Land of crumble, and lemon curd, and opportunity

Here's a splendid number to welcome us back to Blighty, courtesy of the wonderfully eccentric Professor Elemental:

Professor Elemental - I'm British

Indeed!

Professor Elemental website

PS Today the world celebrates Mardi Gras with feathers, carnival and glitter; we have Pancake Day - you can't get more British than that!

While you were out...

So what did we miss while we were away? A few significant things, it seems...

One of our greatest Patron Saints Miss Elaine Stritch celebrated her 88th birthday on 2nd February. Damn! Should've sent her a postcard from Benalmadena... Here she is giving one of her legendary performances, in this classic Rodgers and Hart number...

Elaine Stritch - To Keep My Love Alive

Other significant birthdays we missed included Zsa Zsa Gabor's 96th on 6th Feb, and dear old Dora Bryan's 90th on 7th. To my knowledge they never performed together...

Dora Bryan - (Why) Because He Loves Me

We bade a sad farewell to Cecil Womack (of Womack & Womack), Peter Gilmore (star of The Onedin Line) and Reg Presley of The Troggs.

Beyoncé flipped her wig at the event that is a complete mystery to anyone outside the US, the Superbowl; and New York Fashion Week was and is abuzz with the reappearance of the shamed John Galliano.

In the real world, the horsemeat-in-burgers "scandal" rumbled on interminably, and researchers found clocking up 20 hours a week of TV time appears to be detrimental to sperm production.



Oh, and of course, the UK celebrated another significant step towards becoming a 21st century country when MPs voted to legalise equal marriage! It has yet to get through the House of Lords, but it is a landmark for gay rights.

The best news of the lot? That came today, while we were still in Essex - the resignation of the Nazi Pope Ratzinger! My innate loathing for the man, and for all he stands for is well-documented. Whether a change at the top will usher in any kind of enlightenment into the Medieval throwback that is the Catholic church is probably something of which we can only dream, but (hopefully) it can only be an improvement on this bigot.

I'd still prefer another week in Spain...

Just a small prick

Even though we are not back to work for another week, returning from temperatures in the mid-70s Fahrenheit (mid-20s Centigrade) to three inches of snow (in Essex, where we are staying over for a couple of nights) has brought us back down to earth with a bump.

To cheer us up on this Tacky Music Monday, here's a rather wonderfully silly routine featuring the mistress of such things, Miss Raffaella Carrà and her safety gays!

Raffaella Carrà - Que dolor

Que dolor ["That Pain"], indeed...

Recuerdos felices

We are back, tanned and suitably refreshed, from a gorgeous week in Spain...

...and in a La Pantoja frame of mind!

Isabel Pantoja - Como Dos Barquitos

Isabel Pantoja official website (in Spanish, of course)

Vamos!

By the time you read this we will be off (not with BOAC, unfortunately)...

Fly BOAC (soft tempo)

...and soon we will be Vamos-ing a la Playa!

Righeira - Vamos a la Playa

Back in a week, dear reader.

Your history

"History is a cyclic poem written by time upon the memories of man."
Percy Bysshe Shelley

While we are away enjoying a week of hedonism in Spain, a very special celebration indeed begins - for February marks Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month in the UK.

This year, in my role as co-Chair of Islington Council LGBT staff forum, I have been heavily involved (with the council's partner Camden LGBT Forum) in planning a massive programme of events across the two boroughs. The theme for 2013 is maths, science and engineering and is dedicated to the great work of Alan Turing. The month is not all science, however.

With more than 45 events to choose from, Camden and Islington LGBT History Month 2013 is the biggest in the UK!

Highlights include:

• A schools sport tournament on the theme of Football v Homophobia, hosted by Arsenal Football Club no less, among a day of Educate and Celebrate events aimed at young people.
• LGBT professionals speaking about their scientific experiences at University College London: and a host of other seminars and panel discussions covering topics as diverse as drug use, mental well-being, religion and sex.
• Lectures and discussions on LGBT ancient history at the Petrie and British Museums; and talks on early gay heroes Aleister Crowley and Magnus Hirschfield.
• A discussion with former Catholic priest, gay rights and AIDS campaigner Bernard Lynch.
• An evening with LGBT historian Rictor Norton (of Mother Clap's Molly House fame).
• Loudest Whispers, one of London's premier LGBT art exhibitions.
• Events to celebrate 21 years of the gay bar Central Station, 30 years of the work of the Terrence Higgins Trust, and 40 years of London Friend gay befriending group.
• A variety of prominent speakers from the world of gay culture and literature, including Neil McKenna (launching his long-awaited book on Fanny and Stella), Clare Summerskill, Jonathan Kemp, Roz Kaveney and a "pop-up Polari" hosted by Paul Burston.
• Films on LGBT themes by such eminent directors as Ken Russell and Leontine Sagan; the premiere of the anti-homophobia play Vincent River; and evenings of poetry, comedy and musical history.
• The unmissable sci-fi themed Big Bang Ball at the Islington Assembly Hall, with drag favourite Mrs Moore, the Gay Big Band and lesbian New Romantic tribute band "Joanne Joanne".

And that's just in Islington and Camden!

Even though we miss the first week, LGBT History Month 2013 promises to be a fabulous (if exhausting, with the number of events I've promised to attend) month, and I am sure I'll be reviewing it extensively when we get back.

See the full itinerary:
www.islington.gov.uk/lgbthistory

Events across the rest of the UK may be found on the national LGBT History Month website.

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STOP PRESS 1pm:



The unveiling of the rainbow flag that will once again fly above Islington Town Hall throughout February.

Just a little shady

And so, it's almost here... After a final week in work that has been annoyingly slow (to say the least!) and irritating (more than normal), we only have one day to go before we hit the flesh-pots of the Costa del Sol!

To celebrate in traditional disco-tastic fashion at the end of the week here at Dolores Delargo Towers, it is the turn once more (of course) of that magnificently camp Spanish duo Baccara to provide us with a fitting finale to our countdown - Sorry I'm A Lady, indeed...

Baccara - Sorry I'm A Lady

Our mantillas are starched, our wigs are suitably flicked and sprayed into submission, we have our cheesiest grins on, and we're preparing our fabled Baccara impression that we always do when we head for La Nogalera as we speak - Thank Disco It's Friday!