33’s and 45’s

In keeping with the spirit of posting about certain numbers, I thought I’ll carry on until the novelty has worn off. Don’t worry, this is not about me moaning re: my age again.

My youngest sister Charlene got into mod music for over 2 years now. She even made me get a few Paul Weller CD’s and DVD’s. Right now, she’s into vinyl records. As you can see from the above image, she even got herself a turntable and she is really gaga over it. Since I am coming home in August, he’s been trying to haggle vinyls off me and have even given me a list of what she wants. I have seen shop called Haggle Vinyl in Islington and might pay them a visit, here’s the link tot heir website: http://www.netsoundsmusic.com/nsusd/1785.html

Now, I haven’t used my blog for personal gain but you my dear readers might be able to help me. If you happen to have the ff. albums in your collection, or know somebody who has it and was thinking of selling it (or better yet giving it away for free!), please reply to this post and will work out the other details by email. My friend Morbius has already kindly given me 10 albums.

I am now posting my sister’s list of vinyls she must have. For one thing, I am not getting her everything in the list, it all depends on how much it’s going to cost me!

• Art Ensemble of Chicago (les stances a sophie or sumptin else)
• Stevie Wonder (Songs in the Key of Life)
• Nick Drake
• High Fidelity soundtrack
• Kalima
• Swamp Children
• Yo la Tengo
• Fela Kuti
• Gil Scott Heron
• Stereolab
• Daktaris (soul explosion)
• Aztec camera (high land, hard rain)
• Belle and Sebastian
• Captain Beefheart
• The Clash
• The jam
• The who
• Eggstone
• For Against (coalesced or sumptin else with the song “love you”)
• Herbie Hancock
• Lee Morgan
• Life Without Buildings (any other city)
• Keren Ann
• Mary Wells
• Margo Guryan
• Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
• Michael Jackson (off the wall)
• Mulatu Astatke
• Broken Flowers soundtrack
• The Pretenders
• Alessi Brothers
• Robert Johnson
• Ryuichi Sakamoto
• The Streets
• Small Faces
• Spanky Wilson
• The Style Council
• Tom Waits
• The Velvet Underground
• The Beat Generation (3-disc compilation)
• Palatine (4-disc compilation, under factory records) alice coltrane
• The Aluminum Group
• Beastie Boys (the in sound from way out!)
• Alice Coltrane
• Miles Davis
• Beat Happening
• Brenton Wood (oogum boogum)
• ESG
• Curtis Mayfield
• Jens Lekman
• Banbarra (the song “shack up”)
• Friends Again
• Anna Domino

I remember saying to her that this is just a phase and that she will get it over it eventually, and I know if I had seen her face, she would have said the following words without batting an eyelash; is your theatre watching also a phase?

I rest my case. Let’s go and haggle them vinyls!

Gobbets - Jane Austen

My idea of good company is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation; that is what I call good company. - Persuasion, 1818

38

I am 38 years old today.

My advancing years didn’t used to bother me in the past, but turning 38 is different, and no, I will not even try to explain why.

The week leading to today has not been easy, I feel out of sorts, very anti-social, and just wanted to be left alone all the time, and that’s not me at all. Now if this is a sign of aging, then I don’t like it very much. I felt like this before but what was because of other external factors- college, relationship problems and the like. This time though I seem to revel in my solitude, I am giving myself a lot of quality me time that I never used to do before. But I hope it’s just another phase, just leave me be, maybe its really just because I turned 38.

I was chatting with my friend Morbius on Facebook today and wanting to cheer me up said,

Morbius: Simone, 38 is just a number.

Simone: But why does it feel old?

Morbius: 38 is the new 28.

If only I could believe that.

Theatretrotting in May

Since I started going to the theatre on a regular basis, I now look forward every month in filling my diary with productions to watch. What looks like my busiest time for theatre will be this month with about 7 productions already booked.

Now that’s probably not a lot for other avid theatregoers who probably go and see 3 or 4 productions per week, but I also have other things to do during the week, and I do get exhausted with all the late nights! Now that I have discovered the joys of going to matinee performances which I did with Happy Now? last month it will allow me more flexibility on weekends, and then there’s Nicholas Hytner’s vision of having the National open 7 days a week now, which means even Sundays you can go to the theatre, just imagine all the productions to see!

But let’s focus on the now though Simone. So what am I going to see this month?

May 3 & 15- Major Barbara, Olivier, National Theatre

It’s my third (and then fourth!) time around and although I was supposed to watch it with my pal eddie who had to beg off because of her allergies, it didnt stop me from still going. I am bent on beating my record for the production I have seen the most number of times, with The Phantom of the Opera leading at 4 but it looks like there’s gonna be a tie soon, and about time too!

May 9- The Lady from the Sea, Arcola

It will be my 4th Ibsen production, and looking forward to be back at the Arcola again after last month’s brilliant An Enemy of the People.

May 12- The City, Royal Court Theatre

I have become a Hattie Morahan fan since the recent BBC version of Sense and Sensibility so I booked this from quite a while back. It will also be my first Katie Mitchell experience.

May 16- Fram, National Theatre

Although the reviews for this production are quite torn, I still would like to check out Tony Harrison’s work, and with Jasper Britton and Mark Addy in the cast surely you couldnt go wrong?

May 19- Rosmersholm, Almeida

Helen McCrory as Rebecca West. My 5th Ibsen. Enough said.

May 21- Beau Jest, Hackney Empire

A romantic comedy directed by Susie McKenna right in my local theatre. And you don’t have to be Jewish!

May 30- Pygmalion, Old Vic

It will be my 2nd George Bernard Shaw of this much raved about production that will set up camp at the Old Vic. Best way to end this merry month eh?

My London

She adored London. The city is passionate and beautiful like she was. - Spaced, Series 2, Episode 1

I have been a Londoner for a good 7 years now and I love it here. I thought I would only stay for 2 years and then move on to New York, but then again, New York can wait.

One of the things I love about this city is its vibrance. There’s just a lot of things to try and do. You already know about my new passion towards theatre and performing arts which has actually occupied most of my spare time, so today after enjoying a matinee performance of the National’s Major Barbara (dont worry it’s only my third) I decided to walk around the Southbank before heading home.

eddie and I were here last week after seeing Happy Now? at the National and I was surprised when we saw the book market. Apparently, the Southbank Book Market is one of London’s best kept secrets.

From London is Free: Often described as London’s best kept secret the Southbank Book Market really does have something for everyone selling English lit classics, photographs, arts books, maps, antique books and lots, lots more besides. The market is open daily, during summer from 10.30am to 6.30pm, and during the winter months from 12pm to 5.30pm outside the National Theatre under the arches of Waterloo Bridge. The South Bank Book Market is one of Southern England’s only outdoor book markets and has been thriving since 1982, it really is must for London based book lovers.

I got 2 books on Ibsen’s plays and Voltaire’s Candide for £8 altogether. If you happen see me there one of these days, please don’t be a stranger and say hello.