Conclave, great film. Power, politics, ambition seen from a different perspective

Greenwich at night

Of all the great organisations i’ve been involved with, the one i’m proudest of is Alzheimer’s Research UK - for the importance of its objective, for its ambition, for its care

Greenwich at Christmas

Shogun is a masterly stand-alone drama and adaptation of Clavell’s book. By focusing on Toranaga more than (not to the exclusion of) John Blackthorne/Anjin’s eye view it gives a richer satisfying picture of the japanese perspective of the time, the politics, and the psychology of leadership

Luke Jerram’s “Mars” at the Painted Hall, Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich

David Tennant’s Macbeth is best Macbeth i’ve seen for ages (great cast). Admirably lean dynamic production focusing on the bare bones of Macbeth - corrupted or revealed by the witches? Macbeth as an anti-Hamlet who acts - but it ends no happier than H’s inaction. Headphones add an extra dimension

Chicago is such a great city to visit (and The Bear, esp season 2 but you need a 1 as context) is a great piece of TV story telling)

dates me but the little trucks going about their business at airports (here O’Hare) still remind me of Thunderbirds - one of the things that hasn’t changed in 60 years

And the self guided audio tours (available from the Home and Studio) of the Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Oak Park - so many influential masterpieces in so small an area

Also the guided tour of the Unity Temple - Frank Lloyd Wright called it his jewel box, deservedly. The tour guides are called interpreters also deservedly

Frank Lloyd Wright tours in Oak Park revelatory and fascinating - how much a small area in Chicago was a foundation stone of a brand of modernist architecture and inspiration for organic prairie style buildings worldwide. Recommend Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio guided tour

as a Londoner escaping rather damp cool weather delighted to find warm sunny weather in Chicago - going to be a good weekend

at Tate… Blaue Reiter expressionism exhibition interesting but unpersuasive that it was a great movement - but makes you wonder where the energy in European art and culture would have got to without the 1WW - European development and confidence never really recovered