14 Hours

Nearing the end of a 14 hour day, Key Grip Dave A captures me with electricians Andrea and homemade mozzarella enthusiast Peter M in the back working a moving light.  Meanwhile, Gustavo B is across the set solitarily dealing with his own roving T12. Below is a picture Dave A took of me as we waited for a table at a popular Argentine BBQ joint in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica.

The Pavilion

We did a fantastic job last week in the Dorthy Chandler Pavilion.  Really grand early 1960's architecture. DP Tristan Sheridan posted a pic from the epic lobby. Marvelous.

Flying Home

Simone takes a portrait of me in the setting sun as we fly home from San Jose.

Shooting on the Beach

Trying to set up the shot as the waves crash around us and the tide advances in Costa Rica.

Beach Set

A huge wall of speakers built on the beach.

Paradise Lunch

Our Costa Rican lunch breaks took on a beauty all their own.  Dining alfresco by the beach.

Beatrice Swims

Champion swimmer Beatrice swims laps while I lounge by our Costa Rican pool. My bed was protected on each corner by 4 carved parakeets.  And the hammock provided a good way to put the feet up at the end of the day.

Winter Garden

We put away the Christmas lights this afternoon.  Warm and sunny with a few things blooming out front.

Waking The Dead

The second show I've been hooked on in my confinement has been a British cold case cop show called "Waking the Dead".  A fan of Sue Johnston's comedic Clatterford series a few years ago, I thought I'd look at some of her drama work as Dr. Grace Foley, behavioral psychologist.  I started with Season 6 and was blown away.  When the team is involved and in charge, the episodes are amazing, like "Mask of Sanity".  There were a few clinkers but these are when the squad is more reactive than leading. Tonight I watched an episode from Season 5 called "Straw Dogs".  Two hours of the most riveting, disturbing, heart pounding TV I have ever seen.  Netflix has the first 7 seasons to watch.  Catch a few before "Straw Dogs" though….. get the characters down before you get on this roller coaster.

Kingdom

While my feet have been healing, I've immersed myself in 2 british shows.  The first is Stephen Fry's  "Kingdom".  A less acerbic, equally scenic and quirky cousin to "Doc Martin", "Kingdom" is about a small town solicitor in Norfolk.  The beaches there seem to stretch forever.  Gorgeous. It only lasted 3 seasons, and I think the series got better each year.  But all those helicopter shots got expensive, I guess. And then there's the 1965 Alvis. Check it out on Netflix.

Kolkata Kab Ko.

The kids take the scenic route on a ride through India's Kolkata(Calcutta) countryside.

Raj Wedding

My nephew got married last week in Kolkata India.  A great display of henna, saris and lotus flowers. I suspect the American service in May will pale in comparison.

Live From Kolkata

I  love this picture from nephew Andrew's wedding.  My brother appears to be an early 1970's folk singer who never escaped his sitar phase while youngest nephew Peter looks like the front man for a current hot boy band.

Sick Dog

The dog has been having some GI tract problems that morphed into a bleeding ulcer.  We had to take him to the hospital yesterday for an ultrasound.  He has a freshly shaved belly and legs for the IV's.  He's much perkier today but still needs some recovery time in the sun

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Christmas Dinner

As the Christmas turkey was cooking and we were watching the new Doc Martins, there was a lot of crunching coming from outside.  Several squirrels were munching on the Tipu's seed pods. Better in their stomachs than on the ground.

Christmas Eve

The Lights

The recent rains have given us a new round of honeysuckle blooms.  The lights finally went up..... they seem to be a little wanting this year but probably will look better in full darkness.

Porking Out

We've been enjoying some pork pies from western NY English bakery, The English Pork Pie Company. We got some sausage rolls and pasties, as well.  Super tasty, flaky and chock full of good stuff.  Yesterday we had the savory Stilton pork pie and today's lunch is about the Farmhouse pie. Containing pork, turkey, stuffing and a bit of apple sauce, it's like eating a thanksgiving day dinner

After The Rains

The sun is back out.

Monkey Face is Gone

 Joan Fontaine has passed on at the age of 96. My favorite performance of hers will always be as a wife suspecting her cad of a husband is trying to kill her in Hitchcock's "Suspicion".  She will eternally be Cary Grant's "monkey face".