Play: Mediocre White Male

For today, I finally gave up on Meetup - the best things coming up were walks, and it was supposed to rain. Instead, I headed with TAC to a show called Mediocre White Male, at the King's Head (another place I hadn't been to in years!). Mercifully, the temperature was supposed to drop a bit as well.

Well, the temperature might have dropped, but it remained really clammy. No rain had yet been seen when I set out, although I did take a raincoat, just in case - I could walk to this. Checked beforehand, and discovered that the King's Head only does snacks, sandwiches, that sort of thing - so, looking around the area, I came up with The Bull, just down the road, which does full meals. En route, dodged two cyclists cycling on the pavement, and two cyclists and one motorcyclist that ran red lights, so I had to be careful when crossing at the green pedestrian signal.

Nice area this, lots of interesting shops - like the bookshop that hates people judging books by their covers:

And so to The Bull, where I ordered from the bar, rather than the app, it not being too busy:

Had a really nice chicken schnitzel, with some piping hot fries and a nice dip - which went better with the fries than with the chicken. And was finished just in nice time to schlep a few doors up to the King's Head, ordered a drink because someone was already chatting to the person at the box office, and then went up myself. She had to dig for my confirmation - remembered my name, but it wasn't on her list. Anyway, she didn't have a ticket to give me, but gave me a seat number - which I saved on my phone, just in case. And when it was time, we all filed in.

So, this is a monologue from a guy who earns a living acting the part of the statue of a historical personage who was murdered. Hence the plinth, which he hops up on whenever it's time to deliver his tourist spiel. The show is about 70 minutes long, and during the course of it, we find out about his job, his workmates, and his relationship with his ex.

Now, he has a lot to say about "wokeness", about non-binary gender identity - he comes up against it at work, and also against prejudices when we're talking about his ex - he's being left behind by a world he doesn't understand, and he delivers the material quite well. However, I am SO sick of personal rants, based on lived experiences. Which is what this sounds like. It's a brilliant portrayal of one man's experience in a hostile work environment, with a tragic portrayal of his relationship with a girl - but for something that apparently purports to have a wider agenda, I saw little evidence of it. The story was too focused on his experience to have much to say about the wider world. It could be quite moving - but I was glad when it finished. Runs till the 2nd, if you're interested.

Well, that rain caught up with me on the way home - I took shelter for the worst of it, but was still soaked through, and had to take everything off when I got in. Oh, and just one cyclist cycling on the pavement, and one running a red light, as I went home. The rest must have stayed in from the rain:

Tomorrow morning - having heard nothing in the meantime from that company I'm waiting on - I have an interview for a well-paying contract. In the evening, I'm back with Civilised London - for a Syrian meal this time, at Imad's Syrian Kitchen. Meeting beforehand at The Clachan. So I can update them with the latest news in this ongoing saga.

On Wednesday - well, I've signed up with Soho Comedy Factory Shows and Socials, which organises free events on Wednesdays at the aforementioned Soho Comedy Factory. Again. And again, this is subject to change. Watch this space..

On Thursday, I've decided on film. Having garnered all the available films this week, I had an interesting choice to make: ended up eliminating lots of films from the top of the list for sheer lack of interest! Basically, the decision process ran like - if this came on TV, would I watch it or turn it off? And so I came down to the one I really wanted to see. Nope is the latest from the excellent Jordan Peele, and stars Daniel Kaluuya (again) as the hapless victim of horrific events - extra-terrestrials this time. With Jordan Peele's typical injection of humour, this promises to be fun! And it's on at my local, so I get to see it for free.

And then, of course, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again. Planned film for the weekend is looking - finally - like Thor: Love and Thunder. Well, if I see Nope in the meantime, I'll have seen everything better - no longer showing in Ennis, so I'll see it at the Omniplex.

Terra Rossa Restaurant

Tonight - Civilised London was off for an Italian meal: Terra Rossa was the venue, and we met beforehand in The Crown. And I was really lucky to get a place - he limits attendees to five, for an intimate gathering, and I only got a place on Monday, after someone dropped out! Well, I hoped I'd be up to it - I got my booster jab earlier in the day.. but it was the same as my first two, and I only got a sore arm on those occasions. And I had the day off, so could rest in the afternoon!

I walked to the vaccination centre, at Guy's Hospital. Three vaccination centres, they have, and it was hard to find my way - although the signposting was decent. When I did get there, I found myself at the end of what turned out to be a 45-minute queue. Just as well the weather was decent. When we got near the top, a fellow appeared with a tablet, and registered us - when we got into the marquee, we spent 20 minutes more sitting in a chair, watching leaves blow around the roof, and waiting to be called. When I was, I ended up with the army.. who were rather surprised when I said I was already double-jabbed! So my details have been updated, and I got my booster. And apart from momentary soreness, that was just fine.

And so, after a short nap, to The Crown, who do a lovely house white. And we chatted merrily - before heading on a tour of the restaurants of Islington (there are quite a few) until we came to ours. Sat near the back, we were well served - and people declared themselves delighted with the starters. Me, I just had bread - I wasn't terribly hungry, and was conscious of filling myself up too much. Main course, we all had something different - me, I had the spaghetti with truffle.. and it was gorgeous, the pasta served with that delicious eggy sauce that I've only really had once before, in a little Italian place beside a previous office of ours. Both now closed, sadly. We were too full for dessert. But it has to be said, this is excellent food.

We had a horrendous delay before the main course - the staff were awfully apologetic, and of course, as we could see, this was due to the large group (of Italians) who'd just come in. The staff just weren't sufficiently resourced for the job (I know the feeling). Hey though, I loved the ice-cold limoncello they gave us to finish.. really nice place, would definitely come here again.

I didn't have time to finish the wine, and although our organiser got me a stopper, I had to dump it - I had nothing to carry it in, wouldn't have been allowed to take it on the bus. What the hey, the night ended with one in The King's Head. And it was good to see people - despite the moratorium on discussing it, we never know when lockdown will happen again..

Tomorrow is the birthday of someone I used to know from Kensington Classical Music Society. Well, she also works for Talent Unlimited, who promote young classical musicians, and there's a concert that day, at St. James' Church Sussex Gardens (tickets through Eventbrite). She got in touch to see whether I'd be interested, so I said I'd go - we're meeting afterwards in the Royal Lancaster Hotel. Then on Friday (assuming my test is negative, they're making us test again), I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. Probably a quiet one - theatres are still closed there, and the only things worth making the trip to the cinema for are on in the evening! when I have to watch telly with my mother.

On Monday, my last Meetup of the year.. same group as my last before the major lockdown, which I hope isn't an omen! Mind you, they were called "This and That", then. And practically my first group when I eventually came back! Anyway, Invigorate are off to Dennis Severs' House Museum, which should be lovely, all bedecked for Christmas. I got the last ticket for that time slot! Complete with post-event social, of course.

Now, we had a great old time on Friday - so we're doing it again on Tuesday! Well, some of it.. Ivan and I are meeting up with our old colleague at The Spice of Life, which used to be an office haunt when we were with that company. Except Ivan has been identified as a close contact of an infected person - watch this space.

And next Wednesday, my last social event before Christmas - meeting my ex-boss from my first company in London for our annual hot chocolate and booze. Starting in Caffe Nero, we might well end up in The Hippodrome, as we did before. And why not - we're both on holiday next day, and (again, test permitting) I'm back to Ireland for Christmas that afternoon.. (highly expensive) Aer Lingus again, for the sake of the later flight. Flying back to London on the 3rd. Unless.. I'm not. So I'm taking my laptop to Ireland for Christmas. Just in case.