Paris, Vienna, Budapest—these and other capitals have earned reputations for gaiety, perhaps not always deserved, What about London? A few years ago there was much talk of brightening the metropolis; today there is less of such talk, but the authorities are showing themselves surprisingly responsive to the call for more merry-making.
The London County Council, intent on abolishing slums, re-bridging the Thames, ensuring a Green Belt, and other serious projects, has found time to sponsor free open-air dancing in the parks. London is well provided with parks, but judging by the success of these first experiments there ill soon be a demand for mor existing facilities being inadequate?
When I looked in at Highbury Fields the other evening there were about 200 couples dancing lightheartedly on the grass to the music e band under the plane trees t 2000 were watching A retree atmosphere pervaded the place, reminding some folk of the Continent where, they said, people readily and less self-sciously in public than do the ish.
Others said that the spirit england was at last awaken-al days recently before his present became generally known. He stayed it a West End Hotel, one of several seem to specialize in catering celebrities who wish to be alone.
Greta Garbo once found it poss the sible to in London, at another of without being recognized y anyone except the management— but only for a few days.
Leopold Stokowski goes to unusual lengths to gratify his desire for solitude—perhaps his association with Garbo has helped to develop this proclivity. At his favourite Piccadilly restaurant he insisted on the second floor (normally closed in August) being opened specially for him.
Fifty Years Conducting Another famous conductor, Sir Henry Wood, will soon be celebrating his jubilee. On October 8 he completes his fifty years of orchestral conducting, and the occasion is to be marked by a special concert at the Albert Hall, The Queen's Hall, of course, would have been a more appropriate place in which to honour the man who, more than anyone else, has been responsible for the high standard ched by the Promenade Concerts held there.
The Proms have been made possible by the succession of financial backers who have regularly lost money on them, One man went
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