Wow, it's been a busy 24 hours! So. Last night, I saw that London Social Detours (a side-shoot of Ken's Events) were charging £3 to go to the free jazz concert at the Royal Academy. So I was going to go on my own. Free. But then the London European Club (LEC) advertised a Norwegian Dixieland concert at Jamboree.. well, that sounded like more fun, so I went to that instead.
It's a long, long way away. I did take the bus - was just in time to miss mine, of course, but the next was just a few minutes behind. And what a glorious evening to take a bus trip! After all the rain we've had, it was so lovely to see the sunshine - and this route took me past the Tower. Wow, it's so long since I've been out here! (Sorry, didn't get a chance to take a photo, but it is a gem in its own right.) A crowd got on at Aldgate, and I had great fun with a very observant little girl in a buggy, whose Muslim, headscarf-clad mother smiled at me apologetically, but didn't need to - her daughter was cute as a button.
Off at Limehouse, just around the corner from The Old Ship, where I'd agreed to meet one of the group - who, as he explained, fancied a drink to unwind, on a sunny Friday evening, after a week's work. He was standing outside, though - seemed the place was full up with a private function. So instead, we decamped across the square to The Queen's Head, where we managed to get both a table and service! Friendly and efficient. And wouldn't you know it, they sell Tayto too! This must be becoming a Thing.
In due course, we decamped to Jamboree. He remembered the way, so I didn't have to - we met another of our party on the road, and the rest once we got there. And hung around outside, for a while - it was such a novelty to see blue skies. Inside, it was as eclectic as I remembered.
More photos here. Now, our organiser had speculated that the music would start at 9. In the event, it was more like half past - but when they did get going, they cooked up a storm!
Is there anyone who, having heard swing, doesn't like it? Mostly familiar tunes, they mixed it up with a few Norwegian ones. At the interval, we congregated outside in the mild evening, and we lost some as the evening progressed. As I say, it is a long way, and people had distances to travel. It is a great, cosy venue though, with some funky acts. Me, I stayed till the end this time, and many thinks to the generous dude who dropped me all the way home!
Just in time to go to bed.. today, I did doing something local - a guided walk on Residents, Rascals & Riots, in Holborn. With London for a Tenner or Less. (Dubiously, with the promise of rain!) Got a message that that group was closing as well - followed by an email invitation to take over as organiser, as one of its top members! For goodness' sake, I'd only been to seven of their Meetups.. and I'm too busy to be taking over a group I don't care about. Anyway, they've only advertised Funzing stuff, with no social element - and there are a few other groups doing that. It'd have been different, had the Man with the Hat wanted someone to take over. May it not be too long before we see him again.
Anyway, I just managed a full night's sleep, and dragged myself out of it in time. Mind you, I then got hungry, so had some breakfast, making myself a bit late. So, although I'd intended to walk to Holborn Station, where my guided walk started, I decided the better way was by Tube. And thus I disembarked, taking the Kingsway exit as instructed, and although someone, accompanied by a group of people at the top of the escalator, seemed to be smiling at me, she soon lost interest, and I continued outside.
Where a lone woman was standing with a sign for Lansdowns London, which I'd never heard of. Well, these groups often advertise under several different sources, and it was possible. And there was nobody else. So I stood near her, and after a minute or so asked her whether she had the Holborn walk. Yes! and she informed me that it'd be a private tour - no-one else had booked! 'Tisn't everyone would still go ahead. Anyway, I suppose the rain all week might have put off any other potential clients - I might have cancelled myself, but Thursday morning was the deadline for cancellation with refund, and that morning was a busy one for me!
Undaunted, off we set. As she'd mentioned at the start, we didn't cover a huge area - but oh! what an eventful one. As I said, you might pass this way a hundred times without knowing all the stories that the area holds. Not only was she full of history, but she was from the area as well, and jeez, we kept running into people that knew her! In Red Lion Square, a fellow guide wanted a word before he left on holiday, and in Rugby Street, a chap sat outside his door with a cuppa and a yoghurt, in the sunshine, turned out to have gone to primary school with her! Indeed, we passed the very house she grew up in, on the charming Great James Street.
More photos here. Stories of wartime bombings and reconstructions, and famous residents. Down Hatton Garden, which was lined with vans for the filming of a new Michael Caine film of the Hatton Garden heist.. and ending at Holborn Circus. The rain held off - till I was on my way home! We had a gorgeous, sunny walk, and this was definitely one of the most knowledgeable guides I've had, full of stories about both blue plaques, and things that weren't thought to merit one. Highly recommended.
Tomorrow, London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) is headed out of town. We're going all the way to Northampton, to see a couple of Shakespearian plays, one directed by one of her members. Richard II, to be precise, with Titus Andronicus to whet our appetites. No-one has signed up apart from me, but what the hey I've never been there, so it'll be interesting. Managed to dig out my Rough Guide to England too, when I was in Ireland last weekend - I've photocopied the bit on Northampton!
On Monday, I'm off to Ugly Lies the Bone, at the Lyttleton.
On Tuesday, I'd booked with Funzing UK for an Infinitease Burlesque Show. In Leytonstone, so if anything better came up in the meantime, I was up for it! That's a terribly long way out. Anyway, the other day I got an email about cheap tickets - apparently there's a burlesque festival on - in Hackney, which is a bit closer. And a lot cheaper. So now I'm going to that instead - Funzing can be cancelled up to 48 hours in advance without penalty.
Wednesday was supposed to be the Man with the Hat's last event, but he had to cancel. Instead, I discovered that the UL Alumni Association (UL is my alma mater) is holding a talk on Brexit that night. And I was going to go to that - but lo, Funzing came up with something better! So then I was going to Urban Legends of London. But do you know, I completely forgot to mention that the World Music Meetup then advertised a Brazilian concert in Sands Film Studios - adore that venue. So that's now where I'm going that day! and barring the proverbial accident, fire, or flood, that's final.
On Thursday, Crick Crack is back - at Crouch End Arthouse again, unfortunately. It's just so far! Still going, of course - the more especially because it's Michael Harvey! He's worth the trip. Then I'm back to Ireland for the Bank Holiday weekend again - and taking the bank holiday, this time!
On the 30h, LDAM are at the Olivier to see Common. So am I.. on a cheap Travelex ticket, which I booked direct with the venue. So I'll be avoiding them, since they don't appreciate that.
On the 31st, free comedy in Hammersmith was up again (temporarily), with the above groups, plus London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers (another offshoot of Ken's Events). But yay, it's now been replaced by another Funzing event - a Luxury Chocolate evening! Helen's popping along, too. The code Fun_Day10 got us a 10% discount.
On 1 June, I eschewed the free comedy in Hammersmith for the Ghosts & Executions Tour, with London for a Tenner or Less - even though that guide wasn't great the last time, so I cancelled this previously, he's better than that free comedy! Oh, and the code WELLBEING30 got me 30% off this. How it qualifies as "well-being" I don't know, but I'm not complaining!
Then I'm off down to Helen for the weekend - she told me about this Living History Festival, and I said yes please!
The 5th, I'm back to Soho Theatre with the Crick Crack Club, for something called The Frog Princess - Punked. Ben Haggerty, the mc and co-founder of the club, told us the other night that there's going to be a full punk band - goodness, who would've thought that Sally Pomme Clayton had a hidden punk side!
And the 6th June, I'm with the LEC, to see the Images Ballet Company at the Arts Depot.
Yesterday, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith, with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon & Greenwich, Random London, and London Live Comedy. Something, frankly, that I usually cancel - and eventually, I got an email advertising a film showing last night. Well, I'd rather go to a film! Did the film list, and eliminated oh, so many films that weren't showing yesterday - or not at a time I could manage (this was also the only evening this week that I had a late meeting). Left at the top of the list was I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary about race in America. Its IMDB rating actually went up! which is always unusual. Showing in a few places in town, but the Curzon Bloomsbury (formerly the Renoir) was the handiest for me to get home after. Not to mention the cheapest, showing as part of the Thursday DocHouse programme. I eventually booked it, since over half the seats were gone already.
So, since it was a late showing, I hung on in the office for quite a while, having a sandwich before heading out - into the pouring rain, of course. I mean, I was glad not to be headed out to Hammersmith in this - but it was hardly much better having to traipse all the way up to the Curzon Bloomsbury! And then I didn't quite remember the way, and had to keep checking my phone - and while it worked fine in the rain, what didn't was the button that detects my fingerprint, to turn off sleep mode. So, it was a frustrating trip. Well, I made it pretty much in time - I arrived during the trailers (of which there were only five minutes' worth), took my comfortable, reclining seat, peeled off my perpetually sodden coat, and relaxed. (It wasn't completely sold out, BTW, but nearly.)
As you might expect, it's a powerful piece - Oscar-nominated, I believe. I'd never heard of him, but there was a black American author, James Baldwin, who was a friend of three black men who were assassinated in the 60s - as he said, all younger than he was; none lived to see 40. The first, who died in 1963, was the only one of the three I hadn't heard of; Medgar Evers was a civil rights activist in the hotbed of Mississippi. Then there was Malcolm X in 1965 - and Dr. Martin Luther King, in 1968.
So, he agreed to write a book about them, and about the black experience in America. But he only got 30 pages written before he died - well, they've taken that manuscript, and extended it, and made a film out of it. Samuel Jackson narrates what is a stunning script - it is an absolute joy to listen to the words of such an eloquent and erudite man. We do get to see Baldwin in person too, mainly in clips from a tv chat show, during the course of which he argued with a (white) philosopher who thought he was blowing up the race issue.
Stunning use of film clips, tv coverage, and still photos describes a journey from - well, the 19th century really, although it doesn't feature much - right through to the present day. And, by jumping back and forth in time, the film makes a clear connection between the Nazi book burnings and the hate rallies of white supremacists; snippets of Baldwin talking about the likelihood of a black president are, of course, interspersed with Obama's inauguration ceremony (couldn't miss that opportunity!); his description of television feeding its audiences a fantasy view of the world, thus leaving them ill-equipped for the real one, is accompanied by footage from modern gameshows and Jerry Springer, egging his "guests" to the point where they physically attack each other: and a description of young black men turning to violence is accompanied by pictures of young black men that died in the last few years.
Plus ça change, indeed. And his view of American society is a profoundly depressing one. He describes American cities as among the most violent in the world, and describes the revelation he experienced when he moved to Paris as a young man, and could concentrate on his writing, rather than being afraid of the police all the time. Looking at the photos of white, mostly male, students jeering at a young black girl going to school in the deep south, I can hardly disagree. And yes, they did show the Rodney King beating. Not a film that everyone in the audience was comfortable with, nonetheless this is an important commentary. On television, as much as on the black experience.
And then I got soaked on the way home again. Tonight, I saw that London Social Detours (a side-shoot of Ken's Events) were charging £3 to go to the free jazz concert at the Royal Academy. So I was going to go on my own. Free. But then the London European Club (LEC) advertised a Norwegian Dixieland concert at Jamboree.. well, that sounded like more fun, so now I'm going to that instead.
Tomorrow, I'm doing something local - a guided walk on Residents, Rascals & Riots, in Holborn. With London for a Tenner or Less. (God, I hope the rain lets up!) Got a message that that group was closing as well - followed by an email invitation to take over as organiser, as one of its top members! For goodness' sake, I've only been to seven of their Meetups.. and I'm too busy to be taking over a group I don't care about. Anyway, they've only advertised Funzing stuff, with no social element - and there are a few other groups doing that. It'd have been different, had the Man with the Hat wanted someone to take over. May it not be too long before we see him again.
On Sunday, London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) is headed out of town. We're going all the way to Northampton, to see a couple of Shakespearian plays, one directed by one of her members. Richard II, to be precise, with Titus Andronicus to whet our appetites. No-one has signed up apart from me, but what the hey I've never been there, so it'll be interesting. Managed to dig out my Rough Guide to England too, when I was in Ireland over the weekend - must photocopy the bit on Northampton!
On Monday, I'm off to Ugly Lies the Bone, at the Lyttleton.
On Tuesday, I'd booked with Funzing UK for an Infinitease Burlesque Show. In Leytonstone, so if anything better came up in the meantime, I was up for it! That's a terribly long way out. Anyway, the other day I got an email about cheap tickets - apparently there's a burlesque festival on - in Hackney, which is a bit closer. And a lot cheaper. So now I'm going to that instead - Funzing can be cancelled up to 48 hours in advance without penalty.
Wednesday was supposed to be the Man with the Hat's last event, but he had to cancel. Instead, I discovered that the UL Alumni Association (UL is my alma mater) is holding a talk on Brexit that night. And I was going to go to that - but lo, Funzing came up with something better! So then I was going to Urban Legends of London. But do you know, I completely forgot to mention that the World Music Meetup then advertised a Brazilian concert in Sands Film Studios - adore that venue. So that's now where I'm going that day! and barring the proverbial accident, fire, or flood, that's final.
On Thursday, Crick Crack is back - at Crouch End Arthouse again, unfortunately. It's just so far! Still going, of course - the more especially because it's Michael Harvey! He's worth the trip. Then I'm back to Ireland for the Bank Holiday weekend again - and taking the bank holiday, this time!
On the 30h, LDAM are at the Olivier to see Common. So am I.. on a cheap Travelex ticket, which I booked direct with the venue. So I'll be avoiding them, since they don't appreciate that.
On the 31st, free comedy in Hammersmith was up again (temporarily), with the above groups, plus London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers (another offshoot of Ken's Events). But yay, it's now been replaced by another Funzing event - a Luxury Chocolate evening! Helen's popping along, too. The code Fun_Day10 got us a 10% discount.
On 1 June, I eschewed the free comedy in Hammersmith for the Ghosts & Executions Tour, with London for a Tenner or Less - even though that guide wasn't great the last time, so I cancelled this previously, he's better than that free comedy! Oh, and the code WELLBEING30 got me 30% off this. How it qualifies as "well-being" I don't know, but I'm not complaining!
Then I'm off down to Helen for the weekend - she told me about this Living History Festival, and I said yes please!
The 5th, I'm back to Soho Theatre with the Crick Crack Club, for something called The Frog Princess - Punked. Ben Haggerty, the mc and co-founder of the club, told us the other night that there's going to be a full punk band - goodness, who would've thought that Sally Pomme Clayton had a hidden punk side!
And the 6th June, I'm with the LEC, to see the Images Ballet Company at the Arts Depot.
Beer, pizza, and board games in the office after work yesterday - but I'd rather be on a London Literary Walk. Anyway, although I had time for a slice of pizza, I found it very salty, and didn't eat much of it. Instead, I headed out to catch a bus for Highbury.
Rain had been promised - and it didn't disappoint. All day it'd been at it - fortunately, though, not at lunchtime, when our fire alarms went off and we all spent the better part of an hour cooling our heels outside. However, by the time I left for the evening, it was pouring.. happily, my stop wasn't far away, and as I splashed up the road towards it, wouldn't you know, my bus arrived in perfect time! Thank goodness - I was just beginning to think I'd drown.
Half an hour or so later, I disembarked - in slightly lighter rain, I fancied - in Highbury. I wasn't far from the pub where we were to meet - the first bit was the hardest though, having to cross the road, with no official crossing and heavy traffic. Finally, the lights went in my favour - once across, it was down the side lane and left at the end. With the rain still pouring down, I was glad to see the Compton Arms just ahead..
More photos here.. and two of our number were sat in the corner. (As it happened, that was to be half of the total - after me, only one came. Partly on account of the weather, perhaps.) We did stay till 8, just in case the one who'd said he'd come and never cancelled actually showed, but he didn't. Meantime, when I went up for a drink, I was delighted to see Tayto behind the bar! Wow, that's the very first time I've seen it in a London pub!! So I had to have a packet of the old favourite, cheese and onion. And yes, a taste test confirmed that it is real, Irish Tayto. As Stephen, the organiser, said, well, isn't Islington a traditionally Irish area? As if to prove the point, next thing I heard was With or Without You, on the speakers. And I celebrated by having a second pack of Tayto - because, you know, one is never enough.
And too soon, out into the rain. Which showed no sign of easing.
But we ploughed on - it was a fascinating walk, through a fascinating area. We got taken to the former houses of George Orwell and Evelyn Waugh, the pub where U2 performed their first London gig..
..and there were other attractions.
Places I've often visited before included the Almeida, and the King's Head. (Cool area to live in!) And although, as the man said, he was cursed with the weather - freezing last week, pouring this week - we were very glad we'd come. Just the two of us went for a drink afterwards, at The Camden Head - and had a nice chat (over the blaring music) about cosmology and U2. Always worth coming on these evenings - it's a shame I won't be with them for another few weeks.
Anyway. Tonight, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith, with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon & Greenwich, Random London, and London Live Comedy. Something, frankly, that I usually cancel - and eventually, I got an email advertising a film showing tonight. Well, I'd rather go to a film! Did the film list, and eliminated oh, so many films that aren't showing today - or not at a time I can manage (this is also the only evening this week that I have a late meeting). Left at the top of the list is I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary about race in America. Its IMDB rating has actually gone up! which is always unusual. Showing in a few places in town, but the Curzon Bloomsbury is the handiest for me to get home after. Not to mention the cheapest, showing as part of the Thursday DocHouse programme. I've now booked it, since over half the seats were gone already.
Tomorrow, I saw that London Social Detours (a side-shoot of Ken's Events) were charging £3 to go to the free jazz concert at the Royal Academy. So I was going to go on my own. Free. But then the London European Club (LEC) advertised a Norwegian Dixieland concert at Jamboree.. well, that sounded like more fun, so now I'm going to that instead.
On Saturday, I'm doing something local - a guided walk on Residents, Rascals & Riots, in Holborn. With London for a Tenner or Less. Got a message that that group was closing as well - but with a raft of new events suddenly advertised, I guess someone took it over.
On Sunday, London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) is headed out of town. We're going all the way to Northampton, to see a couple of Shakespearian plays, one directed by one of her members. Richard II, to be precise, with Titus Andronicus to whet our appetites. No-one has signed up apart from me, but what the hey I've never been there, so it'll be interesting. Managed to dig out my Rough Guide to England too, when I was in Ireland over the weekend - might photocopy the bit on Northampton!
On Monday, I'm off to Ugly Lies the Bone, at the Lyttleton.
On Tuesday, I'd booked with Funzing UK for an Infinitease Burlesque Show. In Leytonstone, so if anything better came up in the meantime, I was up for it! That's a terribly long way out. Anyway, the other day I got an email about cheap tickets - apparently there's a burlesque festival on - in Hackney, which is a bit closer. And a lot cheaper. So now I'm going to that instead - Funzing can be cancelled up to 48 hours in advance without penalty.
Wednesday was supposed to be the Man with the Hat's last event, but he had to cancel. Instead, I discovered that the UL Alumni Association (UL is my alma mater) is holding a talk on Brexit that night. And I was going to go to that - but lo, Funzing came up with something better! So now I'm going to Urban Legends of London.
Next Thursday, Crick Crack is back - at Crouch End Arthouse again, unfortunately. It's just so far! Still going, of course - the more especially because it's Michael Harvey! He's worth the trip. Then I'm back to Ireland for the Bank Holiday weekend again - and taking the bank holiday, this time!
On the 30h, LDAM are at the Olivier to see Common. So am I.. on a cheap Travelex ticket, which I booked direct with the venue. So I'll be avoiding them, since they don't appreciate that.
On the 31st, free comedy in Hammersmith was up again (temporarily), with the above groups, plus London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers (another offshoot of Ken's Events). But yay, it's now been replaced by another Funzing event - a Luxury Chocolate evening! Helen's popping along, too. The code Fun_Day10 got us a 10% discount.
On 1 June, I eschewed the free comedy in Hammersmith for the Ghosts & Executions Tour, with London for a Tenner or Less - even though that guide wasn't great the last time, so I cancelled this previously, he's better than that free comedy! Oh, and the code WELLBEING30 got me 30% off this. How it qualifies as "well-being" I don't know, but I'm not complaining!
Then I'm off down to Helen for the weekend - she told me about this Living History Festival, and I said yes please!
The 5th, I'm back to Soho Theatre with the Crick Crack Club, for something called The Frog Princess - Punked. Ben Haggerty, the mc and co-founder of the club, told us the other night that there's going to be a full punk band - goodness, who would've thought that Sally Pomme Clayton had a hidden punk side!
And the 6th June, I'm with the LEC, to see the Images Ballet Company at the Arts Depot.
As mentioned yesterday, it was the London European Club (LEC) who introduced me to Pint of Science - as they've introduced me to so many things. Excellent idea, a science talk in a pub - and cheap, to boot! Happily, last night's talk was closer than the night before's - I had to get me to Shoreditch. Which meant a bus - the Tube would've been slightly quicker, but not much.
I had a choice of buses, settling on the 242. And I actually beat it to the stop, for once! It was going to be a bit tight, but the walk at the other end seemed short - and sure enough, we got there with five minutes to spare, and all I had to do was backtrack to the pedestrian crossing (rare, around here!) and take the next left. Reassuringly, a sign for The Water Poet stood at the entrance to the laneway, and there it was, the first pub just down a bit on the left.
Wow, such decor! I actually look pictures on the way out, because I had so little time..
..and the event was well-signposted, unlike Monday's!
Pity we were in the cellar.. and a much smaller space than Monday's! This one probably did fill completely - certainly, by the time I arrived, I had trouble finding a seat. I ended up a few rows from the front - and in from the aisle, which meant I hadn't a hope of seeing properly. I managed about a third of the screen if I sat still - leaning got me most of it, in the end, but I never managed to get a full view. One of those cases where you wish people in front would remove their heads..
Picked up a Pint of Science beermat, which was placed on my chair. I'll have to start a collection of interesting beermats.. Anyway, also unlike Monday, techie problems abounded last night, with some disconnect between the computer at the back, where the slides were displaying, and the screen, where they were not. Cue poor Dr Karim Malik, our first speaker, who did have a great sense of humour, attempting stand-up while they fiddled around, making sure everything was connected. (In the end, they figured out it was a display problem, with the slides being on a different monitor to the one that was being projected onto the screen.)
So, back to Karim. A reader in theoretical cosmology at Queen Mary, he talked to us mainly about cosmological inflation. The universe, he said, didn't start with a "big bang".. just an initial period of very rapid expansion. (So what's the difference - the bang?) The numbers, as ever, are unimaginable - the universe increased in size by a factor of 10^30 (1000000000000000000000000000000) during a period of approximately 10^-35 seconds (0.00000000000000000000000000000000001 seconds) - hard to measure precisely. So essentially, practically instantaneously, it went from nothing to a whole universe. Phew!
He told us little else, honestly - I got the impression that he'd rather have been speaking in maths, but was determined (or had been told) to keep maths out of it. So the most we got by way of an equation was ä > 0. I wish he'd focussed more on this, actually - it's quite a phenomenal result. ä represents the acceleration of the universe, y'see. If it were slowing down, ä would be negative. So.. the universe's expansion is.. speeding up! Huh. Not that he told us, but when matter in the universe was packed closer together, gravity slowed down the acceleration, and now it's speeding up because things are spaced further apart, and gravity has less of an effect. Oh, and because of "dark energy".. He also spoke about some powerful telescopes, and how Britain's involvement with the European ones is being threatened by Brexit.
Actually, with him, the Q+A was more interesting. People did ask interesting questions, and he was a wee bit more forthcoming. He did have this obsession with seeing the universe as a box (small box, grows to bigger box..). Every time people asked conceptual questions, he referred them back to the box. ("You're forgetting the box..") He excused himself (and the theory) by explaining that cosmologists in general would prefer to be noodling around with equations. The equations show that the universe is homogeneous, isotropic, and infinite. And if someone asks a cosmologist "But what does that mean?" the answer is "Ehh.."
A couple of interesting questions - and the Pint of Science goody bags last night were given out for the most interesting questions! which I thought was nice. First prize went to the girl beside me - her boyfriend was obviously bored out of his tree, and only stayed because she wanted to, but was dead impressed when she got a prize. Her question? "If the universe is expanding, what is it expanding into?" A brief explanation was given at the time, but the mc - also a cosmologist - took it upon himself to come down to her at the interval, to explain that the equations didn't require it to be expanding into anything. So you don't have to think about it. (Not sure she got anything from that, but I'm sure the goody bag was a consolation.) The other winning question was "How do you tell dark matter and dark energy apart, given that they're both dark?" Karim had pointed out that although we can't see dark matter, we can see its gravitational effect. And again, the goody bag will have proved a consolation for any remaining gaps in the lady's knowledge.
I didn't feel like a drink at the interval - it was just too cramped. We were entertained by a very dubious Indian PhD student, who performed some stand-up. Oh dear. Well, I admired his pluck. And then we had Jessie Durk, a PhD student at Queen Mary, whose talk - and, I bet, PhD - centred on the "lumpiness" of the universe. In other words, the standard cosmological model assumes a smooth universe, and she's looking into what happens if you add some lumps. She'd even 3D-printed a model of what she was talking about! (i.e. she had the universe in her bag). In a breathlessly enthusiastic talk, she asked us to, eh, compare chunky and smooth peanut butter. (So what if you don't like peanut butter..?) She had a terrible habit of saying the same thing over and over, but never mind, she'll improve. And her message at the end, about the passion of scientists for their work, was a valuable one.
And so home - ironically, I could choose a bus going in either direction! I chose the 8, which would drop me convenient to Tesco. And damned if it wasn't raining when I got off - so much for Google Maps' prediction of no rain before midnight! Tonight, London Literary Walks is off to Highbury. And so am I. Despite the fact that it's promised to rain all day - well, it's supposed to have lightened off by evening.
Tomorrow, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith, with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon & Greenwich, Random London, and London Live Comedy. Something, frankly, that I usually cancel - and eventually, I got an email advertising a film showing that night. Well, I'd rather go to a film! Did the film list, and eliminated oh, so many films that aren't showing that day - or not at a time I can manage (it's also the only evening this week that I have a late meeting). Left at the top of the list is I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary about race in America. Its IMDB rating has actually gone up! which is always unusual. Showing in a few places in town, but the Curzon Bloomsbury is the handiest for me to get home after. Not to mention the cheapest, showing as part of the Thursday DocHouse programme. I'm keeping an eye on how it's booking -seats are starting to fill.
On Friday, I saw that London Social Detours (a side-shoot of Ken's Events) were charging £3 to go to the free jazz concert at the Royal Academy. So I was going to go on my own. Free. But then the LEC advertised a Norwegian Dixieland concert at Jamboree.. well, that sounded like more fun, so now I'm going to that instead.
On Saturday, I'm doing something local - a guided walk on Residents, Rascals & Riots, in Holborn. With London for a Tenner or Less. Got a message that that group was closing as well - but with a raft of new events suddenly advertised, I guess someone took it over.
On Sunday, London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) is headed out of town. We're going all the way to Northampton, to see a couple of Shakespearian plays, one directed by one of her members. Richard II, to be precise, with Titus Andronicus to whet our appetites. No-one has signed up apart from me, but what the hey I've never been there, so it'll be interesting. Managed to dig out my Rough Guide to England too, when I was in Ireland over the weekend - might photocopy the bit on Northampton!
On Monday, I'm off to Ugly Lies the Bone, at the Lyttleton.
On Tuesday, I'd booked with Funzing UK for an Infinitease Burlesque Show. In Leytonstone, so if anything better came up in the meantime, I was up for it! That's a terribly long way out. Anyway, the other day I got an email about cheap tickets - apparently there's a burlesque festival on - in Hackney, which is a bit closer. And a lot cheaper. So now I'm going to that instead - Funzing can be cancelled up to 48 hours in advance without penalty.
Next Wednesday was supposed to be the Man with the Hat's last event, but he had to cancel. Instead, I discovered that the UL Alumni Association (UL is my alma mater) is holding a talk on Brexit that night. And I was going to go to that - but lo, Funzing came up with something better! So now I'm going to Urban Legends of London.
The 25th, Crick Crack is back - at Crouch End Arthouse again, unfortunately. It's just so far! Still going, of course - the more especially because it's Michael Harvey! He's worth the trip. Then I'm back to Ireland for the Bank Holiday weekend again - and taking the bank holiday, this time!
On the 30h, LDAM are at the Olivier to see Common. So am I.. on a cheap Travelex ticket, which I booked direct with the venue. So I'll be avoiding them, since they don't appreciate that.
On the 31st, free comedy in Hammersmith was up again (temporarily), with the above groups, plus London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers (another offshoot of Ken's Events). But yay, it's now been replaced by another Funzing event - a Luxury Chocolate evening! Helen's popping along, too. The code Fun_Day10 got us a 10% discount.
On 1 June, I eschewed the free comedy in Hammersmith for the Ghosts & Executions Tour, with London for a Tenner or Less - even though that guide wasn't great the last time, so I cancelled this previously, he's better than that free comedy! Oh, and the code WELLBEING30 got me 30% off this. How it qualifies as "well-being" I don't know, but I'm not complaining!
Then I'm off down to Helen for the weekend - she told me about this Living History Festival, and I said yes please!
The 5th, I'm back to Soho Theatre with the Crick Crack Club, for something called The Frog Princess - Punked. Ben Haggerty, the mc and co-founder of the club, told us the other night that there's going to be a full punk band - goodness, who would've thought that Sally Pomme Clayton had a hidden punk side!
And the 6th June, I'm with the LEC, to see the Images Ballet Company at the Arts Depot.
It was actually the London European Club (LEC) that alerted me to Pint of Science - and good on 'em! Science talks in pubs are an excellent idea - and they're cheap. The LEC were off to a talk on power, yesterday. Buy your own ticket, as usual - but when I checked out the website, I found some others I'd rather go to! So I ended up booking a talk on quantum physics - more appropriate to my background, and something I'm far more interested in.
Made my way down there in the evening - it was happening at The George IV, in Chiswick. Checking my route, it seemed I hadn't a hope of making it by bus from the office in under an hour! Who wouldha' thought it was so far out?! Of course, this is the furthest east I've been based - the places I've been before would have been much more convenient for it. Well, Tube it was. Piccadilly Line, then change to the District Line at Baron's Court (or Hammersmith).
As I made my way to the platform in Leicester Square, an indistinct announcement (is there any other kind?) said something about a delay on the Piccadilly Line westbound - something about a signal failure in Hammersmith. Hmm - at this stage, I didn't have another option. So I continued to the platform, and in due course a train arrived - I got a seat, always a surprise. And when we eventually got to Baron's Court, there was a long delay.. When a District Line train pulled in at the adjacent platform, our kind driver said we might be better off taking it, because of the delay on the Piccadilly Line. Which was what Google Maps had already suggested. Clever of them.
And so I did - passing Stamford Brook on the way, and the house beside the tracks that was my first home in London - and got to Turnham Green. Where it was pissing rain. Well, it wasn't a long walk to the pub.
A sign outside told me I was in the right place - but there was no indication inside, and I had to ask. Turned out to be in the "Boston Room" - no access directly from the pub, you have to go through the courtyard. There, there was a sign - and passing though the doorway, I found the desk, where they checked off my name and gave me a Pint of Science sticker. Goodee!
So then I joined the queue at the bar. Now, there was a terrible delay - and the guy behind me was incredulous, saying it was never like this! Methinks the pair on bar duty were a bit inexperienced. Anyway, my (slightly expensive - well, this is Chiswick) glass of wine finally in hand, I scouted around for a seat, eventually squeezing my way through packed tables to the row of seats at the edge of the stage. I ended up just at the corner, to one side.
This function room is essentially a barn with some chandeliers in it. And some artwork, on the walls. They have tried, but the whole thing just looks thrown together. A bar at the entrance, toilet facilities, booths along the walls. It serves its purpose.
And, to be fair, all the technology worked tonight! which isn't always a feature of talks I've been to. I was glad the mc wasn't giving the presentations - he has a really bad speaking style. A scientist rather than a performer, I think - and most of the audience had the appearance of bespectacled students, probably working in the field, out for a social evening that could be considered part of their studies. Well, I guess not many of the common public would choose this subject over the myriad of more accessible ones on the same night. The talk had been advertised as sold out, but I did spy several empty seats - maybe they cried off because of the rain, and it being so cheap. Still, I believe they do hold back some tickets to be sold on the night.
Two speakers, both professors in the field of quantum physics, both in casual shirts and jeans, both jovial. The perfect choice for a public talk on a complex subject! First up was Professor Vlatko Vedral, of Oxford; his theme was the extension of quantum theory to - well, everything! As he explained to us, quantum mechanics are essentially random, and one of the main characteristics of quantum behaviour is the ability to exist simultaneously in more than one state. The speaker can be standing simultaneously at both sides of the stage, the cat is simultaneously both alive and dead. (As he remarked, what Schrödinger had against cats, he doesn't know.. he'd have used dogs, himself, he's a cat person..)
Well, they've observed it for subatomic particles. ("Observed" is the wrong word - "detected" would be better, since the very act of observation resolves the system to exist in one state or the other.) His aim is to extend it for larger objects, and for living objects - they think they've found something like it in photosynthesis, and are currently trying to replicate quantum behaviour in bacteria.
Ah, I love quantum physics - even when you get completely lost (as you do), it sounds so cool..
At the interval, sundry people huddled together to attempt the table quiz. I didn't get my hands on a copy, but wouldn't probably have made much headway anyway - there was an old photo, in which you had to identify a few famous physicists. Einstein was the only one I'd have managed, with his shock of white hair. And there was a question as to how many atoms would fit in the full stop at the end of this question. Hell, I think I remember that as an actual exam question, back in the day! (Answer was approximately 10^15, although they accepted any answer within the order of 100 either way. And of course, it depends on the font!)
The second talk had Professor Winfried Hensinger, an even more enthusiastic chap, telling us about the advances in quantum computing. The basic idea is that, while a classical computer processes information in binary code, a quantum computer uses atoms. Which can, as we know, exist in more than one state at the same time. So, where a classical computer can process one bit of information, a quantum computer with n qubits can handle 2^n simultaneous states. Mind you, if you want an actual answer from the machine, these are going to resolve to n bits of information - like a classical computer. It'll just have gotten to that answer literally a billion times quicker - say, something that would take a classical computer something like the age of the universe to solve, a quantum computer could work out an answer to in a couple of weeks.
So, what magic does he have in his quantum computer to achieve this? Well, atoms, of course. Trapped ions, to be precise - and he showed us how to achieve this. And what a basic machine looks like, as he emphasised that quantum computing is where classical computing was, fifty years ago. But he's developed the blueprint. Watch this space..
A fascinating evening - and confirmation, if it were needed, of the value of international cooperation. Vlatko has British citizenship now, but was born in Serbia, and Winfried is German. Brexiteers, take note - you can't afford to damage this kind of international connection.
And it was handier to get home - I got the bus straight there. It was a nostalgic journey - en route to the bus stop, I passed the Tabard..
I've been to just a couple of plays there: the first time when I lived within walking distance, and the last time - ahh, that was with the Man with the Hat, last year. I remember us going in, while he sat alone, outside in the cold, waiting for latecomers. And we remarked how good he was to us. I drove, on that occasion - the only one of his that I did end up driving to: nearly had a coronary driving through the Hammersmith gyratory for the first time. (On a side note, his groups have now finally closed - and sadly, all mention of them has gone from Meetup. Not from this blog, though.)
Through Shepherd's Bush, and all those streets that I pounded, looking for an alternative place to live, and an escape from horrible flatmates. Past the Vue, which I went to many's the time - it was the closest (by foot) from my old London office. Through Notting Hill, where I've also been to the cinema a few times. There was a diversion, which phased a few people - clever Google Maps had predicted it though, and it didn't affect me. And finally, to the city centre, where I disembarked to the sound of Paint It Black - a small band was busking, and had attracted something of a crowd, one guy dancing. Yup, I like the centre best!
Tonight, I'm off to Pint of Science again - this time, Across the Universe (cosmology). Also sold out. Rock on.. in completely the other direction tonight. Spitalfields, it seems. Much quicker to get to - even by bus!
Tomorrow, London Literary Walks is off to Highbury. And so am I.
On Thursday, I was booked for free comedy in Hammersmith, with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon & Greenwich, Random London, and London Live Comedy. Something, frankly, that I usually cancel - and eventually, I got an email advertising a film showing that night. Well, I'd rather go to a film! Did the film list, and eliminated oh, so many films that aren't showing that day - or not at a time I can manage (it's also the only evening this week that I have a late meeting). Left at the top of the list is I Am Not Your Negro, a documentary about race in America. Showing in a few places in town, but the Curzon Bloomsbury is the handiest for me to get home after. Not to mention the cheapest, showing as part of the Thursday DocHouse programme. I'm keeping an eye on how it's booking -seats are starting to fill.
On Friday, I saw that London Social Detours (a side-shoot of Ken's Events) were charging £3 to go to the free jazz concert at the Royal Academy. So I was going to go on my own. Free. But then the LEC advertised a Norwegian Dixieland concert at Jamboree.. well, that sounded like more fun, so now I'm going to that instead.
On Saturday, I'm doing something local - a guided walk on Residents, Rascals & Riots, in Holborn. With London for a Tenner or Less. Got a message that that group was closing as well - but with a raft of new events suddenly advertised, I guess someone took it over.
On Sunday, London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) is headed out of town. We're going all the way to Northampton, to see a couple of Shakespearian plays, one directed by one of her members. Richard II, to be precise, with Titus Andronicus to whet our appetites. No-one has signed up apart from me, but what the hey I've never been there, so it'll be interesting. Managed to dig out my Rough Guide to England too, when I was in Ireland over the weekend - might photocopy the bit on Northampton!
On Monday, I'm off to Ugly Lies the Bone, at the Lyttleton.
Next Tuesday, I'd booked with Funzing UK for an Infinitease Burlesque Show. In Leytonstone, so if anything better came up in the meantime, I was up for it! That's a terribly long way out. Anyway, the other day I got an email about cheap tickets - apparently there's a burlesque festival on - in Hackney, which is a bit closer. And a lot cheaper. So now I'm going to that instead - Funzing can be cancelled up to 48 hours in advance without penalty.
The 24th was supposed to be the Man with the Hat's last event, but he had to cancel. Instead, I discovered that the UL Alumni Association (UL is my alma mater) is holding a talk on Brexit that night. And I was going to go to that - but lo, Funzing came up with something better! So now I'm going to Urban Legends of London.
The 25th, Crick Crack is back - at Crouch End Arthouse again, unfortunately. It's just so far! Still going, of course - the more especially because it's Michael Harvey! He's worth the trip. Then I'm back to Ireland for the Bank Holiday weekend again - and taking the bank holiday, this time!
On the 30h, LDAM are at the Olivier to see Common. So am I.. on a cheap Travelex ticket, which I booked direct with the venue. So I'll be avoiding them, since they don't appreciate that.
On the 31st, free comedy in Hammersmith was up again (temporarily), with the above groups, plus London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers (another offshoot of Ken's Events). But yay, it's now been replaced by another Funzing event - a Luxury Chocolate evening! Helen's popping along, too. The code Fun_Day10 got us a 10% discount.
On 1 June, I eschewed the free comedy in Hammersmith for the Ghosts & Executions Tour, with London for a Tenner or Less - even though that guide wasn't great the last time, so I cancelled this previously, he's better than that free comedy! Oh, and the code WELLBEING30 got me 30% off this. How it qualifies as "well-being" I don't know, but I'm not complaining!
Then I'm off down to Helen for the weekend - she told me about this Living History Festival, and I said yes please!
The 5th, I'm back to Soho Theatre with the Crick Crack Club, for something called The Frog Princess - Punked. Ben Haggerty, the mc and co-founder of the club, told us the other night that there's going to be a full punk band - goodness, who would've thought that Sally Pomme Clayton had a hidden punk side!
And the 6th June, I'm with the LEC, to see the Images Ballet Company at the Arts Depot.
