This week I'll be talking about, rambling, sharing the stories I've read this week. I read two stories from Andrew Lang's Blue Fairy Book: "The Bronze Ring" and "Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess".
First sentence: Once upon a time in a certain country there lived a king whose palace was surrounded by a spacious garden. But, though the gardeners were many and the soil was good, this garden yielded neither flowers nor fruits, not even grass or shady trees.
Premise/plot: A king goes in search of a gardener never expecting his daughter to fall madly in love with the gardener's son. The gardener's son passes the test that the prime minister's son fails. But not without the help of magic. He wins, then loses, then rewins his happily ever after ending.
My thoughts: I don't regret my time, but I doubt this one will become a favorite. My favorite part of this one was seeing the mice help the hero regain the bronze ring.
First sentence: Once upon a time there lived a king who was deeply in love with a princess, but she could not marry anyone, because she was under an enchantment. So the King set out to seek a fairy, and asked what he could do to win the Princess's love.
Premise/plot: The king and princess mentioned in the first sentence have a son with a VERY LARGE NOSE. (The king exits the story just as quickly as he enters it. Before he dies, the king learns that his son will "will never be happy until he finds out that his nose is too long".) Prince Hyacinth grows up thinking that large noses are beautiful, and tiny noses are not. He falls in love with a 'dear little princess.' But his happily ever ending is indefinitely postponed when she vanishes--obviously the work of an enchanter or fairy. He searches her out, but he must come to a few realizations about himself before getting his happy ending.
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. My favorite part was the conversation between Prince Hyacinth and the Fairy. Their exchange was quite delightful to read.
"I'm very glad I came here. This just shows me how sensible I have been in never listening to flatterers. People of that sort praise us to our faces without shame, and hide our faults or change them into virtues. For my part I never will be taken in by them. I know my own defects, I hope."
I also loved his epiphany.
His joy at seeing the Princess again was extreme, and he set to work with all his might to try to break her prison; but in spite of all his efforts he failed utterly. In despair he thought at least that he would try to get near enough to speak to the Dear Little Princess, who, on her part, stretched out her hand that he might kiss it; but turn which way he might, he never could raise it to his lips, for his long nose always prevented it. For the first time he realized how long it really was, and exclaimed: "Well, it must be admitted that my nose is too long!"
You would never have found out how extraordinary it was if it hadn't hindered you from doing what you wanted to. You see how self-love keeps us from knowing our own defects of mind and body. Our reason tries in vain to show them to us; we refuse to see them till we find them in the way of our interests.
Of the two stories. I much prefer Prince Hyacinth and the Dear Little Princess.
I also read the first seven stories in L.M. Montgomery's Short Stories 1907-1908: "A Millionaire's Proposal," "A Substitute Journalist," "Anna's Love Letters," "Aunt Caroline's Silk Dress," "Aunt Susanna's Thanksgiving Dinner," "By Grace of Julius Caesar," and "By the Rule of Contrary."
First sentence: It is all settled at last, and in another week I shall have left Thrush Hill. I am a little bit sorry and a great bit glad. I am going to Montreal to spend the winter with Alicia. Alicia—it used to be plain Alice when she lived at Thrush Hill and made her own dresses and trimmed her own hats—is my half-sister.
Premise/plot: Will Katherine (Kitty) marry for love or for money? Will she marry her handsome, childhood sweetheart, Jack? Or the ugly but oh-so-wealthy Gus Sinclair?
My thoughts: This short story is typical L.M. Montgomery. I never doubted for a moment whose proposal she'd accept.
First sentence: Clifford Baxter came into the sitting-room where Patty was darning stockings and reading a book at the same time. Patty could do things like that. The stockings were well darned too, and Patty understood and remembered what she read.
Premise/plot: Neither sibling (Patty and Clifford) are happy with their current lot in life. Patty longs to be a journalist, but fears that will be impossible since she's a woman. Clifford hates his job as a reporter and wants to be a mechanic. Both get once-in-a-lifetime chances to change their futures..on the same day of course.
My thoughts: I liked this one. It is again typical Montgomery.
First sentence: "Are you going to answer Gilbert's letter tonight, Anna?" asked Alma Williams, standing in the pantry doorway, tall, fair, and grey-eyed, with the sunset light coming down over the dark firs, through the window behind her, and making a primrose nimbus around her shapely head. Anna, dark, vivid, and slender, was perched on the edge of the table, idly swinging her slippered foot at the cat's head. She smiled wickedly at Alma before replying. "I am not going to answer it tonight or any other night," she said, twisting her full, red lips in a way that Alma had learned to dread. Mischief was ripening in Anna's brain when that twist was out.
Premise/plot: Anna and Alma are sisters. Alma is happy that her good friend, Gilbert, is courting her sister. But with Gilbert out of town, the flighty Anna has soon forgotten him completely. She refuses to answer Gilbert's letter. Not even to let him know that she's moving on. Alma writes instead. She doesn't sign her name Anna or Alma--just the initial A. Their correspondence soon consumes them both. Will Gilbert be shocked when he returns to town?
My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one. Cyrano de Bergerac is one of my favorite, favorite stories. But it's so incredibly sad. This one shares a theme, in a way, (a couple falling in love through letters; one person thinking that the letter is from someone else) but it's HAPPY.
First sentence: Patty came in from her walk to the post office with cheeks finely reddened by the crisp air. Carry surveyed her with pleasure. Of late Patty's cheeks had been entirely too pale to please Carry, and Patty had not had a very good appetite. Once or twice she had even complained of a headache. So Carry had sent her to the office for a walk that night, although the post office trip was usually Carry's own special constitutional, always very welcome to her after a weary day of sewing on other people's pretty dresses.
Premise/plot: Carry is raising her niece, Patty. Both end up invited to a special occasion, but there's only enough material for one party dress. She decides that her niece should get it, but she keeps it a surprise. Patty reminds her that there is always the Aunt Caroline's silk dress that she could remake. Carry has never used it because it is UGLY, fiercely ugly. But within that dress is quite a surprise.
My thoughts: This one is a rags-to-riches feel good story. I liked it well enough.
First sentence: "Here's Aunt Susanna, girls," said Laura who was sitting by the north window—nothing but north light does for Laura who is the artist of our talented family.
Premise/plot: A family of girls works hard to impress their aunt...in hopes that she will help them out financially.
My thoughts: It was okay.
First sentence: Melissa sent word on Monday evening that she thought we had better go round with the subscription list for cushioning the church pews on Tuesday. I sent back word that I thought we had better go on Thursday. I had no particular objection to Tuesday, but Melissa is rather fond of settling things without consulting anyone else, and I don't believe in always letting her have her own way.
Premise/plot: Two cousins go out together one Wednesday seeking subscriptions for the church. Their last stop is at Isaac Appleby's place. "It isn't a very pleasant thing to go to a man you have recently refused to marry and ask him for money; and Melissa and I were both in that predicament." What they find at his place and what happens next, well, it's something.
My thoughts: This story is by far my favorite so far. And the reason why is THE NARRATIVE. Anne, one of the cousins, is a HOOT. And it's peopled with eccentric, quirky characters: Melissa, Anne, and Isaac. As for the plot, well, it's not your traditional romance--by a long shot. But this story is anything but forgettable--whether you love it or hate it.
"I am forty-five and something more than plump, so that climbing ladders is not my favorite form of exercise. But I went up that one with the agility and grace of sixteen. Melissa followed me, and we found ourselves on the roof—fortunately it was a flat one—panting and gasping, but safe, unless that diabolical dog could climb a ladder."
"I mean that you two women will stay up on that roof until one of you agrees to marry me," said Isaac solemnly. I gasped. "Isaac Appleby, you can't be in earnest?" I cried incredulously. "You couldn't be so mean?" "He does mean it," I said gloomily. "An Appleby never says anything he doesn't mean. He will keep us here until one of us consents to marry him." "It won't be me, then," said Melissa in a calm sort of rage. "I won't marry him if I have to sit on this roof for the rest of my life. You can take him. It's really you he wants, anyway; he asked you first." I always knew that rankled with Melissa.
Isaac does send a basket up to the roof.
There was a bottle of milk, some bread and butter, and a pie. Melissa wouldn't take a morsel of the food, but she was so thirsty she had to take a drink of milk. She tried to lift her veil—and something caught; Melissa gave it a savage twitch, and off came veil and hat—and all her front hair! You never saw such a sight. I'd always suspected Melissa wore a false front, but I'd never had any proof before.
And I felt sorry for Isaac when I tried to eat that bread. It was sour and dreadful. As for the pie, it was hopeless. I tasted it, and then threw it down to Julius Caesar. Julius Caesar, not being over particular, ate it up. I thought perhaps it would kill him, for anything might come of eating such a concoction. That pie was a strong argument for Isaac. I thought a man who had to live on such cookery did indeed need a wife and might be pardoned for taking desperate measures to get one. I was dreadfully tired of broiling on the roof anyhow. But it was the thunderstorm that decided me. When I saw it coming up, black and quick, from the northwest, I gave in at once.
First sentence: "Look here, Burton," said old John Ellis in an ominous tone of voice, "I want to know if what that old busybody of a Mary Keane came here today gossiping about is true. If it is—well, I've something to say about the matter! Have you been courting that niece of Susan Oliver's all summer on the sly?"
Premise/plot: Two young people are allowed their happy ending despite the contrariness of the young man's father. The girl's aunt knows JUST how to handle him.
My thoughts: This one is typical Montgomery. I liked it fine.


text:
RestaurantsLondonCovent GardenWC2
Legendary Theatreland restaurant icon
1-5 West St,&nbspLondon,&nbspWC2H 9NQ, 020 7836 4751 Website
Open today 12:00 PM to 10:30 PM
"An old favourite, but the diffusion-brand has tarnished its name" – it feels like this Theatreland legend is steadily being sacrificed for the greater good of its growing stable of spin-offs. Many supporters do still feel its "comforting" menu delivers "reliable, traditional British food" in a "classy and buzzy" setting and that the trip is "still worth it (especially if you can get into the adjoining Ivy Club)". But scores here are heading inexorably south across the board, supporting the many former regulars who feel the place "misplaced its soul, serving food that's decidedly average at best" and "lost its caché" to the extent it's "a shadow of its former self".
"I know it's not the celeb haunt it used to be and is now a bit touristy, but they still make you feel like a king" is still a widely held view on this epic "Theatreland classic" (the original in what's an increasingly sizeable national chain); and for its many fans a visit here is still a "warm, life-affirming experience". However, it feels to some regulars like the appeal is becoming "all about the room" and its "glamorous" decor, amidst growing unease that Richard Caring's group is just "milking it" nowadays – ratings slid across the board this year, and its comfort food cuisine "is as it always was, nothing special… just now even more expensive!".
"When you step through the doors, it's reassuring to know you'll be well-fed and treated like a king" at Richard Caring's "sophisticated" Theatreland legend, whose revamp a year ago stemmed years of decline, and where "so long as you don't expect to be challenged by the grown-up comfort food, the old favourite dishes don't disappoint". True, the celeb crowd primarily frequent the neighbouring Ivy Club nowadays, and true, it's no longer in the survey's Top 40 Most Mentioned restaurants, and true, this is now the flagship for a fast-expanding chain of spin-offs, so it's no surprise a few reporters now dismiss it as "just a chain restaurant for out-of-towners", but actually catty comments are most notable by their absence.
Have you eaten at The Ivy?
Childrens Facilities Highchair, Portions
Private Rooms 60
Dress Code No shorts
Covers 110
1-5 West St, London, WC2H 9NQ
020 7836 4751 Email Website
Number of Diners: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Required Time: 08:0008:3009:0009:3010:0010:3011:0011:3012:0012:3013:0013:3014:0014:3015:0015:3016:0016:3017:0017:3018:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:0021:3022:0022:3023:0023:30
Monday 12 pm‑11:30 pm
Tuesday 12 pm‑11:30 pm
Wednesday 12 pm‑11:30 pm
Thursday 12 pm‑11:30 pm
Friday 12 pm‑11:30 pm
Saturday 12 pm‑11:30 pm
Sunday 12 pm‑10:30 pm
British, Modern restaurant in Westminster
Tredwell's
British, Modern restaurant in Seven Dials
Kettners
British, Modern restaurant in Soho
Steaks & grills restaurant in Covent Garden
Cecconi's Pizza Bar
Pizza restaurant in Westminster
Fish & seafood restaurant in Covent Garden

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Washington doesn't usually get mentioned in the pantheon of great American music cities but we've had our moments. One of them was Sunday, November 28, 1965 when Bob Dylan played the Washington Coliseum. Curiously, details about the concert itself are scarce — the Washington Post didn't bother to write a review (kind of surprising since Dylan was very well known by 1965), and Dylan's own website doesn't have a setlist from the show. But the singer's visit to Washington was significant for one now-famous image the concert produced.
Life magazine photographer Rowland Scherman lived just down the street from the Coliseum and decided to attend the show with his wife, Joan. He wasn't on assigment for the magazine but brought along a camera and used his press credentials to gain back stage access. Security guards tried to keep him away, but he brushed passed them shouting, "I'm from Life," and got very close to Dylan.
As Scherman told Tracy Johnson in her book, Encounters With Bob Dylan the scene through his lens was a photographer's dream.
Dylan was in that dirty blue spot, doing some song I can no longer remember. I put the 300 mill on him, and I could see the whole thing. His hair, his halo, his harp — the three H's. So, I went bang, bang, bang, bang — six or seven frames. No motor or anything. Then, I said, "Thank you very much, I'll be leaving now." I didn't hang around. I just kept thinking, "It doesn't get any better than this," and went back to watch the rest of the concert.
In one of the unfortunate ironies of the story, Scherman's name was misspelled on the award and the album cover itself.
Getting $300 for a photo on an album that sold 40 million copies? That would be tough to swallow!
Another notable fact about the D.C. show is that it was part of Dylan's first U.S. tour where he "plugged in" and went electric. Generally, these sets were half acoustic (just Dylan and guitar/harmonica); half electric (Dylan backed by "The Hawks" — later to become "The Band", with electric guitars, bass, drums, etc.). Most of the traditionalist folky crowds were openly hostile to the electric set, even booing and jeering, which took a toll of some of Dylan's bandmates. Levon Helm (drummer of The Hawks/Band) left the tour after the 1965 Washington show supposedly because he couldn't handle the negativity of the crowds. He worked on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico before returning to The Band two years later.
Edgers, Geoff, "His Back Pages," Boston Globe, 3 February 2008.
When 125,000 people gathered on the Mall for a free concert from Stevie Wonder, the message was peace and goodwil but the mood changed quickly.
Scurlock's subjects were the kind of people who wore gowns and danced in ballrooms with vaulted ceilings and ornate chandeliers.