Sunday, December 31, 2023

POTD: Farewell to Melbourne

"Melbourne left behind.
Waves carry echoes of time.
New beginnings bloom."

—h/t ChatGPT

From 2023 03 17 Melbourne

This photo-of-the-day was taken at sea as we sailed away from Melbourne, Australia, in March, 2023. Today, on this last day of 2023, this photo is also called on to say farewell to the year, full of good memories and sad. Here's hoping for a Happy New Year to one and all!

Saturday, December 30, 2023

POTD: Tiddly Oggies

"Authentic allure,
Bustling spirit, markets soar,
Queen Vic, evermore."


—h/t ChatGPT
From 2023 03 17 Melbourne

This photo-of-the-day was taken in Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, Australia. "Queen Victoria Market is an authentic, bustling, inner-city market that has been the heart and soul of Melbourne for 140 years. Home to over 600 small businesses, it is a great place to discover fresh and specialty produce, hand-made and unique products, great coffee and food, souvenirs and clothing." It was an old, established market when I first visited it in 1974. It's still going strong today.

Oh, I leave it up to you to discover what a Tiddly Oggie is. I'll just say Queen Vic has them for sale.

A bonus photo is after the jump.

Friday, December 29, 2023

A Haunting in Venice (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

A Haunting in Venice (2023): A ghost story turns into a classic whodunnit set in an old house in Venice with a large cast of suspects. It's watchable enough but Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot has nothing new to offer. B-

Thursday, December 28, 2023

Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Mission Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1 (2023): Lots of well done chases involving cars, motorcycles, trains, and speed flying. Plot, otoh, is silly, a hunt for a physical key that controls a super AI that can rule the world. No character development. Forgettable acting. But that's not why you go to an MI movie. B+

Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Maestro (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes

Rotten Tomatoes

Maestro (2023): Biopic of Leonard Bernstein, whose talent and private life are too big to be stuffed into two hours. The story is compressed, exhausting, and a little schizophrenic. A ten-hour TV mini-series might have been a better fit. Carey Mulligan as his wife grounds the man wonderfully. A-