roma - one most captivating recent film

I recently came across Roma on Netflix. Its black and white cinematography and the intriguing opening shots captivated my interest. Netflix's synopsis gives little clue but I resisted the urge to run to the computer and search to see what the movie is all about, and am very glad that I didn't.

bbc proms

How I love the BBC Proms. The most recent night recording has the Finlandia in the choral version which I'd never heard until now. I much prefer it over the orchestral version.

a great german tv series

 

I like movies and TV series based on historical events. Recently I came across a German TV series "The Same Sky" - "Der Gleiche Himmel" in German, on Netflix. It is a cold war Germany drama set in East and West Berlin starting 1974. There are 6 episodes in Season One. It has to be one of the best cold war dramas.

how it sings

It is such a shame that BBC Proms is rarely broadcasted in this country in recent years. My local PBS station used to many years ago. It now penders to the mass appeal with most of the performances.

this and that - oregon oct 2015, part 2

Just catching on some photos from October.

nursery school reminds children of their home

This has to be some of the cutest architecture photography I have ever seen.

malkki conducts cso

photo linked to CSO

I have the habit of tuning into the weekly broadcasting of Chicago Orchestra Symphony (CSO) and New York Philharmonic (NY Phil) whenever I can. Like some folks would do in the days before digital music I often make a recording of the entire program using minidisc.

vinyl retro

I could not remember what processed me to recommission the Thorens turntable. My Thorens TD166 MKII turntable had been sitting there gathering dust for 9 years since I moved into my current house, a victim of the digital age. Most of us have embraced the new medium like CD, or worst yet many digital formats like MP3 or streaming audio from the cloud.

masterpiece mystery - endeavour

I just found out in time to catch the episode 1 of series 2 of the Masterpiece Mystery's Endeavour, beginning tonight.

haitink conducts mahler's no. 3

In the past few days I could not have enough of this performance. I played the recording many times over.

bend it like niemeyer

With the World Cup in full swing now in Brazil, it is only fitting to write an article on Brazil's most celebrated modernist architect.

a few german songs

Some of the most poignant songs that deal with life's joy and sorrow, and mortality are from German composers based on poems. Here are a few that are particularly moving.

royal concertgebouw orchestra

During my brief visit to Amsterdam a few years ago I had the fortune to attend a concert at the Royal Concertgebouw. I was walking around the city after visiting the Van Gogh Museum in the morning and right in front of me was the Royal Concertgebouw concert hall. My fortune would had it that a concert by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra was to start in 10 minutes. I rushed to the box office and were able to snatch a last minute ticket.

one of greatest modern industrial designer - dieter rams

Recently I have started using my Braun hand blender and it's accessory again. It has been sitting idle for many years. This reminded me how much I used to love buying Braun products. Not any more now. There is hardly anything Bruan make now that is worth the name it bears. Braun had started to lost its way almost immediately after Rams left. It lived on Rams' legacy for a few years and inevitably the product design steadily went downhill.

a home tour of pietro belluschi

To me the most noteworthy architects of Oregon are Pietro Belluschi and John Yeon both have done great works in architecture of now have come to be known as the Northwest Regional Style of the mid century modernist movement. Last week my friend and neighbor treated me to a home tour of Pietro Belluschi. I have seen two of John Yeon's houses and even entertained in the purchase of one sadly in need of restoration. I have not seen a house by Belluschi.

a great vw westfalia camper travel blog

I recently came across this travel blog. It has to be one of the most inspiring adventure in the VW Westfalia Camper van for a family of three - and soon a family of four.

happy birthday von wagner

I have been aware that this year is Richard Wagner's 200th anniversary. I just didn't know which day. Today I watched DW Journal and found out today is his 200th anniversary birthday.

Warning: the post contains link to explicit material

this and that - hong kong 2012, part 1

Sorry for the rather lame title. For the first time I am just at a lost of an appropriate title for this post. This is a collection of things that caught my eyes. Some bordering on design and commercial art.

so much singing

I forgot where I read about an United States past president was treated to a Wagner's opera. While he enjoyed the overtures he had a hard time putting up with most of the opera which involves a lot of singing. His remarked something to this effect - the music was great, only if there isn't so much singing.

manhole covers

In my trips to Japan I developed a habit of capturing images of manholes. To me they are the most overlooked and under-appreciated beauty of everyday objects. Of all I think the ones in Japan are most prolific and artistic.