Sunday 10^th October 2010

Val, one of the very greatest Poor Little Rich Gays of all time, remains de-coupled from the bottle.

What a time we’re having! What a splendid little canter! Even future outings are spoken of, to Strawberry Hill, for example, which has been refurb.

Long may it last!

Val has been involved with a pop-up shop in Belgravia. He made some blinds. On my way to the Opening I saw a sign in the street: ‘Building a Better Belgravia’, it said (see graph below).

Now there’s a priority. I’ve always thought Belgravia should be better.

I was reunited with Peter Stairhead over the prosecco. Not seen for years. He’s done well. Now absolute head of PR at one of the chemical giants but far from well-behaved. Gorgeous muscular boyfriend or partner.

Then Val said he wanted to go to a concert. Someone called Artur Pizarro is playing the entire works of Chopin at St John’s Smith Square. Not all at once. You’d have had to show six times to get the lot. I suggested that we book the remaining four but Val said, Better not, we might not like it. So we took the one, as a try-out.

It was like Aunt Olive, who was desperate to leave her hideous Earlsy Courtsy mansion flat upon the death of her husband in 1970 but was bound by her hairdressing contract. She’d got six more months under the drier to get through.

We loved the concert. Artur Pizarro turned out to be well-known, winner of the Leeds Piano Competition no less. Played most intelligently and with earthiness which is unusual for Chopin. We’re going to take at least one of the remaining three perfs. You should too.

Val plays Chopin himself, or did at one time, on an enormous grand piano which occupies most of his bedroom. Val’s bed is more of a cot as a consequence.

Such a Priority, Don't you Think?