Trevor's film on London and Boris

Boris will be competing to be mayor against Ken L - I won't mention his name because that will draw attention to him.

Boris asked for films on London under two minutes and they had to show London, and mention at least one of Boris's achievements.

What does the winner get? Obviously the accolade of being the winner.

Also the chance of meeting Boris and making a film.

Four films were shortlisted.

All four shortlisted films are here: www.backboris2012.com/enter/vote and voting will be open until midday on Tuesday 20 December 2011.

From the professional or aspiring speaker/Toastmaster's point of view, Interestingly the first film was a speech, an ironic speech apparently in support of the opposition. I liked that. But it missed the opportunity to show anything of London.

The other three showed London.

Two had speeded up shots of crowds. One cleverly uses upright features such as lamp posts to separate one shot from the next. We liked that aspect. The last one has a well-written voice over which is in an Australian voice. I like a clear message. But maybe more varied voices.

Trevor's film - see for yourself. Has humour. Who is working late. At Buc ......?

Shots of bikes - mine or yours, taxis, the fast train, police and public, and mention of the voting date. Rather more subtle. The messages are in signs, which is good for the hard of hearing or if you watch it losing sound. Genuine sounds of London.

If Trevor gets the chance to make a real campaign video I'd like to see a shot of Boris speaking or riding a bike and the newspaper or TV report of him personally saving a Londoner from being attacked.

Thanks very much for your support and entries.

Songwriting

Proof copy of my book of lyrics for a musical about Ronnie, The Mad Musician arrived.

Seasonal Lights And Secrets Of Gourmet Hatch End

Hatch End's latest Italian restaurant Zia Teresa - proud and excited co-owners, Manuel and the chef Antonio!
Hatch End walking trail map at Hatch End station. But whilst the rest of my family were out walking, I headed for free food at the switch-on of the festive season lights on the Christmas tree in Hatch End's main street, the Uxbridge Road.
I try to persuade all my friends from outside to come to Hatch End to enjoy the many restaurants in what a newspaper called restaurant capital of North West London. If you are not from Hatch End, why should you care - what's in it for you? Admittedly, it's a tedious train journey ranging from about 45 minutes to infinity from Euston, so take a book such as Mrs Beetons' cookbook because the trip's worth the effort if you're a gourmet. Hatch End has a plaque to young Mrs Beeton, who wrote the cookery book and established the system for starting recipes with a list of ingredients to buy. The plaque to her on Hatchets, one of Hatch End's 16 restaurants and eating places. It's no surprise that food, including free pizza outside Zia Teresa restaurant, was a feature of the switching on of the seasonal lights on the Giant Xmas tree as light faded 3-6 pm on Saturday Dec 3rd 2011. You can see the lights when you drive through Pinner. (If you stop and park, note that restrictions have been extended to Sundays, so read those signs high up, or use the car park.)

Hatch End, is part of the met line's historic Pinner, featured in many films and TV series and famous for its museum of Heath Robinson cartoons by the lake in pretty Pinner Park.

The Tree Lights

The blue lights on the tree make a good backdrop for photos.

Around the tree stood the Mayor, councillor Jean Lammerman, and Lucia of Hillview Road, who speaks fluent Italian (much faster than I can manage though I've been listening to my Berlitz Earworms disc every morning long to learn enough Italian to ask for vino blanco (white wine), which is useless as I want pink sparkling and cannot understand the reply.

Hillview Road is so named because we could long ago see Harrow on the Hill (famous for the Churchill's school and the hilltop church spire visible for miles and from the Met line trains hurtling from Baker Street. Hatch End had twice a year street parties for residents of Hillview Road.

The Brassy Band

Street entertainment included Christmas carols and music by J50 Brass band under the green tree, an impressively large tree for such a small high street. children in red Santa Claus style hats collected money for charity and the band played cheerful music from jolly red-cover carol books produced by The Salvation Army, I was told by Patrick Dodds who wanted me to tell you that his phone number is 07811 369967.

My neighbours asked how much and does the band do funerals, because Alice's brother had wanted a brass band for his funeral oop north in Yorkshire. (If you don't mind, I'll have Country music or a jolly Gilbert & Sullivan operetta aria for mine. Will somebody please ask Grimsdyke hotel.) But I'm digressing. Also in the picture of the band are tall Laurence Robinson with a warming scarf, though for December 3rd it's remarkably warm - I have roses from my garden on my kitchen dining table. A third member of the brass band is Laura Kitson.

Zia Teresa - Italian For Aunt Teresa

Here in Hatch End we, the public, feasted on free pizza freshly cooked in Zia Teresa (Aunt Teresa in Italian) opened this week in the former Rialto restaurant. Co-owned now by welcoming Manual - sorry, not Manual but Manuel, who, like any good Italian restaurant owner, kisses long-standing customers on both cheeks.

Manuel and his co-owner, the chef, plan a new menu and improvements to the decor which is already lovely with a mural of the Venice canals and Rialto bridge. (The restaurant was previously called Rialto.) What's great about Zia Teresa is that they are able and willing to adapt any dish. I see veal and chicken in lemon on the menu and ask if I can have veal in lemon. Some restaurants will tell you, sorry, it comes ready made like that. But here the food is cooked the way you want it. They will even make any dish of your choice if you give them warning so they can be sure to have the ingredients.

Should you need food or wine to take home, Hatch End also has a handy Tesco Express, and Morrisons which is selling a DIY, or rather BIY, bake it yourself (I just invented that phrase) stollen.

Hatch End Characters

By the tree stood Paresh Patel, who is the treasurer of Hatch End Traders Association, which organises the street lights and street events. (They did a great job for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton - see my blog showing pictures of red, white and blue hats.) Paresh Patel is also the manager of the Hatch End Post office. He was wearing his yellow high visibility and out on the street to ensure Health And Safety.

In support of safety were two jolly policemen.

My neighbours pointed to the star Venus overhead. Venus is the brightest star in the night sky. What use is it? I asked. Venus helps sailors, and walkers, navigate, and tell the time of day. The star is there all year but visible only in the months of November and December. This time next year Venus will be in the same place. So come to Hatch End to see the light of Venus, after watching our little high street switch on the seasonal lights.

Wishing I could write a song which people would sing in the streets every year, I went home to continue songwriting. Today I received the proof copy of my musical The Mad Musician. Maybe I should write a song: Out in the night to see the lights ...

About The Author

You can read snippets of my books on lulu.com

You can read more of my restaurant reviews on yell.com (formerly trustedplaces.com) and also on my webpages and I'm on twitter, Facebook, and You Tube. I sit in Fellini and other restaurants drawing caricatures of friends who buy me coffee or lunch or dinner, and I'm busy mentoring and on the committee of HOD and Harrovians speakers.

Update 2018: Fellini is now Porta Grande.

Focus on Your Life's Journey And The Right People

If you don't know what you want, you are standing at a bus station going nowhere and nobody can sell you a ticket or take you on a journey - unless you are willing to take the next bus - in which case I'm it.

A man who doesn't know what he wants risks falling into the hands of a dominatrix or losing a conventional woman (as Miguel Cervantes said, Faint heart ne'er won fair lady.)

A man who says he doesn't want a purely sexual relationship is likely to repel the wrong type and attract the right type.

Women on adult sites are inundated, and like scammers and people selling you enhancements, anybody on the internet is over-run by emails from suspect sites of people offering instant sex, and/or asking for money.

If scammers and loonies are teaching you about avoiding trouble, or finding motivation that's good. I've found forums enlightening.

When it comes to talking on the phone or meeting people, what worries me is that you are known by the company you keep so I don't want nutcases to dilute my reputation and if I meet or date somebody if losers are their flatmates, colleagues or close friends or exes, I try to cut down on repeat conversation or avoid going on a second date/meeting.

Hope this helps clarify your thoughts.

I'm certainly looking for worthwhile friends and ultimately a permanent relationship with somebody who understands the confused and weak whilst staying focused and strong.

You might guess I've just been reading business books about motivation and leadership!

Today's addition to my repertoire is a book on leadership by John C Maxwell. He has written several books.

SINGAPORE

1 Museum mannequin:

At Sentosa's historical museum I saw life-size models of founders of Singapore including a Jewish character, Menassah, who built a synagogue next to his home. Not far to walk to services!

2 Synagogue buildings:

See the exterior. Plan a visit at a suitable time to see the interiors.

Synagogue street no longer has a synagogue.

Nearby you will see two synagogues marked on maps and both are historic and interesting to visit. You could go to a service or call at the shop to buy kosher food.

A lively programme of events is held which visiting Jews can join, at a price for festival meals, occasionally sponsored Sabbath meals which are free though you can make a donation earlier or later (no money handled on Sabbath), as well as film shows of historic and sometimes hilarious old comedy films with Jewish themes. If you are an expat in Singapore you could attend a service and get on their mailing list. Women sit upstairs.

3 David Elias Building:

The David Elias Building is decorated with six-pointed stars.

The plaque at the top of the corner of the building says it dates back to 1928. It’s on a corner one block north of Singapore Art Museum where Middle Road meets Selegie Road. It’s near the oldest of the two synagogues, the Sephardi or Spanish style synagogue built for people descended from those who left Spain (Sepharad) after the Inquisition.

4 Changi Prison Museum's Jewish chapel

Changi Prison museum shows the make-shift synagogue used when Singapore's Jews were interned by the Japanese during WWII. Every now and then Singapore's historical museum has a display on religions and you'll read accounts of this time.

5 David Marshall Portraits

His portrait is in one synagogue and in the community hall.

Outside the city the Jewish cemetery (closed on Saturday) has the grave of David Marshall. With security so tight nowadays, you may have to make special arrangements to see it.

I met his charming widow who is not Jewish at a British Association dinner. He was a lawyer before becoming a diplomat for Singapore in France in his later days, and you would enjoy reading the book about his trials.

SPAIN

Maimonides statue.

Maimonides had to leave Spain and went to act as physician at the court of a Muslim Kurdish leader. Maimonides wrote in Arabic and is revered by the Arabs and the Jews. He is commemorated on stamps issued by Spain and other countries.

ISRAEL

Israel

Visit Bialik's house in Tel Aviv. The house, home of the national poet, contains architectural features such as a tiled fireplace with biblical motifs.

Display cases hold little models of theatre sets of Bialik's plays and his books of illustrated children's stories. Also banknotes featuring Bialik. Newscuttings and photos show his huge funeral.

Bialik pushed for the introduction of modern Hebrew as the national language. I am sorry that Yiddish was not made the national language, or one of three national languages, or four, the other three being Hebrew, Arabic and Sephardi.

Read: Bialik's biography.

French Gardens, Gourmets, Champagne and Madeleines

France
Follow the trail of Marcel Proust, author of A La Recherche du Temps Perdu, father of the modern novel. See plaques at viewpoints and his bust in the hotel where he wrote in a room lined with cork.His statue is in the middle of a roundabout in front of the hotel.
Read A La Recherche du Temps Perdu.

*****

No Time Lost

On

Garden Tours For Gourmets

by Angela Lansbury

Our regular travel writer, Angela Lansbury, spent an amusing week exploring French gardens including a computerised English garden, a Jewish garden and the garden of two gardening princes

On a tour of French gardens I had not expected to see English gardens or Jewish gardens. Grabbing a plastic-wrapped cake from the breakfast buffet at the small one star Terminus Hotel facing Orleans railway station, I found I was holding a madeleine! That’s the cake which sparks off memories for Proust at the start of his three-volume tome, A La Recherche du Temps Perdu which features the Dreyfus case.

Proust’s books describe Proust’s Garden of the Pre-Catelan which is open to the public and mentioned in the tourist booklet Parks and Gardens Central Region (region centre in French). The home of Proust’s aunt would interest literary and Jewish groups.

I travelled to France with gardening enthusiasts, taking Eurostar to Paris (where the Pere Lachaise cemetery has monuments to Proust and the Rothschilds) then driving around the Parks and Gardens of the Loire Valley in Central France, south of Paris. The gardens’ owners have formed an association which issues trail maps enabling gourmets and garden lovers to travel from one delightful chateau to another. While eating home-grown French food you learn tips from living counts and princes about how to create attractive kitchen gardens.

***

RASHI

In the Champagne region is the city where Rashi lived. See an old synagogue and a monument in the centre of town.

***

Postscript update
Proust stayed at the Grand Hotel, C a b o r g.
You can read reviews of the hotel and area on Trip advisor. (Spell check insert a space.)

Angela Lansbury. Travel writer and photographer. Author and Speaker.

WWII Holocaust Stories Of Success

CHINA

China

Shanghai

The Peace Hotel was originally owned by the Sassoons. Noel Coward stayed here and wrote. An amazing number of major buildings on the waterfront Bund and elsewhere were built by the Sassoons or other wealthy Jewish philanthropists whose major hobby seems to have been horse-racing.

I walked around the Jewish Museum and then took a Jewish tour with an elderly Chinese guide, Mr Wang, who used to work with Jews in this area. I remember that the whole area was Jewish, and my charming Chinese guide devotedly stood in the middle of the traffic risking both our lives pointing to where the popular Jewish cinema once stood. He asked me if I knew John Rain. I eventually realised we were talking about John Wayne and made it safely back to the the pavement. To Americans the pavement is the tarmac on the road. I would be reaching the sidewalk.

Alternatively, take a tour with a Israeli artist Dvir who rescued Jewish gravestones. See his film about the headstones.

1 Peace Hotel on the Bund.

Beautiful Chinese building, not much to see of Jewish interest except the plaque; but it has wonderful art deco and is a landmark important in local history.

2 Jewish Museum. Exhibitions. And tours.

3 Israeli style food at Mediterranean cafe.

4 Old synagogue overgrown with branches is in the centre of a gated government compound with a Chinese guard who speaks no English and won't let you in and he gets agitated if you try to take a photo. We phoned a hotel concierge to ask him to translate. He said the guard had agreed to let us walk around the outside and take a photo. But I took two steps forward and I got shouted at. Not often I give up. (March 2006)

5 Hengshan-Moller Villa

In the midst of Shanghai's skyscrapers is a gabled building with arched windows, balconies and a tower. This gothic hotel was originally the home of Eric Moller, a British Jew.

Eric's daughter dreamed about going into a castle. Her loving father realised the dream, admittedly somewhat later. The first architectural plans were made in 1927 and the villa was finished in 1936. The whole place is designed with ship motifs because when Moller took over the land from his father he was in the shipping business.

Moller also made money and achieved fame from his horse and the back lawn has a bronze statue of the horse. Non-residents can have tea or dinner in the hotel.

See www.mollervilla.com

AUSTRALIA

Australia

Sydney Jewish Museum's Heroes

In 2002 I visited Sydney Jewish Museum whose entrance hall has a memorial to WWI hero Sir John Monash (1865-1931) who led the ANZAC troops at Gallipoli and Normandy. His slogan was 'Feed the troops on victory'. He was knighted in the field by King George V. Melbourne's Monash University is named after him.

The museum has an entertaining and elightening exhibition about convicts. On the First Fleet was pregnant fifteen-year-old Esther Abrahams (1171-1846) who had been accused of stealing lace. On board she met Lieutenant George Johnston and later they married. George arrested Captain Bligh, and then in 1808 became temporary governor - elevating Esther to first lady of New South Wales.

Another 'lucky' convict was Joseph Samuel, known as 'The Man They Couldn't Hang', because in 1803 they tried three times to execute him and each time the rope broke. One might presume it was a piece of old rope. But tests showed no reason for this, so Governor King deemed it divine providence and reduced the thief's sentence to life imprisonment.

The character elevated to immortality in literature was infamous Londoner Isaac Solomon who inspired the character Fagin in Oliver Twist (published in 1837-8). Dickens was criticised for promoting anti-semitism because his book repeatedly referred to the fact that Fagin was Jewish. Belatedly, more than twenty-five years later, Dickens tried to make amends by writing about a good Jew, Mr Riah, in Our Mutual Friends (1864).

Out of 145,000 convicts only 1,000 were Jews. One early arrival, John Harris, became the first policeman. Another was called the most honest man in Sydney.

Upright Jews arrived as settlers. One established Sydney's first theatre. The first composer, Isaac Nathan, was the grandfather of Harry Nathan believed to have written the music for walzing Mathilda. Melbourne residents joke than convicts went to Sydney but free men went to Melbourne. Don't repeat that in Sydney!

The museum's Holocaust Exhibition included two interesting statues. Korzac, the non-Jewish head of the Warsaw orphanage, instead of escaping, accompanied his children to Treblinka.

Another hero, Swedish Raoul Wallenberg, saved 100,000 Jews in Hungary.

Travel Quotations

A great city, whose image dwells in the memory of man, is the type of some great idea. Rome represents conquest; faith hovers over the towers of Jerusalem; and Athens embodies the pre-eminent quality of the antique world, art.

Disraeli

I have seen more than I remember and remembered more than I have seen.

Disraeli

Musical Writing Progress

Working on the lyrics and connecting narrative of my musical.

Titles are often names such Cats, Wizard of Oz.

A plot is aim and obstacles, cause and effect.