North America
Katrina was here
In August 2005, New Orleans was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Over 1,500 people lost their lives and over 700 are still missing today. Rough estimates suggest that damage to the states of Louisiana …
- Originally published: 18 Jan 2008 in North America
All that jazz: New Year in New Orleans
After J and I left Florida behind, we headed over the Gulf of Mexico to Louisiana. We visited New Orleans for New Year, drawn by the nightlife, the restaurants and the art …
- Originally published: 17 Jan 2008 in North America
At home with Papa: from Key West to Key Largo
Great War ambulance driver, the Lost Generation’s leading light, hunter in the Serengeti, radicalist sympathiser in the Spanish Civil War, Q-Boat captain Cuba, D-Day correspondent, Nobel Prize winner, friend then enemy of …
- Originally published: 16 Jan 2008 in North America
Key West and the Conch Republic
The more observant of my readers will no doubt have noticed that the number of parts in this series has now grown to five articles. We’ve been busy since we returned …
- Originally published: 15 Jan 2008 in North America
Miami South Beach
J and I returned last week from our winter holiday in the United States. Here’s the first instalment of photos, all of which were taken during the first few days of our trip …
- Originally published: 9 Jan 2008 in North America
Elsewhere on MikePadgett.com …
American Beauty
Director: Sam Mendes United States, 1999 In a year of superb films, American Beauty was one of the very best of 1999: the auspicious film début of Donmar Warehouse director Sam Mendes, the consolidation …
- Originally published: 12 Feb 2007 in Film
Zwartboek (Black Book)
Director: Paul Verhoeven Netherlands, 2006 With the turbulent Hollywood years behind him, Verhoeven is back in Europe and the opening salvo is a freshly energetic epic that firmly suggests Amsterdam’s finest has rediscovered his …
- Originally published: 26 Jan 2007 in Film
No Country For Old Men
Director: Joel Coen; Ethan Coen United States, 2007 It’s probably fair to say that the Coen brothers had been off their game for a few years. Since 2000’s O Brother Where Art Thou, we’ve …
- Originally published: 27 Jan 2008 in Film
Together (Tillsammans)
Director: Lukas Moodysson Denmark, 2000 Lukas Moodysson has been in touch with his coal-black dark side of late, starting with 2002’s impressively bleak Lilya-4-Ever. But before all that, there was Together: as earnest, sensitive …
- Originally published: 14 Feb 2007 in Film
The Apartment
Director: Billy Wilder United States, 1960 Wilder’s comedy about a clerk who lets his bosses use his apartment for trysts in exchange for career advancement has some unusually dark moments but on the whole …
- Originally published: 15 Jan 2007 in Film
Who is that guy?
Hello you. I'm Mike Padgett and I work in the technology sector as an Information Designer.
I also enjoy travel, concerts, films and walking.
I'm based in Brussels, Belgium. My current favourite Belgian beer is St Feuillien Brune.