Mary Wilson, the incredible Motown legend and co-founder of The Supremes has passed away at the age of 76. I've always love the music of The Supremes and admired these ladies as the trailblazers that they were, especially for Black women. Their elegance and pure talent was ground-breaking. Mary Wilson was a fabulous singer and an icon. What a life.
Back in 2008, my husband and I had a few special days in London which featured many highlights. One of the highlights was experiencing a fantastic limited-run exhibit at the Victoria & Albert Museum which featured memorabilia from The Supremes. The exhibit had also been shown at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
The exhibit of The Supremes memorabilia was amazing! The evening gowns were incredible! It was an absolute honor to see these history-making pieces up close. Sadly, I wasn't allowed to take pictures of the exhibit, but the sights and sounds are imprinted upon my memory forever. I wrote a long post about that day. Here's an excerpt:
We went to the Victoria & Albert (V&A) mostly to see an exhibition of memorabilia of The Supremes. It was fabulous. The gowns were amazing and timeless. A lot of those dresses that were from the 60s still could look fabulous if worn now. There is something about dresses from the 40s, 50s, and 60s that transcends the particular decade and will always look good. There were programs, photos, and all kinds of artefacts of this fabulous group of ladies. Mary Wilson had held onto a lot of this stuff, so she put it all together and now we have this great exhibit to see. I heard her in an interview here where she said that she didn’t throw anything away from that time. Thank God for her. (smile) The exhibit also had film of her and others talking about Motown and The Supremes. There was also a bit of archival footage of Martin Luther King Jr and things about the Civil Rights Movement as a background to give a feel of the times when Motown and The Supremes were doing their thing. It showed just how massive their achievement was and how it shaped history. They altered the perceptions of many in the rest of the world. The Supremes were elegant and all of the girl groups after them have a great example to follow. The Supremes were at their height before I was born, but I grew up hearing their music like everyone else and I think they were wonderful. The little girl in me just wanted to break into the exhibition cases and try on all of the clothes. (smile) As a former wannabee fashion designer, I was loving the fashions and the music is classic.
- excerpt from blog post "Nelson Mandela and the Rest of Our Story" - 2008
The original post was rather lengthy, but if you'd like to read it, you can find it here.
Mary Wilson was instrumental in making the exhibition a reality and I'm so grateful that she shared her great memories with the world. And now as we say goodbye to her, I'm immensely grateful that she shared her great talent with the world!
My weekend was good. As usual errands were done on Saturday, but they went rather quickly. We like to get up and out early to get ahead of some of the crowds and traffic. Everything in the grocery store is fully stocked at that time of the day so it's a pleasure to shop then.
We didn't do our weekend purging like we've been doing recently on Saturdays, but I did take some books and DVDs to the charity shop for donation. It was really busy in there, so while I waited for the shop assistant to come to the register, I had a look around. Instead of dropping stuff off I wanted to pick a few things up but I held myself back ;-) Mostly I was checking out the old books...that's my thing. Lol. The shop assistant is an older man with white hair and glasses and looks like he should be in a story book :) I think he remembers me now since I've been in there so much lately leaving donations. I don't get to say much when I'm in there, but he seems like a nice man.
Later on Saturday night I put my headphones on and did some scribbling on my various notepads. As I've mentioned before, my book is being typed into a computer ultimately, but I also work stuff out on paper by hand. It seems to work for me so I'm sticking with it :) I listened to a little bit of this and a little bit of that while I wrote things out and it was really great. The 70s, 80s, 90s, and more recent music all made an appearance as my mind filled in the lines of the paper with what I wanted to say. Sometimes I write with no music at all. It just depends on my mood.
The great thing about writing with music is that it can both inspire you and keep you focused on your work. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing, but it can work. Even if you’re more musically inclined yourself, you can pick up on some inspiration by listening to some of your favorite bands. It’s great when you’re working on other stuff as well, or just getting on with some busy work. Wrapping audio cables to make sure that you get the right sound? Learn more about how to get it right here, so you can stick on some great tunes and get on with it.
It was a good weekend...nothing too exciting, but I loved the low-key flow of it a whole lot :) I hope that your weekend was great too!
Brit Boy and I had a great holiday weekend! It was a good time! Over the weekend, Brit Boy was looking around on the internet as he likes to do, and discovered that The Jacksons (Jermaine, Tito, Jackie, and Marlon) are bringing their tour to various venues around the UK in the new year. I have read about their touring back home in the USA over this past summer, so I was glad to hear that they were coming over here. Like many people, I would love it if the full original Jackson 5 were able to be out there touring together again, but sadly that is not to be. As you may know, Brit Boy and I were planning to see Michael Jackson at long last when he was to have his shows in London in 2009. But as we all know, those shows weren't to be.
Both Brit Boy and I have been fans of the whole Jackson family's music for a long time like so many others. Their music has been a huge part of the collective culture for decades and even though the full group won't be there, it will still be great to see the ones who remain because they are talented too. So we got our tickets and will be seeing them in the spring! It should be a fun time! It will be a great night of nostalgia and it will be good to finally see them performing together.
I'll share my experience when the time comes and hopefully I can get some photos :-)
In the meantime, you can find here some useful information about possible venues for your future events.
When I saw on Twitter that she had passed, my mind
immediately went back to my seventies childhood and wanting to be a combination
of Donna Summer, Diana Ross, and Chaka Khan J . I always
imagined that I was this great singer when I was a child even though I couldn’t
carry a tune in a bucket. But I let it rip anyway. I would tie pieces of cloth
around myself in elaborate styles and fashion myself an evening dress. Then I
would go out into our yard and stand on this huge rock that was my stage and I’d
sing Donna Summer songs to our cats. The cats would ignore me or run away, but
I was gettin’ down! Some of her songs had saucy lyrics, but in the 70s it was about the party and it wasn't about over analyzing everything. It was just fun and great music! When she brought out “She Works Hard for the Money”
when I was a teen, I had dropped the makeshift dress and climbed down off that
rock, but I was still singing along!
Donna Summer sang so many great songs and if you go
on Youtube, they are all there to enjoy forever and that is a great thing! She
will be truly missed, but her music will live on and that is the beauty of
music.
Some of my favorite Donna Summer songs are: "I Feel
Love", "She Works Hard for the Money", "Bad Girls", and "Last Dance".
"Last Dance" (below) is my all-time favorite song by her and it's the first song that popped into my head when I heard that she had made her transition. It showcases her beautiful voice and it makes you want to dance!
As many of you know, on Saturday we lost Whitney Houston and it really saddens me like it does so many others. Whitney Houston’s voice was an amazing gift that she shared with the world and I celebrate that today. I don’t want to dwell upon the negativity that I’ve read and heard over the weekend about her troubles. I mean, her struggles were well-documented and I just don’t feel the need to go back over that tired old track over and over. What’s the use and why add to the cloud of speculation? As I said, I just want to celebrate her here in my little corner of the internet and share my personal memories of her.
The first time that I saw Whitney Houston was in Seventeen magazine, during the early 1980s. I was an avid reader of the magazine as a teen girl and I remember seeing beautiful Whitney there often.
Photos: Seventeen magazine
I thought that she was so lovely and I would try to mimic her style from the pages of the magazine. I remember reading a little blurb about her in the magazine and she said that she’d love to be a professional singer one day. And I thought, ‘How cool...isn’t that nice”. Little did I know that this girl that I saw in my Seventeen magazine was such a powerhouse singer! So fast forward to a while later and I’m watching music videos one day and this video comes on the television, “You Give Good Love”. It was the beginning of her amazing catalogue of songs and I was blown away. I remember being so proud of her because here was this girl that I’d seen in Seventeen magazine for so long and now I saw her like this in all her glory. Of course I didn’t know Whitney, but it felt kind of like I was seeing somebody that I knew before they were famous in a way...if that makes any sense. So over the years as she became this great legend, I often thought back to that girl in my Seventeen magazine.
I will always of course remember the incredible singer that she was, but that very young Whitney from the pages of my magazine will always stay with me too!
I'm not saying anything new as we all know how amazing her voice was and how beautiful she was...that is common knowledge. But I will say this...I truly thank her for sharing her amazing talent with us while she was here among us. Her voice will last through the ages...what a legacy!
Hello everyone! :) I just wanted to share some pics from Thursday night. Brit Boy and I went down to Salisbury to attend the Carol Service at Salisbury Cathedral. We have gone before, but we missed the last time due to bad weather. However, this year we were able to be there and it was just as beautiful as I remember. I'll tell you, hearing those young voices echoing around the cathedral is something to experience at least once in your life :) Sitting there and taking in all of the beauty of the singing and the cathedral is just an extraordinary experience! I hope that you enjoy looking at a few of the pics that I took. I wanted to share some of what I saw with anyone who takes the time to come and visit me at my blog. I truly appreciate it! So these pictures are for you...my wonderful readers!
Below: These first two pictures are of the Old George Mall, all decked out for Christmas
Below: The next three are street scenes in Salisbury
Below: This is the Guildhall in Salisbury
Below: Another street scene in Salisbury
Below: The High Street Gate leading to Salisbury Cathedral
Below: The next two pictures are of the inside of Salisbury Cathedral right before the service
Below: The next three are pictures of the West Front of Salisbury Cathedral
Below: And finally, this is a picture that I snapped of the cathedral from afar.
Hello all…so Christmas has come and gone once again and I can’t believe that we’re headed for the end of another year. The time really does fly! :-) Christmas turned out good. My favorite part was when Brit Boy and I came back home and I was able to Skype with my family back in Georgia. I ended up playing along with them as they played Taboo and I even gave a couple of correct answers from 4,000 miles away…lol. It was so fun! The best part was finally getting to see my new little nephew. He is adorable, but then I would say that because I’m a proud auntie ;-) But he is a cute little dude. He’s two months old and is actually my great nephew…he’s great indeed, but he’s my nephew’s son. It’s so funny to see my nephew being a husband and a father and I remember him being born. Like I said before…time does fly :-) It’s great to see the circle of life continue! I hope that everybody else had a great Christmas!
In other news, Brit Boy and I have just been trying to keep warm. It has been so cold. But today thankfully it is actually not as cold. It almost felt like a heat wave earlier ;-)
So we’re preparing for our own little New Year’s Eve party around the Yellow House. Just us, but we always enjoy ourselves. I’m planning on getting on Skype again to call my sisters and niece from the future…LOL. It’s one of my things. I hope that everyone has a safe and fun New Year’s Eve.
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On a completely separate and serious note, with some love and appreciation thrown in, I’d like to remember one of my favorite singers who passed away this past Sunday at the age of 54. She was none other than Teena Marie, also known as Lady T to those who loved her music. People throw around the word legend a lot these days, but she was one indeed and rocked the R&B world. She moved a lot of people with her music and that certainly counts for so much in the scheme of things. People were often surprised at how she looked when they heard her sing, but as she said herself, the soul doesn't have a color :-) I love that!
Listening to her music instantly takes me back to the good old days. And she was still making great music for years. She was a trailblazer and her voice will be truly missed, but she left us great music like this…
I mentioned on Sunday that Brit Boy had planned a surprise trip to London for us on Monday and that I had no idea what we were heading there to do. Well, it turned out REALLY great and I was totally surprised! :-)
Back in August, I posted about us intending to go and see the musical, Sister Act, starring Whoopi Goldberg. And we ended up not going because her mother suffered a stroke and she had to head back home to the United States to be with her. I was disappointed at the time, but I totally understood her going home to be with her mother. That was definitely what was more important. In the end, her mother passed away so I was so glad she got to go home to be with her family.
I put it aside and figured that I’d get the chance to see Whoopi perform eventually onstage one day. I’ve admired her work for a long time and I will never forget her role in my favorite movie ever, The Color Purple. Therefore, I was very keen to see her perform live eventually.
So unbeknownst to me, Brit Boy was sent an email from the place where we bought the first tickets and they let him know that Ms. Goldberg was going to return to her role to complete her run. He decided to surprise me. He let me know that we were going somewhere on October 25th, but he wouldn’t tell me where. And I’m usually one who likes to know things, but something within me was saying…’no, let it be a surprise and enjoy how cool that feels’. So I didn’t dig. And I know you might not believe this, but I didn’t hear a thing about her returning for these special performances…not a thing! :-) I am amazed by that, since I’m frequently online and that’s how I found out about her performing originally. There was no coverage that I saw anywhere, so I’ve come around to the belief that it was meant to be that way :-)
I’ve been having some problems with things here lately, so maybe it was a beautiful bit of a bright spot that was sent to me :-) That’s the only way I can explain it. It was meant to be this way. And just to clarify, my problems have nothing to do with me and Brit Boy, we’re great and that was made even stronger by him putting in the beautiful effort to surprise me like this. He knows that I needed something fun like...this....
So we traveled to London and went along our way on the train and then the tube. Finally we exited at street level and we walked up to the London Palladium and Brit Boy looked at me expectantly. I was like…’Yeah, this is where Sister Act is playing.’ And my eyes were just looking around taking in all of the sights…and no I’m not dense…LOL…just not myself these days, I’ll say ;-) And then he points to this sign in the picture below…forgive the blurry photo. I took it on my cell phone and I’m not really used to it.
Then it finally registered that we were gonna finally see Whoopi perform in Sister Act. And a big smile spread across my face. It had never entered my mind that she would come back to perform since I knew she was back doing her day job again. But apparently she decided to come back and finish her run for these special performances and we saw her on her last day!
Let me tell you, I love Brit Boy, but at that moment I realized that I REALLY married my best friend :-) Even when you don’t know that they’re watching, a best friend sees you and what you need and he saw and I thanked him profusely :-) I take care of him and he takes care of me…and that really touched me.
I’ll rewind and say that we had lunch before the show and it was delicious. Now back to me standing there in front of the Palladium ;-) So we went inside and it was the first time that we’d been to the Palladium.
The show was wonderful! The staging was amazing and the stage was continually shifting so the performers really had to be on top of things. Even if Whoopi hadn’t been performing, it would’ve been a great show. So having her there just made it even more thrilling for me. The singing was out of this world and the young lady who does the role of Deloris that Whoopi did in the film, was amazing! Her name is Patina Miller and she didn’t just sing…that girl can SANG as we’d say back home ;-) Hearing all of that uplifting singing did so much for me inside…it’s what I’ve needed.
Whoopi Goldberg’s comedic timing was so fun to witness in person. And at the end when she and Ms. Miller shared a moment onstage together, you could feel the passing of the torch, from one Deloris to another :-) It was a wonderful experience! I was thrilled to be there!
We had a bit of time to kill after the show, so we walked around the corner and walked down Carnaby Street.
I snapped a few photos, but they all turned out rather blurry. As I mentioned before, I took them with my cell phone and not my regular camera and it was getting dark. At one point I almost dropped my cell phone while taking pictures, so I’m no cell phone photographer…LOL. Anyway, I hope you enjoy a blurry look at the area around the theatre ;-)
Then we headed back to Paddington Station. It was really a wonderful day! I can’t recall ever being surprised like that, so it was really fun and I came away inspired. Mondays are usually drab days, but this was the best one I’ve ever had. Those Monday blues just flew away….
Today I'd like to pay tribute to a lady that I’ve admired for a great portion of my life…Ms. Lena Horne. She passed away yesterday in New York at the age of 92.
When I was a little girl, I loved spending my Sundays watching the classic movies on television, especially musicals, from the golden age of Hollywood. I would watch and be transported to another world of beauty, make-believe, and elegance. I imagined myself dancing around with Fred Astaire or making an entrance like the great Bette Davis. I was absorbed into that world and it was part of my 'play' when I was growing up. It fueled my imagination.
Then one day, I saw her…Lena Horne, and I was a fan from that moment on (smile). There she was…elegant and beautiful and talented. She could do something that I wanted to do so much…she could sing! And she got to wear beautiful clothes while doing it…hey, I was a baby fashionista back then (smile).
When I saw Ms. Horne, I was pleasantly surprised to see a lady that looked like she could be a relative. I had always watched all of the MGM musicals and various movies and loved them no matter who was starring in them. But it was a revelation in my young life then to see this beautiful, talented lady on film who looked like me. She was rare then, as the first black performer to be signed to a long-term contract with a major Hollywood studio. So she was not only talented…she was a trailblazer too. Sadly though, she was held back in the 1940s, because of the color of her skin. She would perform one or two songs in various MGM movies that could be easily edited out of the film in order for it to be played in certain areas. What garbage I say! I should use the other word I thought of. LOL.
Anyway, she had two movies where she was given the spotlight that she deserved, in 1943, with all-black casts.
She made “Cabin in the Sky” for MGM and was loaned to 20th Century Fox for my favorite, “Stormy Weather”. And one of her signature songs was the beautiful “Stormy Weather” that she sang in the film. Please take a look at her performance here. So no matter what she had to deal with, she is still going to be remembered always, and she triumphed despite the odds. I love that! I feel like watching “Stormy Weather” right now. I’m going to have to buy a copy somewhere (smile).
Besides her movie career, she was a very popular singer in elegant clubs, onstage, and on many recordings. In 1981, she was the toast of Broadway with her one woman show, “Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music” , for which she won a Tony Award.
I wanted to go to see her onstage back then, but I was a young teen who couldn’t be out on a school night (smile) and I didn’t have the money to go to New York. This was the time in my life when I couldn’t wait to be grown, so I could just go where I wanted, when I wanted. Of course I learned later, like we all do, that we shouldn’t rush growing up. But it was still fun to fantasize (smile).
I grew up as a typical child and teen of the 70s and 80s, with lots of love for my faves of those days…like Michael Jackson, Prince, and Madonna…just like a lot of kids my age. However, I also had lots of love for the ladies and gents who paved the way in those early days, not just as entertainers, but also as important threads in the tapestry of the American culture. They made change in their own way.
Photo credit: Garth Vaughan/AP
Lena Horne was a great performer, a trailblazer, and a civil rights activist also. I honor her memory today. Rest in peace…Ms. Horne. Thank you for shining your light in this world!
We had a quiet weekend around home. It was one of those weekends when you just enjoy not having to go anywhere. We did venture out at the very beginning of the weekend though. We went to do some shopping on Friday night at about 9pm and it was great…no crowds! (smile) We decided that we would take advantage of the calmer atmosphere of night shopping. I used to do this all the time when I was back in Georgia and Brit Boy has become a fan of it too. It doesn’t get dark around here in the summer until well after 10pm, so it’s really fun to be out.
We picked up a few groceries and some things we needed and then we just had fun taking a look around. Brit Boy and I love to play, so we had a great time. We check out the music, books, and toys and have a ball. (smile) So we went down this aisle with a bit of everything, including inexpensive musical instruments. The guitars were tempting, but we didn’t buy one. LOL. We are secret pop stars inside I think. LOL. Anyway, my eyes did land upon something that we bought and took home with us. It’s this…
See, I used to play the flute when I was a kid and I was pretty good at it. I’ve got ribbons somewhere to prove it. (smile) But I can put the ribbons way to the side when I just think about how much I loved playing music and recently I’ve just really missed that after all these years. I don’t have my flute anymore, but one day I’ll get myself another one. So until then, I’ll be playing my recorder, a cousin to my flute. (smile) The fingering of the notes is similar, but a few are different so it’s good for my grown up brain to have to learn a new skill. I’m really enjoying it. I like giving Brit Boy impromptu concerts already, complete with a bit of choreography. LOL. Maybe I should’ve been a performer somewhere, whether I was any good or not…just to keep that gene occupied. LOL.
So it’s music time around the yellow house…a chance to just have fun for the sake of having fun. I think we’ll get Brit Boy some drums so he can play back up and we can jam! (wink)
Brit Boy just wrote a final tribute to Michael Jackson on his blog. As MJ is finally laid to rest tomorrow, I am thinking back to my favorite song of his of all time, which was "Rock With You". It takes me back to my girlhood and reminds me totally of a specific place and time in my life. I hold those memories so dear. He was truly talented and I so regret that we won't be going to his show in London now. Still, Brit Boy and I will be playing his music and dancing to it for the rest of our lives...thanks for the music Michael...now sail onward...and rest in peace.
This morning I came across this video through clicking on a link from a Twitter friend of mine. And I just want to say, it truly, truly lifted my heart and mood. I've been feeling a bit low these past few days and it just made me remember so much about human nature and the good that is still out there. This video brought tears to my eyes and a smile to my face simultaneously. Seeing people from around the world doing this together gave me what I needed today. We hear so much in the news everyday about how much we all can't get along...we all hear that story everyday and I for one get tired of it. So I love this video because it is not mired in cynicism. This video just shows what we can do as people in this world. A perfect song choice. This video was done by a group called Playing For Change whose goal is to connect people around the world through music. This made my day...I hope it makes yours. (smile)
It has been a surreal morning. When I went to bed late last night, I went to bed with this thought. A great chunk of my American life’s popular culture memories are shifting right before my eyes.
Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, and Michael Jackson as we all know by now, have died recently and it has really got me in a pondering mood today. It’s eerie because they always say these things come in threes. Yesterday afternoon, Brit Boy and I were sitting watching Wimbledon on television and I was sort of in my own world a bit with headphones on listening to my music. Then the Jacksons’ song came on, “Blame It On The Boogie”, and I said to Brit Boy, ‘I can’t wait to see Michael next month and I hope that on our night he just happens to bring his brothers onstage for a reunion.’ We both laughed and thought how cool that would be. Brit Boy and I were going to one of the Michael Jackson concerts in July and we were so looking forward to it. I want to pay tribute to all three of these iconic people in my life. So here goes.
Ed McMahon was a staple of American life. He was best known as Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show sidekick, but he also hosted Star Search which was a predecessor of some of the talent shows that we see on television now. My greatest memories were of being a kid in the 70s and watching The Tonight Show. I would get a chance to see it on Friday nights and during the summer. I was probably the only kid in my elementary school getting excited around midnight about watching Ed McMahon, Johnny Carson, and Doc Severinsen welcoming guests to the show. (smile) Before discovering The Tonight Show, I thought that everyone went to bed after all of us kids were sleeping. I thought the world stopped. LOL. Ahh, innocence. (smile)
Farrah Fawcett was an icon of my 70s childhood. Brit Boy and I often relish our memories of our 70s childhoods and 80s teen years. What a great time it was. (smile) We always say that those 70s shows of our childhood were truly iconic and really define the era. To us, and I’m sure many others, those shows will never get old. I wanted to be a Charlie’s Angel and the Bionic Woman when I was a little girl. I would act out each episode after I saw them. I loved it because these shows had women doing things that I would love to do. They were so cool. (smile) When I found out that Farrah was married to Lee Majors(the Six Million Dollar Man), and realized how that fit with him being the Bionic Woman’s television boyfriend, I was in 70s kid girl heaven. (smile) It was my own mini “six degrees of Kevin Bacon” with a few less degrees. I just loved her.
And last, but definitely not least, there’s Michael Jackson…the King of Pop. I am like most people in the world today….completely stunned. Brit Boy and I found out about him going into cardiac arrest on Twitter, right after we learned of Farrah Fawcett’s passing. And incidentally, we found out about Ed McMahon on Twitter too, so social media is really making its presence know. Once we heard about it, we turned on CNN, Sky News, and the BBC to get the latest and we watched until late into the night. We were both absolutely stunned.
Brit Boy and I had bought tickets to one of his London comeback shows and were to see him exactly four weeks from today. I was getting ready to share the news here on my blog today in fact. Neither of us had ever seen Michael Jackson perform live and now that will never be.
I grew up hearing his music with his brothers and his solo work and it truly was a soundtrack of my life. I had my “Big Three” of my teen years that I had always wanted to see and in the last couple of years, I had finally seen two of the three…Prince and Madonna. I hate that that circle won’t be completed, but I hate more that a musical legend is gone. No matter what some may think about the controversies in his life, you can’t deny his sheer talent and his musical contributions.
I have one more memory about Michael Jackson and his brothers. When I was a little girl and my dad was still alive, he used to always think that everyone was the Jackson 5. My dad didn’t watch much television and so when he would walk through and we were watching a music group on television, he would ask, “Is that those Jackson boys?” (smile) It didn’t matter who it was as long as they were male and singing. (smile) My dad was a character.
So I just wanted to give my two cents on the passing of three people who were a big part of my collective memories as I grew up in America. But I know that I’m not alone in my memories around the world. Michael Jackson and his brothers have had me dancing my whole life.
Thanks to Ed, Farrah, and Michael for entertaining me and many others for all these years. Rest in peace to all.
Please check out Brit Boy's post too for his Michael Jackson tribute.
I have been humming this song in the shower for the last couple of days. It’s the winning song at the Eurovision Song Contest for this year. The song is by this fellow Alexander Rybakfrom Norway and it’s called “Fairytale”. He won with a record breaking 387 points.
The UK came in fifth with Jade Ewen singing “It’s My Time”. She has a great voice!
Brit Boy and I weren’t planning on watching it last Saturday night, but we got pulled in. I’ve watched it before since I’ve been here in England, but never all the way through like I did this year. What always intrigues me is seeing all of the entries from the various countries. Some of them are quite “interesting” I’ll just say and some are quite good :-) You never know…an international star may be born. ABBA won the contest back in 1974 and they were a big deal back in the day.
On our television system there is something called the red button and you can go interactive with what you’re watching. So they had a setting where you could sing along with the contestants and being the ham that I am, you know I had to sing along. LOL. Brit Boy joined in sometimes too. I swear we had no alcohol. LOL. We had never heard any of these songs, but singing along was so fun. It took me back to being a kid who loved to sing into a hairbrush at the mirror. LOL. My inner diva comes out!
Anyway, we had a good time and watched the whole thing. Alexander Rybak who won for Norway, wrote this song. I don’t know if it will be a worldwide hit, but I’ll say this for it, it’s really catchy in a surreal sort of way. And no matter what, he was doing his thang and I love it when people go all out doing what they love. Darn, there I go again humming it to myself, and then singing out loud. LOL. What can I say, I’m a wacky wannabee singer girl! :-)
I had a nice weekend. It was rather spring-like and it was so good to see the sun. (smile) The hubby and I hung out around home mostly. We went into town on Saturday to pick up a few things. We hadn’t been to town in a while. It was good to see what was going on locally. Then we came back home and hung out some more.
On Sunday, we continued our hang out fest. The weather just kept getting better and we both couldn’t believe how it lifts the spirits. In the afternoon we decided to watch a movie, a retro movie that I’ve always wanted to see, but never got around to. It was “The Eyes of Laura Mars” with Faye Dunaway and Tommy Lee Jones from 1978. It was just one of those movies that I would see listed over the years on TV, and wondered about. I remember seeing it advertised when I was a kid. So I was intrigued. (smile) Anyway, we enjoyed it quite a lot. It was very 70’s and very hip for the times. It was good in a campy, wonderful way. If you haven’t seen it, it was about a photographer who sees crimes committed in visions, as if she is seeing through the killer’s eyes. What really intrigued me though was the soundtrack. I remember my older sister playing many of those songs on the stereo when I was growing up. So it was a cool blast from the past. (smile) Brit Boy and I danced along when every song came up. LOL.
Later, on Sunday evening, we watched something really great on the BBC called “The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency”. It is a BBC and HBO co-production and will be shown here and back home in the US. It is brilliant and stars the radiant Jill Scott in the lead as detective Mma Precious Ramotswe. She brings such true warmth and spirit to this role and I just love this series. Jill Scott is already one of my favorite singers and now she is proving herself as a wonderful actress. Her singing voice reminds me of warm honey…so full and divine.
The series is based on the novels by Alexander McCall Smith, about the lady detective and her assistant, played by Tony award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose. It is set in Botswana and gives a fresh view of the continent of Africa. It has a wonderful vibe and both Hubby and I just love it. The series continues over five more episodes. A previous one-off episode was shown around Easter here last year and it was a great success. So I was so glad to hear that they were making more of these stories.
As I mentioned, it is being shown here on the BBC and back home on HBO, so if you get the chance, please check it out.
All in all, the weekend was a great preview of spring and we got to see some good TV :-)
I’ve come back to Earth now, so I can tell you about our trip to London to see Tina Turner. (smile) I have been hyped up for a couple of days now. And today I’m finally able to sit still and write a bit about it.
We took the train into London on Sunday morning. I love the train. It’s so much quicker and it’s just a nice way to travel. You get to see the countryside which I love and there are no traffic jams (smile) We arrived at Paddington Station a bit after noon. Before we left the station, we took a walk into the bookstore/newsstand. It’s always fun to see what they have in there. They have little Paddington Bears. They are so cute.
After our look around, we headed for the tube. We rode over to Victoria Station and had lunch at this great pizza place. I can’t remember the name, but we ate there before and it’s just really good. Our waiter was really nice and we got served very quickly. I love that place.
Then we decided to hop back on the tube and headed for our hotel. We timed it just right because by the time we got there, we were able to check into our room. We rested for a while and then got dressed and headed to the O2 for the concert.
Let me tell you, the Tina Turner concert was AMAZING!!!! Ms. Turner was like a force of nature. I have always loved her, but I was totally blown away at how amazing of a performer she is.
She sang all of her hits and everything else, such as… “What’s Love Got to Do With It”, “The Best”, “Proud Mary”, “Golden Eye”, “Addicted to Love”, “Let’s Stay Together”, “Nutbush City Limits”, “River Deep Mountain High”, “Private Dancer”, “We Don’t Need Another Hero”, and so many more.
She REALLY put on a proper show. She had at least six costume changes and was just beautiful in every outfit from long gowns that broke away to mini dresses that showed off her beautiful timeless legs.
The stage was set up with a catwalk across the back and her band played underneath that and the backup singers stood there too. Ms. Turner’s dancers came out all slinky and fabulous along the catwalk and down the stairs on either side. Then Ms. Tina made her entrance. She walked out on the top of the catwalk and her outline was illuminated by this bright light and then you saw her come into view as she stepped out onto a pedestal and was lowered down to the stage as she sang. My first thought was, wow, she is not afraid of heights. LOL. The height was quite a few feet. What an entrance! (smile)
When she sang “We Don’t Need Another Hero”, she got dressed in her outfit from the Mad Max movie and amazingly she looks very much the same as she did back then. And when she sang “Golden Eye” from the James Bond film, she came out onto the top of the catwalk through the golden eye emblem that twisted open and she stepped through. Brit Boy and I were amazed at the production value of her show. You can tell she comes from a generation of performers who REALLY can put on a show. I love the song “I Don’t Wanna Fight”. She didn’t sing this one, but during this point of the show, they showed a montage of her career as this song played and it went back to her days with Ike right up until today. It really illustrated to me what an amazing survivor she is and I just loved it.
One of my other favorite moments was when she sang “What’s Love Got To Do With It”. She had on her little red dress and her heels and she strutted across that stage like nobody’s business. This was probably my favorite moment. She just owned it. And she just worked it out on "Proud Mary"...wow!!!! (smile) Tina did her thing!
Later in the show, she did another bit where I was amazed at her not fearing heights. The stage had this arm with a catwalk and a basket with railing on the end. So she goes to this basket as she sings and the arm swings out into the audience over everyone’s head. She leaned over the edge several times and I held my breath. LOL. And then I realized that this woman is truly in charge of herself and free. She just goes for it! (smile) I admire her so much and I want to be like that….moving forward and truly, truly enjoying every minute.
Then after her being in the basket, she ran back across the catwalk towards the stage and then back to the basket and was singing and doing this all in 4 inch heels! (smile)
I can say that I was just enthralled by her and just couldn’t get enough of watching this amazing woman. She said early on in the concert that she had a bit of a cold and might not be her full self, but you couldn’t even tell. And this left me wondering, if that wasn’t her 100% performance, then what must that be like because she was full on Tina the whole time it seemed. (smile) She danced along with her dancers and sang full force and she left me winded just watching her. She never looked out of breath. I know I keep saying it, but she was amazing!!!!
Both Brit Boy and I loved the show. And I came away inspired. She reminded me that life is meant to be lived with gusto. There is beauty in being strong and assured and to love what you are doing. I think this is part of her secret. You can tell that performing is her passion. What a wonderful night we had! :-)
Today is my 1st blogoversary! When I started this blog a year ago, I had no idea how much I was going to love going on this journey. As I’ve written before, this blog came along at a time in my life when I needed an outlet and it has been a great catalyst in my life. I’ve also been able to connect with some fantastic people from all around the world. I’m a Georgia girl, who came across the Atlantic and settled in England, and then kept traveling around the world everyday on this magic carpet that we call the blogosphere. I've met some great friends. What a ride! (smile)
During this past year, I have had lots of fun along with some low points, but in the end, it’s all been great to look back on the highs and lows. And it’s all been great to experience it all alongside my hubby Brit Boy.
Here are some of the things that I experienced and enjoyed sharing here on my blog during this first year of blogging:
April 2008 - I got my unlimited leave to remain visa, which allows me to settle here and that was a wonderful step. We celebrated our wedding anniversary and the visa by going to see the play “Speed the Plow” starring Jeff Goldblum.
June 2008 – We went to Wimbledon... what a thrill that was. We attended the Nelson Mandela birthday concert and we were able to see him speak briefly which was very moving.
August 2008 – We went to the Madonna concert in Wales.
September 2008 – We went to the Stevie Wonder concert. He was amazing! Stevie Wonder is Brit Boy’s favorite singer, so my hubby’s grin was a mile wide during the concert (smile)
October 2008 – I was in the thick of trying to get my absentee ballot in for the election and after many attempts I got it in. This showed me that I have more persistence than I ever imagined. LOL.
December 2008 – We went to the Simply Red concert. And at the tail end of the month, I had my visit to the US Embassy and it turned out well. On that day, Brit Boy and I got separated twice and found each other again, but I discovered for the first time since I’ve been here that I’m still able to take care of myself. And that was a great turning point for me, since I’ve relied so heavily on my husband since I’ve been here. I loved that day! (smile)
Since the start of 2009, the big events have slowed down a bit, but it’s still been fun to share my life experiences with all of you my dear readers and commenters who make my day when you come to visit me. So I want to say a big thank you to you all!!!! (smile) This blog wouldn’t be what it is without you all. And thank you to all of my fellow bloggers for welcoming me into this world….what a pleasure!
Hi there :-) Well, I took my much needed rest since I posted here last and many days before that when I was AWOL from here, and now I’m doing better. Brit Boy is fine too. Thank you to all of you who came by here to offer your get well wishes…Brit Boy and I really appreciate it. We are getting back into life after what seems like an eternity lying horizontal :-) In all, we were sick for about eight days, give or take a day. We don’t know who had the cooties first since we started to feel sick the same day :-) I haven't said "cooties" in years. LOL. It was yucky though…ugh. We’re just glad we are feeling better. We took the time we needed to rest and even though we were nauseous most of the time, it was just nice to slow down anyway :-) While we were stuck horizontal we talked about how we humans don’t realize we are rushing so much through life until we are forced to slow down. What a lesson that is :-) Anyway, enough sick talk.
I’m playing catch up here a bit today. Ah, let’s see…oh, our Valentine’s Day was good. We were sick and there were no flowers or candy this year, but it was just nice to have our romantic sick-fest together…hey, we’re easily amused ;-) We both said that there’s nobody we’d rather be sick with…now that’s true love :-) I know, enough already, right? Anyway, we watched movies and had a good day.
While I was lying around, I did finish one of my books that I’ve been reading. It was The Legs Are The Last To Go by Diahann Carroll. It was really a good read. I love biographies and autobiographies, so this was right up my alley. I always like to read how others, especially my elders, have persevered in their lives despite it being an uphill battle. Ms. Carroll has indeed led a wonderful life. Her accounts of her days in Hollywood, on Broadway and in the music world are truly intriguing. The list of people that she has known and/or worked with reads like a who’s who of the 20th century. I have always thought that she was one of the truly elegant ladies of our time and through the photos you see that she has truly been a beauty from the early days of her career over fifty years ago. There are also tales she tells of tough times, which ring true, because what life goes unscathed.
Besides her obvious beauty and elegance, you also get to see a woman who was intent upon showing her talent and fighting for equality. Ms. Carroll was a trailblazer along with others like Eartha Kitt, Lena Horne, Dorothy Dandridge, and so many more who paved the way in popular culture and in many other ways. I honor them all. They make me stand taller as a woman when I think of what they have gone through before me. They, like my own ancestors, light my path everyday. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I believe it will stay with me for a long while. What a gift :-)
Our countdown to Christmas continues… We ended up not going to Salisbury Cathedral for the carol service this year. We had planned on going, but in the past few days we have been having plumbing problems and we were waiting around for the plumber to let us know when he was coming. It was kind of up in the air. Also, Brit Boy was finishing up his studying, and that was most important for him to finish, so it was a nice weekend around home.
Our shower has been working and then not working. We get scalded one moment and then we freeze the next and it is just all messed up. Sometimes it decides to be merely a trickle, so it's time they finally authorized a repair. We have had a leak also. It’s been really fun ;-) Thankfully the plumber is going to pay us a visit today. Woo Hoo!!!!! That’s our Christmas present for sure :-)
Since we couldn’t venture too far away, we ended up just chilling out around home. Periodically, Brit Boy took breaks from his studying and we watched Christmas movies or watched music videos on television while we danced around. We enjoyed those study breaks! We love to do our freestyle dancing and then we dance together all elegant…it’s funny. Then I do my Beyonce dance :-)
Later in the afternoon on Monday, Brit Boy finished his final paper and turned it in. And as a bonus, we got our call from the plumber soon after so the day turned out good in the end. We were free to head out. We went into town to pick up some ingredients for my baking and for our Christmas Eve nibbles. We fully expected the crowd that met us, but it was wild in there!!!! :-) We bought my baking ingredients, and some cheese and dips and veggies for our Christmas Eve hanging out. Then I saw them and I was in love ……
These cute little journals/notebooks are my new favorite thing. Usually I always take a detour to the stationery aisles wherever I am. I love pens and journals and notebooks…gotta do the writing thing :-) But I haven’t hit pay dirt like this in a long time. These lovely little books are made of recycled materials, so that’s very good. I just love that the outside and inside are very organic-looking with a bit of flower power on the outside :-) The lady at the checkout was oohing and ahhing over them too, so I wasn’t alone in my love. The best part is that they were on sale. I got two of these mid-size books for £1.75!!!! So a deal on top of everything . Yay!!!! Okay, enough of this notebook swooning! :)
When we got home, I figured that I should go ahead and do the baking so I wouldn’t be rushed. But mostly though, we were just greedy and ready to eat. LOL. I decided to bake us a batch of red velvet cupcakes like I did back in the spring, but with these I sprinkled them a bit to add a festive flair.
We stuffed our faces with a couple after they cooled off and I iced them :-) And then today, we have had one…they seem to get better, like most things after they get a chance to sit. So we are happy people right now with cake in the house :-)
Oh, an update on our shower problems. The plumbers arrived as I was writing this. They just left and they said that we need a new shower. They patched up the leak, so that’s good. I guess that after Christmas when they get the order in, we will get fixed up. So it’s very dodgy showers for a bit longer :-) It's all good though. No sense in sweating it. Hopefully Santa will bring us a new shower for after Christmas.
Anyway, we plan to enjoy a quiet Christmas Eve tomorrow with a few drinks, some finger foods, and cake…what could be better! :-) Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Brit Boy and I had another trip into London on Wednesday for our only true addiction….going to concerts. LOL. We went to see Simply Red. They are going to disband sometime next year, after 25 years by that point, so we just had to go and see them do their thing. The lead singer Mick Hucknall, will still record as a solo artist.
We got home Thursday at about 2:30am, so I spent yesterday chilling and we got some rest and relived it in our heads. Now I can share what happened. It’s always thrilling to get a chance to go into London and going to a concert makes it even more fun.
On Wednesday, Brit Boy worked a half day and then he came home around noon. We had a bit of lunch, watched a bit of TV, and then we got all suited up to go out into the cold on the way to a hot time in the city :-) It has been very cold here lately, but then it’s winter isn’t it. Anyway, we took our faithful old coach/bus ride into London. There’s a company that runs trips to London and mostly everywhere around Britain that we usually take. You can either buy your own tickets and then just catch a ride to and from the concert with them or you can get a package deal and they get the tickets and give you the ride. We have done both things, but this time, we took the second option and got our tickets from the coach company. The perk with this is that they usually get you pretty good seats to the concerts. It’s a win win situation.
So we headed into town and parked our car and headed to our pickup point for the coach. When you get to the coach and check in, they give you an envelope with your tickets inside and you hop aboard. This time we got a seat right at the front, so we had full view of where we were headed. This was both thrilling and a bit terrifying. It was really cool to be able to see everything and to feel almost like we were being hurled through the air. The big window was all that was in front of us so it felt almost like flying and this was fun. But it also got a bit hairy at times because our coach driver had a lead foot and tailgated and switch lanes a bit wildly :-) Brit Boy and I both thought a couple of times that we might just be thrown right out of that big, lovely window in front of us and onto the motorway/freeway as the coach driver slammed on the brakes many times. Eeeek!!! Let’s just say, our hearts were in our mouths for about 60% of the trip :-) We survived and felt like kissing the ground when we stepped off the coach. LOL.
On a calmer note, when I peeled my eyes away from what was happening ahead of us, I would glance out the side window and the view was wonderful. You can see so much from that high up. I’ve traveled that road many times to London, but from this vantage point, it was like seeing parts of it for the first time. I saw streams that were hidden in the woods and beautiful country houses that I didn’t know were there.
When we were almost there, the coach stopped for a bathroom and refreshment break at a rest stop. We were given about thirty minutes. Brit Boy and I went and had a cup of coffee. I had a coffee that was chocolate cookie flavored. It was really tasty. Brit Boy had a regular cappuccino. We stopped at this same rest stop on a trip before, and had fun playing with the various carnival-esque machines there. This time we didn’t bother. The machines are right near the entrance and the freezing air was whooshing in each time the doors opened. The time before, it was summer so it was lots of fun, and there were no icicles hanging off of us :-) The time passed quickly and we were all back onto the coach to finish the journey.
About thirty minutes later, we arrived at the O2. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s a cool venue. It is on the Greenwich Peninsula and sits right on the edge of the River Thames. It was formerly known as the Millenium Dome. It sits there beautifully with the lights of Canary Wharf in the background. London is a fun spot at night. It has a groovy vibe.
Brit Boy and I walked along with a spring in our step…we were heading to our favorite thing…music!!!! :-) As we walked along the walkway to the complex, we noticed that they had a small Christmas market. Here’s a photo of the little castle they had set up.
On from that, they had a few stalls set up. We didn’t really linger for very long because it was an icy cold night and the breeze off the river was positively bone chilling. I knew that it was cold because Brit Boy, who is usually always hot, was running towards the building to get away from the cold (smile). Now that’s cold!!! So we scampered on inside.
The O2 was decked out for Christmas. One of my favorite things is the huge light fixture that hangs in the entry area. It is usually white or blue, but this time it had a colorful strobe going on. We walked around the outer ring of the arena, where all of the restaurants and clubs are…great people watching. Everything was even more sparkly than usual with all of the holiday cheer being spread around. They had a snowboarding/sledding area set up and kids from 8 to 80 were having a go at it. I would have loved to, but the line was long. Here’s a photo though with the little chalet to the side. The photo is kinda blurry, but you can get the idea. Brit Boy and I took the photos on his cell phone and it was kind of chilly still, so our hands were shaking a bit. LOL.
They also had special ornamental lights hung around the place. Here’s a pretty sparkly one.
And they were projecting snowflakes onto the roof and it created a great wintry atmosphere. Here’s a look.
Soon it was time to go in for the concert. It was AMAZING!!! I have always liked their music and I always thought that Mick Hucknall had a lovely set of pipes, but I was simply blown away…Brit Boy was too. Wow! You can definitely tell that this group has a powerful connection and a history because they know just how to put out the best performances and take you along for the ride. The musicians are true pros and the backup singers are amazing! They are all so good that it makes the performance seem effortless. But then I guess that that is what truly talented people do :-) And Mick Hucknall….he has a soulful voice that can just send absolute chills down your spine because he is so good, as many of you already know. Dang…he can REALLY SING!!! :-) The song they opened with was “It’s Only Love”…great song! I tell you, I always loved their sound and I always loved Mick’s voice, but seeing them live and hearing his truly divine voice in person is just an experience that I won’t ever forget. The recordings don’t do his voice justice. And I think that he might have had a slight cold, because he coughed once between the songs, but that was that. I guess with a voice like that, not much can shut you down :-)
They performed all of their hits and we loved it, including our favorite, “Holding Back the Years”. It brought tears to my eyes because his voice just soared to the heavens and as I’ve gone through my life, the words of that song just hit me deep. The part of the lyrics where he sings “I’ve wasted all my tears…wasted all those years”, it just means more to me as I go through my life. It makes me think that time waits for no one and sometimes you just have to let go and make room in your heart and you don’t want to look back at the end and see that all you did was mourn and regret your life away. This song helped me a lot when my mom passed away. In the beginning it made me cry of course, but as time went on, it became a salve of sorts and it made me see the greater picture of my life and the broad span of my mom’s life too and her legacy. The great restorative power of music has always been a comfort to me.
Near the middle of the show, Mick sang “You Make Me Feel Brand New” which was originally done by The Stylistics. Mick hit this one out of the park! The range of his voice is amazing and the raw emotion and passion that he puts into each note just sends you soaring with him. Here’s a video I found of him singing this song in concert. This is great, but I think he sang it even better when we saw him at the O2 :-)
The concert was great. Simply Red will be on tour into 2009, so if they come to your town or nearby, I hope you can catch this group before they disband. It’s all just true talent from top to bottom. You will find yourself singing along with every song. There was a great celebratory vibe and they are amazing! :-)
After the concert, we headed back to the coach and strapped ourselves in for the “adventurous” ride home ;-) Let’s just say, thankfully it was dark, so we couldn’t see enough to be scared. LOL. But we survived the trip thankfully and it was worth it in the end because we had a great night! The coach driver took the scenic route through Central London so we got a nice ride through the city, all decked out in its Christmas finery. What a cool night in more ways than one!
