This morning we had free tickets to go and see the new Disney / Pixar film "Up".


Despite the cinema offer being somewhat oversubscribed and the start of the film being a little disrupted as stacking chairs were brought in for people to sit on we were soon immersed in the great story and beautiful animation. A superb film.
Squirrel!

In the evening I drove to Oxford to see Daniel Merriweather play at the O2 Academy. He was absolutely brilliant as always!

 

04.10.09

An interesting start to the day. We set off fairly early on our journey to Cardiff and considering my car had a lot of work done to it yesterday at Citrôen I was a little surprised when some of the under carriage fell off on the A33. It just looked like a small section of plastic had come loose but when I noticed more bouncing behind me on the M4 I realised it could be serious and very dangerous. I called Citrôen from the Motorway Services and they were very apologetic to say the least. When I explained it was a plastic cover that had come loose and disintegrated they assured me the car was still safe to drive, particularly as there was none of the cover left intact, so we continued our journey, slightly less aerodynamically!
First stop when we got to Cardiff was to catch up with the family


and I got to hold my great nephew James as my other great nephew Louie and great niece Ella played close by.
 Then I went into the city centre to meet my mate Mark. We had a look in the new John Lewis and then House Of Fraser where they had a great Paul Smith section, but I was good and my bank balance remained unscathed! We then met up with some of Marks friends and set off for Cardiff Castle where we were seeing the Stereophonics.
The gig was being staged within the historic Castle walls so I got an opportunity to get a picture of the Keep


and the other beautiful buildings hidden inside.


We were thrilled when we found out the support act today was 'Goldie Lookin' Chain' who are brilliant at getting a crowd going!




Who could not be moved by such classics as "Guns Don't Kill People, Rappers Do", "Your Mother's Got A Penis" and "Your Missus Is A Nutter"? A great laugh!
As the Stereophonics took to the stage the grey clouds decide it was time to unburden themselves and it rained on and off throughout the set. Moist.
However, we hardly noticed as the band played to an adoring home crowd.




After a few more family visits we set off to meet up with our best men Scott and Jon at Diner 77 which is an American burger restaurant that I often frequented when I lived in Cardiff. It is known for large meals so we all did ourselves proud by ordering double portions. Jon was feeling particularly unwell so the saying "starve a fever and feed a cold" was put to great use!


A fab evening, great food and brilliant company. Thanks to all!

03.10.09

We went to see the new Ricky Gervais film "The Invention Of Lying" tonight.


I've been really looking forward to seeing this film as I absolutely adore "Ghost Town" so I was a little disappointed when it was nowhere near as good. There were little bursts of laughter now and again but it just felt that the film veered between social commentary and romantic comedy but ended up being unconvincing as both.

03.10.09

Despite crowning myself 'King Of The Stupids!' recently I have to say that I aint that stupid. Even I could work this one out by myself.




And in case you're wondering, it looks and smells like cat food.

01.10.09

Finally finished the book I've been reading for over a month.


"A Prickly Affair - My Life With Hedgehogs" by Hugh Warwick was always going to appeal to me as I've been fascinated by hedgehogs for years. I should add that the fascination was restricted to the animals themselves and not the multitude of pottery figurines that everyone thought I'd like as soon as they found out my interest! During one of my house moves a local charity shop suddenly found itself with enough of the things to warrant a window display!
As for the book, it wasn't the most exciting read and at times I found it a bit boring, so I was almost relieved when I got to the end.

30.09.09

We went to see the Monty Python documentary 'Almost The Truth -The Lawyers Cut' tonight at our local cinema.

It details the history of the Monty Python team from their beginnings in the 60's right through all their films and has interviews with all the surviving members. I found it really interesting having seen most of their shows and all the films before but I think Gareth found it a bit boring. It was an unusual idea to show it at a cinema and it wasn't well attended, particularly as we've since learnt that it's being shown on TV anyway.

29.09.09

Tinchy Stryder and Chipmunk

28.09.09

We went to see "The Soloist" tonight. I had expected this film to be a real tear jerker for some reason, so I was a little disappointed when it didn't turn out to be so harrowing but it was an excellent film.


Robert Downey Jr. was as good as always but Jamie Foxx was absolutely superb. Awards beckon methinks.

25.09.09

Gareth's sister Laura and I travelled up to Camden in London tonight to see the Stereophonics play at the Electric Ballroom. It was a gig where tickets had only been made available via their mailing list, hence such a small venue. As soon as we walked in I noticed Glenn Matlock from the Sex Pistols and Slim Jim Phantom from the Stray Cats (I knew the face but have had to look up who he was) at the bar. I was alerted that Wayne Rooney was on the VIP balcony and soon saw him dancing away. I'd suggest he is better at football than dancing.
The atmosphere in such a small venue was brilliant and the band played a great set


 which included my favourites "Vegas Two Times", "Local Boy In The Photograph", "Dakota" and Kelly's vocals on "Mr Writer" were just superb.

21.09.09

We started our day in London with breakfast with Katy and Iwona. It was was great to catch and spend a little time together.
Once we'd checked out of the hotel we headed to the Paul Smith shop, via a fantastically named street it has to be said!

Next stop was the Comedy Theatre to see "Prick Up You Ears" starring Matt Lucas, Chris New and Gwen Taylor.


The play is based upon books written by John Lahr about the playwright Joe Orton and his almost claustrophobic relationship with his partner Kenneth Halliwell. Chris New was excellent as Joe and Gwen Taylor was hilarious as Mrs Corden, but Matt Lucas was absolutely superb as Kenneth. As his character descends into desperate mental illness Matt was absolutely breathtaking. I bought "The Orton Diaries" when they were published in 1986  and from then on I've been fascinated with Joe's life. I feel the play really did the story justice and I felt quite emotional at the end as it is a story I know very well.
Afterwards we went for a meal at a Pizza Express opposite and when we left and walked back past the theatre I noticed that Matt Lucas was stood outside chatting. I went over and politely interrupted and then made it clear that I thought his performance was superb. He was really lovely and was genuinely pleased with my praise. A very nice man indeed!
Next we walked to the Duke Of York's Theatre to see "Speaking In Tongues".


My main motivation for wanting to see this play was to see John Simm act as I have really enjoyed his work in the past. It was a bonus to get to see Ian Hart too. I can't say I enjoyed the play, partly because the actors all play various parts which got a little confusing and partly because the story wasn't that gripping either. It was one of those plays that ends and the audience aren't quite sure if it really has finished, so the clapping is a bit tenatative to begin with. Never a good sign!

19.09.09

Gareth and I travelled up to London today. First stop was to check into our hotel and then we set off for Wembley Stadium where we were meeting my friend Katy to watch 'Coldplay'.

As we arrived very early she was easy to find and it was great to see her. We've been friends since 1983 when we first became penpals so we've had plenty of time to get over getting excited at gigs, but neither of us have!
First band onstage were on of my favourites, 'White Lies'

and they were as good as always. They were quickly followed by the brilliant 'Girls Aloud' who played a set of their greatest hits.


Next was Jay Z which was our cue to go and eat, so we heard most of his set from the inner sanctum of the stadium but got back in time to see his last few songs.


In readiness for Coldplay, Kirsten presented me with a yellow glowstick to use when they played.. guess!


Soon the lights went down and the main show began, including huge inflated balls when the band played "Yellow".


Kirsten had alerted us that if we stayed near a small stage on the pitch we would be rewarded later in the gig, and she was right! The band played a short acoustic set just feet from where we stood, accompanied by Simon Pegg on harmonica.






A really special experience.
The concert continued back on the main stage as thousands of paper butterflies were blown over the crowd

 
and ended with fireworks over the stadium.


A really great gig in fantastic company!

18.09.09

Tonight it was the turn of 'Gamer'.


Of all the films I've seen recently this was by far the most enjoyable. A really clever story.

16.09.09

We went to see the remake of 'Sorority Row' tonight


 and wondered why they had bothered.

10.09.09

We went to see the film 'Julie And Julia' tonight.


Meryl Streep was excellent as always but I can't say I enjoyed the film. It was that it was bad, it just wasn't my 'type' of film. Needless to say, Gareth loved it!

09.09.09

Today Gareth and I took a trip down to Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth along with his Mum and sister Laura, primarily so I could pay homage at the Paul Smith shop. Let's just say I have never spent that much on clothes in one shop on one day in my life, but it was sooooo worth it!
 When we got home I finally signed up for Facebook. I've spent years explaining that I wasn't interested in it, particularly as I have this blog to regale you all with my thoughts, but I've actually got tired of all the explaining and gave in. Go find me if you know me!

05.09.09

We had a mad dash after work to get to Bristol in time to see Michael McIntyre at the Hippodrome. As always with a Bristol crowd, a man could walk on stage and switch a light on and off and they would laugh 'til they cried so Michael was onto a winner from the second the show started.
Sometimes it was a little worrying when he told a fairly funny joke and the guy next to me almost went into spasms of hysteria.


Michael was at his best when he went off script, particularly when he heard some seagulls on the roof of the venue and that set him off on a tangent which was hilarious. He added to this when he heard rain on the roof later in the show and took it even further when some small shreds of paper from a previous show started to float down from the lighting rig. Then he really was funny! A fun night.

01.09.09

Gareth's Mum and sister Laura visited us today so we indulged in quite a bit of shopping! It also gave me the opportunity to get Gareth a gift from all my brothers and sisters for his help in recent months. He's been desperate to buy an XBox 360 Elite so that's what I got him today. He was thrilled!

 

29.09.09

We went to see 'The Final Destination' in 3D tonight.


This genre was made for 3D and it was a great use of the new technology. When cars crashed there were tyres flying everywhere and some of the gruesome deaths were even worse than usual. I really enjoyed the film mainly because the effects took my mind off the terrible acting!

28.08.09

We went to see the film 'Funny People' tonight.


I'd hoped that with Adam Sandler, Seth Rogan and Jonah Hill it would live up to its name. It didn't.

25.08.09

I finally finished reading the Dawn French autobiography "Dear Fatty" today.


It is written as a series of letters to relatives and friends and is both funny and poignant. She comes across as a genuine and loving person and I really enjoyed reading this book, despite he fact it has taken me over a month to finish it. I usually read in bed and have been so tired recently that I only manage a few pages before my eyes start to close but I was determined to finish this great book.

24.08.09

An early start as Gareth, Laura and I went for an outing to Ikea before going to Gosport to drop Laura home. We went to Stokes Bay to take Issy for a walk and the Red Arrow Air Display Team flew over the Solent whilst we were there so I managed to get a quick photo.


Yes those specks in the sky are in fact the planes!
Issy wasn't at all bothered but we were stood near the cafe at the time so she had far more interesting things to niff. She had a great time running around the field but eventually stopped for a rest!

 

23.08.09

Gareth's sister Laura came to see us today, but my time with her was brief as I had to set off on my drive to Cardiff.
First stop was to see my niece Jo and find out how my great nephews Daniel and James were doing.






Next I parked the car at my friend Ian's place (thank you!) and walked to the Millennium Stadium where I met up with Friends Mark and Sarah to watch U2 who put on a spectacular stage show as always.


 

They played almost a greatest hits sets including some of my favourites, "Beautiful Day", "The Unforgettable Fire", "One", "Bad",




bathing the stage in red when they played "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"


and playing my favourite U2 song as the first in the encore, "Ultra Violet (Light My Way)". Superb.

 

22.08.09

We travelled to London this afternoon to see "Phèdre" at the National Theatre on the South Bank.


It starred Dame Helen Mirren and Dominic Cooper who has recently starred in 'The Duchess' and 'Mamma Mia'. Both were superb and although it was a Greek tragedy and a bit high brow I really enjoyed it though why everyone had to spent at least some time wailing on the floor wasn't made clear!

09.08.09

We went to see 'The Ugly Truth' tonight.


It was absolutely hilarious and although it did have some dodgy cgi scenes towards the end I still really loved it!

05.08.09

We travelled from our Gatwick hotel down to Brighton and enjoyed the sunny weather as we walked along the promenade, taking in the view of the the old West Pier


and then along the Palace Pier.



 
Next we took a walk around the town, wandering through the many shops, most of which had converted their window displays to commemorate it was Gay Pride weekend. Some did better than others though...


After we'd sought out a Pizza Express we walked over to the Brighton Dome to see 'Pam Ann' play her second show here.


Another great show with some great crowd interaction too.

05.08.09

We travelled to Brighton today to see 'Pam Ann' at the Brighton Dome.


As it's Brighton Pride Weekend the hotel prices were extortionate so we booked a hotel at Gatwick Airport instead and just got the train from there. Sadly it had been raining most of the day so as we walked from the station to the seafront we passed many wet people, some with the aroma of a wet dog mixed with a hint of amyl nitrate! Classy!
The Brighton Dome is a beautiful venue and Pam filled it with laughter tonight. A really great show.

01.08.09

My niece Jo sent me some great pictures today including one of my great nephew James looking rather fab and fashionable!

 

19.07.09

I got the train to London tonight to see 'Athlete' play at Somerset House.






 They were superb as always and I'm really looking forward to their new album which comes out in August as they played some of the tracks tonight.

17.07.09

I was finally able to register at a local dentist today! Yay! I haven't had my teeth checked for over three years so I was expecting the worst but luckily they all seem to be doing ok, though are in desperate need of a professional clean which I duly booked. As I walked back home (yes it's within walking distance too) I saw an Indian Takeaway I'd never noticed before so on our way home from work tonight I did a little detour and Gareth and I got our dinner from there. The food was great despite an interesting item on the menu!

 

16.07.09

We checked out of hotel and joined the rest of the family at theirs for a big breakfast. The waters of the Menai Strait were really calm and made for some great photographs.






After we'd said our goodbyes to the family we set off to visit a very famous place on Anglesey. The village with one of the longest names in the world.


Then we started our journey home, stopping briefly at Conwy to walk across the bridge over the estuary


 and taking in views of the historic Castle.


When we got home we went to see the new Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince". Unlike the other films, I haven't read the book for this one so it all came as a surprise!


I really enjoyed it, especially the interaction between the lead characters. A great film.

15.07.09

We got up early so we could go exploring before the Graduation ceremony. We drove over the Menai Bridge to Anglesey and then walked across the bridge to take some photographs.




Next we drove further around the island to Beaumaris








 before heading back to Bangor to get ready for Laura's Graduation. We are all ready proud of her so it was great to all be here to see her accept her degree. The rain held off just long enough to take some photo's too.






Afterwards we went back to where Gareths parents and Laura were staying and I got to take a few more pics




 before we all went out for a delicious meal at a local Italian restaurant.

14.07.09

Another early start as I checked out of the hotel and started the hot walk to the bus stop. Soon I was at the airport and caught my flight to Liverpool as I'm meeting Gareth and his family in Bangor later, in preparation for his sister Laura's Graduation ceremony tomorrow. Everyone I spoke to in Liverpool, at the airport, on the bus to the railway station and at the station itself very really really helpful and friendly so I'll definitely be going back to Liverpool soon. I caught the train and had to change at Crewe which was really exciting for me as there is a train museum near the station and as we passed it I saw an 'Advanced Passenger Train (APT)' there and my old trainspotter self was thrilled! Next was a train journey to Chester during which I finished reading "The Other Hand" by Chris Cleave.


It was an interesting book about the effects of an ambush on an African beach. Enjoyable but not a book I'd recommend or want to read again.
At Chester I boarded a very packed train to take a journey across the North Wales coast to Bangor. The weather was really wet and I felt sorry for all the holiday makers getting off at the seaside resorts, though at least it made the train a little quieter! I eventually arrived in a wet Bangor where Gareth and his sister Laura met me at the station. Then it was quick change at our hotel before meeting up with Gareth's parents at their hotel. By that time the weather had improved and the view over the Menai Strait had too...


well some at least!








After a delicious meal at a great Chinese restaurant we went back to our hotel for some much needed sleep!

13.07.09

I decided to have an early start today so I could come back and have a sleep later before going to see Depeche Mode as they are not onstage until 10.30pm. I decided to take my mobile phone with me today so I could hopefully take advantage of some free wi-fi to catch up with e-mails etc. As I walked in the town centre I got a good signal and as it was free I stayed online after reading my e-mails. I decided to check the Depeche Mode website to see how their previous gig had gone... and found that it had been cancelled, along with tonight's gig!!!!
 ARGHHHH!!!!
Lead singer Dave Gahan had injured himself at a previous gig so the last two dates of the European summer tour have been cancelled. This has not been the luckiest tour for me. Firstly my tickets for the Berlin show didn't make it through the post, then the gig at the London O2 was postponed, so with today's news I'm just grateful I saw them in Rome at all!!
Oh well, the sun is shining and I'm in a beautiful city that I may never have visited if it wasn't for the gig, so I decided to make the most of it and set off to visit the Museo Taurino bull ring.


 I took a fascinating guided tour but can't say I felt any less horrified at this barbaric sport afterwards. It was worth a try tho!
A walk into town where the temperature was now getting really hot, so I stopped for a cool beer and some paella. Delicious.
Next stop was the beautiful Alcázeres Reales De Sevilla, the royal palace. it has stunning architecture and gardens and I wandered around for hours in incredible heat!




















When the heat became a little too much I walked back to the river and got myself an ice cream to cool down and it was then that I noticed an automated clock and temperature sign!


So despite the concert cancellation I still had a really great time in a beautiful city with great weather too!

12.07.09

I was really surprised at just how hot it gets here so early as I set off to walk along the river, where palm and orange trees grow.

First stop was the Torre Del Oro where I took in the views of the river




 before I wandered the few streets back to the centre of the city to the Cathedral. It is very beautiful inside




 but my main reason to visit was to climb La Giralda, the tall bell tower.


 I was very impressed that there were no steps, just gradual inclines all the way to the top


where the views were incredible.










 After a few more hours walking I went back to the hotel where I'd now been given the single room I'd originally booked, and it was really nice. I had a siesta and was soon showered and ready to explore some more. I walked back along the river to see the Torre Del Oro lit up


 and the witnessed the sky change colour as the sun set over the river.








Beautiful. I watched as bats flew around overhead, feasting on the insects in the air and when I walked to the Cathedral the swallows and housemartins were doing just the same around La Giralda which looks stunning at night.


When I got back to my room I finished reading "City Of Thieves" by David Benioff.


It was a good book but nowhere near as good as it advertised itself on the cover, particularly the "I defy you to put it down..." comment. Because I did, frequently!

11.07.09

We have really have been looking forward to seeing the film 'Brüno' but thought we'd have to wait as it is released the day I go to Seville... until I noticed there was a one minute past midnight showing. We both had a nap beforehand and hoped the film would keep us awake.


It did! Wide awake! It was as good as I'd hoped and as distasteful as I expected too. A really fun film.
 Though getting to bed at 1.30pm on a day I'm travelling wasn't ideal I was up and ready in time to drive to Bristol Airport accompanied by Gareth who was driving the car back home for me. It was really sad saying goodbye as we hadn't been apart since we moved to our flat, last September. A few tears were shed.
I was soon on my way and the flight path took us over changing landscapes as we headed south.








We arrived in Seville on time and as I walked from the plane the heat was so intense it felt like I had to push my way through it. As there was no passport control I got from the plane, through the airport and onto the bus to the city in just over two minutes. Bliss!
By the time I got off the bus it felt even hotter and I noticed that an automated time & temperature sign near the bus stop was showing 36°. That's hot! It was about a 30 minute walk to my hotel where they told me that as they had no free single rooms I would have to spend my first night in a double instead and swap tomorrow. Oh well! A quick shower in my lovely room and then out to explore the city. I walked for hours around beautiful streets,










 stopping to eat some tapas and then sitting by the river to read my book. I bought a coffee on the way back to the hotel and the girl checked and double checked that I really didn't want an iced coffee before giving me the mad tourist look!

10.07.09

I travelled down to Southampton tonight to see 'Bryan Adams' play an acoustic gig at the Guildhall. As it was due to be a more relaxed gig than he usually plays it was all seated which is something I'm not used to at this venue. As I looked around at the rest of the audience I realised that they were mainly female as well as older than me. This became very apparent as soon as Bryan took to the stage. To say he was harassed would be an understatement but he took it all in good humour!


It was a great to see him play in such an intimate setting and to hear all his classics with just an acoustic guitar and occasional piano for accompaniment.

07.07.09

I drove down to Portsmouth to see 'Kasabian' at the Guildhall.


I'd never seen the band play live before and I was really impressed.


They attract an interesting audience, with the majority of the crowd being males aged 30+ who enjoy a drink!. Great gig.

06.07.09

We went to Gosport today to see family and had a great afternoon in the sunshine


which even Issy enjoyed!

 

05.07.09