#royal hotel st paul's

[richardarmitagefanpage]

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Roya new exclusive: The King granted a request by the Duke of Sussex to stay in a royal residence for his latest visit to the UK but Harry then declined the offer. Harry’s pals say he DID ask to see the King, Charles’s friends say not so.

I made a post about Roya's new article yesterday but it didn't post.

Oh well.

Archived Link

Some quotes

The King agreed to a request from the Duke of Sussex to stay in a royal residence for last week’s trip to London, mindful that his younger son no longer has an official UK residence, friends of the monarch say. In the event, however, Harry is thought to have chosen to stay in a hotel during his three-day visit. The friends point out that staying in a royal residence would have made visiting his father logistically easier, given the competing pressures on Charles’s diary.

Of course Harry refused to stay in a royal residence. He can't complain about being ignored by his father if he does, and that's his #1 priority right now, over actually seeing his father or making it easier for his father to see him. And the stunning part is that even Harry's own friends are waking up to that now.

Friends of the King, 75, who has cancer, continue to stress that, to the best of their understanding, Harry neither requested to see his father nor invited him to attend the service at St Paul’s last Tuesday to celebrate the Invictus anniversary. But sources close to Harry expressed their bemusement that Charles did not see his son on a rare trip to the UK. They noted that, despite his cancer treatment, the King made time to attend a Buckingham Palace garden party on Wednesday afternoon, hold his weekly audience with Rishi Sunak that evening and undertake a military engagement in Wiltshire on Thursday.

Wow. Tell me you don't know what it's like to have a job, an actual real job, without telling me you don't know what it's like to have a job. Not everyone can blow off their responsibilities if something better comes along.

Charles isn't going to garden parties, meeting with the Prime Minister, and attending a military event because he's got nothing else to do. He's doing that because it's 👏 his 👏 forking 👏 job.

[greeneyed-thestral]

I'M BACK FROM LONDON!

Hello everyone! So here's what I managed to see/do in these few days: DAY 1 Westminster Bridge Big Ben Palace of Westminster Westminster Abbey Victoria Tower Gardens St. James's Park Buckingham Palace Victoria Memorial The Mall 🍜 spicy noodles and skewers in Spitalfields Market (lunch) 🐟🍟🍺 fish&chips and beer in a traditional pub (dinner) ✔️ took a picture with a red telephone box 💳 bought my oyster card for 7£; to go around for 3-4 days you need to top-up around 15£-20£ 💡tip! download the Tfl Go app, it will help you figure out which line to take if at first you don't understand the map (just consult it before you enter the underground, 'cause there's no signal down there) DAY 2 London Eye Southbank Skate Space BFI Southbank Royal National Theatre Tate Modern Garden Shakespeare's Globe William Shakespeare Mural (❤️) Winchester Palace Golden Hinde Southwark Cathedral London Bridge Monument to the Great Fire of London Tower of London Traitor's Gate Tower Bridge More London Blackfriars Bridge St. Paul's Cathedral Waterloo Bridge West End 🍔🍟cheese burger and chips in Borough Market (lunch) 🍗🍟chicken kyiv and chips in a traditional pub in Covent Garden (dinner) 💡tip! Sainsbury's Local is a chain of convenience store you can find all around the city, so if you forgot to bring something in your suitcase or just need to buy bottled water, you can go there DAY 3 Golden Jubilee Bridges Trafalgar Square Savini | Criterion Heddon St (Ziggy Stardust Plaque) Baker Street (221B) Sherlock Holmes Museum King's Cross The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 ¾ British Museum (went inside) Russell Square Tavistock Square Gardens 🥓english breakfast in our hotel 🍜 roast duck noodle soup and spring rolls in Chinatown (lunch) 🫖 afternoon tea at the Morton Hotel

💡tip! an afternoon tea can be a good alternative to dinner if you have to be somewhere early in the evening (many theatre shows start at 19); mine had a pot of tea, different sandwiches, scones, grapes, macarons, chocolates and a mousse, we were really full after it! 🎭🎫 saw Pygmalion at The Old Vic (loved it, ☆☆☆☆☆) DAY 4 National Gallery (went inside) National Portrait Gallery (went inside) 🥓english breakfast in our hotel 🍕the best pizza ever at a pizzeria near Trafalgar Square 🌡️I was so lucky, it basically never rained the entire time I was there. It was really cold tho (3° at one point!) so if you go mid-october, be sure to pack at least one scarf and a warm coat. I want to thank once again everyone who helped me plan my trip. ^-^ Now I hope this list can help others, feel free to message me anytime you want!

[thepastisalreadywritten]

-------o0o--------

She was demure and elegant in a flowing gown – he looked dapper and debonair in a tailored navy suit.

So pity the poor bride and groom whose lavish Caribbean nuptials were overshadowed by such glamorous guests.

Then again, if you will invite Prince Harry and his actress girlfriend Meghan Markle to your wedding, what do you expect?

All eyes were on the young lovers as the prince attended the wedding of friend Tom ‘Skippy’ Inskip at the weekend in Montego Bay, Jamaica. 

Not having seen each other for a fortnight, Harry, 32, and 35-year-old Meghan used the trip as an excuse for a romantic reunion – and their affectionate behaviour set tongues wagging that it might not be long before they, too, are walking up the aisle.

For Meghan, the surroundings are not entirely unfamiliar.

In 2011, she married her first husband – film producer Trevor Engleson – at a resort just 60 miles along the coast. So, is she feeling the love second time around? 

We reveal exactly what the young couple got up to on their romantic West Indian weekend...

He flies in economy, while she takes a private jet

Harry arrived in Jamaica on Wednesday to join the groom’s party ahead of the big day – he was one of 14 ushers.

The royals don’t use private planes for personal engagements, so he took a Virgin Atlantic flight from Gatwick to Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay.

The prince did splash out on a premium economy seat, costing upwards of £2,000 return.

Meghan flew in the following day from Toronto, where she’s filming US legal drama Suits, in a private jet that belongs to a friend.

Ever the gentleman, Harry picked her up from the airport, greeting her with a kiss before they drove back to the hotel together.

The luxury resort where JFK stayed

With 110 acres of lush tropical gardens, suites designed by Ralph Lauren and its own private bay, the wedding reception venue is the perfect backdrop for royal romance. 

The Round Hill Resort was built in the 1950s as a series of luxurious cottages for rich and famous visitors. Guests have included JFK and Jackie Kennedy, who spent their honeymoon here.

Grace Kelly, Fred Astaire, Clark Gable, Sir Paul McCartney, and Emma Watson have also stayed.

A hotel worker revealed that Meghan and Harry stayed in a £5,000-a-night premium luxury villa, the resort’s most exclusive accommodation away from prying eyes, which comes with its own housekeeper, two pools and a games room with a bar and pool table.

Ever watchful of their safety, security guards were stationed in rooms nearby.

Guests have breakfast served on their balcony, and options include Jamaican delicacies such as ackee (a fruit like a lychee), saltfish with fried dumplings and callaloo (a leafy green vegetable).

It’s quite a change from Meghan’s first trip to the island during her low-key wedding in 2011.

She and her husband-to-be stayed at the four-star Jamaica Inn in Ocho Rios, where they indulged in drinking games and wheelbarrow races before saying their vows.

The (other) very happy couple 

It takes a brave bride to invite glamorous, leggy Meghan to your wedding. But flame-haired Lara Hughes-Young didn’t seem bothered about being outshone.

Lara, 30, a software developer at global technology company ThoughtWorks, knows Harry through her new husband ‘Skippy’, who went to Eton with the prince.

She’s the granddaughter of late Conservative MP Michael Hughes-Young.

Her father holds the title Lord St Helens – making her official title the Honourable Lara Inskip.

She is said to have been ‘singing Meghan’s praises’ since meeting her last year.

They may have been the focus of attention on the day, but Megan and Harry were far from the only notable guests at the wedding.

Harry’s aunt Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, was on the list, accompanied, insiders say, by her daughter Eugenie.

After the ceremony, a smiling Fergie, wearing a black minidress with a jewelled neck, was seen posing for photographs with Pastor Conrad Thomas, who officiated the ceremony.

Archie Soames, one of the ushers, is the great-grandson of Winston Churchill. Maid of honour Alice St Clair Erskine is an actress who portrayed the Duchess of Cambridge in the 2011 American TV show William and Catherine: A Royal Romance.

Olympic sprinter Usain Bolt is rumoured to have popped in for the party.

Trying not to upstage the bride

For the ceremony, Meghan chose a £1,200 floral print maxi dress by Canadian designer Erdem. 

Harry opted for a bespoke navy suit, believed to be from his favourite Savile Row tailor Gieves & Hawkes, and teamed with a yellow rose. 

Meghan accessorised her elegant attire with a nude clutch bag and a pair of £249 gold-rimmed sunglasses by Dior to shield her eyes from the hot Jamaican sun.

The bride did her best to stay in the spotlight in a breathtakingly simple white satin gown with a plunging neckline and full, flowing skirt – a direct contrast to Meghan’s high-necked style.

Meghan's tender touch for her prince 

Meghan placed a protective arm on Harry’s back as she steered him out of the church and guests say the pair were very tactile throughout the reception as she was introduced to his old friends. 

At one point they were seen deep in conversation, as a jacketless Harry drank a beer and Meghan an Aperol spritz cocktail as she continued to rub his back.

Minutes later, she moved even closer, gazing into his eyes and putting her arms around his neck.

‘They are both head over heels and don’t care who sees it,’ said an onlooker.

xxx

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

Duncan Lacroix stands in front of a statue with the Beatles' song playing in the background, seemingly unaware of what type of statue it is. 🙄

This is the statue behind Duncan, Statue of Earl Roberts by Harry Bates, which is in Glasgow`s Kelvingrove Park, commemorates one of the most distinguished commanders of the British Empire, Field Marshal Lord Frederick Sleigh Roberts of Kandahar 1st Earl Roberts (1832 – 1914) and is an exact replica of the original which was unveiled in 1898 in Calcutta, India, to acknowledge his actions during the “Indian Rebellion,” 1857-1858 also known as the “Sepoy Mutiny”.

Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts (30 September 1832 – 14 November 1914) VC KG KP GCB OM GCSI GCIE KStJ PC was one of Britain’s most successful military commanders of the 19th century. British Victorian-era general born in Kanpur (Cawnpore) India served much of his military career there. Kanpur became one of the most important commercial and military stations of British India.

He won important victories during the Second Afghan War and revitalised the British campaign in the Boer War. He rose to Major-General during the Afghan war, 1878-80, and Commander-in-Chief in India, 1885-93.

A Field Marshal is the highest rank in the British Army. The rank of Field Marshal is never awarded except to a General who has commanded an army in war.

These are words from a recruiting speech given by Lord Roberts:

"I seem to see the gleam in the near distance of the weapons and accoutrements of this Army of the future, this Citizen Army, the wonder of these islands, and the pledge of the peace and of the continued greatness of this Empire" Extract from Lord Robert's speech in Glasgow on 6th May 1913.

Lord Roberts was the protagonist of a national military service and he visited Glasgow on the 5th of May 1913 as part of his duties to the National Service League and aimed to ‘rouse public interest to the necessity of a more adequate home defence.

The University of Glasgow decided confer his honorary degree upon him at a special ceremony, to coincide with Lord Roberts visit at this time. Professor James Moir, Dean of the Faculty of Law, presented Earl Roberts for the degree of Doctor of Laws at the Bute hall.

Lord Roberts died at the Front of pneumonia at St Omer, France while visiting Indian troops fighting the First World War. He was given a state funeral after lying in state at Westminster Hall (only one of two non-royal family members to do so in the 20th century, the other being Sir Winston Churchill) and was buried in St Paul's Cathedral.

Indian troops preceding the coffin of Field Marshal Roberts, November 1914. From W. R. DEIGHTON, 4, GRAND HOTEL BUILDINGS, STRAND, LONDON, W.C.

#StatueofEarlRoberts #KelvingrovePark #Victorianera #LordFrederickSleighRoberts #RobertsofKandahar #1stEarlRoberts #replica #Calcutta #India #IndianRebellion #SepoyMutiny #commandersoftheBritishEmpire #Glasgow #FieldMarshal #General #Kanpur #Cawnpore #HarryBates #sculptor #StOmer #France #FirstWorldWar #Indiantroops #statefuneral #WestminsterHall #StPaul's Cathedral #lyinginstate

Posted 16th March 2024

[mel1505]

11.12.2023 Um 2:30 Uhr war für mich die Nacht vorbei. An Schlaf nicht mehr zu denken… Auch sämtliche Atemtechniken, Baldrian und co. haben nicht geholfen. Shit, wir haben uns doch erst für 10 Uhr zum frühstücken verabredet... Irgendwann in den frühen Morgenstunden muss ich dann doch nochmal eingeschlafen sein, fühlte mich aber total gerädert, als ich wieder aufgewacht bin. Na das kann ja was werden heute… ✌🏼 Mit Andi bin ich dann erst mal zu Coles zum einkaufen gegangen. Mit Toast, Cream Cheese, Obst, Gemüse und Keksen ging’s zurück ins Zimmer, erst mal frühstücken. Danach ging es los in die Stadt: Melbourne 😍 Als erstes ging es Richtung Flinders Street. Die Gebäude haben uns beim letzten Besuch schon so gut gefallen. Dort war auch ein bisschen Weihnachtsstimmung. 🎄✨ Haben sogar mal in die St Paul's Cathedral reingeschaut, aber Kirchen sind nicht so unser Ding. Auf zur Hosier Lane, mit lauter Graffiti an den Wänden. Doch leider nur noch ein „Geschmier“. Da hat sich die letzten Jahre doch einiges geändert… sehr schade. Aber das trübte unsere Laune nicht! Auf der Suche nach der richtigen Tram - hier kann man nämlich in einem gewissen Bereich kostenlos fahren - sind wir an einer Haltestelle gelandet. Ihr ahnt bestimmt was jetzt kommt. Jaaaa, vielleicht sind wir einfach ganz naiv eingestiegen und dachten wir kommen so zur nächsten Haltestelle. Mmmmh, der Plan war gar nicht mal so schlecht, bis folgende Durchsage kam „Sie verlassen nun die kostenfreie Zone“. Upsi. Egal, einfach die nächste raus und zurücklaufen. #isnichweit 🏃‍♀️🏃 Weit und breit keine Spur von der richtigen Tram. Daher ging’s zu Fuß weiter am Parliament House vorbei, Richtung Royal Exhibition Building. Wow, sehr schön! Hier war auch gerade eine Abschlussfeier, bzw. unzählige Absolventen in ihrer schwarzen Robe. 🎓 Zur Pipipause ging’s kurz in eine Uni. Wir überquerten die Straße und gingen anschließend in die Bibliothek: State Library of Victoria. Wahnsinnig beeindruckend! Mittlerweile war es schon wieder Abend geworden und Zeit zum Abendessen. Es ging nach Chinatown. 🇨🇳 Wir haben das erste Mal Ramen gegessen. Hat nur Steffen geschmeckt, für uns eher eine 2/10. Puuuuh, 17.541 Schritte und 13,3 km später ging’s zurück zum Hotel. Wir haben noch ein bisschen die nächsten Tage geplant und dann ging es ins Bett. 😴

[nicki1505]

11.12.2023

Um 4:30 Uhr war die Nacht vorbei. An Schlaf nicht mehr zu denken. Der Magen knurrt.

Shit, wir haben uns doch erst für 10 Uhr zum frühstücken verabredet.. okay dann hauen wir uns halt nochmal aufs Ohr und versuchen erneut zu schlafen. Aber keine Chance. Um ca 7 Uhr haben wir uns auf den Weg in die Stadt gemacht, um was zu Essen zu holen.

Mit Toast, Käse, Obst, Gemüse und Kinderbesteck bewaffnet ging’s zurück ins Zimmer. Jetzt wird erstmal geschmaust #yummi

Als auch die anderen beiden wach wurden und ebenfalls gefrühstückt hatten, zogen wir los durch Melbourne. Wir hatten in der Zwischenzeit noch ein Nickerchen gemacht #nawenndasmalkeinFehlerwar

Als erstes ging es Richtung Flinder Street. Die Gebäude haben uns beim letzten Besuch schon so gut gefallen. Dort ist auch ein bisschen Weihnachtsstimmung. 🎄✨

Haben sogar mal in die St Paul's Cathedral reingelinst, aber Kirchen sind nicht so unser Ding. Auf zur Hosier Lane, mit lauter Graffiti an den Wänden. Doch leider nur noch ein „Geschmier“. Da hat sich die letzten Jahre doch einiges geändert… sehr Schade.

Aber das trübte unsere Laune nicht! Auf der Suche nach der richtigen Tram - hier kann man nämlich einen gewissen Bereich kostenlos fahren - sind wir an einer Haltestelle gelandet. Ihr ahnt bestimmt was jetzt kommt. Jaaaa, vielleicht sind wir einfach ganz naiv eingestiegen und dachten wir kommen so zur nächsten Haltestelle. Mmmmh, der Plan war gar nicht mal so schlecht, bis folgende Durchsage kam „Sie verlassen nun die kostenfreie Zone“. Upsi.

Egal, einfach die nächste raus und zurücklaufen. #isnichweit 🏃‍♀️🏃

Weit und breit keine Spur von der richtigen Tram. Daher ging’s zu Fuß weiter am Parliament House vorbei, Richtung Royal Exhibition Building. Wow, so schön! Hier war auch gerade eine Abschlussfeier. 🎓

Zur Pipipause ging’s kurz in eine Uni. Wir überquerten die Straße und gingen in die Bibliothek: State Library of Victoria. Wahnsinnig beeindruckend!

Zum Abendessen ging’s nach Chinatown. 🇨🇳 Wir haben das erste Mal Ramen gegessen. Hat nur Steffen geschmeckt, für uns eher eine 2/10.

Puuuuh, unzählige Schritte und km später ging’s zurück zum Hotel, ein bisschen die nächsten Tage planen und dann ab ins Bett. 😴

[scotianostra]

On October 28th 2010 Scotland sadly lost the very funny man Gerard Kelly.

Everyone loved the mop of black hair, the half-length trousers, the bright Dr Martens and the cry of "Hiya pals", but you could spend hours figuring out exactly what made Gerard Kelly such a physically funny pantomime star. It was something to do with the knobbly knees, the way one leg would drag coyly behind the other, and the impression of Kelly having feet that headed in opposite directions. The actor Karen Dunbar, who appeared alongside him in three Christmas shows at the King's theatre in Glasgow, has her own theory. "I think it came from his hips," she said. "He used his whole body."

Whatever his secret, Kelly – who has died aged 51 after a brain aneurysm – was a consummate performer who reigned supreme at the King's theatres in Glasgow and Edinburgh for 20 years. To do this for a dozen performances a week required formidable energy. A fortnight into Sleeping Beauty, at the King's, Glasgow, in 2007, he began suffering from sciatica and amazed his colleagues by carrying on regardless of the pain.

Typically, Kelly played the Buttons-type character, a lovable clown who never got the girl but endeared himself to the audience with his rascally grin, gift for comedy and unerring democratic instinct. His generosity of spirit was addictive. Kelly could keep everyone, from children to pensioners, on side. "He knew exactly how to play the audience," said the director Tony Cownie, who staged several of the pantos. "You couldn't direct him. The minute Gerard walked on to the floor, I just sat back. You can't tamper with genius."

A private man who kept a low media profile, Kelly was a team player and commanded tremendous affection. Born Paul Kelly (he changed his name when he got his Equity card), he was brought up in a family of five children in working-class Cranhill, in the east end of Glasgow. His father, Charlie, ran a chip shop, and his mother, Rose, was a hotel waitress. A teacher at St Gregory's secondary school in Glasgow encouraged him to act. From the age of 12, he landed parts with the help of the agent Winifred "Freddie" Young. He appeared in adverts and the TV adventure The Camerons (1974), for the Children's Film Foundation.

Kelly built an accomplished television career, with early work including a part as a teenager with learning difficulties in Donal and Sally, written by James Duthie, which was broadcast in the Play for Today strand on BBC1 in 1978. That year he auditioned for The Slab Boys, John Byrne's celebrated carpet-factory comedy, at the Traverse theatre in Edinburgh, but was considered too young for the part. He was, however, cast as the designer Spanky Farrell in the Play for Today adaptation of The Slab Boys in 1979. He returned to the role at the Traverse in 1982 in all three instalments of what had become a trilogy (with Cuttin' a Rug and Still Life). That production transferred to the Royal Court in London and was a major success.

Here in Scotland, Kelly is fondly remembered for his leading role as Willie Melvin, a bank-teller with literary pretensions and dodgy friends, in the 80s sitcom City Lights, set in Glasgow. He made many guest appearances in programmes such as Rab C Nesbitt, Victoria Wood: As Seen On TV, The Comic Strip Presents and Juliet Bravo, and was a regular on the sketch show Scotch and Wry, starring Rikki Fulton. In 2006, Kelly teamed up with Tony Roper in Rikki and Me, a stage tribute to Fulton.

After bad-boy parts in EastEnders, as the violent Jimmy in 1994, and in Brookside, as gangster Callum Finnegan from 1997 to 2000, Kelly turned in a viciously funny performance as Ian "Bunny" Bunton, a camp panto director, in Ricky Gervais's Extras (2005). His other stage appearances included Neil Simon's The Odd Couple in 1994 (revived in 2002) for the touring Borderline theatre and Iain Heggie's A Wholly Healthy Glasgow in a production that opened at the Royal Exchange in Manchester in 1987 before transferring to the Edinburgh festival and the Royal Court.

Intelligent and politically engaged, Kelly ran the radical 7:84 theatre company in Scotland with David Hayman for three years in the late 80s. He directed Hector McMillan's sectarian drama The Sash ; Raymond Briggs's When the Wind Blows , about a nuclear attack; and an anti-poll tax farce, Revolting Peasants , for the company, whose name derives from athe statistic at the time that 7% of the population of the UK owns 84% of the wealth, it is probaly not changed much since then, if anything will have grown wider.

He had been due to revive his role as the narrator in The Rocky Horror Show at the King's in Glasgow. The part was taken by his friend and City Lights co-star Andy Gray. "He knew what worked," said Gray of Kelly's pantomime work. "I don't think 'Hiya pals' will ever be said again. He did it year in, year out, but 'Hiya pals' worked every time because he did it with such gusto and conviction." Sadly we also lost Andy following complications caused by COVID-19 in January 2021, the two will be having a ball together up there.

[casbooks]

Books of 2023

Book 35 of 2023

Title: The Frost Weeds: Vietnam: 1964-1965 Authors: James Oliveri ISBN: 9781555717612 Tags: A-1 Skyraiders AUS ADF Australian Defence Force AUS Australia B-57 Canberra Buddhism (Religion) C-123 Provider C-7 Caribou CH-34 Choctaw FRA France LAO Laos LAO Laotian Civil War (1959-1975) LAO Pathet Lao LAO Prime Minister Souvanna Phouma LAO Prince Souvanna Phouma LAO RLA 33rd Laotian Elephant Bn LAO RLA Royal Laotian Army LAO RLAF Royal Lao Air Force Nungs O-1 Bird Dog SpecOps U-1 Otter US Ambassador Maxwell Taylor US CIA Central Intelligence Agency US Medal Of Honor US President Lyndon B. Johnson US Raymond Burr (Actor) US USA 1st Cavalry Division US USA 86th Engineer Bn US USA Col Roger Donlon (MOH) US USA Fort Dix NJ US USA Fort Dix NJ - Intermediate Speed Radio Operators Course (ISROC) US USA General Paul D. Harkins US USA General William Westmoreland US USA United States Army US USA USSF 5th SFG US USA USSF 7th SFG US USA USSF Green Berets US USA USSF Special Forces US USA USSF Team A-113 US USA USSF Team A-323 US USA USSF Team A-726 US USMC 9th MEB US USMC United States Marine Corps US USN 7th Fleet US USN United States Navy US USN USS Maddox (DD-731) US USN USS Ticonderoga (CV-14) US USN USS Turner Joy (DD-951) US USO United Service Organizations VNM 1968 Tet Offensive (1968) (Vietnam War) VNM A Louie Airstrip VNM A Shau Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War) VNM A Shau Valley VNM AUS ADF Australian Army Training Team (Vietnam War) VNM Battle of Hue City (1968) (Tet Offensive) (Vietnam War) VNM Battle of Nam Dong CIDG Camp (1964) (Vietnam War) VNM Cam Lo VNM Central Highlands VNM Cholon VNM Con Thien VNM Cua Viet VNM Da Lat VNM Da Nang VNM Da Nang - Red Beach Base Area (Vietnam War) VNM Da Nang Air Base VNM DMZ Demilitarized Zone - 17th Parallel (Vietnam War) VNM Dong Ap Bia VNM Dong Ha VNM Dong Hoi VNM Dong Nai River VNM DRV NVA Col Bui Tin (Engineer) VNM DRV NVA Col Dong Si Nguyen (Minister of Construction) VNM DRV NVA North Vietnamese Army VNM DRV VC Viet Cong VNM FRA Felix Poilane (Plantation Owner) VNM Gio Linh VNM Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964) (Vietnam War) VNM Highway 1 VNM Highway 14 VNM Highway 548 VNM Highway 9 VNM Ho Chi Minh Trail (Vietnam War) VNM Hue VNM Hue - Business District VNM Hue - Capitol Building VNM Hue - Cercle Sportif VNM Hue - Duy Tan St VNM Hue - Hue Stadium VNM Hue - Hue University VNM Hue - Joan of Arc Cathedral VNM Hue - Le Loi St VNM Hue - Nguyen Hoang Bridge VNM Hue - Perfume River VNM Hue - Public Health and Hospital Complex VNM Hue - Tay Loc Airfield (Vietnam War) VNM Hue - The Citadel VNM Hue - Tran Cao Van St VNM Hue - Tran Hung Dao St VNM I Corps (Vietnam War) VNM Ia Drang Valley VNM III Corps (Vietnam War) VNM Lang Troi VNM Lang Vei VNM Lang Vei Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War) VNM Montagnard - Bru VNM Montagnards VNM Montagnards - Katu VNM Nam Dong VNM Nam Dong Special Forces Camp (Vietnam War) VNM Nha Trang VNM Operation Flaming Dart (1965) (Vietnam War) VNM Operation Ranch Hand (1962-1971) (Vietnam War) VNM Operation Rolling Thunder (1965-1968) (Vietnam War) VNM Phu Bai VNM Pleiku VNM Quang Tri VNM Quang Tri Province VNM Rao Lao River VNM Rao Quang River VNM Red River VNM RVN ARVN 1st ID VNM RVN ARVN 2nd Regiment VNM RVN ARVN 2nd Regiment - 3/2 VNM RVN ARVN 36th Ranger Bn VNM RVN ARVN 3rd Regiment VNM RVN ARVN 3rd Regiment - 3/3 VNM RVN ARVN Army of the Republic of Vietnam VNM RVN ARVN CIDG Civilian Irregular Defense Group VNM RVN ARVN General Nguyen Chanh Thi VNM RVN ARVN LLDB Luc Luong Dac Biet Special Forces VNM RVN ARVN MP Quan Canh Military Police VNM RVN ARVN Nam Dong CIDG Camp VNM RVN ARVN Vietnamese Rangers - Biet Dong Quan VNM RVN General Duonh Van Minh (Big Minh) VNM RVN Nguyen Cao Ky VNM RVN Nguyen Khanh VNM RVN RVNP Can Sat National Police VNM RVN SVNAF South Vietnamese Air Force VNM RVN Tran Van Huong VNM Saigon VNM Saigon - Brinks Hotel VNM Saigon - Brinks Hotel Bombing (1964) VNM Saigon - Capital Hotel VNM Saigon - Tu Do St (Rue Catinat) VNM Som Bai VNM Ta Bat VNM Ta Bat Airfield VNM Ta Rau VNM Tan Son Nhut Air Base VNM Thua Thien Province VNM Tonkin Gulf VNM US Agent Orange (Vietnam War) VNM US MAAG Advisory Team 3 (Vietnam War) VNM US MAAG Military Assistance Advisory Group Vietnam (Vietnam War) VNM US MACV Advisory Team 3 (Vietnam War) VNM US MACV Advisory Teams (Vietnam War) VNM US MACV Military Assistance Command Vietnam (Vietnam War) VNM US USMC KSCB Khe Sanh Combat Base (Vietnam War) VNM US USSF Mobile Strike Force (MIKE) (Vietnam War) VNM Vietnam VNM Vietnam War (1955-1975) Rating: ★★★★★ (5 Stars) Subject: Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.ARVN, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Specops.ARVN, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.Specops.Green Berets, Books.Military.20th-21st Century.Asia.Vietnam War.US Army.Advisor

Description: During the early years of the Vietnam War, a small group of American soldiers carried the fight to the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army, often under difficult circumstances. Their sacrifices generally went unrecognized and unappreciated by a mostly indifferent nation. But a massive influx of American troops would soon alter the entire nature and perception of the war. THE FROST WEEDS graphically describes the horror, the heroism and even the humor of the Vietnam experience while offering a far different perspective of the war than that epitomized by the larger conflict that followed. It is an astonishing account of a small U.S. military advisory team struggling to deal with a ruthless enemy and an often exasperating ally.

Review: This was an excellent book by an excellent author. He was able to craft a good narrative and understood pacing and flow which is rare for many of these books. The tales he told of the early years of the vietnam war, the 64/65 period, of what it was like at Ta Bat, A Shau, and Khe Sanh, his explorations of Hue, and the battle of Nam Dong were well done and gave you a really good sense of who was there, what happened, and what the experience was like being an Advisor radioman attached to an ARVN unit. 

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

Markle's BEST Backer: New-York-based Irish businessman and honorary OBE recipient John Fitzpatrick on his way to Windsor to see his friend Meghan Markle tie the knot with Prince Harry.

No matter how much we try to deny it, if one of the golden-ticket invites to the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Irish American actress Meghan Markle had landed on our laps over the last few weeks, there’s no way we wouldn’t be on a flight over to Windsor right now. And so the news that New-York-based Irish businessman John Fitzpatrick has landed himself on the Windsor Castle guestlist for Saturday, May 19, has us more than a little green with envy.

Fitzpatrick, a hotelier and philanthropist who received an honorary OBE from the Queen for his work toward the peace process in Northern Ireland and his massive charity work, has been a friend of Markle’s for some time, meeting with her in his New York hotel with thanks to Irish golfer Rory McIlroy and even inviting her along to the White House and his Clinton fundraiser.

Rory McIlroy and Meghan Markle doing the ice bucket challenge.

“I'm delighted to be asked because I know Meghan but she has so many people to invite so I really appreciate her inviting me. It's great,” Fitzpatrick told IrishCentral.

“I'm sure they have a lot of more important guests to invite so I didn't expect it at all but I got an email from Buckingham Palace to give me the heads up to say that they would like your full address and that Meghan and Prince Harry would like to write to you. That was a few months ago so I kept that quiet and finally it arrived in from Buckingham Palace about four weeks ago.” And not only was Fitzpatrick lucky enough to bag an invite but he’s set to hang out with all the “Suits” cast while in England as another friend of his Sarah Rafferty, who plays Donna in the hit show, invited him to go sightseeing with the rest of Markle’s cast members.

“I think to be in Windsor and St Paul's Church, that's going to be spectacular,” he admits, however.

“You always see them on television but you never really know what it's like. I think that will probably be the best part of the whole thing. The whole day will be great but I think the church will be special.”

While one Irish psychic has predicted that the day will end in disaster, Fitzpatrick only has high hopes for Meghan and Harry as a married couple.

“I think it's very natural the way they met and the way they fell in love. Some royal weddings may not have been as happy as others but this one will be a good one,” he stated.

“I think it will be a great example of the future generation: meeting the people they want to meet and getting on with life together as best they can. I think another great example is Prince William and Kate. The younger generation coming up now, it's just great to see them being happy.”

The Dublin-born philanthropist also doesn’t have much time for those who think that there’s no place for an Irish person at a British Royal wedding, stating “we've moved well past that now.”

“I don't think anybody would object to an Irish person going to a Royal Wedding. I'm proud to be going, to be honest with you because I think over the last 20 years, England and Ireland have become close friends and I think what's really helped us was the Queen's visit to Ireland ...

“I've met Prince Charles a few times because some of the charities I support in Northern Ireland he's the patron of. We're working on the same thing. It's peace in Northern Ireland. It's peace in both countries and I think it's very important to keep that going.”

And what to buy as a wedding gift for a Prince and a future Princess? Well, the royal couple has made that easy for their guests, asking them to donate to any of a list of charities instead of a gift for themselves. “They're great causes,” Fitzpatrick added. “It's the same thing with anybody's wedding, what do you buy them? I don't think they need a toaster somehow!”

John Fitzpatrick-Fitzpatrick’s Manhattan, on 57th and Lexington, is de rigeur for Irish internationals staying in the city, and John Fitzpatrick has worked for that distinction. But despite owning a cumulative 27 floors and a castle as President and CEO of Fitzpatrick Hotel Group, North America, John is one of the most down to earth people you could meet.

As the second eldest of the five children of Paddy and Eithne Fitzpatrick, who owned three hotels across Ireland, John began his career by mowing the lawn at Killiney Castle Hotel in Co. Dublin during the summers when he was a teenager. Later he moved on to washing dishes in the hotel kitchen. From there, onto washing glasses, and, eventually, when he was 17, he got to mix drinks behind the bar, working every weekend while he was still in school.

After these initial experiences in the industry in Ireland, John enrolled in the prestigious hotel management course at the University of Las Vegas. After graduating, he worked at two Chicago hotels before returning to Ireland, where he did not stay for long. In 1990, Fitzpatrick, with his father’s blessing, began considering various American cities as potential hotel sites, eventually landing on New York and purchasing the building that would become Fitzpatrick’s Manhattan.

When the hotel opened in 1991, Albert Reynolds, who was then Taoiseach, stayed there. Then Mary Robinson, who at the time was President of Ireland, paid a visit. Then Gregory Peck choose Fitzpatrick’s. Soon, the hotel’s reputation was established. Seven years later, John opened another New York hotel, Fitzpatrick’s Grand Central, on 44th Street.

When John’s mother passed away in 1994, he founded The Eithne Fitzpatrick Memorial Fund in her honor. With the death of his father in 2001, the fund became the Eithne and Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Fund, whose mission is to “make a significant positive impact on the lives of those in need.” Among its current projects are the Integrated Education Fund, which strives to integrate the education system in Northern Ireland, and the Corrymeela Community, which promotes reconciliation across social, religious, and political divides in the North. In addition to these peace and reconciliation initiatives, the fund, which has raised $1.3 million to date, also supports Barretstown, a summer camp for seriously ill children.

In 2011, Fitzpatrick participated in RTÉ’s version of Secret Millionaire, traveling to the Muirhevnamor housing estate and Coxs Demense in Dundalk, Co. Louth, and at the end of the program gave away a total of €20,000 to the Craobh Rua Community House, €15,000 to senior citizen organization Cuidigh Linn, and €2,000 to O’Hanlon Park Boxing & Fitness Club. His donations were matched by the Eithne and Paddy Fitzpatrick Memorial Fund.

John has just been named Chairman of The American Ireland Fund and although he is the recipient of numerous other accolades (including an OBE by Queen Elizabeth II), it’s safe to say that the greatest reward for John Fitzpatrick, is the one he gets from giving back.

Hillary Clinton will be inaugurated as the Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast on Friday when she will become the first female Chancellor in the university's history. 

The former Secretary of State and Democratic presidential candidate was named the 11th Chancellor of the university in January 2020 but has yet to be officially installed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The formal inauguration ceremony is set to take place at Whitla Hall at the end of the first week of the academic year. The BBC reports that Clinton will deliver an address and confer several honorary degrees as part of the event. 

Clinton's role as Chancellor will be largely ceremonial and is slated to run for a period of five years. 

The 2016 Democratic nominee will preside over graduation ceremonies, serve as an ambassador for the university, and offer advice and counsel to senior management at the university as part of her duties as Chancellor. 

Clinton said that she was proud to be named Chancellor of the university when she was appointed to the role in January 2020. 

"It’s my great privilege to become @QUBelfast‘s 11th — and first female — chancellor," she said in a tweet at the time. "It’s a place I have great fondness for and have grown a strong relationship with over the years, and I’m proud to be an ambassador for its excellence." 

Hillary Clinton urged Northern Ireland to form an interim government while accepting an honorary degree at Queen's University Belfast.

Oct 11, 2018 Former US Secretary of State received an honorary degree at Queen’s University Belfast

Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of State and 2016 Presidential nominee, accepted an honorary degree from Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland on October 10.

While accepting her honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree, Clinton urged the current Northern Irish government to come together to continue the shared mission of peace in the region, as well as to reassure the world that Northern Ireland is open for business as Brexit still lingers.

Queen’s University President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Greer said Clinton “made a considerable contribution to the Northern Ireland Peace Process and, as Secretary of State, focused on economic development to underpin the emergence of a strong and competitive Northern Ireland. “

“With her long-standing commitment to peace, stability and economic regeneration, she is a strong advocate for Northern Ireland and an inspirational role model for the Queen’s community.”

Prior to Clinton’s speech, Queen's Pro-Vice-Chancellor Adrienne Scullion announced a new two awards for students in Clinton’s name.

'The Hillary Rodham Clinton Award for Peace and Reconciliation' will allow “two exceptional female students from the USA who wish to pursue study in a field related to politics, conflict transformation or human rights the opportunity to study at the University.”

The second, named the 'Hillary Rodham Clinton Early Career Fellowship', will allow an outstanding early career researcher to work in the fields of conflict transformation; global security and borders; human rights including women’s rights and children’s rights; international law; international politics; international relations; and women in politics.

Clinton’s degree ceremony on Wednesday was met with some protest by People Before Profit MLA Gerry Carroll. Some raised poster which read “no honours for war criminals”

Protesters outside of Queen's University Belfast on October 10

“Peace, not paralysis”

In her speech, Clinton referenced Brexit, which she does not support, and said, "The people of Northern Ireland face consequential decisions.”

"I do not come today as an authority with all the answers. I come as a friend who knows how hard the struggle has been.”

Clinton also urged Northern Ireland to form an interim government. Power-sharing in the country has been nonexistent since a January 2017 fallout amongst Democratic Unionists and Sinn Fein.

“I wonder if would it be possible," said Clinton, "for the people of Northern Ireland and those who represent them both in Westminster and here could figure out a way to form an interim community government for the purposes of securing the best possible Brexit outcome for Northern Ireland.”

“Back in 2016, Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness wrote a joint letter to Prime Minister May about their Brexit priorities and concerns, that’s a long time ago in political years but a similarly unified voice could be valuable in the difficult days ahead.”

“Imagine a functional executive that speaks for all the people of Northern Ireland, weighing in on the final negotiations and implementation of whatever plan emerges.”

“Imagine an Executive reassuring companies and investors already skittish about Brexit, sending a clear message that no matter what happens, Northern Ireland is open for business.”

“The world is watching, Northern Ireland has been a symbol to people everywhere, democracy’s power to transcend divisions and deliver prosperity, peace, and progress.”

“We need that, that symbol, that reality now more than ever.”

“Peace, not paralysis, you deserve that better future, you always have.”

“I will pray and trust that it comes to pass. I and many of us in the United States will never stop standing with you, and cheering you on this journey.”

New York hotel owner John Fitzpatrick honored at Queen's University Jul 07, 2011

Chairman of the Fitzpatrick Hotel Group, John Fitzpatrick, who operates two hotels in New York City, has received an honorary doctorate at Queen's University, in Belfast.

Norma Sinte, Director of Development and Alumni Relations at Queen’s presented Fitzpatrick with the doctorate said "Fitzpatrick Hotels became the first Irish owned hotel company to operate in the United States after John Fitzpatrick moved from Ireland to New York in the late 1980’s to expand the family business.

"As well as being an astute businessman, John is committed to charity work in the US and here in Ireland. Through a memorial fund set up in honor of his late parents, he has been instrumental in raising over €1.3 million for various charities, including the Corrymeela Community and Barretstown, an organization dedicated to bringing joy and comfort to children with cancer and other illnesses in Ireland.

_______________

Irish Business 100 - John Fitzpatrick profile//Interview - John Fitzpatrick: A man of the people//John Fitzpatrick is named Irish American of the Year

_______________

“In August 2008 John received an OBE in recognition of his exceptional contribution to peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland and in 2010 he was named Irish American of the Year in recognition of his humanitarian and charitable commitments. I am delighted that today he can add an honorary degree from Queen’s to that list of accolades.”

Along with Fitzpatrick Ruth Dudley Edwards, the successful novelist and academic, also received an honorary doctorate for distinction in literature. Dudley Edwards is the prizewinning author of ten books on Irish and British history, a successful crime novelist and a regular media contributor.

MEET JOHN FITZPATRICK - Fitzpatrick Hotels

September 03, 2016

John Fitzpatrick, is a well known hotelier and philanthropist, and owner of the Fitzpatrick Hotel Group New York. He was born in Dublin, and with his father, brothers and sisters worked in many of the Fitzpatrick Hotel Group’s Irish hotels in the 1970’s and 1980’s. He has called New York home since he opened the doors of the Fitzpatrick Manhattan in December 1991.  The Fitzpatrick Manhattan hotel, was the only Irish owned and operated hotel in New York. Today, Fitzpatrick Manhattan and it’s sister hotel, Fitzpatrick Grand Central are still the only Irish owned and operated properties in Manhattan.

John learnt everything about the hotel business from his father, Paddy Fitzpatrick, who worked in many hotels in Ireland prior to buying the Killiney Castle Hotel in Dublin. He soon added the Fitzpatrick Shamrock Hotel in Bunratty, County Clare, and the Fitzpatrick Silver Springs in Cork.  His mother Eithne, a former Miss Ireland, was also hugely influential on his career.  She worked with his father on building up the family business and on every aspect the hotels interior design.

The second eldest of Paddy and Eithne’s five children, John wanted to get international experiences, and headed to the United States at an early age. He worked in various cities including Las Vegas and Chicago, before he come back to the family business in Ireland. In 1990 he returned to New York to look for a suitable property to renovate and turn into a Fitzpatrick Hotel. To save money he stayed in the empty hotel during construction, padlocking the door after the crews went home at night.  The hotel opened its doors in December 1991. The hotel has become hugely popular with heads of state, Irish stars and the Hollywood A-list alike. Due to its success, a couple of years later John opened another New York hotel  – The Fitzpatrick Grand Central.

Such is John’s reputation in the hospitality industry that he has served terms as chairman of the New York Hotel Association, chairman of the American Hotel and Lodging Association and is currently chairman of The Ireland Funds.

When his parents passed away, John decided to commemorate her with an annual golf tournament. To date this event has raised millions of dollars, these funds have been used to support various charities including Corrymeela Centre, County Antrim, Barrettstown, County Wicklow, and Barnardos. All of the funds are distributed via the Paddy & Eithne Memorial Fund"

[richardarmitagefanpage]

Richard will be present at the Capital Crime Festival, which will be held at the Leonardo Royal Hotel St Paul's August 31 - September 2 in London, UK.

[brf-rumortrackinganon]

https://www.express.co.uk/news/royal/1883930/prince-harry-security-uk-invictus-games-may

Prince Harry concerned over 'serious security risk' after date of his UK return leaked

EXCLUSIVE: The publication of the exact date and time of the Invictus Games 10th Anniversary Service on St. Paul's official website has triggered fears over Prince Harry's security…

Interested on your thoughts on this article. I think, while Harry is exposed to security risks, he appears to be postering for some other hoped-for gain rather than an actual security risk. Or he’s paranoid.

haha great minds, anon. I just posted about this too!

Ultimately Harry can’t be that fearful of his safety and security in London if he cooperates with the paps taking his photos at LAX on a last-minute flight to see Charles post-cancer diagnosis. He cant be that fearful of his safety if he’s leaking to Royal reporters which hotel he’s staying in when he visited Charles.

This reads more like setting up a narrative for Harry to back out because he can’t get the guests he wants. He’s said before he wants the full royal family to come support it but that’s unlikely since William can’t even be in the same room when Harry is skyping in.

[burntcopper]

Theatre list 2022

Best of Enemies (Young Vic)* Nutcracker (St Petersburg ballet) Street Scene (Kurt Weill) (Teatro Real Madrid) Private Lives (Hall for Cornwall) Verdi's Rigoletto: On the Lake (Bregenz Festival) Carmen (Sydney Harbour) The Dante Project (Royal Ballet) Madame Butterfly (Sydney Harbour) Groan-ups (Hall for Cornwall) Kiss Me Kate (BBC Proms) Aida (Sydney Harbour) Ludovico Einaudi : The Elements Around the World in 80 Days (Rain or Shine) The Collaboration (Young Vic)* Cyrano de Bergerac (Harold Pinter)* Bill Bailey Larks in Transit (ROH) Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Hall for Cornwall) The Play What I Wrote (Birmingham Rep) Rumplestiltskin (Ballet Lorent) Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre henry iv part 1 (rsc 2014) Macbeth (Globe) Bonnie and Clyde (Arts Theatre)* Much Ado About Nothing (globe)* The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime (Hall for Cornwall) (2nd half) Wine Night (Lona Theatre, AMATA) HMS Pinafore (ENO) Oklahoma (Young Vic) Magic Goes Wrong (Hall for Cornwall)* Kate Rusby (Hall for Cornwall) La Bayadere (Royal Balllet) Ladies of Letters (Hall for Cornwall)* Rough Girls (Lyric Belfast) The Recruiting Officer (Rain or Shine) Much Ado (National Theatre)* Much Ado (Blewbury) The Tempest (Globe)* Prisoner C33 Jack Absolute Flies Again (National Theatre)* I, Joan (Globe) The Tempest (Globe) Much Ado About Nothing (globe)* Six (Hall for Cornwall)* Richard iii (rsc) Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (Hall for Cornwall)* The Seagull (Harold Pinter) Wuthering Heights (Bristol Old Vic) Nutcracker! (Bourne) White Christmas (Hall for Cornwall) Sleeping Beauty (Bourne) (Theatre Royal Plymouth) Gods of the Game (Grange Park Opera) Treasure Island (Hall for Cornwall) Henry V (Globe)* Hex (National Theatre) A Christmas Carol:  A Ghost Story (Nottingham Playhouse) As You Like It (sohoplace)*

Best 12

Best of Enemies (Young Vic)* The Collaboration (Young Vic)* Cyrano de Bergerac (Harold Pinter)* Bonnie and Clyde (Arts Theatre)* Much Ado About Nothing (globe)* Much Ado (National Theatre)* The Tempest (Globe)* Jack Absolute Flies Again (National Theatre)* Six (Hall for Cornwall)* Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (Hall for Cornwall)* Henry V (Globe)* As You Like It (sohoplace)*

Best of Enemies : Hi we're going to examine ego and the birth of modern media and political commentary and identity and ... yes that is Andy Warhol, everyone else at the party is trying to ignore him too.

The Collaboration: Art! Reawakening artistic impulses!  Connection with the world! Tunes!  Paul Bettany!

Cyrano de Bergerac: Words, desire, the power of words, rap battles, being a dick because you can, falling for people, depth of emotion, James McAvoy's thighs (my view for the first ten minutes) and Christian and Cyrano falling for each other as well and MY HEART.

Bonnie and Clyde: We're gonna heist and we're going for fame and tomorrow doesn't exist.

Much Ado (Globe): It's Italy post-war.  We're all horny as hell, everyone is beautiful, the coppers are trying to kill us laughing via shenanigans, will you please get out of my shrubbery, and ladsladslads is it gay to wrestle your mates this much?

Much Ado (NT) : Setting:  Grand Budapest Hotel. Challenge:  ice cream toppings and pec popping. Glam as fuck. *mwah*. (not as good as Globe, Beatrice and Benedick were more weirdos who band together than banter, but achingly glam)

The Tempest (Globe): The Island is the spanish riviera, everyone is Brits who think they're better than the natives, Prospero's in a yellow budgie smuggler and it turns out this is actually a comedy, Lionesses win so they have to re-jig the Three Lions lyrics mid-run in glorious fashion and Prospero is absolutely a fuckhead slavemaster.

Jack Absolute Flies Again: WW2 farce! malapropisms delivered so perfectly you nearly kill the audience!  ukeleles!

Six: The ushers will dance and you can't stop us.  And yes everyone's favourites are the Annes.  Sorry not Sorry.

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo:  The boys are back, they're en pointe and they're glorious.

Henry V (Globe): Henry goes full psychopath to the point that Jude Law's been left in the dust in scary Hals and I didn't think I'd ever say *that*.  When the usual comedic bits leave a hole in your soul.

As You Like It (sohoplace): Sorry, hearing actors.  Rose Ayling-Ellis has put a cherry on top of why Celia should be played by a deaf actor. (see Globe and Nadia Nadarajah) Entire cast flirting with the pianist should be encouraged.  Also: Alfie Enoch needs to go full ham more often. New best stage direction as provided by the subtitles; *pianist improvises frantically*

'Fuck off, keep fucking off, and fuck off again, you’re boring and tiresome and self-involved and why the fuck should I care about you?’ Award:

Aside from all the classical opera (I keep trying.  I fail.  This is just not a genre I can handle.  Decent tunes on occasion, lots of plodding pageantry and singing at people rather than advancing the plot. Though Gods of the Game was pretty decent by virtue of the fact that it kept employing opera tunes footie fans use but for adverts and the chorus of fans. Toreador as the jingle tune for a burger advert the lead is doing?  NICE.) Wuthering Heights.  Quite brilliant staging, and I thought it would be the Emma Rice-ness turning me off in this but no, it was the Bronte.  I literally just want to yell 'fucking leave, don't come back' at everyone.  The Emma Rice twiddly dance and music numbers were actually pretty good.

[influencermagazineuk]

Prince Harry 'Chose Hotel Stay Over Royal Residence' Offered by King Charles on UK Visit

By File:Prince Harry arrives at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London 20 January 2020 (49413820711).jpg: DFID - UK Department for International Developmentderivative work: Minerva97 - This file was derived from: Prince Harry arrives at the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London 20 January 2020 (49413820711).jpg:, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=92628046 Prince Harry's recent visit to the UK for Invictus Games commitments was marked by missed opportunities for family reunions, with reports suggesting that he declined an offer to stay at a royal residence extended by King Charles. Despite being in the same city, Prince Harry was unable to meet with his estranged family members, as King Charles and Prince William had busy schedules. Initial reports indicated that the King refused to meet his youngest son due to media frenzy, a claim disputed by palace insiders who maintained that the King was willing to meet Harry but couldn't due to his packed agenda. Amidst these developments, reports emerged that King Charles offered Prince Harry accommodation at a royal residence during his visit. However, Prince Harry opted for a hotel stay instead, declining the royal offer. The 39-year-old prince celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games amidst a supportive crowd at St. Paul's Cathedral, where chants of "We love you Harry" echoed. Despite the absence of any royal family members at the event, reports suggest that King Charles had agreed to let his son stay at a royal residence, an offer that Prince Harry declined in favor of a hotel stay. Insiders close to the monarchy revealed that a private meeting between the King and Prince Harry could have been arranged with minimal media attention if Harry had accepted the palace accommodation. However, sources close to the duke emphasized that Harry understood the King's busy schedule and had made efforts to meet his father even before his trip to the UK. Contrary to claims of a snub, a close friend of King Charles clarified that the King indeed wanted to meet with Harry during his UK trip. Refuting allegations of favoritism towards Prince William, the source explained that while the King is cautious about media attention, he did agree to see his son during a vulnerable moment of illness back in February, despite short notice. Royal expert Robert Jobson highlighted the significance of Prince Harry's visit to see his father during his illness, noting that although the King may have been apprehensive about media attention, Harry's gesture was seen positively. Read the full article

[eandamj]

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA 16-17 April 2024

We left our hotel in Taihiti at 1.30am on 15 April for a 4am flight. We flew to Auckland, New Zealand first and then immediately transferred to a flight to Melbourne, Australia. As we had crossed the International Dateline on the first flight we flew to Melbourne on the 16 April. The 15 April was lost!

As we arrived at our hotel in Melbourne by midday on the 16th April, we had the rest of the day and all day on the 17th to explore the city. Melbourne as a whole is very spread out but the city centre has many high rise buildings. The Yarra River runs through the centre of the city and the Southbank area reminded us of London with huge numbers of restaurants and has Arts facilities. Here is a view from the riverbank:

There seem to be a great number of newish tower blocks and there is some quirky architecture. The river and the parks and green spaces make it an attractive city centre:

This was a view from Alexandra Gardens:

The city has a variety of older architecture but there is no obvious issue with building a major high rise building next to a Victorian building. This was St Paul’s Cathedral next to modern buildings. It is not as hemmed in as some older buildings:

We used trams a great deal to get around the city. The central area has a free tram service! We had drinks and a wonderful meal out on the south bank area on the 16th with an old colleague and her husband who have lived in Melbourne for over 30 years.

On the morning of the 17th we took the tram to visit the Port Melbourne area. The beach looked lovely, but was empty given that summer seems over with Autumn arriving. We did note a school PE lesson using the beach area:

On our return to the city centre we decided to seek out some of the specific older buildings in the city. We found the old city’s swimming baths:

And here is the old prison with skyscrapers nearby:

Here is the Victoria State Parliament House:

In Fitzroy gardens we saw Captain Cook’s cottage which turns out to be his parents’ cottage moved from the UK to Melbourne! Although it was built in the UK in the middle of the 1700s and therefore claims to be the oldest building in Australia, it has only been in Australia since the 1930s!!!

We finished our afternoon with a visit to the Skydeck in the Eureka tower for a view of the city from a height. The view from the 88th floor was spectacular. We thought this view of the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground, the venue for the Australian Open Tennis Tournament and other Olympic sports facilities was great as dusk arrived:

And the Government House in the middle of the Royal Botanic Gardens looked striking:

[kljlbn]

No flat replacement of ladies grade skin care products!

1. The brand Ifedan has become more and more popular in recent years, but some friends are still unfamiliar with it

It was founded in St. Paul de Vence by the French nobleman Charles-Edouard Barthes

The French aesthetic runs through it, and there is also an exclusive spa collaboration with the Top Luxury Hotel

It is loved by the royal nobility and the ladies

This super mask shared today is also the star product of Ifedan's home

A can of light calming skin, cold and cool skin feeling

There's a touch of grass on it, it's very healing and smells good

The skin is getting better and better, and after using it, you can't leave!

Creamy silky texture

2.viicode is an eye mask that I, a late sleeper, really loved after just one use

Staying up late is more than the work of the eye, usually expression management is not much attention

It is easy to produce dark circles under the eyes and various dry fine lines

This eye mask can be applied overnight, and you can go to bed with it before going to bed, which is simply not too convenient

The veneer is a jelly gel texture that is cold and cold, and will not shift and fall off all night

The next day, the eyes were much tighter, and the dark circles and eye lines seemed to be directly pressed down

It's like a deep eye spa!

3. I don't know why I have an inexplicable fondness for Kraneli

This vc essence is a one-time package and the vc powder and essence are separate, need to blend when using. Added 20% prototype vc, the concentration is relatively high, so it is necessary to

No flat replacement of ladies grade skin care products!

1. The brand Ifedan has become more and more popular in recent years, but some friends are still unfamiliar with it

It was founded in St. Paul de Vence by the French nobleman Charles-Edouard Barthes

The French aesthetic runs through it, and there is also an exclusive spa collaboration with the Top Luxury Hotel

It is loved by the royal nobility and the ladies

This super mask shared today is also the star product of Ifedan's home

A can of light calming skin, cold and cool skin feeling

There's a touch of grass on it, it's very healing and smells good

The skin is getting better and better, and after using it, you can't leave!

Creamy silky texture

2.viicode is an eye mask that I, a late sleeper, really loved after just one use

Staying up late is more than the work of the eye, usually expression management is not much attention

It is easy to produce dark circles under the eyes and various dry fine lines

This eye mask can be applied overnight, and you can go to bed with it before going to bed, which is simply not too convenient

The veneer is a jelly gel texture that is cold and cold, and will not shift and fall off all night

The next day, the eyes were much tighter, and the dark circles and eye lines seemed to be directly pressed down

It's like a deep eye spa!

3. I don't know why I have an inexplicable fondness for Kraneli

This vc essence is a one-time package and the vc powder and essence are separate, need to blend when using. Added 20% prototype vc, the concentration is relatively high, so it is necessary to establish tolerance before use

But! After use, you can feel what is called the brightening and moisturizing from the inside out!!

Apply on the face and skin feel very refreshing, feel the skin eat into the kind of moist

Stay up late face, dark muscle give me to use it! It really works!!

Liquid hydrating essence texture

establish tolerance before use

But! After use, you can feel what is called the brightening and moisturizing from the inside out!!

Apply on the face and skin feel very refreshing, feel the skin eat into the kind of moist

Stay up late face, dark muscle give me to use it! It really works!!

Liquid hydrating essence texture