Favourite Architecture

Click the heading to see more photos of the terraces
The most perfect architecture in London is found on the east side of Regent's Park where the Nash terraces run uninterrupted up the east side of the park from the Marylebone Rd to Primrose Hill

Camden Market

Camden Market is a mecca for young people looking for funky fashion, cheap food and artistic inspiration.Click the heading for some more photos

Litchfield at Christmas

There was standing room only at the little church of St John the Less at Litchfield for the service on Christmas morning.
Carols sung including 'In the Bleak Midwinter', 'Of the Father's Love Begotten' and 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing'.

Click the heading for some more photos of the Litchfield service

Christmas Poetry

Christmas 1963 (or 2008?)

Because we wanted much that year and had little.
Because the winter phone for days stayed silent
that would call our father back to work,
and he kept silent too with our mother,
fearfully proud before us.

Because I was young that morning in gray light untouched on the rug
and our gifts were so few, propped along the furniture, for a second
my heart fell, then saw how large they made the spaces between them
to take the place of less.

Because the curtained sun rose brightly on our discarded paper and the things
themselves, these forty years, have grown too small to see,
the emptiness measured out remains the gift,
fills the whole room now,
that whole year out across the snowy lawn.
Because a drop of shame burned quietly in the province of love.
Because we had little that year and were given much.

Joseph Enzweiler, from The Man Who Ordered Perch

Thomas Miller Carol Service 2008

Thomas Miller's annual carol service was held at St Katherine Cree Church in the City on 17th December.

This was the second of the carol services that Herry has been able to attend this year, the first being the Mission to Seafarers in St Michael Paternoster Royal. He would have loved to go to the service at Coventry Cathedral on Friday 19th when they sang Handel's Messiah but wasn't able to make it. Litchfield's was on Sunday 21st December, a jolly affair in which the vicar has us all singing different parts of 'The Twelve Days of Christmas"

Some favourite carols are on line here. The essential is for a good choir to sing the descants!

Once in Royal David's City
In the Bleak Midwinter
Silent Night (a beautiful Irish version)
Of the Father's Love Begotten
The Sussex Carol
The Coventry Carol
In Dulce Jubilo
Hark the Herald Angels Sing

Lincoln Seligman

One of Lincoln Seligman's larger paintings at Taikoo Square in Hong Kong. Click the image for a better view

The artist Lincoln Seligman is an old friend who recently held a private showing of some of his work at his studio.

Click the heading for some informal photos of his work and here for some paintings from an earlier exhibition

Fine Cell Work at the Drapers' Hall

Fine Cell Work is a charity that teaches needlework to prison inmates and sells their work. The prisoners do the work when they are locked in their cells, and their skill and earnings give them hope and greater independence.

The charity is supported by the Drapers' Livery Company among many others, and a Christmas sale was held at Drapers' Hall on 15th December 2008 which was very well attended. Lord Ramsbotham, one of the patrons of the charity, gave a moving speech on the value of Fine Cell's work, while bemoaning the fact that it was currently only sanctioned in 26 of the UK's 140 prisons.

Click the heading for more examples of their work and scenes from the evening

On 19th November 2009, Fine Cell held their 2009 Livery Company sale at the Leathersellers' Hall.

Favourite Films - Stardust

I was delighted to come across a film this week that I had never heard of and which matches my somewhat lowbrow tastes perfectly - 'Stardust' - starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert de Niro, Clare Danes and others. It's a romantic fantasy about the quest for a star that falls to earth (Clare Daines) and reminds me much of books like The Well At the World's End and The Night Land. It's produced and directed by Matthew Vaughan in Lord of the Rings tradition (it even has Ian McKellan as the narrator) and has the most stunning scenes and scenery. It was filmed in Scotland, Wales (my old haunt Pen-y-Fan) and Iceland. Click the heading for some stills from the TV showing of the film.

Mission to Seafarers' Carol Service 2008

The Mission to Seafarers held their annual Christmas concert at St Michael Paternoster Royal on 10th December. The Princess Royal attended as president and Robert Woods (an old friend from business and school) attended as chairman. It was the Rev Canon Bill Christianson's last carol service before his retirement as Secretary General. Laudamus Chamber Choir and Nigel-Evans Thompson led the carols and Richard Baker read several of the lessons including two very amusing pieces by Clare Bevan.

Inspector Wallander

Photo from BBC TV
Henning Mankell has written nine superb novels in which Inspector Wallander, a fallible, unfit and very human detective in a police force in Skane, southern Sweden is the main character. The BBC have now made films from three of the books, with Kenneth Branagh playing Wallander, but the Swedish versions are still better. No matter, Wallander is one of the most interesting and sympathetic characters in detective fiction.

Christmas Scenes 2008

One of my favourite shops - Joanna Wood, Pimlico

The Wellbeing of Women Christmas Fair at Drapers' Hall

The Lexus

The Lexus at Richmond

The Lexus Coupe (in Japan, the 'Soarer') is one of the finest cars ever made. I was lucky enough to get one secondhand in 1994 - and I still have it. It passed 100,000 miles this week and so deserves some accolade.

Designed in California and built between 1991 and 2000, it's a true four-seater coupe with lovely lines. It comes in two basic versions - the V8 automatic and the GT twin-turbo manual which turns out 330bhp. Mine is the latter type, and the garage which looks after it says it's one of only five in the country.

It has been completely trouble-free - apart from a clutch (from too much city driving) and the occasional flat battery, due it being left for weeks when I travelled. It's not even thirsty; but recently it has had to give way to the Prius for London driving, as it still attracts the congestion charge.

But for sheer well-mannered fun on the open roads of Hampshire and Wiltshire, there is no better car. I'm sure that one day it'll be recognised as a classic.

Click the heading for more photos of the Lexus

Terrorist Attacks in Bombay

Photo from BBC News

It's only too easy to imagine the dreadful situation in the Taj and the Oberoi today, as terrorists take hostages and kill indiscriminately at these two hotels, Victoria train station, Leopold's Cafe on Colaba Causeway and a Jewish Centre. The hotels and Leopold's are places I have visited for the last 40 years and I was there again six weeks ago. Fortunately my friends and business colleagues who visit and work in the area are all safe, despite one of them having been invited to have dinner in the Taj last night.

The southern tip of Bombay is a virtual island and simple to approach by boat. Both the Taj and the Oberoi have waterside frontages. There are many tens of pleasure boats sailing out to the Elephanta Caves and on tours of the harbour from the Gateway of India, 100 metres from the Taj. Although the Taj has had special security for the past few years, the Oberoi has not. In any event, neither was safe.

A couple of years ago I wrote about the Taj - my favourite hotel - for Lloyd's List, the shipping newspaper, here.

Emily Patrick Exhibition in Spitalfields 2008

An exhibition of Emily Patrick's prints (by Walter Curtain Cave) at Chris Dyson's Gallery at Eleven Spitalfields

Emily Patrick Self Portrait

For more photos, click here

And at the Air Gallery 2010 

Emily Patrick

A fine exhibition of prints by Emily Patrick at Chris Dyson's gallery in Spitalfields.

Click for a larger view and the heading to see more of her work

Sept 2010: A new exhibition of her work at the Air Gallery

Remembrance Sunday at Litchfield

THE EXHORTATION

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them

Traditionally, the hymn 'I Vow To Thee My Country' is sung at Rembrance Day services

A link here to some moving lines on war

Favourite Poetry

"And it was at that age...
Poetry arrived in search of me.
I don't know. I don't know where it came from,
from winter or a river.
I don't known how or when,
no, they were not voices, they were not words, nor silence,
but from a street I was summoned,
from the branches of night,
abruptly from the others,
among violent fires
or returning alone,
there I was without a face
and it touched me.

I did not know what to say, my mouth
had no way with names,
my eyes were blind,
and something started in my soul,
fever or forgotten wings,
and I made my own way,
deciphering that fire,
and I wrote the first faint line,
faint, without substance, pure
nonsense, pure wisdom
of someone who knows nothing,
and suddenly I saw the heavens
unfastened and open,
planets, palpitating plantations,
shadow perforated,
riddled with arrows, fire and flowers,
the winding night, the universe.

And I, infinitesimal being,
drunk with the great starry void,
likeness, image of mystery,
felt myself a pure part of the abyss,
I wheeled with the stars, my heart broke loose on the wind.

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973)

Kind visitors have directed me to this site on Neruda

The City

The City is an amazing place. I went to an annual law lecture given an old friend and sponsored by my university in a livery company hall in Threadneedle St and was astonished as always at the number of eminent people who came, and of course the quality of the talk. But on the way there, I walked the familar streets in the early evening and felt the energy of the people flocking to the trains and tubes, and marvelled at the beauty of the buildings and the fresh vistas constantly opening up in the renewal of place and purpose in that small patch of London.

Click the heading for more photos of the City at night

Barak Obama Wins! 2008

"I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today."

Martin Luther King
1963

Favourite Restaurants - The River Cafe

The River Cafe never fails. Superb atmosphere - the 'mise en scene' is perfect - wonderful lighting making women look more beautiful - the freshest of fresh ingredients used in deceptively simple dishes, charming and attractive staff and the constant presence of one of the founders to ensure its standards never drop. The tables are bit close together and the hubbub almost engulfs the room in the late evening (it's never less than totally full), and if you are seated too close to the open fire it can be a bit warm....but these are quibbles. Take your fullest wallet, your prettiest friends and a taxi (because you won't find it if you try and drive there and you want more of that delicious Pinot Bianco and a grappa to finish off with)

Favourite Songs - Kathleen Ferrier 'Land of Hope and Glory'

 

  Land of Hope and Glory, sung by my mother's favourite singer, Kathleen Ferrier

This was the note posted on YouTube with this recording (which has the characteristic scratching sound made by slightly damaged records)

"In 1951 KF was diagnosed with the illness which in October 1953 caused her early death. In November 1951 the Free Trade Hall in Manchester was packed for a Gala Reopening Concert (in the presence of the Queen - later the Queen Mother) following bomb damage in World War II. KF was recovering from her surgery, and subsequent treatments. Sir John Barbirolli asked if she was strong enough to sing the Final Piece. It had never been in her repertoire as she associated it with big contraltos with very big voices from earlier in the century. She readily agreed to Sir John's request and what we hear is her only rendition of Land of Hope and Glory by Elgar. She sings it in the unmistakeable Ferrier tradition, permitting the choir and audience to sing the patriotic overtones.

The music critic of the Manchester Guardian ended his critique thus "It was fine and it was right, but lovers of the tune will fear that never again can they hope to hear it in such glory".

Coventry's Awe-Inspiring Cathedral

Part of the ruins of the old cathedral, the Sutherland tapestry over the altar and John Piper's Baptistry window, said to be 'probably the greatest piece of stained glass since the Reformation'. Click each for a larger view

Coventry Cathedral was burnt down in German air raids on the night of 14/15th November 1940 and a new cathedral reconstructed beside the shell in the 1950s. The Queen laid its foundation stone in 1956 and the new Cathedral was consecrated in 1962. Herry attended the service with his mother Annette and grandmother, Lady Herbert. Sir Alfred Herbert had made donations towards the reconstruction and the commissioning of the art works within it, as well as to his museum The Herbert nearby, but died in 1957.

The new cathedral was designed by Basil Spence. Graham Sutherland's tapestry of Christ in Glory in the Tetramorph dominates the East End, while John Hutton's screen of Saints and Angels allows the light from the fomer cathedral ruins into the Lady Chapel. John Piper's Baptistry window is said to be 'probably the greatest piece of stained glass since the Reformation'. Epstein's St Michael and the Devil guards the cathedral steps. Other contributors include Elizabeth Frink who fashioned the bronze eagle lectern given by Sir Alfred Herbert's children and grandchildren, and Ralph Beyer whose beautiful carved calligraphy adorns the walls. The whole is extraordinarily moving and beautiful.

Click the heading for more photos of the cathedral

The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum, Coventry Reopening 2008

The Herbert Art Gallery and Museum in Coventry was reopened following extensive reconstruction on 29th October 2008, as the city's main art gallery, museum, history and media centre. The museum was originally constructed from donations by Sir Alfred Herbert and was first opened in 1960 by my grandmother, Lady Nina Herbert. My brother Piers and I were invited to the reopening as descendants of the Herberts (details of which can be found in Herry's Archive).

There are now eight permanent galleries for its own collections together with a new history centre, housing archives documenting the life of the city through almost 800 years of its existence. There are also five temporary exhibition spaces and another five visitor galleries in which they show work across the arts and from some of the great museums and galleries in the country. Gallery 1 currently has an exhibition of photographs from the V&A, the while Gallery 4 contains an exhibition of the unusual work of Ana-Maria Pacheco. Added to which, no less than three 'George Eliots’ circle the galleries declaiming lines from her writings and bringing a touch of amusing realism to everyday Coventry.

The Herbert must now be one of the finest city museums and art galleries in Britain - and the cafe is excellent too!

Click the heading for some photos of the Herbert

Favourite Galleries - the National Portrait Gallery

It is always such a treat to visit the National Portrait Gallery. Not only are many of the paintings stunning but one also immerses oneself in history.

Anne Boleyn

Click here for more photos

Dinner For One

Dinner for One - Freddie Frinton and May Warden

Strangely, this short film, recorded in 1963 for German Television, is hardly known in England. It is one of the funniest sketches ever filmed as well as being a wonderful reminder of the days of butlers and 'dressing for dinner'. It is still invariably shown at New Year on German and Scandinavian television where it is revered as a classic of 'British humor'.

Click the heading for the full story of the sketch (with thanks to our friends, the Wettons, for introducing us to it!)

The Most Amazing Toy in the World

When I first got an iPhone at the beginning of the year, I thought it revolutionary and wrote about it here. Since then, I have got the 3G version and loaded it up with apps from the Apps Store, most of which are free.

Today, it's an indispensable toy on which I can carry on the easiest of text conversations, check up on friends' doings on Facebook, post tweets (via Twitter), deal with my e-mail in darkest India, navigate my way to lunch (on Maps), record notes (on iDictaphone), find out what's nearby (on Vicinity), check on a tune (with Shazam - though sadly it's not much good on classical recordings), listen to radio (on WunderRadio), look at photos (on Mobile Fotos and Picasa), book a restaurant - by phone or on-line, read the paper (IHT or New York Times), buy stuff (on Amazon), move money around (using my bank's online site), and look for information (on iPedia). One can even find numbers by speaking at the phone (Say Who) or send an e-mail from the car using Dail2Do!.

Some of the best fun is amusing children by showing them Thomas the Tank Engine videos on YouTube while at lunch soemwhere or letting them play in the Koi Pond!

Recently, I have added the Cams Ahoy app, which emits buzzes and squeaks when you get within a pre-determined distance from a speed or red light camera - and even tells you what the current speed limit is. What is more, it emits a growl when you exceed the speed limit by 5mph - a true 'big brother' app!

In the evening, one can sit on the sofa and read a book on the very legible screen courtesy of eReader, or with the the phone on wi-fi look for a recording that one likes YouTube or iTunes, downloading it straight to the iPhone. It's the most complete and useful toy in existence.

Shopping Habits

More time to spend with friends in places like this

I have just realised that in the last year or so our shopping habits have changed so radically that we now buy more stuff online than in shops (with the exception of food - but we even order some of that online these days). The principal sources are eBay and Amazon, and eBay in particular is now the first place we look when we decide we need something (or even when we don't). eBay's prices are the perfect antidote to the financial crisis as not only are more people selling more stuff online, but prices seem to be falling as well. Recent purchases like Ferragamo shoes, Ralph Lauren sweaters, cosmetics and the like can be had for about a fifth of the shop price or less and are perfect. One very rarely spends more than £50 on anything - and it's usually under £10. What's more, the purchases usually arrive by post or courier in only a day or two. Similarly Amazon (who's free delivery is a great bonus) now supply most of the things a household needs as well as the usual DVDs and books. And of course ordering on line from The Wine Society is sinfully easy!

Most food shopping still needs the personal touch though, and a good market (like the Duke of York's and Pimlico) are simply fun to visit and meet friends. But the reduction in wear and tear in getting to the shops as well as the avoiding of parking and congestion charges is a joy. Thank you internet!

St Martin in the Fields

This beautiful church on the edge of Trafalgar Square is justly famous for its lunchtime (free) and evening concerts and for the excellent food served in the crypt. But having been renovated over the past three years and a special lift entrance to the crypt installed beside the church, it's even more lovely. Click the heading to hear a rehearsal for an evening concert recorded on my last visit.

The National Portrait Gallery

Click the heading for more photos of paintings in the gallery

The National Portrait Gallery is often overlooked, but it shouldn't be. It's amazing for its enormous number of portraits of famous Englishmen and women. History (from the Tudors onwards) comes to life here and the illustrious families who were the backbone of the country for centuries - the Sidneys, the Howards, the Cecils and the like, are magnificently portrayed. Only about one-eigth of the portraits owned by the gallery are on show at any one time, but it is kept up to date with the recently famous (there's a Diana section as well as paintings of people like Ian Botham). The permanent exhibition is free of course and there's a good tea room on the top floor where one can have an unusual view over the roof of the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square

Timeless India

Puttaparthy, India 


Click the images for a larger view

The Charles Saatchi Gallery - New Art from China

Click the heading for some photos of the exhibition and the gallery.

I was delighted to see that Charles Saatchi was turning the old Duke of York's barracks into an art gallery, having fond memories of the place from my youth when it was the HQ of my TA regiment. We used to train by running round the parade ground - now a sports ground - every Tuesday evening.

The new gallery is marvellous. Huge, bright spaces on three floors allow the exhibits to be shown to perfection. I was lucky enough to go on the first day of opening to the exhibition of Chinese art - New Art From China. The gallery is linked to the Duke of York's plaza, the buzzing shopping and food market, and on a sunny day there are few better places to visit in London.

The Part Played by Insurance in the Financial Crisis

Like everyone else, I have been following the financial crisis with morbid fascination, but was surprised when AIG got into difficulties and had to be bailed out by the US Treasury with a loan of $85bn. It was initially difficult to understand how such a huge hole could have opened up on their balance sheet.

This article in the IHT explains it - they were providing a sophisticated form of credit insurance through a financial products unit in London run by a chap called Joseph Cassano. Lloyd's used to have a ban on this type of insurance (though mortagee interest insurance has been commonly used in shipping for many years) as it's so risky - and because it usually involves selection against underwriters as well as accentuating moral hazard.

What worries me now is that no insurer hangs onto to 100% of a risk - they always pass a - usually large - proportion to their reinsurers. This risk may well now be hiding in some innocent-looking treaties waiting to blow up....

Stop Press: But they apparently didn't reinsure the risk - at least from 2005 onwards!

Stop Press: 28th Feb 2009 - the story is clearer now, but no less heinous. See the IHT

Stop Press: 25th March 2009 - More comment on Joseph Cassano from Ariana Huffington here

And further article, which looks rather more darkly at AIG istelf, is here

Sto Press: June 2009- Michael Lewis on Joseph Cassano in Vanity Fair 'The Man Who Crashed the World'

Francis Bacon Exhibition at the Tate

Click the heading for some more photos of the exhibition

I am old enough to deplore the renaming of the Tate as the 'Tate Britain' - a pompous name that has a politically correct ring to it. Why shouldn't it still be 'The Tate' even if the new one is the 'Tate Modern'?

Having got that off my chest, I love the place dearly and go as often as I can. It's light, bright and uplifting, and one can renew one's love of art without condescension. The Turners are superb, of course, unlike any paintings one can see anywhere else, and one can sit in front of that Burne-Jones for ever - but the current Francis Bacon Exhibition eclipses even those unassailable heights. It's one of the greatest exhibitions ever held in London and is brilliantly foreshadowed on the Tate's website with one of the best interactive catalogues anywhere.

When I was there last, there were runners racing through the main halls at one minute intervals; a kind of mini- marathon which invigoraged the place perfectly. I came across an American in a wheelchair who had spent hours trying to photograph them as they raced by. As a means of inspiring artists, it was as inventive and original as the great building itself

Firenze

Kei visited Florence for a week in September and brought back lots of lovely photos. Here are two which remind me strongly of my stay there when I was about her age.

The West Country

Dartmoor

Favourite Scenes

The Sussex Police band playing on the seafront at Eastbourne at teatime on Wednesday 10th September. Click the heading to hear them