Roll Over Beethoven

Last night I was at Symphony Hall for an evening of Beethoven.  It's not often I go to classical events but every now and again I do enjoy it and last night was no exception, opting to sit in the gods so as to be able to take in the whole stage below.

Performed by The Royal Philharmonic and Birmingham Symphony Choir and conducted by Christopher Warren-Green, the programme consisted of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No5 (Emperor) and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (hence the choir).

Ronan O'Hora (piano) was fantastic and from my vantage point I was able to watch his hands on the keyboard.  I had not heard the piano concerto prior to last night (my knowledge of classical music being limited) but I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The first movement being my favourite.

Beethoven isn't something I'd necessarily play at home but to see the Ninth Symphony performed live is pretty special.  When the choir starts singing it takes your breath away.  Last night they sounded fantastic!  To look down upon the stage with the orchestra playing and the choir singing really is a sight to behold.

There were some changes last night, Catrin Aur (soprano), Carolyn Dobbin (mezzo), Jesús León (tenor) and Leigh Melrose (bass) were scheduled to perform  but I believe illness forced a couple of changes. Unfortunately I wasn't able to find out who had pulled out or who their replacements were.  To be honest, whoever took these parts was fantastic.

A great night of live music.  Even missing the train home by 2 minutes couldn't spoil the evening, jumping in a cab instead.

How Was It For You?

Having had a busy few days on the run up to Christmas, Christmas Day itself was spent at home with Clare.  It was lovely too.  We opened presents (I had 3 bottles of gin), had dinner and spent the day doing very little indeed.

Boxing Day was similar although we did take a stroll to the local retail park to see if there were any bargains to be had, mainly just to get some fresh air.

Today we headed to the Bull Ring (despite the shooting yesterday) to see what the sales had to offer. Not a lot if truth be told!  I'm lucky enough not to want or need anything in particular and so 20% off something I don't really want or need wasn't enough to tempt me to put my hand in my pocket.

It might not be everyone's idea of the perfect Christmas but it suited me just fine.

Christmas Eve

It's Christmas Eve!  If we have forgotten anything then it's too late now!  Having just said goodbye to friends, who popped round earlier, it's time to close the door, settle down for a quiet evening in front of the TV and wait for Father Christmas!

Last night we had a bit of a get together at a friend's house.  We do it every year and it really does put you in the Christmas mood.  A couple of people couldn't make it, which was a shame, but the of 8 us left had a good time.  I was still feeling the effects of the night before but it was nice to eat, have a few drinks and just relax in the company of friends.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Anderson's Bar and Grill - St Paul's Square

It was Clare's company's Christmas night out last night.  Anderson's Bar and Grill in St Paul's Square was the venue and a good choice it was too.

The place itself is warm and inviting, located in an eighteenth century cellar, with a small  bar area where I had a couple of Gins and Tonic while we waited for our party to arrive.  It was quite busy with the remnants of an earlier office party, and quite loud, but the stragglers eventually filtered away.

A steak house is possibly not the best place for a vegetarian but there was enough on the menu to keep me happy and although I couldn't have my first choice of main course I was offered various alternatives.  I went for Butternut Squash Risotto. It was lovely but it was nothing compared to my starter! Baked goats cheese with soft basil tomatoes, balsamic syrup and fresh rocket pesto dressing was fantastic. 

Desert was a Creme Brulee.  Not my choice, it was ordered for me and I was told to down it in one. I tried, I failed. Thanks for that Mike!

I stuck to wine during the meal, going for the Hawkes Bay Pinot Noir, a New Zealand Red which was lovely.  Afterwards I had a couple of brandys to wash it all down.

I hadn't met all of the people around the table until last night but everyone was really friendly and I came away having had a really good night although I am suffering a bit this morning!

http://www.andersonsbarandgrill.co.uk/

Lunar Eclipse

I missed the Lunar Eclipse, I thought it was tonight!  To be honest I wouldn't have seen it anyway as the sky is a blanket of white and looks full of snow (forecast for later today).

The total eclipse was at 7.40am this morning coinciding with the winter solstice for the first time in 372 years.  Had there not been cloud cover, then apparently the morning sky would have turned a dark shade of red.

Hymn For A Village

Popped along to St Mary's Church In Acocks Green last night for a carol service.  I'm not religious in any way but it is a nice way to get yourself into the whole Christmas vibe.  Afterwards there was mulled wine and mince pies.

There is a Yew Tree in the front garden and since the snow has arrived it has been full of birds. It still has berries and now times are hard the birds have been flocking to it.  20 x Redwing and Long Tailed Tits in double figures. There are also Song Thrush, Blackbirds, Blue Tits and even a Robin.  It's fantastic to watch them all coming and going.

Snow Business

The snow finally arrived in the Midlands yesterday and what was expected to be a light shower turned into snow falling or the majority of the day.  We had planned to go to Blakesley Hall for their Tudor Christmas but having made it half way we called to find out it was shutting early, giving us no chance of getting there in time. Disappointed we turned around and headed home, walking from Olton into Solihull and then out the other side.

Things look great in the snow and I took a few photos.  Although the day didn't go to plan it wasn't a bad day and the highlight was watching two foxes playing in the snow last night.  The snow had been untouched and the foxes leaped, dug and ran around in it for ages.  It was great to watch.

My Top 5 Albums of 2010

Met up with a mate for a drink last night.  We met at The Coach House in Soliull.  It's office party season and it wasn't long before the place was full and the same old Christmas songs were being played at high volume, killing any chance of a decent conversation.

One of the things we managed to talk about was the best albums of 2010 and as everyone else seems to have posted their list it is time to do mine.   There have been some tremendous albums this year but would struggle to find ten albums I can say I really enjoy from start to finish. However, there are five and I have listed them below (in no particular order, except number 1)

1. Cherry Ghost - Beneath This Burning Shoreline

2. Darren Hayman - Essex Arms

3. All Darlin' - Allo Darlin'

4. Belle and Sebastian - Write About Love

5. School of Seven Bells - Disconnect From Desire

The first 3 albums on this list are fantastic and none of them have had the recognition they deserve. If I didn't already own these I would be happy to have any one of them as a Christmas Present!  If you are not familiar with them you really should check them out!

The Wedding Present - The Assembly Leamington Spa

Headed over to Leamington to see The Wedding Present last night.  It was the final night of the UK part of the Bizarro tour.  It was a good gig which I'm paying for this morning  as I'm not as young as I used to be!

I would say that Leamington Assembly is my favourite venue at the moment but it is quite a big place and I was worried that there would not be a large enough crowd to create a decent atmosphere. I needn't have worried because in the end a few hundred people turned up and although they were a bit subdued everyone seemed to have a good time.

First up were The Jet Age. An American 3 piece with more guitar pedals than tunes.  There were one or two songs that were OK but on the whole they left me feeling not much of anything.

The Wedding Present took the stage not long after. Starting with Heather and then straight into Once More before Mr Gedge addressed the crowd. Next came Go Man Go and Skin Diving both had 2 drummers!  New song, You Jane, followed and sounded great. Then  The Theme From Cheers and another new song Can You Keep A Secret.  As that ended a loop of John Peel introducing The Wedding Present played and  it was time for Bizarro.

It's not my favourite album by The Wedding Present but has some great songs. Highlights last night included Crushed, Thanks, Bewitched, Take Me! and Be Honest. Even Kennedy (a song I've never been keen on for some reason) sounded fantastic.

There were a couple of bizarre things.  Firstly David Gedge appealing for people to follow him on Twitter and secondly stopping the show (with one song left to play) to single out the person who threw a glass on stage.  With the house lights brought up he threatened to have the person thrown out as the glass had apparently hit Jessica, his girlfriend.  I have never understood why people throw glasses on stage and David was right to have a go. As he pointed out to the perpetrator "it's not as if you're a kid in fact none of us are getting any younger!"

The interruption broke the spell and as they played Be Honest (the last song) the moment had passed and I was thinking about heading home.

One of the great things about Leamington Assembly is it is just around the corner from the train station. We left the venue with 6 minutes before our train home and arrived on the platform with 2 minutes to spare.

All in all a really good night out.

Northern Light Orchestra - Free Download

With less than 2 weeks to go the weekend was spent Christmas Shopping.  I had been expecting the worst but to be honest it was quite painless (an early start helps). It's nearly done now with only one or two things left to get.

If you are still struggling to get into the whole Christmas thing then perhaps some music will help (although I'm not sure this will - it's pretty bad).

The Northern Light Orchestra seems to be some sort of super group, featuring members of Whitesnake, Sly and The Family Stone, Sister Sledge and Survivor amongst others.  You can download their version of Away In A Manger/Come Let Us Adore Him here.  If you like it you can download more of their Christmas stuff from the site below.

http://www.carangel.com/northern-light-orchestra/freechristmasmusic.html

Promises and Lies

So the Conservative / Lib Dem coalition government voted to raise tuition fees as expected and also to be expected was the reaction of the student protesters in Parliament Square. 

This was the fourth demonstration against the rise in tuition fees, all of which have resulted in some disorder. This is to be expected as the politicians sit in their ivory towers putting their careers and big business in front of their constituents.  The protesters have no voice and are frustrated.  Heavy handed police tactics just serve to inflame the situation.  Yesterday was a good example of this. Students were told to leave Parliament Square via a certain route. As they did so the police blocked their path. Obviously this heightened the students anger and as they tried to break through the mounted police charged into them. 

Don't get me wrong, I understand the police have a job to do but having done many demos over the years (and having spoken to a Met Officer at a party a couple of years back) I know they like nothing more than a good punch up themselves.

Yesterday's violence was not the worst I have seen but the fact they managed to attack Prince Charles and Camilla's car as they travelled to the Royal Variety Show has meant that the story has gone around the world. Not only is this embarrassing for the government but also for the police as well.

So as the coalition government trot out the same tierd rhetoric about the need for cuts and tough decisions the younger generation have been deprived of higher education.  Made all the worse by the Liberal Democrats who signed a pledge prior to the election saying they would oppose any rise in fees. Now they have had a whiff of power they have back tracked and 21 Liberal Democrats voted for the rise.  So much for principals and so much for election promises.  People have been disaffected with politics for some time, that is why they turned to the Lib Dems.  It turns out they are even bigger liars than the other two parties.

There are a couple of silver linings.  Firstly, it is good to see our students out on the streets protesting about something they believe in.  Apathy has reigned for too long.  Secondly, once this short coalition is over Nick Clegg's political career will be washed up and the Lib Dems a spent political force for at least a generation.

I bumped into a mate not long ago.  He was handing out leaflets against job cuts in the public sector. As we chatted I noticed he was wearing a badge that said "I Still Hate Thatcher".  People don't forget and although I would never compare Nick Clegg to her, so far he will be remembered for being a liar and for selling out the party and his voters for his 15 minutes of fame.

I haven't demonstrated for years but watching yesterday's TV coverage of the protest and watching the debate in parliament perhaps it's time I stood up to be counted once again.

Up In The Air

Last night with the temperature climbing to a heady minus three Clare and I toyed with the idea of going for a meal but settled for a DVD and pizza instead.

The DVD we chose was Up In The Air. Directed by Jason Reitman (Juno) and starring George Clooney it is based on a novel by Walter Kirn and tells the story of Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizing expert.

Ryan (Clooney) loves the life he leads, spending 290 odd days a year flying around the country "letting people go". Domesticity is not for him. His home is the airport, hotel rooms and the sky.  When a young undergraduate at the company  proposes that the work can be done via the internet and all staff are to be grounded to save money, his way of life is threatened.  Having voiced his objections Ryan is told to take the young woman with him on his travels to see how he works. 

I'm not sure what I thought of the film.  Some great dialogue and the isolation of Clooney's character put me in mind of Lost In Translation (although in the case it was self imposed).  The aerial shots and soundtrack are fantastic, and the film as a whole works but it left me feeling not much of anything. Why? I'm not sure. Pizza was nice though.

The Trip

The Trip, BBC2's Monday night comedy written by Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon came to an end on Monday night but as I was out I only got round to seeing it last night. 

Playing themselves (or versions of themselves) they embark upon a culinary road trip and over the course of six meals at six different restaurants in and around the Lake District, Lancashire and the Yorkshire Dales, they find themselves debating the big questions of life, such as how did I get to be here and where do I go next, over a series of culinary delights.

Directed by Michael Winterbottom (24 Hour Party People, A Cock and Bull Story, Welcome To Sarajevo and 9 Songs) the programme is visually stunning, informative and very funny.

Apparently it is being released as a film in the New Year but as a series I've really enjoyed it and hope there is more to come in the future.

Belle and Sebastian - Symphony Hall

Belle and Sebastian put on a great show at Symphony Hall last night. The show was one of only three nights where they were joined on stage with The London Contemporary Orchestra.

On a night that saw temperatures drop to minus 9 degrees it was well worth venturing out into the cold. Having got into Birmingham early we headed across town and ended up at The Slug and Lettuce for a brandy before nipping back over to the ICC for a baked potato.

Doors opened at 8 and not long after Daniel Kitson and Gavin Osborn took the stage. A comedian and songwriter respectively. Daniel narrated a story of unrequited love interspersed with songs from Gavin. An unusual support act but one that drew me in. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

After an interval the orchestra took the stage, a minute or so later the band joined them. There was a small ripple of applause before they went into I Fought In A War. A slow start building steadily. . The audience were quite subdued, mainly due to the surroundings, and after a while Stuart spoke and gave people permission to dance. The staff, however were still insisting people stayed in their seats.

The set itself was varied, taking something from most albums except Tigermilk. New songs included I Didn’t See It Coming, Travelling Light (one dropped from the new album), I’m Not Living In The Real World and I Want The World To Stop.

Highlights included Sukie In The Graveyard, The Boy With The Arab Strap (even the orchestra was dancing at this point) and I’m Waking Up To Us. The orchestra added a new dimension and songs such as There’s Too Much Love, Fox In The Snow and Lord Anthony sounded great. The show ended with Sleep The Clock Around which was nothing short of epic.

After everyone had left the stage the band returned for an encore. Someone from the audience requested Expectations and due to a problem with one of the guitars Stuart agreed until he realised he didn’t have the words with him. Instead we were treated to Another Sunny Day and Me and The Major. Both sounding great.

The last time I saw Belle and Sebastian was about 10 years ago and I wondered how their live show would be now that Isobel had left. On the strength of last night’s performance they were as good as they have ever been.

Here they are doing Sleep The Clock Around.

Frankfurt Christmas Market, Birmingham

Birmingham today for the German market.  This year's market seems to have grown and apparently is the sixth biggest German Christmas Market in the world, bigger than Dresden, Nuremberg and Berlin!

We got there mid morning and it was already busy.  The temperature had climbed above freezing and instead of the cold it was the rain we had to contend with.  Having browsed half the stalls we decided to pop to The Edwardian Tea Rooms in Birmingham Museum to grab a coffee and wait for the rain to ease.

Having left the museum we headed back out into the rain and made our way to The Electric Cinema, who at 12pm were having a poster sale for charity. We queued for about half an hour before we could have a look at the posters.  I had one particular in mind (Skeletons) but when I had a look it didn't seem to be in the greatest of condition and so left empty handed.

From the cinema we went to The Green Room on Hurst Street for a drink and a bite to eat.

A bit of shopping afterwards before heading to my parents to see my brother who had come up from Cornwall for the weekend.

Birmingham was very busy and quite politically active. There was a demonstration outside BHS about it's tax avoidance and, close by, a student demo (signed their petition against tuition fees). 

If you agree with their cause and would like to show your support there is a demonstration in the Bull Ring on Wednesday 8th December at 2pm. I'm sure they would appreciate your support.

Worcester Christmas Fayre 2010

Wrapping up warm and braving the ice we headed to Worcester for the Victorian Christmas Fayre.  Despite the odd delay on the railway we managed to get there with very few problems.

We started on the High Street and browsed the stalls before heading round the corner to Friar Street where the majority of the fayre takes place.  As we got to the end of the High Street we noticed a sign for a birds of prey exhibition.  We headed into the shopping arcade to go and find it and found them just a few feet inside.  Central England Reptile Rescue and Bird Of Prey Sanctuary had brought along some birds to raise money for their cause. Clare made a donation and I took a few photos, my favourite was Bob, the Little Owl.  There were about 6 birds including an Eagle Owl, Barn Owl and Kestrel. 

The stalls on Friar Street sold everything from roast chestnuts to jewellery. There are also some great little shops, my favourite being Mac & Jac's Cafe Deli. 

Once we'd been round we went back again and bought one or two Christmas presents.  Clare had a hot chocolate with a shot of brandy.

I really enjoy going to the Worcester Fayre.  Everyone is really friendly and enters into the spirit of things, dressing up in Victorian costumes. You can also pick up something you won't find on the High Street.  There are choirs singing carols, although we missed them this year, that really put you in a festive mood.  There is also a fun fair.

The journey home was a bit of a chore.  Standing room only on the train into New Street and a delay at Moor Street.  Whilst on the station the snow started falling and having walked home from Solihull found that it stopped as soon as we go in.

The fayre runs until Sunday so if you are looking for something to do the weekend you could always pop along.

If you wish to make a donation or even help to re home an animal then The Reptile Rescue and Bird of Prey Sanctuary website is here.  

And The Winner Is...

RUSSIA! After a short delay the 22 executives finally reached a decision and the announcement made by Sepp Blatter, President of FIFA.

England's presentation , this morning, was a good one. Built around Eddie Afekafe's story (on the dole, no future, volunteers for Manchester City Youth Project, football changes his life) it featured David Beckham, David Cameron and Prince William.  With a film that showed nations around the world watching English Football the presentation was slick and well presented. It seemed to be well received by all and Sepp Blatter called it remarkable.

Outdoor screens were erected around the country including Birmingham, London and Manchester and crowds gathered to hear the result.  I don't know how it came about but this announcement became "an event".  Was it the hope of a nation or was it the media building it up?

As the announcements began, rumours started circulating that England had been knocked out in the first round of voting. This proved to be true and it means that England will not host the World Cup until at least 2030. 

FIFA have, once again, ruined my football dreams.

Today's The Day!

Today's the day England find out whether their bid to host the 2018 World Cup has been successful.  With the Prime Minister, Prince William and David Beckham amongst the delegation in Zurich trying to sway the votes. A presentation at 10.00 and the winning bid been announced at 15.00 has given the media the chance to report something other than the weather.  From what I can gather it's very close and it's proving to be quite exciting.

The bid seems to have been strong but a Panaroma investigation alleging corruption of certain FIFA Officials and other allegations in the press probably haven't helped the cause.  Something else that wouldn't have helped would have been the scenes of violence during the Carling Cup Quarter Final Match between Birmingham City and Aston Villa last night.  Birmingham won the game 2-1 and face West Ham away in the Semi Final.  After the match a pitch invasion by Blues fans led to flares being fired and seats ripped up as they tried to get to the Villa fans.

I'm not going to talk about the rights and wrongs of football hooliganism but I will say that a lot of these so called hooligans are the same fans that will travel the country week in week out, whatever the weather and whoever their opponent may be. 

The West Midlands derby has always been a passionate affair, on and off the pitch and is often overlooked by the media. The game is usually played on a Sunday lunchtime at the insistence at of the police.  Last night however it was decided that the game would not be moved and the trouble followed. 

The game itself was scrappy albeit played at a fast pace. Blues took the lead thanks to a Seb Larson penalty after Lee Bowyer had been bought down.  Blues scored again  but this was disallowed.  Villa then went up the pitch and scored, although this should also have been disallowed for offside.  With extra time and penalties looming Zigic managed to put the ball in the back of the net and send Blues through to the next round.

On an evening when the temperature never made it above -2C I thought I was being clever staying at home and watching it on TV. Having seen the match and what followed afterwards I think I made the wrong decision!

Where's The Snow?

We were promised snow overnight.  There was a flurry and a thin layer on the ground when I awoke this morning.  We were warned of wide spread disruption and chaos on the roads but it hasn't materialised yet.

Don't get me wrong, I don't necessarily want the chaos the snow brings but it does come with some perks.  Snowball fights, sledging and so on.  As it stands we have the cold and ice but as yet no real snow fall.

I must mention England's performance in The Ashes.  The first Test in Brisbane is over and ended in a draw.  England trailing Australia by 221 runs after the first innings managed a total of 517-1 in the second!! 

Alastair Cook made 235 not out and broke the previous highest Test score at the Gabba set by Don Bradman (226). Andrew Strauss made 110 before being stumped and Jonathan Trott managed 135 not out before England declared.

The second Test starts on Friday I might stay up for it!

Freezing!

Winter has arrived earlier than usual.  Temperatures are already in minus figures. A lot of the country has had a fair amount of snow.  Here in central England though we had a small flurry which has quickly turned to ice and stayed put.  We are due some snow later this week.

Due to the weather the weekend was a quiet one.  A couple of unsuccessful geo caching attempts on Saturday and a day at home yesterday.

I'm already longing for the summer and we haven't even got to winter proper yet!!

Mogwai - Free Download

Mogwai release their new album Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will in February of next year.  In the meantime you can download one of the tracks, Rano Pano, by popping across to The Quietus.

They will also be embarking on a massive UK tour.  Nip over to their website to see if they are appearing near you.

http://www.mogwai.co.uk/

Download Rano Pano from The Quietus by going here.

On a completely unrelated note, yesterday I visited friends who introduced me to the world of geocaching.  How have I managed to get this far without hearing about it?  Anyway, my friend signed me up and on the way home I did my first one!

Sandwell Valley RSPB Reserve

As I get older I have started to take more of an interest in the things around me. I think this blog proves it. Birds,  butterflies and countryside feature quite heavily.  Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy gigs, football and so on and I can happily spend an evening down the pub with friends but if I'm not doing that I am quite happily traipsing around fields.

Saturday morning I found myself at Sandwell Valley RSPB Reserve.  I hadn't expected much if I'm honest as Sandwell is surrounded by industry (albeit in decline) but when I got there I was really surprised.  25 acres of greenery and water!

Stopping off at the temporary visitor centre (the original one was burnt down in March), staff gave us a map and told us what we could expect to see.  Everyone was really friendly!

We stopped at the hide over looking the lake.  From here I could see Coots, Mallards, Cormorant, Great Crested Grebe, Gadwall and Grey Heron as well as 3 types of Gull. There were probably more but  I am a novice when it comes to identifying birds and so probably missed loads!!

After the hide we walked around the lake to try and find the Golden Eye (unsuccessfully). As the day wore on it seemed to get a lot colder and the mist that we had hoped would burn off seemed to linger.  We completed the walk around the lake and stopped at the feeders.  Here we saw Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Pheasant.

We headed back to the visitor centre where the staff made us a coffee!  After a chat and a bit of a warm up we headed home.  Stopping off on the way to get ingredients for a stew to warm us up later.

I was really surprised by the size of the reserve and the variety of birds (we only saw a small proportion) and  am looking forward to heading back there soon.  I was also really impressed by the staff who were friendly and helpful. They made a good trip that little bit more rewarding.

Having had such a good day bird watching (I hate to use the term) on Saturday we decided to head back over to Solihull Nature Reserve.  I was planning a pretty early start but on the way out I noticed a Great Spotted Woodpecker on the tree outside the living room window.  The garden was a hive of activity, the busiest I'd seen it.  In the space of about an hour visitors included 2 x Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 2 x Jays, half a dozen Greenfinches, 2 x Redwing, 4 x Blackbird, 2 x Blue Tits, 2 x Great Tits, 1 x Magpie, 1 x Coal Tit, 3 x Wood Pigeon, 1 x Nuthatch and a Song Thrush.

The Trip to the Nature Reserve meant I can add to the list Jackdaw, Starlings, Long tailed Tits and (best of all) a Gold Crest.  Yesterday was not as cold as Saturday but stopped at the small tea room all the same for a coffee and to use their bird books.

I don't think bird watching will ever become a full time hobby but I can see it's appeal.  The Woodpeckers were back again this morning and to see them close up does give you a bit of a buzz.

British Sea Power - Free Download

Living Is So Easy is the first single from the album Valhalla Dancehall and will be available for download next week. However, an edited version is available for download now.

I've had a quick listen and it seems they have taken a more electronic route. I wonder if the rest of the album will be the same?

You can get Living Is Easy from their website below.

http://www.britishseapower.co.uk/livingissoeasy

Birds

This morning Clare and I decided to head for Solihull Nature Reserve to go and see a few birds.  We aimed to get there for sunrise (7.28 am) and so left the house just before 7.00 am.  As we walked through the park with the mist rising and the day slowly dawning it looked lovely. 

The first thing we saw was a Grey Heron flying above us.  Solihull town centre (very quiet at 7.15 on a Sunday morning) had a selection of Gulls, Jackdaws and Carrion Crows.

Once at the nature reserve it wasn't long before we saw a Green Woodpecker.  We watched for ages as he hopped along the field.  After he had flown away we carried on round and soon we saw a Greater Spotted Woodpecker at the top of a tree. 

Having spent a couple of hours wandering round we headed back. As we neared the exit (watching a Heron sitting by a puddle) we saw a Kestrel sitting in a tree.  A nice way to end the visit.  In all we saw at least 28 varieties of bird. We also saw two birds flying over head that looked like birds of prey but we couldn't identify them. 

We got home at around 10.15 and had breakfast.

The Phoenix Foundation Free Download

Pot is a good little song from New Zealand's The Phoenix Foundation. It is their first release in Europe and is taken from their forthcoming album Buffalo which will be released in 2011. They are also arranging a tour apparently.  If this is anything to go by then I will be popping along to see them in the New Year!

You can grab the track off the NME site here.

myspace - The Phoenix Foundation

Red

I really liked this film.  I imagine it will have come in for some criticism but I have thought it was good fun. 

Bruce Willis is a retired C.I.A agent who is struggling with a normal suburban life.  The highlight of his day is when he speaks to Mary Louise Parker, a Customer Service Rep, over the phone.  She also struggles with her job and dreams of a life of excitement.

When Bruce survives an attempt on his life, he kidnaps her (as he believes her life is also in danger) and sets about trying to find out who has ordered his death.  Along the way he asks his old spy pals for help.  These include Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and John Malkovic.

This gentle shoot 'em up, if you can have such a thing, matches the age of the cast.  It rolls along at a slow but steady pace and has a good mix of action and laughs.  A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.

Chairs, Erotic Art and Fireworks

A Good Chair Is A Good Chair is an Ikon exhibition of Donald Judd's work. He is widely regarded as one of the most important artists of the twentieth century. A key exponent of minimalism, Judd (1928–1994) worked across art, furniture and architecture.

With sketches and early pieces by Judd the exhibition shows pieces which are rarely seen outside his home town of Martha, Texas.

I really liked the simple designs and the practicality of the furniture.

On the floor below is an exhibition of Kitagawa Utamaro's wood block prints. The 18th Century Japanese prints are part of the British Museum's collection and focus on the images of women, in particular the courtesans of Yoshiwara, the regulated brothel district in Edo (now Tokyo).

This exhibition is co-curated by acclaimed British artist Julian Opie and Timothy Clark, Head of the Japanese Section, British Museum.

The detail in the prints are fantastic but be warned some of the prints are of a sexual nature.

After lunch at The Green Rooms (the busiest I've seen for ages) it was off to the Custard Factory for a rummage around the vintage clothes shops before heading home.

As the evening approached and the temperature dropped we headed to St Margaret's School in Olton for their firework display.  It's only small but the display itself is fantastic, well worth the £5 entrance fee.  Afterwards we headed to my parents house for baked potatoes and Scrabble. 

Trees, Bread and CDs

Today has been spent running around. Solihull, Kings Heath and Knowle.  It was quite a pleasant day weather wise so, whilst in Kings Heath, took a stroll around Highbury Park.  It was lovely seeing the trees with their autumn foliage. 

After Kings Heath it was off to Knowle (via Solihull) to have a rummage in the charity shops.  I managed to pick up a couple of CDs in a charity shop in Solihull (Looper and Tindersticks) but didn't have as much luck in Knowle.

Whilst in Knowle we stopped at Bread Collection and picked up some bread and cheese.  It's not the cheapest of places but is a great little shop with all sorts of bread, pastries and cakes on offer as well as a cheese counter and deli.  Apparently it has been voted one of the top ten bakeries in Britain by The Times. 

With food and CDs in hand it was time to head home.

Autumn and The Homemade Lo-Fi Blog

I miss Summer,  long hot days and warm nights. Autumn brings with it it's own rewards though.  The trees look great at this time of year and with a little less foliage you can make out more wildlife. In fact, as I write there is a Nuthatch climbing the tree outside my window.

Things have been quiet of late and if I'm honest I've quite enjoyed the cosy nights on the sofa in front of the TV (not that there is much on at the moment). Saying that though, the diary is starting to fill up over the next couple of months which I'm glad about.  I do enjoy cosy nights in but I'm not quite ready for hibernation just yet. I'll save that for the depths of winter.

If you are having a quiet night in and you want some music to chill out to then go here. The Homemade Lo-Fi Psychedelic Blog Spot.  I have to admit I haven't really listened to much of the music on the site but the bits I have are quite interesting.

Warwick and Leamington

Shopping in Leamington today with lunch at Gusto Ricco, a small Italian cafe.  I hadn't been there before. I was impressed by how many tables they crammed in.  Every available space utilised.  I had a toasted mozzarella and tomato panini.  Nice, but nothing special.

Prior to Leamington we stopped off at Warwick.  Having scoured the antique and charity shops we headed for the market to find that it had been replaced by a fun fair!  It was the we decided to jump back on the train to Leamington. 

As we headed back to the train station we stopped off at The Golden Monkey Tea Company shop on Smith Street.  I've walked past it before but never popped in.  It's a great little shop selling teas and tea paraphernalia (reasonable prices as well). I ended up with a small tea infuser and some chocolate. Zotter Labooko, two bars wrapped together. One a 90% cocoa bar and the other a 100% cocoa bar, for purists only apparently!

The Golden Monkey is holding a chocolate tasting evening on November 2nd.  Check out their website here.

Fortuna Pop! - Free Downloads

Fortuna Pop! is an indie record label from London.  Over the last 15 years or so they have put out some great records.  Current artists on the label include the likes of Darren Hayman, The Pipettes, Tender Trap, Allo Darlin', Milky Wimpshake, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart and Airport Girl.

If you are not familiar with the label or the bands then you can try before you buy.  Go here to download some great songs!

Jenny Eclair @ Adrian Bolt Hall

As part of Birmingham Book Festival, Jenny Eclair came to the city to promote Chin Up Britain, her new book.  Filled with witty advice to help us through these tough times.

I figured prior to attending that I would be one of only a few blokes in the audience. I was right.

The evening took the form of a question and answer session with Jenny going off at a tangent every now and again. Funny at times with some of the more female orientated bits going over my head. She talked a lot about Grumpy Old Women (both the TV and stage show) and also about bringing back the battleaxe. The funniest bit for me was when she was talking about celebrity weddings "You know the ones, where the bride gets religion and Disney a bit confused".

The venue had been changed to Adrian Bolt Hall, somewhere I'd not been before.  It's a great little place for a mid size venue. I can't believe that I have never had cause to visit it prior to last night .

All in all, a pleasant evening as I expected it would be. A nice touch was the tea and cake upon arrival.  My only criticism was that the whole thing lasted about an hour before she disappeared to sign copies of her new book. It's a shame really as I could have quite happily settled in for the night.

The Town

Went to see Ben Affleck's The Town last night.  I heard mixed things about it but I thought it was a really good film. 

A group of bank robbers take a hostage and then release her only to realise she lives around the corner. Affleck is then sent to talk to her to see if she knows anything and to find out what she has told the FBI. He inevitably falls for her. 

With the FBI breathing down their necks Affleck decides it's time to move on but before he can there is one more job to do.

The film is quite long at just over 2 hours but never drags and builds quite nicely.  A strong cast and some great scenes.  I really enjoyed  it!