Sheldon Brown's Journal
July-August 2005
Current
| Books | Films | Music | Plays | Travels |
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July-August 2005
| Books | Films | Music | Plays | Travels |
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Film: (DVD) Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events Brad Silberling 2004
This was great fun, as I gather the books are too. Highly recommended.
Film: (DVD) The Gingerbread Man Robert Altman, 1998
Kenneth Branagh as a souther lawyer?! Actually, he pulls it off. His Georgia accent works for me but might not fool a southerner. Pretty good film, but not a great one.
eBook: A Tale of Two Cities Charles Dickens 1859
Don't know how I missed out on reading this earlier. I've seen it on film, but never read the book before. I have to say I enjoyed this more than any other Dickens book I've read, even though I knew how it came out.I'm glad I wasn't made to read this in high school, because I wasn't ready for it then.
Harriet's off to New York for a weekend with her mother, and George is heading off to Madison for graduate school, so I'm alone for the weekend after driving them to the airport.Oops, the next few entries are being filled in after the fact from notes, in September, 2006, so I don't recall as much detail as I would like:Film: (DVD) The Bridge Gérard Depardieu,ÊFrédéric Auburtin, 1999
I can't resist anything with Gérard Depardieu. The eternal triangle in Normandy. I liked it.
Film: (DVD) The Girl tn the Café David Yates, 2005
Stodgy bureacrat falls for free-spirited young woman, takes her along to a major summitt conference...
Film: (DVD) Mansfield Park Patricia Rozema, 1999
I can never get enough of Jane Austen, but can't recall the details of this film 13 months later.
Music: Revels Cruise
Harriet and I went on a Revels harbor-cruise-sing, good fun but my voice wasn't at its best.
eBook: The War of the Worlds H.G. Wells, 1898
THE classic alien invasion novel, this one came first! A must for all science fiction fans.Film: (DVD) Saved Brian Dannelly, 2003
A light comedy making fun of the Christian right. Not terribly memorable, I'm afraid.
Film: (DVD) Withnail and I Bruce Robinson 1977
This is a fairly highly regarded film, but I didn't much enjoy it.
eBook: Maggie, a Girl of the Streets Stephen Crane, 1893
As grim and depressing as the title suggests.The Sorcerer, Gilbert & Sullivan
An informal sing-through at M.I.T. I took the role of The Notary.
Family Reunion, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Ithaca New York
Drove out to Ithaca to pick up Tova, finishing the summer research program she was doing at Cornell. A quick hit and run trip, but on Sunday we did take the opportunity to go swimming in a gorge on the Cornell campus. I got my signals crossed and didn't have my bathing suit handy so I went skinny dipping, which is always a pleasure anyway.
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Eastern Tandem Rally , Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
8 1/2 hours in the car got us there in time for the ice cream social, but not for any rides today. We took the route recommended by Google Maps, which took us over the Tappan Zee bridge, too close to New York City. We hit bad traffic from there out toward the Poconos. At least the car wasn't overheating and the air conditioner is working.Brought the Picchio set up as a fixed gear. I've heard mixed reports about the suitabaility to the terrain for fixed gear riding, so I also rigged up the Shimano Nexus 8 speed wheel from my Raleigh International with a shifter and long cable that let it work on the Picchio. I did a couple of test rides last week around home to see if it worked OK, and it seems to be up to the task. However, I still plan to try out the fixed gear first. Running on the 52/18 combination. We've got a 17 tooth sprocket on the other side of the rear wheel, but that's probably not going to get us up the hills.
Eastern Tandem Rally , Lewisburg, Pennsylvania
Did a 39 mile ride, using the 52/18 fixed gear. It was delightful! We were the only fixed gear among 120 tandems, but held our own just fine. We couldn't keep up on the descents, but did quite well on the flats, and left everybody in the dust on the climbs...with the exception of one short steep bit right after the lunch stop where we had to get off and push for 20-30 meters. I'm glad I didn't listen to the dire warnings of those who told me I'd need gears.Spent a fair amount of time riding alongside Mel and Barbara Kornbluh of Tandems East. I knew Mel from the Internet, but our paths had not previously crossed.
This was an absolutely gorgeous ride under a clear blue sky, through beautiful farmland with fine views on every side. The roads were very well paved and with hardly any motor traffic. Only saw one Amish buggy on the road, and was startled by how fast it was clipping along. I was later informed that the Amish frequently buy race horses that are past their racing prime but still good for a good clip.
The lunch stop was in Mifflinburg, and we toured the Mifflinburg Buggy Museum, a preserved factory where buggies were made in the 19th century. Turns out Mifflinburg was a key center of coachbuilding, with at one time a total of 70 active carriage manufacturers. I was particularly fascinated to see some of the special tools and fixtures they used for manufacturing and repairing the wood-spoked, iron-tired wheels.
Added Google Search to this Journal directory
Bentrider Recumbent Festival
Drove the Pontiac out to Bath, NY on Keuka Lake. 6 1/2 hours, beautiful weather, nice drive listening to:Audio Book The Archer's Tale Bernard Cornwell, 2000
A very exciting tale of an English archer-hero and events leading up to the Battle of Crécy in the Hundred Years War. Originally published under the title Harlequin.
Bentrider Recumbent Festival
Main event today was an expo/test ride fair. I rode a bunch of different recumbent trikes, but didn't actually like any of them quite as much as my own Greenspeed.Riding up from the campground to the demo event, I took a "shortcut" across a hayfield and acquired an amazing harvest in the Greenspeed's rear derailer.
Bentrider Recumbent Festival
Today was the big ride around Keuka Lake , about 49 miles, the longest ride I've yet done on the Greenspeed. It was a very nice ride, kinda hot but not really uncomfortable. The roads were very nice, quite scenic and not too busy. No cross traffic, thanks to a clockwise course around the lake.After lunch I really felt the need for a swim, so I took the low road along the shore, stopped when I saw a guy out on a float a few yards offshore. I asked him if it would be OK if I took a dip, he said "Sure but watch out for the zebra mussels on the bottom." Fortunately, his dock ended in water deep enough to jump into without any need to touch bottom. The water was a delightful temperature (at least by Marblehead standards) and very clean (I guess I can thank the zebra mussels for that.)
After the ride I took a quick tour of the Glenn Curtiss Museum , wishing I had more time for it...they've got a lot of very interesting stuff there, but it was just about closing time, and I had "miles to go before I sleep."
I headed back for home after the ride, but it was late and I was too tired to do the trip all in one go, so I stopped in a cheap motel in Sesquehannah, a bit east of Binghampton. Not bad for $43/night, and they had HBO so I was able to watch the debut of the new series "Rome." I enjoyed the show, but it's better on my own TV.
| Books reviewed on this page: | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Archer's Tale | Bernard Cornwell | 8/26/05 |
| Maggie, A Girl of the Streets | Stephen Crane | 7/16/05 |
| A Tale of Two Cities | Charles Dickens | 7/4/05 |
| The War of the Worlds | H. G. Wells | 7/14/05 |
| Films reviewed on this page: | ||
|---|---|---|
| The Gingerbread Man | July 2, 2005 | |
| Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events | July 1, 2005 | |
| Mansfield Park | July 12, 2005 | |
| Saved | July 16, 2005 | |
| Withnail and I | July 15, 2005 | |
Music: Date Performers Works
February 4, 2005 B.S.O., Rafæl Frühbeck de Burgos.
Brahms
July 13, 2005 Revels harbor cruise
January 22, 2005 B.S.O., James Conlon, Garrick Ohlsson Ullmann, Shostakovich
January 8, 2005 B.S.O., Hans Graf, James Galway
Hindemith, Bolcom, Mozart
October 23, 2004 B.S.O., James Levine
Mahler: Symphony #8
May 2, 2004 Aiofe O'Donovan, Seamus Connoly, Halali "Rapper, Reels & Revelry"
May 1, 2004 B.S.O., Gianluca Cascioli,
Jahja Ling Mozart, Mahler
April 10, 2004 M.I.T.G.A.S.P Gilbert & Sullivan: Thespis
April 3, 2004 B.S.O., Grant Llewellen Vaughan Williams, Musgrave, Walton
January 17, 2004 B.S.O., James Levine Mozart, Carter, Dvorak
December 10, 2003 Australian Opera (DVD) La Bohème
November 13, 2003 Kirov Ballet, St. Petersburg Chopin, Rimsky-Korsakov, Stravinsky
October 4, 2003 B.S.O., Hans Graf, Claudio Bohóquez Tchaikovsky & Shostakovich
October 4, 2003 B.S.O., Bernard Haitink, Dubravka Tomsic Beethoven
March 8, 2003 M.I.T.G.A.S.P Bizet: Carmen
March 8, 2003 B.S.O., Bernard Haitink Beethoven, Harbison
March 7, 2003 Arlo Guthrie Northeastern University
February 21-March 1, 2003 Gilbert & Sullivan: Patience Sudbury Savoyards
January 18, 2003 B.S.O., Ton Koopman, Andreas Scholl Bach, Haydn
December 7, 2002 B.S.O., Marek Janowski Bartok, Strauss
November 29, 2002 New York Philharmonic, Christoph von Dohnanyi, Pierre Laurent-Aimard Janacek: Cappriccio; R.Strauss: Burleske; Brahms: Sym. #2
November 2, 2002 B.S.O., Marek Janowski Bartok, Strauss
September 22, 2002 Boston Folk Festival Barachois, Bill Staines, Cheryl Wheeler, Richard Thompson
July 21, 2002 London Philharmonic, Rostropovich Shostakovich, Lady MacBeth of Mtsensk
July 3, 2002 Stan Rogers Folk Festival Oysterband, Fairport Convention, others.
May 3, 2002 The Australian Opera Wagner, Die Meistersinger
April 18, 2002 B.S.O., Seiji Ozawa Mahler, Sym. # 9
April 13, 2002 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert & Sullivan, The Gondoliers
March 7, 2002 B.S.O., Hans Graf, M. Piccinini, A.Häfliger Colgrass, Schubert
February 21, 2002 B.S.O., James Levine Dvorak, Wuoronen, Mozart, Ligeti,Schumann
January 10, 2002 B.S.O., Bernard Haitink Bruckner: Symphony #7
December 9, 2001 Brandeis University Symphony Orchestra Beethoven: Piano Concerto #3; Dvorak: Symphony #6
December 8, 2001 Brandeis University Early Music Society Various works
November 17, 2001 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert & Sullivan, H.M.S. Pinafore
November 3, 2001 B.S.O., Federico Cortese Ives: Ragtime Dances, Mozart Pf Conc #9 k271, Kurtäg: Grabstein für Stephan; Schubert, Sym. #4
Novembr 2, 2001 Blue Man Group, Seiji Ozawa Brahms: Symphony #1
October 6, 2001 B.S.O., Seiji Ozawa Brahms: Symphony #1
May 3-6, 2001 M.I.Tl G & S Players Gilbert & Sullivan: The Grand Duke
April 13, 2001 Harvard-Radcliffe G & S Gilbert & Sullivan: Utopia, Limited
March 4, 2001 Newton North High School Chorus
and Orchestra Haydn: Missa in Tempore Belli; Symphony #49 "La Pasione"
March 3, 2001 B.S.O., David Robertson Janácek Sinfonietta,
February 18, 2001 Theatre de Chatelet (DVD) Janácek, The Cunning Little Vixen
February 4, 2001 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Rowe
& Sullivan, The Zoo
February 3, 2001 B.S.O., James Levine Mahler Symphony #3
February 3, 2001 George and his band at
Harvey Finstein School of Music
December 27, 2000 The Christmas Revels,
Cambridge Appalchian/African-American Revels
December 23, 2000 San Carlo Opera
(DVD) Wagner, Tannhäuser
November 18,
2000 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert & Sullivan, The Sorceror
November 16, 2000 Harvestfest, Newton North High
School
November 2, 2000 B.S.O., Christoph Eschenbach Mozart: Piano
Concerto #23; Mahler Symphony #5
October 24, 2000 Leon
Rosselson Johnny D's
October 7, 2000 The
Savoy-Aires Gilbert & Sullivan: The Mikado
June 18, 2000 George and his band at Harvey Finstein School of Music
May 21, 2000 Small Ensemble
Concert--Newton North
April 29, 2000 Spring Revels
April 22, 2000 B.S.O., André Previn, Pamela
Frank Previn: Diversions; Barber: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Symphony
#39
March 10, 2000 Revels, Inc/Shakespeare & Co. The Mysteries
February 26, 2000 B.S.O.,Seiji Ozawa, Christine Goerke, Ian
Bostridge, Thomas Quasthoff Britten: War Requiem
February 19, 2000 B.S.O., Bernard Haitink Mahler: Symphony
#7
February 12, 2000 George and his band at
Harvey Finstein School of Music
January 29, 2000 B.S.O., Sir Simon Rattle
Peter Donohoe,
PianoDvorák: The Golden Spinning Wheel,
Bartók:
Piano Concerto #1, Brahms: Symphony #2
January 8, 2000 George on
Trombone N.E. Regional Senior District Festival
December 19, 1999 The Christmas Revels,
Cambridge Italian Renaissance Revels
December 12, 1999 Pierre Boulez, Met
Opera (video) Wagner: Siegfried
November 19, 1999 Matapat, Lexington
November 18, 1999 Harvestfest, Newton
North High School St. Sæns Danse Macabre
November 7, 1999 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert &
Sullivan, Iolanthe
November 4, 1999 George and his band at
Ryles, Cambridge
October 2, 1999 B.S.O., Seiji Ozawa
Florence Quivar, Mezzo;
Paula Delligatti, Sop.Mahler, Symphony #2
September 29, 1999 B.S.O., Seiji Ozawa,
Hildegarde Behrens,
SopranoWagner: Tannhäuser, Götterdämmerung
excerpts;
Strauss: Electra excerpt.
August 14,
1999 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert & Sullivan, Crichton
July 24, 1999 David Mallett
June 19, 1999 The
Publick Theatre Gilbert & Sullivan The Yeomen of the Guard
April 13, 1999 Harvey Finstein School of Music
student groups George and Tova at Watch City
Brewery
March 7, 1999 Newton North High School Chorus
and Orchestra Mozart: Requiem, Symphony #38 ("Prague").
March 5, 1999 Harvey Finstein School of Music student
groups George and Tova in Jazz recital at Newton Congregational Church.
March 4, 1999 Newton North High School various
groups.
February 6, 1999 B.S.O.,Seiji Ozawa,
Jacques Zoon
(flute)Debussy: Pelléas et Mélisande "Symphony"
Mozart: Flute
Concerto #1 in G, K.313
Stravinsky: Le Sacre du Printemps.
January 30, 1999 B.S.O., Robert Spano,
Andreas Haefliger
(piano)Lindberg: Arena
Beethoven: Piano Concerto #2
Sibelius: The Swan of
Tuonela, Symphony #3
January 16, 1999 B.S.O., Sir Simon Rattle,
Dawn Upshaw
(sop.)Knussen Flourish with Fireworks
Weir Natural History
Mahler Symphony
#4
Schumann Piano Concerto
December 23,
1998 The
Christmas Revels, Sanders Theatre, Cambridge
December 12, 1998 Caroling with Nym
Cooke, Hardwick, Mass.
November 28,
1998 B.S.O., Roberto Abbado,
Lief
Ove Andsnes (piano)Mahler Symphony #1
Schumann Piano Concerto
November 8, 1998 M.I.T.G.a.S.P. Gilbert &
Sullivan, The Mikado
Plays:
November 29, 2002 Lorraine Bracco The Graduate
November 23, 2001 Helen Mirren, Ian McKelln The Dance of Death-August Strindberg
September 30, 2000 Tova/Black Box Theatre, Cornell
University The Maids-Jean Genet
May 30,
2000 Kelsey Grammer/Colonial Theatre Macbeth
May 26, 2000 The Huntington Theatre Co. King
Hedley II
September 3, 1999 The Publick
Theatre Nine
August 21, 1999 Orange
Tree Theatre, Ithaca, N.Y. Sonata
August 13,
1999 Firehouse Theatre, Ithaca, N.Y. Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it All For
You
May 22-29 Newton South/North High
Schools Richard III
December 18,
1998 Newton North High School The Bone Violin, May Flies
November 12, 1998 Newton North High School To
Kill a Mockingbird
052999
Travels:
August 26-28, 2005 'Bentride 2005, Bath, N.Y.
July 21-24, 2005 Family Reunion, Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
April 29, 2005 Cirque de Cyclisme, Greensboro, N.C.
February 16, 2005 Indianapolis
November 24, 2004 Plantation, Florida
October 8, 2004 Santa Cruz, California
October 4, 2004 Las Vegas, Nevada
June 8, 2004 France, England
December 22, 2003 Halifax, Nova Scotia
November 27, 2003 Florida
October 31, 2003 Potomac, Maryland
October 10, 2003 Las Vegas, Nevada
September 21, 2003 New York, N.Y.
November 27-30, 2002 New York, N.Y.
October 8-13, 2002 Evanston, Illinois
October 4-8, 2002 Las Vegas, Nevada
July 3-9, 2002 Canso, Nova Scotia
May 24-27, 2002 Long Island, New York
November 21-24, 2001 New York City
October 16-19, 2001 Cape Cod, Massachusetts
September 29-October 3, 2001 Las Vegas, Nevada (Interbike Show)
June 16-23, 2001 Nags Head, North Carolina
October 5-14, 2000 Evanston, Illinois
September 30-October 2, 2000 Ithaca, New York
June 22-25, 2000 Urbanna, Virginia
October 7-13, 1999 Chicago/Evanston,
Illinois
August 19-28, 1999 Ithaca, New
York
August 12-13, 1999 Ithaca, New York
July 23-25, 1999 Bridgeton, Maine
November 25-28, 1998 Fort Lauderdale,
Florida
1988-89 France, England
1980 Yucatan, Mexico
1975 England,
Belgium, Yugoslavia, Turkey
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