‘What’s the Buzz?’ Volume 3
21 May
Books
Meet me at the Museum is the debut novel of septuagenarian engineer Anne Youngson. It is a book of letters between an English woman and the curator of a museum in Aarhus, Denmark. Beautifully written, it has already won awards. And now, I hear, a Swedish production company is exploring its possible dramatisation.
Television
A Very English Scandal is on for another two Sundays and, if you missed it last night, you can catch up with it on BBC iPlayer. It has been exceptionally well reviewed and is a further example of Hugh Grant growing in stature as an actor.
Restaurants/Food
Bayley & Sage, the grocers, is growing; Julian goes there more than I do (maybe he’s blind to the prices!) but he does come back with great fruit and veg and it really isn’t expensive for the quality and taste. They are opening new shops, with seven in South West London so far and a new one soon, I hear, in Television Centre, White City.
Music
Sheku Kanneh-Mason was obviously sensational in the chapel on Saturday. He also appears at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 15 July as part of the celebrations to mark 40 years of the BBC Young Musician competition, where he shares the stage with many other past winners.
Buzzlets
‘That dress’ – no, the other one. Doria Ragland perfectly complemented her daughter with a beautiful, elegant, understated dress by Oscar de la Renta and hat by Stephen Jones. As the mother of the bride she absolutely nailed it. She looked completely in place on the arm of our future King. Speaking as an Armenian, I hope it might inspire our politicians to understand what a truly multi-racial society should look like.
The opinions in Maria Says are Maria’s (with some input from Julian). There is no intention to offend or to suggest that other views might not work just as well for others – we live by learning. However we steer away from politics, religion and intolerance. Also, we do not receive any reward for recommendations; we decided years ago to remain independent and not carry advertising or promote places, goods or services because we are paid to do so and we shall stick to that.