my case the blocks have just been lots of things to do.

Last Saturday I was bouncing around in the mud on a bicycle with scarcely a care in the world and then the busy-ness started. Sunday involved rescuing a forlorn car via a lovely lunch in an old church which had been converted into a restaurant. Then back into Central London, before I returned home to pack for Belgium.

A few days away in various meetings, then back for a late hotel meeting, home to sleep, then breakfast meeting, office and then tomorrow a few of us are heading to the last night of the Proms, in Hyde Park.

Sunday its Dusseldorf, Germany, by plane. Somewhere in between, I need to catch up on several weeks of paper mail and clear it into the "Action, Information, Rubbish" piles. After another spell away, I'm back in time for a jazzy evening on Friday. So blogging may be sporadic.

purr

rashbre central hasn't really featured pretty pictures of kittens very much, but I thought after the recent visits of Faz, bob-kat and Storm, that I'd better make an exception. So, for cat lovers everywhere, heres' a gratuitous link to the wondrous Purr 'n' Fur.

Thursday Thirteen (V45)

1) Thus week I have been in Brussels, Belgium and not really had any time to post blog entries or snap any photos.

2) I did go out one evening to a rather agreeable restaurant, where about ten of us enjoyed a typically Belgian supper together. We were a mixture of nationalities, with the Americans and Nordics being used to eating early and the rest of us prepared for a more leisuredly pace.

3)A bonus of the visit was being given some rather special Belgian chocolates, which have survived their trip back to England and are still unopened. Maybe this weekend...

4) I arrived back in the UK at around 19:30 in the evening and then had to go straight to another meeting in a hotel near Terminal Four. Then a phone conference call on the way home. Yes, I do have a handsfree in the car.

5) As well as the chocolates, I received another gift a few days ago; its a book on hypnotism. I shall need to practice in front of a mirrrrorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

6) Dusk this evening and I have already been hypnotised, but its by a bat that has spent a happy 30 minutes flitting around and around the garden. Quite inquisitive, once it spotted me it came up close for a look, but all the time flying at probably 40 miles per hour.

7) Strangely, I first spotted the bat a few days ago when returning on my bike. It whooshed past and I thought, "No- it can't be", but it was.

8) Also flying around this evening is a helicopter. Its quite late and an unusual sound effect at this time. Reminds me of some American cities.

9) The bat and the helicopter are not as scary as the eight Russian "bear" bombers which have been chugging around outside British airspace today. Mr Putin is testing American airspace too, whilst also selling weapons. Mr Bush probably sees it a s a competition.

10) I notice that the box of Belgian chocolates has mysteriously opened itself.

11) I don't think there'll be too many additives in the chocolates, compared with the number in some childrens' foods, which have just, today, been declared to have the potential to create hyoperactivity. "quelle surprise", as the Belgians might say (if they came from the French speaking area).

12) The French are also about to host the Rugby World Cup. I see England is to play the USA first. No problem.

13) Thatl'll do for this evening; as its already 23:30 on Thursday, I douby if I'll get any 'swaps' from this entry!

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OTA : Wordless Wednesday

New London Parking Penalty
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iTouch

Well, my post about the new iPod was speculative and slightly wrong, but not that wrong, really. Here's the real thing. To my surprise, the initial capacity is the same as the last Nano. I'd have expected a disk based system with maybe 10 times the capacity at launch. Oh well.

autumn

Surely it still too early? However, there are tree leaves already turning yellow and brown.

iPod 6?

iPod 6th generation preview?

...or just more speculation.

You decide.

purple

I never meant 2 cause u any sorrow
I never meant 2 cause u any pain
I only wanted 2 one time see u laughing
I only wanted 2 see u laughing in the purple rain

Purple rain purple rain
Purple rain purple rain
Purple rain purple rain

I only wanted 2 see u bathing in the purple rain

A great gig with Prince keeping the whole Dome on its feet from the opening chord to the very, very, very end of the show. Consumate performer, robust band, great dancers, many great tunes mixin it up between soul, jazz, funk, fusion, blues, rock, pop. The Prince threw a great party for London.

strictly no cameras allowed, so you'll have to imagine the rest

dome vs wembley

A minor comparison of the Dome vs Wembley as a venue. Not a "Sports" comparison, but for audience care and facilities. The Dome crushes Wembley in a moment. Better transport access, better entry logistics, better free space areas, better range of on site facilities, better restaurants and cafes, better food. And as a venue for live, 20,000 seats at the dome still seems fairly intimate whereas 50,000 seats at Wembley creates distant dots.

And an £8 disgustoburger at Wembley is no match for the £7 chinese at the Dome.

C'mon Wembley, fix it.