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| The Queen of Victoria Sponges |
Mine will waver somewhat between Russell Crowe in those britches from Les Miserables. Norman Reedus in his poncho from The Walking Dead and Hugh Jackman in a teeny weeny face flannel.
Just occasionally I have a bit of a gay crush on a lady....and the biggest crush I have had in recent years is the one I have experienced for that doyenne of The Great British Bake Off, MARY BERRY.
Last night I watched the pseudo documentary on Berry's life. It was presented by Berry herself (and was interspersed with cookery demonstrations of her favourite recipes) and what came over from the entire production was the overwhelming fact that Berry is a delightful, genuine and perfectly sweet human being.
Brought up in a loving but strict wartime household in affluent Bath, Berry recalled unhappy school time experiences when she as a fairly poor academic struggled with unsupportive teachers and an acute teenage bout of polio.
By hard work and some luck, Berry concentrated her studies with a "twinkly eyed" home economic teacher, and this in turn led her towards a successful journalistic and tv cooking career which has spanned over 50 years.
Berry stands for everything that is right in this country. She is a self made,decent, professional middle class woman that despite her undoubted success within media has retained the much maligned ability to be ....well.....just...nice!
She is an expert without ever showing off.
She still is happy to judge the local village produce show without any pretensions
and she does not apologize for being what she is.
a quietly strong,and unflappable lady who possesses "that spirit that won the war"
In bucket loads
now who do YOU have a secret crush on?
Just occasionally I have a bit of a gay crush on a lady....and the biggest crush I have had in recent years is the one I have experienced for that doyenne of The Great British Bake Off, MARY BERRY.
Last night I watched the pseudo documentary on Berry's life. It was presented by Berry herself (and was interspersed with cookery demonstrations of her favourite recipes) and what came over from the entire production was the overwhelming fact that Berry is a delightful, genuine and perfectly sweet human being.
Brought up in a loving but strict wartime household in affluent Bath, Berry recalled unhappy school time experiences when she as a fairly poor academic struggled with unsupportive teachers and an acute teenage bout of polio.
By hard work and some luck, Berry concentrated her studies with a "twinkly eyed" home economic teacher, and this in turn led her towards a successful journalistic and tv cooking career which has spanned over 50 years.
Berry stands for everything that is right in this country. She is a self made,decent, professional middle class woman that despite her undoubted success within media has retained the much maligned ability to be ....well.....just...nice!
She is an expert without ever showing off.
She still is happy to judge the local village produce show without any pretensions
and she does not apologize for being what she is.
a quietly strong,and unflappable lady who possesses "that spirit that won the war"
In bucket loads
now who do YOU have a secret crush on?
phil collins, ringo starr, charlie watts, max weinberg - I LOVES me some drummers!
ReplyDeleteWell looking at them all.. You certainly do not go for a type eh?
DeleteI'll let you into a littçe secret that might horrify you, I had never heard of Mary Berry until I read your post! Sorry about that. She sounds like the sort of people we need more of.
ReplyDeleteI STILL have a crush for Sally Bent. You won't have heard of her. I went to school with her. I carried her photograph in my wallet for 15 years until it finally disintegrated in the humidity of Moçambique. Once, when I was visiting UK, I went to see her. She was unmarried and even more beautiful than I remembered and I was childishly pleased when she told me how she had just lost a ring while gardening allowing me to seize the opportunity, buy a metal detector and find it for her. I did not expect to spend the day weeding her garden but it was a lovely day. I plucked up the courage to ask her why she refused my proposal all those years ago and she said it was because she knew I would never settle down. I would have contested that point but, sadly, my time was up and I had to catch the flight back to Africa. I still remember her birthday.
Bless!
DeleteEmma Thompson ........ Have been in love with that lady in secret for about 20 years now and she still has no idea !!! .... Aside from the fact she doesn't even know I exist I think that is a pretty good time period for a secret crush
ReplyDeleteI have a soft spot for her too Jason...my goodness..am I on the turn?
DeleteShe is truly lovely.
ReplyDeleteDennis Quaid for me ! I have had the hots for him for years !
Cute I agree
DeleteI agree, the programme was delightful and she has none of the attitudes of other TV chefs/food presenters that really get up my nose. I love the way she is always encouraging to people who have clearly made a mess of their baking, finding something positive to say about it instead of just criticising, which must be down to her school experiences.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a little girl I used to have a crush on Russ Conway !! Now it would have to be Steven Seagal. Or maybe Tim McGraw.
Tim...now there's another cutie
DeleteStephanie Flanders and James Marts inters 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' for me. x
ReplyDeleteGoogle did some spell checking there....that should have been James Marsters!
ReplyDeleteGoogle did some spell checking there....that should have been James Marsters!
ReplyDeleteHow very gothic x
DeleteMy Husband Will (probably not a secret crush but he still makes me feel giddy), Alan Rickman, Liam Neeson, Joey Ramone, John Cleese, & The Edge! I have a friend crush on you John Gray, not the stalking kind though! ;)
ReplyDeleteShucks !
DeleteLove that ice-cream recipe John...and yes, she is quite lovely. I'm a real fan of 'nice' people.
ReplyDelete.........like you!
DeleteVal Doonican. I was going to marry him when I grew up....
ReplyDeleteIs he still alive wanda?
DeleteAccording to wiki, he is.
DeleteBut my love was doomed - the 35 year age gap being something of an obstacle....
When I first came to the UK I needed a suitable cookbook and hers was one I chose. That was 30 years ago and I'm still using it even though it's falling apart.
ReplyDeleteAs for crushes ... Paul Newman, for one and James Garner for another.
Ah those aqua marine eyes of mr Newman
DeleteIt is nice to be important, but it is more important to be nice.
ReplyDeleteVery true indeed x
DeleteMonica Bellucci (actually not so secret) is the one for me. as for Mary Berry...she was off my radar until recently, but when I did see her, I too what a truly fabulous lady...always has something nice to say...and that's a rare quality
ReplyDeleteI liked how she celebrated the positives of everything
DeleteYou, John! Of course. Oh, and that studly pot-bellied man in the Southern Comfort commercial.
ReplyDeleteMe and a pot bellied drunk......? Tee hee
DeleteKirsty Young. Sarah Silverman. Tina Fey. Victoria Cohen. Rachel Johnson. Women who're both attractive and VERY smart.
ReplyDeleteKirsty young was a real looker before Botox....did you mean Victoria coren? If so I agree...she really makes me bely larf
DeleteMaureen O'Hara, and the woman in the baker's shop in F le G.
ReplyDeleteDenzel Washington is pretty HOT !
ReplyDeleteAmongst my too many unabashed crushes are Diana Dors, Cerys Matthews, Marianne Faithfull, Nana Mouskouri and of course the artist Jane Brideson
ReplyDeleteAnother eclectic group for sure
DeleteMy list of crushes could go on and on...but top of the list at the moment... Jason Momoa, Jensen Ackles, Ian Somerhalder, Vin Diesel, Salma Hayek (esp in Dogma as Serendipity) and Kat Dennings. (I like my men pretty or rough, and my ladies dark and curvy).
ReplyDeleteAnd anyone who promotes the cooking and eating of vast quantities of cake or other sugar based goods is alright with me.
Ian Sommerhalder...... Cute too!
DeleteI thought Paul Hollywood might be more your cup of tea and cake! Ironically, I've always carried a torch for Sue Perkins, sadly never to be ignited.
ReplyDeleteSp.
DeleteMr Hollywood can squeeze my iced buns anyday
Ever since I saw 'Moulin Rouge' I have had a crush on Ewan McGregor!!
ReplyDeleteNot an actor I liked but he Was excellent in THE IMPOSSIBLE
DeleteShe is adorable! A bit like our own Martha Steward but NICE. Now I have a crush on her too and I'll bet she'll like me better John 'cause I can bring her real cream from our farm.
ReplyDeleteForgot the original question...it's Aiden Quinn. I often watch "This is my Father" over and over in my studio upstairs when I've told my hubbie I am up there "writing"
ReplyDeleteHe looks rather distinguished nowadays I agree
DeleteI think I now like her, too. She has the softness of my late grand-mother without the English accent. My Gran was a pro at anything she tackled but never spoke of her accomplishments. Deb
ReplyDeleteI like Mary Berry, too. And, i'll have to try out that ice cream recipe!
ReplyDeleteMy current crush would be Viggo Mortensen. Jude Law is a cutie, too. Past crushes were Paul Newman, Robert Redford, and Gary Cooper.
Oh, and a man i saw once in a fast food place. A group of us from work went inside to order as the drive-throughwas notorious for getting orders wrong. I don't know his name and never saw him again. Tall, about 6'2" with salt and pepper hair and piercing blue eyes. Straight nose, dimples, a line or two on his face. Dressed in Carhart's (overalls). My workmates were surprised i went with them, as i rarely eat fast food and had never seen me so taken with anybody. I was invisible, of course, and think he had no idea that he was so handsome. sigh.
You didn't really notice too much about him did you Megan
DeleteTee hee
Jon Hamm in Mad Men...he looks so hot in those Brooks Brothers suits!
ReplyDeleteOops, looking closer at your dog, it is not a Scottish Deerhound, too small but very sweet. And, although they are "old" now my crushes were: Omar Shariff and Max Schell, who was brilliant in "Judgement at Nuremberg. And I agree with Jennifer, Jon is not bad.
ReplyDeleteMaximilian there's a blast from the past
DeleteStay tuned.....I'll find it, not sure if I can find it naked, but I'm going to try!
DeleteHands down..Patrick Swayze. I watch Dirty Dancing just so I can see his naked butt for a split second. Cuz I am an ass lover!!! It's why I married my husband, for his lovely arse.
ReplyDeleteI trust you will blog a photo of this much acclaimed arse!
DeleteHis recent antics aside, Gerard Depardieu - I'm just counting the days until Putin makes him Culture Minister of Siberia - I'm sure it'll be ummmm something of an 'experience' for all concerned!
ReplyDeleteWell Kate...doesn't the aircraft peeing incident put you off?
DeleteI watched the Mary programme last night, and she was adorable. If I start to think about crushes the first two that come to mind are Justin O'Shea .....sigh....and Tony Soprano...and I know Tony is a character but my goodness......
ReplyDeleteThere's something about those bad boys isn't there?
ReplyDeleteOliver Reed! Sex on legs. Excuse me while I go and breathe into a brown paper bag....
Take a pill quickly wanda x
DeleteThat would be Denzel Washington for me. Have you ever seen him and Emma Thompson in Much Ado About Nothing? Oh, my. He is fine to look at and a man worthy of admiration. I must say you, John Gray, are rapidly becoming my new crush. I love your stories.
ReplyDeleteA toy boy.....that would be a first for me
DeleteAlan Rickman. Sigh. Melt. Various other good looking guys...but stranger ones are James May and Tony Robinson. Lord knows why!!!
ReplyDeleteDormouse......tony Robinson.......that's just not right x
ReplyDeleteMary came across as a real decent sort, not at all up herself. Paul Hollywood cracks me up with the jokes he makes about her age. She takes it very well I think they make a good team on the bake off
ReplyDeleteDarn! I forgot to put Patrick Stewart on my list. There.
ReplyDeleteWell obviously! she's one of the reasons that the GBBO is such a success - that underlying vein of well tapped niceness, friendlyness, politeness, Britishness - call it what you will, that draws us all to it. Ps have you realised the resemblance between Mary Berry and Aunt Gladys? Both domestic goddess' and doyennes of British culture.
ReplyDeleteToo many to mention, but Monty Halls is my current fave and Dan Snow is a tasty geezer too. I thought Russell Crow looked like you in Les Mis! xxx
ReplyDeleteYou are my ew best friend for saying that
ReplyDeleteAnd she comes from Bath.
ReplyDelete