And then it rained. Oh, how it rained! The proverbial 40 days and 40 nights hardly covers it. It started at lunchtime, and absolutely poured all afternoon. By the time I came to leave, it was still lashing down. Sod it, I said, I'll take the driest option of the Tube - handily, I had my Oyster card on me. Besides, I was a bit tight on time - not that a short Tube journey really saves time, what with all the time taken to get down to platform level at the entry station, and back up at the exit station. I'm sure I didn't get there any faster than if I'd walked.
But I was still glad I hadn't. What with being stuck behind people fiddling with brollies, then having them poke me in the eye, and uneven pavements that filled with puddles, with loose paving stones that flipped up and splashed me several times on the short walk from Green Park - I was pretty grumpy by the time I reached the Lansdowne Club. No sign of our organiser - I figured she'd gone in already. Actually, it turned out that they'd only just started to let people in, and she and the others who'd arrived early had only just arrived - my timing was rather good. As instructed, I asked for the piano recital, was directed up some stairs, and gratefully left my sodden coat in the cloakroom. They checked my name off the list, just as the cloakroom attendant dashed up to me with the ticket I'd forgotten. There was the organiser, there were the group - most already comfortably ensconced in a lovely ballroom, in what is a stunning building, apparently newly refurbished.
What followed was arguably the loveliest recital I've ever been to. The programme opened with Haydn, followed by Beethoven's Pathétique. Now, Beethoven is my favourite composer overall, and the beginning of the piece was instantly identifiable as Beethoven, dramatic chords to grab our attention. And I might well have expected to like this piece the best. But I hadn't been prepared for what was to come - two sublime pieces by Bach, arrangements by Busoni ("Ich Ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ" and Chaconne) were followed by an almost equally enthralling piece by Liszt. And all so sensitively played - although I don't have the technical knowledge exhibited by one of our group, who teaches piano and performs himself.
After a wonderful concert (and a partial standing ovation), we repaired to the bar, unwilling to venture out into the deluge again. It was so comfy, and so lovely..
You can only buy drinks with a member's card, but our fearless organiser schlepped over to a couple of guys in the corner and asked to borrow theirs. So we managed one round - and after, the pianist, Bobby Chen, finally joined us! We passed a most convivial evening in the company of this softly spoken musician, and I was delighted I'd come. Sadly, I can't come to their next visit here.. but more of that later.
Coming out, it was still pouring. I followed Google Maps' directions to Berkeley Square, where they said to catch the C2. No nightingales singing last night, sadly - just a constant drip-drip. Well, wouldn't you know it - my third bus mishap in just over a week (I've complained again). The only bus mentioned on the stop was the 22! As I checked its route on TFL, only to discover it passes nowhere near there, a C2 sailed past. Sod it, I said, and made my way back to Green Park, taking the first bus that happened along that would get me to within walking distance of home. And my poor feet got soaked a few more times on the last walk - I stopped into Tesco en route, feeling hungry, and had to dump the paper I'd been carrying, which was sodden.
For tonight, I was looking at free comedy in Greenwich, with London Live Comedy, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, and Random London - I see he's now taken to advertising them with Funzing UK as well. (I do wonder what's happening with London Literary Walks, who used to have a walk almost every Wednesday over the summer..) Anyway, on Friday, what should happen (over lunch) but that I got an offer of £5 tickets to go see Queen Anne (offer now available only on Thursday). Well now, that had already caught my attention - so now I'm going to that. (The company involved do say not to spread their name around, but since they advertise on the Tube - and have done in the paper - I do think that's highly hypocritical.) And it's an even shorter walk. And the rain dried up! All good.
Tomorrow was more comedy - in Hammersmith - with the Famous Five (aforementioned) groups - Discover LDN.UK twice, as before. But you know, Eleanor did a good job last week of selling upcoming events to us - so instead, I'm going to see The Good Soldier Schwejk - mainly because it's on upstairs at Sands Films, where I've never been. Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend.
On Monday, more comedy - for £3.60, this time. Tez Ilyas is performing at the Pleasaunce, and I know he's good - saw him in Top Secret once, for free..
On Tuesday, the U2 tour continues - I fly to Barcelona that day, to see them that night! One of their crazy, one-night-only appearances, on what is a very limited tour. Turns out I'm seeing them at half of all their European concerts for the year! Looking forward to immersing myself in the madness again.
I fly back next Wednesday, and that night was - provisionally - booked for more free comedy (quelle surprise). Greenwich, the above three groups. There are some interesting Funzing talks that night, but I've already seen them. And then - why, Eleanor has another event! I listened to a clip of Hanitra, decided I liked her enough, so now I'm booked to see her in Sands Films that night.
The 20th, I booked another Funzing talk (the above two groups). This is a talk about serial killers, as given by a forensic psychologist (Jennifer Rees) that works with the police, and who also gives terrific talks about psychopaths. Highly recommended! She's a terrifically engaging speaker, and looks far too young to be working in such a murky area. Unfortunately, now I've had to cancel - turns out that the much-anticipated first Meetup of the Man with the Hat's other ex-members' group, Love London for Less, is happening that night, so of course I'm headed to that - we're going to the Icebar, where I've never been. Should be interesting. Never mind about the talk - although, despite being on the watchlist for the talk, I received no notice, Helen spotted, over the weekend, that another instance of that talk has been scheduled for next month, and I'm booked for that.
Then I'm back to Ireland for a long weekend - first to Dublin (from London City airport, a first for me), for U2's (one-and-only!) concert there.. then down to see my mother for a couple of days, flying back on Tuesday.
On the 26th, I had booked free comedy in Greenwich - same groups as before. Then Funzing rode to the rescue, and instead I'm now headed to a Funzing talk entitled "Politics - WTF!" Appropriate, no? Anyway, I booked them on a once-only code "iwantfunzingagain". Or you could try "Funzing30" - both give 30% off, but are time-limited.
On the 27th, free comedy in Hammersmith again. So far.
I fly back on the 31st, and saw an interesting Funzing talk advertised for that night - "Are We Living in the Matrix?" Well, I'm well overdue a free talk, with all of them that I've booked (every fourth free), so I contacted them to get a code to get this for free. Still waiting..! Despairing of them, I finally booked it on one of their limited 50% deals over the weekend.
And on the 1st, I finally get to see Jennifer Rees again, when she's giving a talk on The Psychology of Criminals. With dim sum, great! (Had to stick with a 10% discount for this one - Fun_Day10 or Fun_Week10 are the ones you want for that.) And it's walking distance from me for once, in Covent Garden. Excellent.. and Helen has sensibly decided to come too. On which occasion she'll deliver all the stuff I couldn't fit in my bag, coming back from Twickenham!
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