Who would serve a jug or pitcher of martini at a party? Oh wait, only Kim Philby, one of Britain’s most notorious traitors. I’ve just read a book entitled “a spy among friends” by Ben MacIntyre. It was the first book I’ve read in a long time that I struggled to put down. It documents the story of Harold ‘Kim’ Philby as he worked his … Continue reading Tinker, Tailor, Soldier… Drunk
While attending an ‘event’ in a certain Middle Eastern city, I was introduced to a charming gentleman from, shall we say, one of the ‘Alphabet Agencies’. While our discussion covered subjects including politics, diplomacy and turmoil in the region, it settled upon the subject of martinis, of which we are both fond. When one works in the business of ‘international affairs’, a strong martini is … Continue reading The man from the Alphabet Agencies
Whether or not you are a fan of Ian Fleming’s work, you cannot deny the inextricable association of James Bond with martinis. When Mr. Fleming was writing about this complicated anti-hero character it was a time of austerity and post-war reconstruction, when international travel was for the few and parts of the world were rendered out-of-bounds by the Cold War. Part of the appeal of … Continue reading “Shaken, not stirred”
The Martini Socialist 