Monthly Archives: January 2009

30 years a Dame

Posted on January 25, 2009 by John

Incred­ibly, Ber­wick Kaler has been doing the York panto for 30 years. We must have seen about 20 of them. This year, Dick Turpin — a new plot — or actu­ally the same plot with the char­ac­ters hav­ing dif­fer­ent names. … Con­tinue read­ing →

Posted in books films arts etc | Leave a comment

Another Brief Word …

Posted on January 20, 2009 by John

York Spice, on Bish­op­thorpe Road. Best Indian Res­taur­ant in town, I’m sure. Excel­lent vari­ety, well cooked and all dishes dis­tinct­ive. (So unlike an appalling take-away in Shef­field, some years ago, where each of the 4 dishes we ordered was an … Con­tinue read­ing →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Fish Finale

Posted on January 20, 2009 by John

Alas, ice and lack of oxy­gen have got to the fish. There were four, then three, then one — now no more. RIP.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

McEwan and Hardy

Posted on January 16, 2009 by John

Just for the record, “Chesil Beach” seemed to me unin­spired, trivial, and implaus­ible. I read it imme­di­ately before Thomas Hardy’s “The Trum­pet Major”, which is well-plotted, ironic, rev­els in fas­cin­at­ing detail of coun­try life, and engages one with the char­ac­ters. … Con­tinue read­ing →

Posted in books films arts etc | Leave a comment

Horse, Fox and Palace

Posted on January 16, 2009 by John

A meander round the inner sub­urb, start­ing for me at the Bay Horse on Blos­som Street. Always a very local pub, except on race days, and quite cosy. The Deuchars was off but the Black Sheep was superbly kept, one … Con­tinue read­ing →

Posted in Portland Street Pedestrians, pubs | Leave a comment

A Brief Word of Praise …

Posted on January 7, 2009 by John

…for the Exhib­i­tion, on Bootham, York. Very cosy feel, usu­ally 3 or 4 real ales on tap, friendly staff, excel­lent pub food. Last night’s Guzz­ler from York Brew­ery was as excel­lent a pint as I’ve had anywhere.

Posted in pubs | Leave a comment

Overcliff and Undercliff

Posted on January 3, 2009 by John

Down through the woods to Hay­burn Wyke — a favour­ite des­tin­a­tion. The ferns in the wood sur­pris­ingly live and green for Decem­ber — very dif­fer­ent from the dead bracken of the moors. Stream had formed a pool on the beach … Con­tinue read­ing →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment