11th Mar 2012 Citizen Kane & Mature Love

Citizen Kane ~

 

In the Castillo Hearst of California, the glamour of the vintage Hollywood's acclaimed film 'Citizen Kane' was recuperated and projected for the 1st time. It's widely considered as the masterpiece of film art by the immortal director/actor Orson Wells, based on the life of the magnate William Randolph Hearst.

"This film made him sick" commented Well's great grandson Steve Hearst, "He was most unhappy about the result." Steve added.

Disappointed he might be for whatever reason, the film had won international fame throughout all these years since 1941; and many times voted as the best Hollywood film in the cinematography history. I would love to see the film once more too should I ever get the chance.

Mature Love ~
 

The well know veteran actor Dick Van Dyke, of such popular films as 'Mary Poppins', 'Chiti-Chiti Bang Bang' and more recently ''Diagnosis Murder', is getting married at the age of 86. The bride is the 40 year old Arlene Silver, his lady friend for the last 6 years showing that, even with his fairly advanced age, he has still taken enough time before making such an important decision.

As I always feel, age is just numbers. There are very old people at the age of 30, and very energetic young guys at 86 like Dick.

I will be forever young as my mind absolutely refuses to get old!!

Tags: mature, young, old

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11th Mar 2012 Croissants, Beer & Museum

The Best Buttered Croissant In A Museum ~

 

There's a Museum of Chocolate in Barcelona, that in itself is already a little unusual. Last week they held a competition in their workshop, organised within their established monthly the cycle of workshop pastries activities. This time it was to find the enthusiastic and competent amateur who produced the best buttered croissant. Absolutely my favourite daily breakfast with coffee. Yummy!

The time limit was 3 hours, in charged was the owner of a local pastry shop and 2nd winner of the best buttered croissant in another similar event in 2009. The contestants, under guidance, had to go through the whole elaboration of croissant making, from making the dough till it's completion in the oven. Naturally and the best part, is the final tasting; as the saying goes, 'The proof is in the eating of the pudding'.

Win or loss, I would have loved to take part, but alas, Barcelona is 2 hours by car each way from Roses where my home is.

The 1st Beer Festival Of Barcelona ~

A Beer Festival, just like in Berlin, is for many sheer heaven. Whereas it has a long history in Germany, for Barcelona this is the first time but promised to be from now on an annual Fair.

Just imagine, a very long counter with 36 beer-pumps serving you a great variety of beers, to enjoy and compare, converting the cloister of the Convent de Sant Agusti, instead of pilgrimage, a vast meeting for lovers of the artisan brew and gastronomic pleasure. It commenced last Friday, last day today.

It had been explained by the organizers that this was not aimed at impulsive beer drinkers, but people with special palate and desire to discover new flavours. The selected people who serve the beers are also experts, 'guides' if you like, to orientate the visitors in a world of spontaneous fermentation without filters; some that are matured in barrels of Whiskey. One hundred varieties are the options during these 3 days, including the beer elaborated exclusively for the Fair.

All that are accompanied with a good variety of Tapas (local snack, mostly savoury, like a mini portion of most foods served in restaurants). For those who wish to deepen their knowledge and experience, there are workshops, directed by Edgar & Toni, of the Michelin starred Restaurant 'El Roco'.

I would have loved to visit this one as well, though I would prefer red wine than beer. But, being the little glutton than I am, for the promise of all those Tapas I guess I could take a beer or two.

Tags: croissant, beer

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11th Mar 2012 Pig Olympic

Since the Olympic Games in Beijing, in 2008, the Chinese have since been organising "Pig Olympics". Pigs can't fly, but they can run, swim and dive, as proven by contestants in the Pig Olympics.

Thousands of locals have made their way to Hongkou District's Helping Park to watch some 20 pig -athletes from Thailand taking part in sporting events over the past month. The four-legged athletes battle it out in running, hurdles, jumping through a hoop, swimming and diving every day at 10am and 1pm.
 

About 1,500 people show up at the park every day to watch the games, most of whom are groups of primary students, said Yang Ying, office manager of the Bluesea Broadway Co Ltd, the event's organizer.

"These lovely pigs are of a special species that is good at sports by nature," she said. "They started receiving training soon after they were born and became professional athletes one year later."
 

There are also quite a lot of people who keep pigs as pets that run around the house, sometimes on their owners' laps on the sofa, and taken out on a leash in the streets.

Gold Medallist Even!
 

Tan Yizhou, an 8-year-old who hung the gold medal onto one of the champion porkers, said he would no longer take it for granted that all pigs are stupid and lazy. "It's incredible. I never thought that a pig could be so clever, dexterous and versatile," he said. The games take place in May every year.

Tags: olympic, pig

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