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January 2010I’m writing on an Amtrak train which is standing in the station in Washington DC because the lines in Baltimore are closed due to someone walking along the tracks and being hit by a speeding train. They are dead as doornails apparently. There is no news about when we might set off due to investigations now on the lines and all trains are suspended. The good news – as they have just announced – is that the train café is now open! The Christmas period was terrific. I saw so many Hollywood blockbusters I made up for the fact I haven’t seen any for years in one week. As my friends know, I am an independent cinema kind of gal, personally I prefer my films subtitled or from Scotland, Ireland or Wales, or the very gritty end of the UK basically, from pretty much anywhere but Hollywood. I have my Curzon cinema membership and rarely set foot inside an Odeon or and ABC or whatever they’re called now. But in the States, which is where my family were holed up against the raging winds and freezing temperatures, the cinema is the place to go, and so we saw the lot. I was pretty taken with Up In The Air, and enjoyed Avatar, but I could take or leave Sherlock Holmes a buff Robert Downey Junior – though he is very attractive one has to say – but the wonderful Mark Strong’s baddy was glorious. Its Complicated, which was described by many critics as ‘middle aged porn’ because of the Santa Barbara interiors, was tolerable and was improved by middle aged ladies behind me gasping everytime Meryl stepped into her kitchen. It was reasonable boxing Day fayre largely due to Alec Baldwin’s bravura performance and la Streep, who is for me a bit like Helen Mirren in that I am happy to pay to watch them paint their toenails. Yoga was The Edge. Mark is a great teacher, lovely alignment and quality of information. I went as often as I could and as it’s literally a stone’s throw from my brother in law’s house and is utterly convenient. Now I am heading to New York, where I shall stay with the wonderful Jane Buchanan and her son, Luka, see Elaine Stritch at the Café Carlyle, dine ith Hal and Alaine, Tina and Robert, Thelma, Maria and Victor, and do as much yoga as I can fit in at Dharma Mittra and Jivamukti. Beyond me is a lovely new year with some fab shows scheduled, a trip to Sri Lanka to perform again for the Sunera Foundation, two runs in New York and tours of the UK and the Fabulous Flutterbys opening at The Little Angel in May. Who know what else the wind may blow in, but I am pretty certain it is going to be a whang dang doodle of a year! Happy New Year to all, and goodwill to everyone, and love, Namaste from the now moving train, Barb xxxxxx |
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LETTER FROM PIMLICO & BEYOND
