Festival festivities

Festival season is finally upon me and so far has been thoroughly enjoyable! This weekend marked the end of the Norfolk & Norwich Festival, and although I haven’t made it to as many events this year as I sometimes do, I’ve really enjoyed those I have made it to, and have loved the buzz about the city for the past two weeks!

On the first night I headed to the Cathedral Close for the opening performance of Réve D’Herbert by Compagnie des Quidams. Each year the opening night involves a walking performance of dramatics, art, light, and music. In the past I have walked the highstreet following gigantic, robotic, pyrotechnic wolves, and enormous dinosaurs flying above my head. I admit that this year was initially less spectacular, although it did culminate in something quite mesmerising indeed! At first we stood for a long time watching tall, white figures with scarily painted faces wandering around between the crowds. Suddenly however, they stopped, forcing a circle to form around each one, and gradually whirled around on the spot, inflating and finally lighting up. Their giant inflatable heads then stuck out far above the crowds, lighting the audience around each one like beacons around the close which by this point had become very dark and ever so slightly eerie. Off they wandered again, this time less carefully, and I found myself ducking and diving to avoid giant, inflatable behinds! Still ever so slightly bored, it wasn’t until the end of the performance, which was further into the close, that I was truly hypnotised by floating orbs which lit the night sky, as large white balloons floated around the audience. As always, it was pretty magical and certainly very surreal; quite the experience.

On the fourth night, I saw Woodkid at the Theatre Royal. Having been to uncountable musical performances of a vastly varying nature, I often find it very difficult to answer the dreaded question ‘what’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?’ Nevertheless, I emerged from Woodkid’s performance absolutely reeling, and spent the entire time inside on the edge of my seat with butterflies all over the place! It may be that as a weak and feeble female, I’m automatically won over by the melting dark chocolate sensation that is his voice, or it may have been the fact that the lighting and set-up of the stage and the attire of the many strong men standing over enormous percussion instruments was so perfectly coordinated and just my colours (or my black I suppose I should say), but whatever it was, it was beautiful and quite the experience and I would absolutely definitely see the show again and again recommend that anyone who even likes Yoann Lemoine’s work a little bit should absolutely definitely see the show for a first time! Certainly a contender and an easy answer for the dreaded question if nothing else!

On the ninth night (this is beginning to sound like some kind of traditional tale), I was whisked off to the Spiegeltent for a Swing Spectacular! I very much enjoy dressing up in vintage-style clothes and dancing around to music from the 40s and 50s. There’s something about being transported back in time to an era that didn’t even have me in it that really excites me! The Spiegeltent is my favourite NNF venue so I had to make the most of my night in there for the Bo Nanafana Swing Spectacular as sadly I haven’t attended any other events in there this year. On approach to the tent I always feel a bubble of excitement rising in a child-like sense as it’s just so inviting and colourful and pretty and has a real presence! The interior is even better, with the beautiful dance floor (which every dance floor should be like in every way!), the booths, the bar, the ceiling, the stage, the stained glass; it’s all very magnificent and unique. Graced with the presence of Mr B The Gentleman Rhymer and his banjolele, it was quite the spectacular as promised!

One of my favourite things about the NNF is that it takes me to new locations, and my favourite place that has been open for access this year is The Undercroft at the top of the market! It may well have been open for festival installations another year, but I’d never been in there until the tenth day! It’s All Up In The Air is an art installation by Rhona Byrne and consists of hanging black clouds assembled from modelling balloons. Yet another surreal experience, I have taken a few people to see the clouds since my first encounter where I stumbled upon some ‘ninja knitting’ as apparently other people are loving the secretive nature of the location too!

Another year over and already I’m intrigued by what next year may have to offer... 

Grabbing horns, bobbing along, childhood nostalgia, and a little history

I can’t believe how long it’s been since I last wrote! I’ve been a crazy kind of busy, and by the time I ever have a moment to sit down and write, I feel like whatever has happened is suddenly rather irrelevant (it’s not just a case of nothing interesting happening, honestly)! I can’t deny I am a lover of being busy and I certainly feel as though I have an awful lot of purpose at the moment, which is never a bad thing! So I write to you with some of the ‘best bits’ of the last month I suppose; just to prove that I haven’t just disappeared into a deep, dark cave somewhere (although there’s still time).

Something that this year has taught me is that I need to grab opportunities and take risks. In a nutshell, there’s been a lot of bull-grabbing – or at least the horns of bulls. One pretty big ‘event’ over the past month has been my weekly swimming lessons! I’m still pretty ashamed to admit that I’m an adult taking swimming lessons, and apparently it’s quite unbelievable that someone who loves water as much as I do can’t actually swim in it? The decision was spurred on by my visit with a year 4 class to the public swimming pool where I had my own school swimming lessons. Memories of watching all of my classmates move up into the ‘big pool’ until I was the only one left in the ‘baby pool’ surrounded by many floats and with no clue how to actually move came flooding back, and the fear of slipping, falling in and just sinking slowly to the bottom made me think it was perhaps time to face my fear. I’m almost at the end of my 6 weeks of lessons now, and my confidence has certainly improved no end; so much so that I will definitely be booking in more lessons, and not just because I still can’t actually swim on my front but because I really enjoy bobbing about, and the exercise can’t be doing me any harm?

View of the Church from Cromer Pier

Talking of swimming, took a very lovely trip to Cromer a few weekends ago (not that I even paddled actually, it was FREEZING and very, very windy so I was a little too wrapped up). The last time I was there I’d been singing in the Church with the Festival Chorus and getting very chilly! It seems I’ve been experiencing a lot of nostalgia this month, because this time I was reminded of trips there with my family as a child when we would stay in West Runton and go off to Cromer for the day just for a change of scenery. I think it may have brought out my inner child slightly as I got all excited along the pier, and was a little over-enthusiastic about the Henry Blogg Museum where I made my very own medal with a fancy press. I have a bit of an affinity with the RNLI as my very own Grandad was on the lifeboats, and apparently in a picture or two at the Museum – which I thought I’d made up so sadly didn’t spot him this time – I’ll just have to go back.

My 'medal' from the Henry Blogg Museum

I’m not usually one for an interest in history, but personal history is always a little more appealing. My violin and bow have now been in my possession for (I think) about 10 years (how awful is it that I can’t actually remember how old I was when I got them even though I remember the whole experience so very vividly??) but I’d never actually looked into the history of my violin until very recently. There is an old concert programme that has sat in the case since the day I took it home, and I’d had a quick flick through it and kept it because it was quite cool having a programme from a concert that the previous owner had performed in.

Concert programme from June 1960, newspaper cutting of a
 photograph from the performance, and my beautiful violin

Little did I know that the owner was actually a pretty big deal in the violin and orchestral world, as concertmaster of the Hague Philharmonic for many years of his musical career! Theo Olof actually only died last year, and has left a huge legacy behind him – I can’t help but wonder if I’m even meant to have his violin or whether perhaps it was stolen many years ago and is still in the process of being recovered? For anyone who has got a bit lost/bored by this last tit-bit, MY VIOLIN IS ON GOOGLE IMAGES, it’s cool. He's also on Spotify performing a bit of Britten (quite apt for this post I'd say):

Theo Olof – Violin Concerto Op. 15 (original version): II. Vivace - Cadenza -

I’m deluding myself if I think that all of this would ever fit on a postcard. Hoping to have a little more time for ramblings so I won’t have to let a load out at once again in the near future! 

Therapeutic fish

It's the little things.

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Food, glorious food

Food at home is always a rather wondrous thing, so I do dread the return to fending for myself, particularly for my stomach’s sake. For this very reason, each time I’m back on my own I endeavour to eat well – and it usually lasts for all of a week (but so far, it’s going extremely well – depending on your definition of ‘well’!) I might now be back to the ‘hard graft’ that is the week following extended birthday celebrations, but I’ve been fortunate enough to have had some very lovely guests to stay over my Easter holiday!

I absolutely LOVE playing the hostess, particularly to guests who will happily pander to my ‘rustic’ style of cooking. I’m also a huge fan of guests who will chip in rather than sitting back and watching as the kitchen burns down around me – experimental cooking is not always highly successful, and beyond the safety aspect it’s more fun with two anyway? I’m not someone who can actually create many dishes, but I’m quite skilled at the throw-everything-in-a-pan-and-see-what-it-tastes-like approach, as I have now tested out three times this week. Things that can always be found in my fridge/freezer/cupboards:

Courgettes

Aubergine

Onions

Garlic (of the smoked variety right now – smells AMAZING)

Tinned tomatoes

Orzo pasta

Pearl barley

Tuna (although had a horrendous realisation yesterday that currently, there is none!)

Quorn mince

Sausages

Insanely large amount of tea

Honey

Porridge oats

For me, and so for anyone fortunate (or perhaps unfortunate) enough to be staying in my house, breakfast in the week days is always the same; bowl of porridge with a LOT of honey. It’s nothing special but it keeps me going, and is probably one of the only things I can really stomach in the morning. Of course weekends are a little more special and there might be pastries or crumpets involved... but let's not get too carried away! Lunch consists of whatever ‘lunchable’ items are in the house, and finally tea comes around. I’m not someone who likes to make a huge effort with cooking, particularly after a day of being on my feet (and even more particularly after a day at work in a café!), and I also like to avoid washing up – hence the throw-everything-in-a-pan method. So the method was deployed on Tuesday of last week, to the praise of my friend – even if he didn’t eat it all because he has a small appetite (what is one of those and where do I get me one??).

Filled with confidence, I went a little more adventurous with my next house guest; pearl barley risotto with courgette and asparagus, YUM. For some bizarre reason, I then let her attempt to roast a whole aubergine on the flames of my gas hob – definitely something that needs another attempt because it was very tasty, if not completely cooked (had to keep rolling it around the work surface as the charred bits set alight, we know how to add drama to cooking)! The aubergine was accompanied with smoked garlic mushrooms and salted pasta, making for a rather forlorn looking plate but so, so tasty.

Of course with all that Norwich has to offer, I have no choice but to take people out to eat too. I’m not a food critic, I just love food. For this reason (and just because I don’t like my posts to be too long and rambly and this one has already gone beyond an ‘easy-reading’ length), I will just say that everyone should make a visit to:

The Workshop; Gin & peach juice and Chair stacking

The Workshop on Earlham Road; incredible food, great drinks, amazing ambience, very tolerant staff, and a host of games to play. This time we had halloumi, fig and honey, artichoke, aubergine and mozzarella and the infamous Workshop pizza to accompany games of Rummikub, Jenga, Chair-Stacking and Scrabble with way too many tiles!

Grosvenor Fish Bar; have become a rather huge fan of their ‘Big Mack’ burgers served with a slice of lemon and lots of healthy salad, very fancy! Best fish and chips, great prices, lovely, friendly staff, and of course the added bonus of close relations with The Birdcage making for the perfect place to have an accompanying drink.

Waitrose; not for general shopping you understand, I am a poor student. But when the sun comes out there is nothing nicer than a walk around the lake at the UEA, a wander along the river, and a picnic by the mill or on a jetty consisting entirely of fancy, unhealthy bits and pieces from Waitrose. Pork pie with apple and fig chutney, watercress and salmon quiche, potato and leek tartlet, butterscotch and pecan yum yums and two extremely large and unhealthy slices of cake were the components of our picnic last weekend.

Food is my favourite.

On the train to Cambridge

Currently sitting on my bed with a pile of bags at my feet after a successful day’s shopping and merriment-making with Mother in Cambridge. After the disappointment that was Christmas, we did wonder why we were stepping out in the cold again this morning – but we made sure it was worth it!

As we sat on the train this morning (Mother like a child with a new toy with her new iPod, shouting at me as soon as the headphones were in, dancing around, and making general noises of excitement as each new song came on!) I partook in a spot of people-watching. It led me to realise that I’m still rather unsure of the rules of train etiquette despite many, many train journeys, and am almost convinced that I have my very own set. I do, however, understand that people-watching when in close proximity must be executed in the most secretive of manners!

The plethora of reading materials was a sure sign of the eclectic mix of passengers today. The first magazine that caught my attention was a rather risqué French magazine with lots of scantily clad ladies decorating the advertisement pages. Sneaky peaks of the various articles as the lady (who I’m going to go right ahead and assume was a French tourist) flicked through the pages gave me a prime opportunity to practise my French de-coding. I can confirm for anyone who has ever had the pleasure of experiencing my French, that it is still as appalling as it always has been – the word ‘homosexuels’ was about as far as I got.

In front of French-tourist-lady as she will now be fondly known, was eccentric man with wispy grey hair sticking out at all angles from underneath a woolly hat. He had chosen to bring a selection of large newspapers to peruse. As a passenger, my heart always sinks a little when someone with a broadsheet decides to occupy the seat next to mine. There is NOT ROOM on a train for enormous sheets of paper. Also unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately for him), the content of the Financial Times was not as entertaining for me as de-coding risqué French magazines.

My attention was then averted to the opposite side of the carriage from French-tourist-lady and eccentric-wispy-hair-man to where a family off out for a day trip sat. They were the sort of family who were clearly prepared for all eventualities with their waterproof coats, multiple layers of woolly clothing and gigantic rucksacks for the unfortunate parents to drag around for the day. Father and son sat opposite me; father with his multi-pack of fishing magazines, son with the Simpsons. I could only assume mother was reading ‘Woman’s Own’ or another magazine that would firmly cement the stereotype.

Just beyond French-tourist-lady, eccentric-wispy-hair-man and the family-on-a-day-trip sat passengers who cast my mind back to my childhood and early teenage years, as a young boy ripped open the cellophane covering a new magazine and eagerly fished out the free toy whilst ‘let’s-pretend-we’re-all-grown-up’ coffee was drunk by chattering friends. 

Nowadays I may sit quietly in my seat, but clearly my mind is whirring away! 

The power of a wander

I might not think Lynn has much to offer on the doorstep in comparison with Norwich but this Sunday I took a stroll to some of my favourite bits and actually found it very pleasant! I'm not a photographer by any means, but couldn't abandon the postcard idea entirely; and they are often chosen for the pictures after all?

1&2. The Walks; The Bandstand and Red Mount Chapel

     3. Underneath Greyfriar's Tower

     4. St Margaret's churchyard and some pretty white crocus flowers

     5. King's Lynn Town Hall (complete with actual tourists)

     6. The Art's Centre courtyard - my favourite sun trap in the summer! 

     7. Stock Fish Rack sculpture on the Green Quay

     8. Pilot boat and some seagulls

     9. Compass on the Purfleet Quay pointing me to none other than childhood hero, Captain John Smith

    10. Picture Postcard and a view of Vancouver's behind.

Antiquing

A couple of pieces from Christmas <3

Bit of a bus adventure again this weekend (my life is TOO exciting!). Content in my bus bubble I was hypnotised by clumps of icy snow sliding down the window, with the occasional rude interruption of branches battering the top and sides of the vehicle as we trundled down roads clearly too narrow for wide loads! Two and a half hours later... and no thanks to the almighty detour, I landed. I rarely seem to get out of Norfolk these days, and this weekend was no exception as my bus journey was only from as far as Norwich. But it really was lovely to be back, particularly as I took the opportunity to go antiquing! I say antiquing, I didn’t actually purchase for once, but there is still nothing I enjoy more in a torrential downpour than taking shelter in a flea market. I have a penchant for mis-match china, jewellery (of course), mirrors, and anything else that looks pretty to me, regardless of its function!

The previous weekend I had visited St Andrew’s Hall for a vintage fair, where my friend and I admired the many men lining the walls in their high and mighty paintings, reminiscing over the days of curing boredom in our rehearsals in the oboe section by deciding which we’d rather like to marry. With all the memories of past performances it still feels a little odd to be in there when it’s full to the brim with vintage clothing or antiques, but what a space for it! In my attempt to relieve myself of bad hair with a little wander in the pouring rain (I know it sounds ridiculous but I was convinced that the wet-look would at least flatten it slightly) I stumbled upon a flea market there this weekend, and spent a good hour moseying around and having my jewellery complimented by ‘vintage’ ladies, lovely. As I’d made it to that end of town, thought I’d continue the theme and head for Loose’s Antiques Emporium. I rarely allow myself the pleasure of a trip to Loose’s (so called because it is set-up in the old Loose’s Cookshop building, not to be confused!) as I so easily lose myself in it all so need a rather large amount of browsing time. If it wasn’t already enough of an ‘emporium’, this time I was treated to even more antiques out back, and the entire upper floor was open and abundant with treasures (it’s so huuuuge)!

Very difficult to tear myself away and keep my purse in my bag (bus journeys are hardly the place for stacks of antiques, let alone when they’re quite so rattly) but I am already so excited for my return and another day of antiquing!  

Elm Hill