Have you seen it Kiwi? Any good? The last NZ film I watched was the mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows - brilliant film about a group of vampires who live together in a house in Wellington and try to go about normal lives in a modern world, including going to bars, watching YouTube, and end up going to a big party to which zombies and werewolves are also invited - hilarious. Rhys Darby is one of the werewolves who end up fighting with the vampires. If you've not seen it, it's well worth a watch.
The Times today has a list of the country’s 30 best pubs. While I don’t think these lists mean much I have only (to my knowledge) drunk at one of them, the Coach Makers Arms in Marylebone, plus one on a side list, the Anglesea Arms in Hammersmith (used to go there a lot 25 years ago). So I have an instant new hobby and meaning in my life, 29 to go.
The Times is strict about links, but I’ve copied out and stored the list on my phone for ease of reference. The little reviews all emphasize the food in these places, I don’t think they are proper boozers. Coach Makers Arms, Marylebone Lord Poullet Arms, Hinton St George, Somerset Church Inn, Mobberley, Cheshire The Maytime Inn, Asthall, Oxfordshire The Masons Arms, Meysey Hampton, Gloucestershire Victoria Inn, Holkham, Norfolk Bridge Inn, Michaelchurch Escley, Herefordshire Harbourmaster Hotel, Aberaeron, Ceredigion Duke William, Ickham, Kent Crown Inn, Peterborough Acorn Inn, Evershot, Dorset The Cock, Hemingford Grey, Cambridgeshire Bell Inn, Horndon on the Hill, Essex Kings Head Inn, Bledington, Glos. Wykeham Arms, Winchester Olive Branch, Clipsham, Rutland Swan Inn, Swinbrook, Oxon Rose & Crown, Snettisham, Norfolk Lord Crewe Arms, Blanchland, Northumberland Bell Inn, Welford on Avon, Warks (might have been there, I have certainly had a pint in Welford) Meikleour Arms, Perthshire White Swan, Twickenham (been to this one too) Howard Arms, Ilmington, Warks (should do this soon, it’s a 20 minute drive for me) Beckford Arms, Fonthill Gifford, Wilts Woods Bar and Restaurant, Dulverton, Somerset The Cornish Arms, St Merryn, Cornwall Ebrington Arms, Ebrington, Glos (pretty sure I’ve taken my mum to lunch here, it’s close to where she lives) Drunken Duck, Ambleside, Cumbria Gunton Arms, Thorpe Market, Norfolk The Plough, Lupton, Cumbria Recommended by famous (ish) foodies The Anglesea Arms, Ravenscourt Park The Compasses Inn, Crundale, Kent Good to hear from anyone who has been to any of these, see if they deserve the kudos. All sound great for a meal out, but I get a bit pissed off when the only pub in a village is turned in to a dining venue which people drive to, rather than a proper local, leaving the residents with nowhere for a social pint. Market forces etc I suppose.
What We Do In The Shadows is well worth a watch, cracking film, really funny. Taiki Waititi who writes, directs and stars in it also did Hunt For The Wilderpeople which is also worth a watch
He also directed and played a role in Thor Ragnarok which explains why it was much funnier than its predecessors. But not as funny as Guardians of the Galaxy.
I’ve just finished a book called “You Are Not So Smart” by David McRaney. For those, like me, interested in psychology and how us humans are mentally formed it is a fascinating read. The most memorable takeaway is how we have both a conscious and an unconscious brain. The latter is basically a throwback to when we were less apart from the wider animal kingdom and is the part that, for instance, allows us to drive home safely whilst our conscious brain is thinking about how **** the working day was and what we’re going to have for dinner. Each chapter demonstrates examples of how the programming of the unconscious brain affects just about everything we do and how we respond to the outside world despite ourselves through our rational conscious brain believing that we make our decisions and base our opinions on our intelligent and mental reasoning. All of this is supported by experiments conducted by various people over the years, using particularly students as subjects. There is one chapter where the protagonists effectively planted a false memory into 85% of their subjects, which I tried on some of my work colleagues to similar effect. Fascinating read.
Maybe Tony Fernandes has read the book - I seem to have a memory of us being promised a new stadium and training ground.....
There is a big section in Yuval Noah Harari’s Homo Deus about the brain. Though as he is an historian I suspect he might misinterpret the science sometimes. Basically he covers the unconscious brain as that bit which reacts without deliberation and the conscious bit as weaving all these unconscious decisions into some kind of coherent story so we don’t go mad and fool ourselves into thinking we are rational. And we fool ourselves a lot. He describes an experiment where subjects put their hands into very cold water for a few seconds, then do it again but the temperature is raised a tiny fraction for a few extra seconds. Almost all say that the second experience, where their hand was in fact in very cold water for longer was preferable, because the last few seconds was a bit less painful. As you say, fascinating.
My wife has just got into the crime series Unforgotten on Netflix box set. As always unremittingly dark, but exceptionally well acted by a stellar ancient cast - Bernard Hill, Hannah Gordon, Peter Egan, Gemma Jones, Cheri Lunghi, Trevor Eve, Tom Courtney. Good, but depressing. Also saw the first episode of Killing Eve. This was more like it, no attempt at realism, darkly funny, glamorous locations, tons of blood. Quite nuts.
I live about 5 miles from the Gunton Arms in Norfolk. I'm yet to eat there, but it's supposed to be very nice food. Excellent for a summer pint in the afternoon, set in the middle of a huge deer park, you cannot see the boundaries, quite some beer garden! Owned by an arty type, lots of bizarre paintings around the place. Well worth a visit should you find yourself in the depths of Norfolk.
Really enjoyed Killing Eve - all 8 episodes are available on iPlayer, we've watched 4 of them so far, great fun. Doesn't try to be too serious, Vilanelle is a well acted pyscho and at least one of the assassination scenes will have you turning away from the TV if you're a touch squeamish.....
Happened upon this tonight - very funny. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p06klhll/the-luke-mcqueen-pilots-series-1-3-the-luke-of-love
went to see a band last night the warratahs 31 years they have been together and judgeing by the smiles on their faces they are still enjoying every minute they hung around afterwards signing stuff and doing photos i only knew a few of the songs but they played well and it was a great night out and i now own a signed cd
