Film, art and food

On Thursday I went along to the Forum (where I remember seeing Lawrence of Arabia in the early 60s) where the Melbourne International Film Festival was screening a fascinating film called Pianomania which follows a Viennese piano technician as he attempts to adjust pianos to the requirements of several different pianists. Full of humour it's a film I would recommend seeing.


On Friday I met P&B for lunch at Journal Canteen - I had delicious chicken involtini. The only downside was that while I was chewing on a soft piece of bread half a tooth broke off. A quick tongue inspection and glass of water showed that it wasn't sensitive (this has happened before, luckily with no tenderness each time) so I proceeded with my meal.

After lunch we went down to the NGV St Kilda Rd to see the European Masters exhibition; works from the Städel Museum in Frankfurt. It was an interesting show but without any major highlights, though it was nice to see the famous Tischbein portrait of Goethe in the Roman Campagna. 

Saturday was full of fun: shopping, singing, Stephen Fry. For VMcA's 40th birthday he had arranged a group of friends to sing Tallis' 40-part Spem in alium; We also got to sing through a 40-part piece V has been composing, all conducted by JO'D. A splendid afternoon tea was provided by some of the singers. After the performance most people were continuing the celebrations at a local pub, but a small group of us made our way into town to attend the evening's talk by Stephen Fry.

It was an extraordinary performance - for two hours he stood on the stage and spoke. Much of it was about his early life but his delivery was full of many side-tracks and anecdotes and the time passed very quickly and enjoyably.

On Sunday I visited LE to help her set up the new printer she has bought. It was mostly straighforward, but there were a couple of things which didn't work how I expected them to. Then in the evening I went to P&B's where I was given a most delicious meal of carrot soup followed by P's tasty roast chicken. We finished with some very nice cheeses. To celebrate one year of retirement I took a bottle of Morris' Durif from 2001 - it was delicious.

Working and eating

I've been a bit busy over the past couple of weeks, mostly with work, but also with eating out.

On Wednesday I joined P&B for a wonderful meal at LE's: after an appetizer of white sardines with olives we were served a most delicious spinach cappuccino(!). This was followed by very tasty braised beef cheek and parsley salad and the whole evening was topped off with a spectacular orange mousse. Truly, she is amazing.

The night before LE and I had a quick meal at Birdman eating before heading off to the IMAX cinema to see Batman: The Dark Knight. It turned out to be a bit of fun, with the experience enhanced by the IMAX experience; the aerial shots were breathtaking.

I've also had some lovely meals at P&B's and out with AB and DL.

I took Mum to the doctor's last week and he seemed very happy with her progress. He's happy to go back to seeing her on a quarterly basis.

Lots to do

It's been a full week. On Monday we had a rehearsal for the Bach B minor mass at St John's; as Marco couldn't make it we had Graham L. It's a big sing (and we're only doing the Kyrie and Gloria) but very enjoyable. I've found that I remembered it quite well from the previous times I sang it.

Tuesday night I had off and entertained myself by making quince paste using a combination of my own and bought fruit. It turned out very nicely and has been given to selected friends who seem appreciative.

On Wednesday night P&B and DG and I went to dinner for DG's birthday. We went to the Terminus Hotel which we were alerted to by Abbotsford Blogger; the food was excellent, though I did find the 70s music slightly disturbing as I seemed to know every track.

Thursday evening I met up with members of my German class (including Dr D) at the Kino to see Das Leben der Anderen, a film about life in East Germany in the 1980s, concentrating on a writer who was being monitored by the STASI and the obsession of the STASI agent watching him. Fairly depressing, but ultimately quite moving. Having just read Anna Funder's Stasiland I found it very interesting to see another view of life in the eastern bloc before reunification.

Friday brought a rehearsal for a communion service on Saturday morning. We sang a recovered mass by Norman Kaye (written for the Canterbury Fellowship(?)) which was quite lovely. The service was, in the words of the woman priest officiating, not a "blessing of a same sex partnership". But if it wasn't that it certainly was a fair facsimile. The two involved restated the commitment they officially recorded last year in Inverness - and most of the congregation were dressed for a wedding. After that Tat and I had to rush off as we had three more hours of singing to look forward to at St John's rehearsing for this morning's Bach.

Last night AR came for dinner and at his request, to listen to Wagner and other associated music. We had a lovely time and I got to listen to some stuff I haven't heard for ages - great fun.

The B minor mass excerpts at this morning's service at St John's went off really well - this year's VCA orchestra is excellent and includes an outstanding oboist. The singers were mostly good, except for the bass who as well as inventing his own speed seemed to be singing from a score with different notes in. But I don't think any of the congregation noticed. The last chorus, Cum sancto spiritu, went like a rocket and I for one left the church on a buzz. A wonderful experience.