"Deutschland über alles!"

WEIGH-IN WEDNESDAY

Well, after a disappointing week last week of staying even, I can report a loss this 

week of a meagre one pound. Still a loss is still a loss and not to be sniffed at but I'm

sure some of you will have a damn good go - no names here - but a certain in mate

of Loss Angeles: "No Loss - No Comment!" will have his 2 cents - I'm sure!!

In the words of IVANA TRUMP:  "It is vot it is......"

THE WORLD CUP FINAL

This made me smile....

Germany 1 - Argentina 0

This is the goal that clinched it: Mario Goetze kicks to score his sides

first and only goal in extra time against Argentina's goalkeeper Sergio Romero

Argentinian Grief!

German Joy!

The Screen on the Copacabana Beach where Angus watched the Final in Brazil.

Angus on Copacabana Beach

"Letter from Brazil"

Angus McNeice

I just got back from Rio de Janeiro and the weekend of a lifetime. It was always a dream of mine to go to a World Cup, and while I had no tickets, watching the third-placed playoff and the final on the big screen on a white sand beach with thousands of supporters was not a bad substitute. 

I arrived on Thursday after a 15 hour journey and the city was buzzing. People from all over the world were still there and at night there was a street party on most blocks. The food is delicious, as are the men, women and transsexuals. 

FIFA set up an enormous screen on Copacabana beach for games and pre-match concerts. We watched the Brazil / Holland game — no one had any expectations for Brazil after the German thrashing, though the mood was still pretty grim that afternoon when the Dutch rolled over them. 

After that game, thousands of Argetinians took over the beach and partied through the night until the final when 100,000 people gathered on the beach. It was wild. The sun was out, most went swimming at half time and several people had to get pulled out of the sea by rescue helicopters. Everyone was completely rat-arsed. 

The crowd turned a little ugly after Germany won, so we legged it up the beach away from the screen. We were disappointed to see very few germans out celebrating — we thought it was a) because they were being respectful and b) because they are emotionless robots. Turns out it was mostly "a" — when we got to the very end of the beach we found a thousand germans dancing to awful electronic music and spent the rest of the night celebrating with them. 

Aside from the thrill of being in the host country during the universe's greatest sporting event, I can't tell you how much I loved Rio. Everyone must go. 

Thanks Angus - that was a real treat!

MOVIES

Saw a couple of movies in the week which I can recommend. The first was "CHEF" with

John Favreau playing the Title Role. He also wrote and directed it - so it's a bit of a hat-trick. 

The film is peppered with great cameos from his friends - Dustin Hoffman, Robert

Downey Jnr, Oliver Platt, John Leguizamo, Sofia Vergara and Scarlett Johansson.

One tip I can give you - book a table for dinner after watching it - as lot of the food 

you see being cooked will make you salivate. Enjoy!!

The second film I saw was a labour of love: "THE YOUNG AND PRODIGIOUS

T. S. SPIVET." I was looking forward to this film as I've been a fan of this French 

Director ( Jean-Pierre Jeunet) since I saw his remarkable "DELICATESSEN".

One of his most recent films was "AMELIE"with the delectable Audrey Tautou.

"SPIVET" is a strange tale about a ten-year-old cartographer who secretly leaves his 

family's ranch in Montana where he lives with his cowboy father and scientist 

mother (Helena Bonham Carter) and travels across the country aboard a freight 

train to receive an award at the Smithsonian Institute. Like all his films

 it is visually stunning and full of quirky little twists and turns. I loved it. 

Took off again this past Friday for a small Convention up in Birmingham which

was mainly for a American TV Show called TEEN WOLF. As you can see

from some of the following photographs the average age of the fans were of

the Teen Variety too!

I look like I might be joining a long list of current celebrities being 

questioned about what they were up to in the 70's & 80's !!

Slim pickings this time - but I'm hoping that the MCM Comic Con in

Manchester this weekend coming will be a much better bet.

Watch this space!

A GARDEN PARTY

Adrian Noble, the director of the "KING'S SPEECH" - the play I did in the West End

a while ago, very kindly invited me to a Garden Party that he was having at

his beautiful house and grounds in Kingston Blount near Oxford. Both his 

children Jude who had just turned 18 and Rose who will be 21 soon had had

a joint birthday party,  with a Marquee,  on the Friday Night. So they decided to

keep the Marquee up for a Garden Party for friends and family on the Sunday.

It was extremely nice to be able to catch up with quite a few friends who I'd worked

with over the years: Chris Luscombe is a theatre director of some note who I 

originally worked with as an actor in "KEAN" at the Old Vic.

Chris Luscombe

The Actors Owen Teale and his wife Sylvestra Le Touzel were there who I've known

for years as was Jeremy Irons and Sinead Cusack. Jeremy I worked with a while ago

in "NEVER SO GOOD" at the National Theatre. Adrian's Wife's mother turned out

to be an absolute hoot and came from Wadebridge in Cornwall, a stones throw from

Port Isaac. I also bumped into the actor Kevin Doyle who plays Joseph Molesley in

"DOWNTON ABBEY"

Kevin Doyle

I was lucky enough to direct Kevin when he was a student at the Guildhall School of Music

and Dramatic Art back in the 80's. He was fortunate to have a couple of student friends who

have gone on to great things themselves - Lesley Sharp and Saskia Reeves. I was able 

to tell Kevin that I'd taken great pride in watching all their careers over the years having 

directed them all at Drama School. You can see Kevin in a new series of "DOWNTON

ABBEY" along with Kate's sister Phoebe Nicholls who will be returning to the show.

THE GREAT CONSERVATORY

Syon Park.

On Monday afternoon I took a stroll around the grounds of SYON HOUSE which is near by.

I came across this staggering feat of architecture. 

The interior had a collection of mature Cacti

There is a lot to explore at SYON HOUSE between the House and the Grounds. I think

it is place I'm going to return to on a regular basis. It was very peaceful just wandering

around on a sunny day.

On Tuesday I took the train down to Littlehampton to catch up with Emily before her

Wedding to Jimmy on August the 16th. Emily prepared a very calorie conscious lunch

of salmon, roast tomatoes and asparagus - yummy. When Eliza returned from school we

took a stroll along the sea front. It was a sunny day and it was wonderful to hear all her

plans for their forthcoming nuptials. 

Along the seafront at Littlehampton.

Just before I travelled back to London I took the kids out for High Tea

at the Putting Green Cafe. Emily was thrilled as she said she didn't have

to cook two lots of meals! Tea for the kids and supper for her and Jimmy!

Bella

Eliza

Jack

This is Jimmy at his "Office" sorting out his Visa for an up and coming trip to Sochi in Russia.

Sochi is a city in Krasnodar Krai, Russia, located on the Black Sea coast near the border between Georgia/Abkhazia and Russia. It was the host to the Winter Olympics in February 2014 and 

now there are plans to hold the 16th race of the 2014 Formula One Season on the Sochi 

International Street Circuit. I thanked Jimmy profusely for his tip on placing a bet on Nico

Rosberg at 20-1 to win the 2014 F1 Championship. We are definitely still in with a chance!!

Sochi Street Circuit.

YOUR COMMENTS

As ever - any Comments you care to make - are gratefully received!

KATE'S COMMENT BELOW

(I've included the photo for her comment)

"Wedding prep now building nicely…. slight panic about Ems headdress:

I think this is too much but she insists!"

Emily's Proposed Wedding Headdress!