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I have booked Diana’s concert last year in Summer. October has finally arrived. I went to Royal Albert Hall cocktail bar to have a Mojito Royal in Berry Bros. & Rudd first, I heard they are the oldest wine and spirit bar … Continue reading
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An Autumn weekend A glass of red wine on the table Making a good Autumn stew Playing Jazz from the distance ‘The falling leaves, drift by the windows’ Singing by Nat King Cole… The violin is playing from the song … Continue reading
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Tony Bennett is one of my favourite Jazz musicians that I always wanted to see his performance. He is a legendary jazz musical like Frank Sinatra to me. He is 86 years old now and still touring countries. He … Continue reading
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Madeleine Peyroux performed in London Barbican on 8th July. I booked it 2 months ago and finally it’s happened. The openning was Sophie Hunger, Sophie’s voice was amazing and clear, so suitable for jazz vocal. I did enjoy her first … Continue reading
After John went to Manchester for his conference meeting, he said I would love to go shopping and experience Manchester. We decided to drive to Manchester at this weekend and see whether I like it or not.
It was very easy road to drive from Leeds to Manchester. After 40 minutes, we parked in central of Manchester and started to explore the area. It got Selfridges and a lot of big departments, high street, and a lot more choices than Leeds. I always think Leeds city centre is too small. I did enjoy to go shopping in London, but could be quite tired, because it is huge. I could easily spend one day only walking in Oxford Street. However, Manchester is the perfect size for going shopping. You don’t need to take tubes to go to different area, but it got so many designers shops and brands everywhere.
Manchester is famous for a huge number of Chinese population, and it means there is a lot of Chinese restaurants in town, so we went to Tai Wu restaurant, which we had been to the same one in Guangzhou and it is a big Chain dimsum restaurant in China. It was great dimsum – very cheap. Price was from £1.7-£3 per dish. However, like in China, Tai Wu didn’t have much of vegetarian choices because John likes vegetarian dimsum. I think we ordered 8-10 dishes and came out only £16 for the bill.
Interestingly there was Jazz Festival promoting in Manchester city centre, and pity that we didn’t stay long to attend the event. I can feel more music cultural happening in Manchester than Leeds.
Manchester always has the reputation that it is a rough and scary city and I felt it when I was there, not because I followed the stereotype, but it was true. Even though living in London for 2 years, I didn’t feel London is particular a rough or dangerous city. It has some rough area for sure, but I never felt uncomfortable living there. I think I might feel quite dangerous living in Manchester, but it was my personal opinion and it is properly not fully true if you are living there rather than as a visitor.
I do like Manchester, and bigger than Leeds and love about the shopping and many choices of food. I will definitely go shopping there again and return often. It makes me miss London a lot.
May 13 1988 the great musician Chet Baker had passed away. He is always one of my favourite Jazz musicians with his legendary trumpet and sentimental voice.After watching his documentary in BBC iplayer – Let’s get lost, and knew much more about Chet. He was such a talent for music and trumpet. Jazz was the most popular music in his era, and he was naturally picked it up without any properly training.
Chet’s personal life was quite a story. He had married three times, and all women just felt in love with him instantly. However, he never settled down in a place. Not like nowadays’ musician, he didn’t have too much glamour extravagant life style. He had been tried very hard to survive in recession as a musician. His life was like a dream – floating and travelling all the time. He was alike a lot of musicians – do whatever he liked, no limitation and all about freedom. He preferred performing in Europe rather than the State personally and he was such a hit in Europe in that time from Let’s get lost documentary.
He was such a charming and passionate musician. Even after watching his documentary, I did fall in love with him as well. Chet was indeed a handsome and boyish look with his incredible gentle and soft voice. When he sang, your heart is literally melting, and you could just non-stop listening to his music, just like a magnet.
I found it is so interesting that even he aged in late 50, he still could sing and perform so well, and his voice didn’t age at all. Unfortunately drugs got him killed – what a pity! As my website is using theWordPress programme, the 2.8 named the version called Baker because the owner Matt Mullenweg likes Jazz as well.
One thing I like about Chet’s music is more unique and the way he liked to play jazz, more like smooth Jazz rather than commercial jazz. Chet’s music will always in our hearts and every time when I listen to his songs, it makes me think, day-dreaming and feel the world – about sadness and happiness. I could listen to his songs nights and days.
Eileen and I went to the Jazz cafe to seeRay’s Jazz live above Foyle Book shop near Tottencourt Station. It was a small cozy cafe with Jazz Live band. It was very full and everyone went to listen their performance. Fantastic Music!
After that, we booked a table to Konaki Greek Restaurant according my research and it voted 4 of 5 Greek restaurant in town. Meet John inside the restaurant, and enjoyed our great lamb and greek pasta and wine.
Lamb is exactly tender as it should be. Eileen’s lamb shank and John’s BBQ chicken was perfect cook and very tasty. It was a good meal with friendly environment. It was my first time to try the Greek food and I absolutely love greek’s pasta.
It was a satisfied meal and chatted so much with Eileen.
UK has a music free application that you can download and listen music for free legally. It calls Spotify. Listen free music while you are online, just like Last.fm, but more latest music and very easy to use. However, it only applies in the UK. Anyway, I have been using it for some time now.
Today, I discover an artists from Stockholm, who is same age with me called Miss Li. She just released a new album ‘Dancing the whole way home’. Miss Li’s style like Amy Winehouse – Jazz, Blues, Rock and Indie as well in a variety of style. I do like this album, and it is definitely worth putting into my ipod.
It’s amazing that she is young and so talented! I do like Swedish artists a lot, like Kent, The Cardigans, Club 8 and Jazz musician Lisa Ekdahl and Koop. They are all my favourite artists. Sweden is great place and it produces a lot of great artists and music. My favourite songs are:
Moreover, Swedish people are incredible trendy in fashion too. We did plan to travel to Sweden before, but it is more expensive than London. I think I need to save more money so I can be there soon. Sweden is Rock!
As my fascination of the Favourite Work of Art in Victoria period, I am also fascinated about 1920’s fashion and music. I always imagine what was the life style, fashion and music to be like when I am listening songs from Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra or Peggy Lee?
Fashion in 1920
Fashion is 1920 was a new revolution for women. Women had their right to vote, and before the first World War people lived in middle class with leisure, luxury, and happy life. The images in my head, women had bobbed hair, fine make-up, red lips with knee length and thin sparkle jewellery on their dresses. The silk delicate fabric, feather fascinator clip, or long pearl necklaces and cloche hats. It was so classic and elegant. It was a romantic era for fashion, which is why people look back at it with great fondness and still emulate it’s style.. That some of the people called 1920 was a golden age.
Music in 1920
Music is 1920 Because of the middle class life style in 1920, that is why some of the songs had written in those days had portrayed in a romantic happy life. Jazz was very popular in middle of 1920. Blues, Ragtime and Broadway musicals were in that era. In my head, it always appears cocktails, knee length dress, people dancing (like the song ‘Check to Check’) Jazz live in the background, champaign, smoke in the pub. I will never feel tired of the classic jazz songs!
I love to go back to live for a while in that era and experience the life and music in 1920. Let’s sway with music and dance together. It will be the end of the post of my 2009. I wish we will have more great music and fashion that it will last as long as the 1920 did.
(Miwa and us will be seeing fireworks and count down 2009 in London Eye tomorrow night, I am very looking to forwards to seeing fireworks and enjoy the crowed.)
Another year has passed and another year will soon arrive. As our lives fall into a routine, a day feels like a blink, and a year feels like a month. What did we remember about 2008? There were the Olympic games in China, the worldwide financial crash, and the USA’s new president Barack Obama. 2008 was not exactly a good year for some people, and not a good year to invest.
I feel my shoulder (responsibilities) get heavier every year. Personally, I think I achieved many things and challenged myself in 2008. It is my dream to live aboard and experience the life in the UK. However, I never take this for granted, because it is not easy to come so far and the road will not always be stable. I see it more interesting to walk and face challenges. Despite the fact that life is hard, let’s ‘getting some fun out of life’ like a song from Madeleine Peyroux always encourages me.
When we want to love, we love; When we want to kiss, we kiss
With a little petting, we’re getting Some fun out of lifeWhen we want to work, we work; When we wanna play, we play
In a happy setting, we’re getting; Some fun out of lifeMaybe we do the right things ; Maybe we do the wrong
Spending each day; Wending our way along
再见08，09新的开始
一年又过去了，日子过得好了，时间眨眼又一天，一年就好像一个月。08让我们最难忘的是北京的奥运，西方的金融风暴和美国新的总统奥巴马。08并非一安稳的好年，09年可能继续陷入金融复活期，但我们以积极的态度去面对，望好的方面去看。多一岁，肩膀的责任越重，但我仍然为自己的梦想奔波着，挑战新的一年。本人来说，08年完成了满多任务的，约翰和我双方见过父母，放弃7年广州的生活，到英国充实自己，学习新的东西，这是我的梦想也是我人生日记中新一页，但这所有的一切来得并不是容易，约翰和我努力着为我们的将来奋斗着，将来的路也并非容易的走下去，我把它看成多点挑战，多点惊喜给自己。我想每个人都有他追求的梦想，有他的问题要去解决，但永远不要忘记，象爵士歌曲中一首歌曲中唱得，记得在生活中 ‘苦中作乐‘, 无论生活多么不如意，这首歌曲永远鼓励我。