This was the second Sideways wine weekend of 2009; this time to Piedmont, Italy – home of Barolo and Barbaresco – and I used the opportunity to tag on a couple of days in Turin, a new city for me.
It’s proximity to France, but perhaps more importantly it’s history as the home of the Dukes [...]
Archive for the ‘Food & Wine’ Category
Turin & Piedmont Wine Weekend
Posted in Architecture, Art, Design, Food & Wine, Travel, tagged Architecture, Art, Design, Food & Wine, Travel on November 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
The Rest of June
Posted in Architecture, Art, Classical Music, Dance, Design, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, Theatre, tagged Architecture, Art, Classical Music, Dance, Design, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, Theatre on June 30, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
OPERA
At the Guildhall School of Music & Drama there was a pairing of Martinu and Rossini one-act comic operas. I love these Guildhall opera evenings – always value and often a treat. I wasn’t mad keen on the music of the Martinu though I liked the production and performances (particularly Nicky Spence). The Rossini, an [...]
The Rest of May
Posted in Art, Circus, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Design, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, tagged Art, Circus, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography on May 31, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
OPERA & CLASSICAL MUSIC
Handel’s Giustino, one of his 42 operas!, was given a very rare performance by Trinity College of Music in Wren’s wonderful Royal Naval College Chapel in Greenwich. The staging was a bit hit-and-miss but the singing was terrific. The venue has great acoustics and a wonderful atmosphere, but the pews proved a [...]
Launguedoc-Roussillon Wine Weekend
Posted in Food & Wine, Travel, tagged Food & Wine, Travel on May 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
This was a weekend organised by someone we met on the South American wine tour back in February 2008 – three days in Languedoc-Roussillon in South West France, staying at Vinécole near Limoux and accompanied by The Observer’s wine writer and master of wine Tim Atkin. The region’s co-operatives are in decline and new (often [...]
A Weekend in The Hague
Posted in Architecture, Art, Food & Wine, Travel, tagged Architecture, Art, Food & Wine, Travel on February 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
‘Why?’ I hear you ask. Before I went I would have said ‘Why Not?’ After the visit, I can report lots of good reasons for visiting this welcoming and interesting city with lovely buildings, canals and green spaces.
I landed on my feet accommodation-wise at one of the best examples of the ‘boutique’ hotel in a [...]
Christmas in Florence
Posted in Architecture, Art, Food & Wine, Travel, tagged Architecture, Art, Food & Wine, Travel on December 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve got to like avoiding the excesses of a British Christmas and this was the 8th escape in the last nine years; the third to Italy. After a very busy two months, the sleep, fresh air and walking were particularly welcome (not that the food and drink were exactly unwelcome!).
I’d only been to Florence once before, [...]
Northern Spain Wine Tour – October 2008
Posted in Art, Food & Wine, Travel, tagged Art, Food & Wine, Travel on October 21, 2008 | 2 Comments »
I enjoyed the February South American wine tour so much that here I am doing the same in Spain in October! This one is accompanied by wine writer Andrew Williams who hails from Pontypridd, 3 miles over the mountain from my home village of Abertridwr, and takes in 12 wineries in 7 wine regions (DO’s) [...]
Is It Curtains For The Critics? – Interviewed by The Observer
Posted in Art, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Dance, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, Theatre, Travel, tagged Art, Books, Classical Music, Comedy, Contemporary Music, Dance, Film, Food & Wine, Opera, Photography, Theatre, Travel on July 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
This is an article from The Observer on 13th July for which I was interviewed. You’ll have to scroll down to para 28 to find my few words of wisdom, but I’ve hightlighted them for you in case you haven’t got time !
IS IT CURTAINS FOR THE CRITICS?
An army of arts bloggers is posting internet reviews on [...]
The Rest of June
Posted in Art, Food & Wine, Travel, tagged Art, Food & Wine, Travel on June 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
I’ve been lucky enough to have a friend trace my ancestry back to the middle of the nineteenth century (I have neither the patience or the organisational skills required) – thank you, Janice! This picked up a few surprises as I never realised that my maternal grandfather (who died before I was born) came from Mid Wales [...]
South American Wine Tour – February 2008
Posted in Food & Wine, Travel, tagged Add new tag, Travel on February 16, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
Well here we are back in BA after visiting 13 wineries in Uruguay, Chile and Argentina – more of that later!
There should be signs at the airport announcing ‘Carnivores Only’ and ‘No Tee-totals’ as this city – indeed, these countries – live for red meat and wine. By the time we left for Uruguay, 3 days [...]
