Last night, back with the Horror Book Club - for an actual book club meeting! I finally bit the bullet and got around to reading what I was supposed to for this (just finished it the night before, in fact) - specifically, The Silent Companions, by Laura Purcell. Happily, it wasn't too long - and the free Kindle sample I got from Amazon covered about 1/3 of it! So, was doable - it's a Gothic novel, in which a young lady, newly widowed, comes to her late husband's brooding family estate for the first time. Set in the late 19th century, it keeps referring back to the supposed origin of the mystery that unfolds, in the 1600s. Anyway, our discussion was in the Prince of Wales Covent Garden, quite close to me. This group also obligingly holds an online version of all their in-person Meetups, on the day after!
It's a Greene King pub, so I set off early, in hopes of having a nice meal there. When I arrived, some people were finishing off their meals, so I found a table and went up to order - no such thing as ordering from the app here, it seems. Well, if I wasn't told the kitchen was closed! I was too hungry to survive on a packet of crisps - I meandered off again, into the night. Unfortunately, even on a Wednesday in the first week in January, I found it impossible to get in anywhere in that area without a reservation - or a long queue. So I ended up in the ever-dependable Pret.
That sorted, I headed back to the pub - where some people were already in situ in the conveniently reserved room upstairs. Tables had been arranged into a large rectangle, chairs ranged along the outside. And the numbers had been carefully calculated - every chair was needed. In due course, all the others arrived, and positioned themselves around the ring of tables. Meantime, various people were hungry - when the organiser wondered whether the kitchen was open yet, I said I'd ask, as I was headed down to get a drink - well, wouldn't you know it, it was! When I asked what time it opened, her response was "it's always open".. I eventually managed to get her to communicate that today was a one-off, in that it was closed for an hour or so. (Couldn't they have told me earlier that it was going to reopen later..?)
I have to hand it to the organiser, she obviously has plenty of experience at this. She took charge when necessary, directing us, explaining the procedure (a few rules like people not talking over each other), and pointed out that people were welcome to leave early, but she would like to get everyone's rating for the book before they left. Nice and relaxed, we didn't start quite to time, but not that late either. We started with a round-robin, everyone introducing themselves and giving a summary of what they thought of the book, and there was a lively discussion, most people finding various flaws. One person hadn't finished it, one hadn't had a chance to start it! which was fine, but as she warned, there would be spoilers.. Certainly, some people raised interesting points I hadn't thought about. Me? I enjoyed it, despite some quibbles. Which is the main thing for me, I think.
It was an entertaining, at times hilarious discussion, from what is a very nice group - and it was nice to see some familiar faces from before, as well as some new ones. And we had a couple of drinks breaks. Didn't stay too late.. ran too late to blog last night, though. Yes, hope I can make another of these.
Tonight, I'm with a new group - Shanty Singers Colliers Wood - who seem to exist to advertise free shanty singing concerts. That night, it's in The William Morris. Should be fun!
Tomorrow, I've finally booked for The Sex Party, at the Menier Chocolate Factory. My goodness, it's so long since I was last there, I couldn't remember my username, and had to ring them! (CT were advertising cheap tickets, but had sold out.)
On Saturday, back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners, yay! This time, it's The Mysterious Square Mile Walking Tour.. lunch afterwards, natch.
On Sunday, headed with Cultureseekers to the "Executions" exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands. Should be nicely atmospheric.
On Monday, Up in the Cheap Seats are headed to Mandela, a musical at the Young Vic. Unfortunately, I was way too late for a cheap ticket - but then I noticed that someone attending couldn't make it, and had advertised two tickets for anyone who wanted - much cheaper than what I could get elsewhere. Front row, too! One ticket had gone - I messaged her, and yay, I got the other! Well, they won't email it to her until a couple of days beforehand, at which point I'll actually get it..
On Tuesday, thinking film again - the listings site is being typically slow, but has some info for next week. But given my experience on Monday - when it hadn't even included listings for my local cinema - I checked what was on there on Tuesday as well. And lo, I came up with some not yet listed at all on the listings site.. highest rated is a documentary - Crows are White tells the story of a rather unusual Buddhist monk, who'd rather listen to heavy metal than birdsong..
On Wednesday, heading to Comedy in your Eye, at the Camden Eye. Tickets from Design my Night, including a free drink.
On Thursday - my first Crick Crack Club event of the year! Online, but never mind - it's Nick Hennessy, at the Story Museum, performing The Kalevala. I think I remember hearing that he's the only non-Finnish person ever to win their competition to recite this! So, really looking forward to it. And then, of course, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend..
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