Sure enough, despite me submitting a complaint, they still show the wrong route for the 38 - you have been warned! Anyhoo, that promised rain showed up with a vengeance - it rained so much on me while I was walking into work that my coat was soaked through, and still damp by the time I came to put it on this evening. In fact, staring at the incessant rain and grey clouds through the window all day was quite depressing. At least I didn't have to go far to catch the bus.. and both that stop, and the one where I changed buses, are covered, which was a mercy, as it was chucking it down.
Basically, what I had to do was catch one bus to the top of Tottenham Court Road, then switch to one going at right angles to it, along Euston Road. And again, Google Maps had me waiting until we were past Euston Road to get off, then crossing the road and catching the bus there to go around the corner. Rubbish! A potentially long wait at traffic lights to get across, followed by another wait to try to cross the road to get to the other stop..? When, if you get off at Warren Street, granted it's a longer walk to that same corner, but you avoid delays, and just have to round the corner to the first stop you see. Oh, and in each case, the journey was short and straight enough that any old bus headed in that direction and stopping at that stop would do. So I ended up taking completely different buses to those that Google Maps suggested.
A good evening to test, not only the rainworthiness of your outerwear, but also the evenness of the pavements! Amazing how many and how large the puddles were that I had to dodge, all the way. And what a spectacular wave the buses pulling in to our stop caused! Anyway, I was nearly at my destination when one of the group posted a comment on the Meetup page that he was already there and having a pint. Dodging puddles again, I made my way into the crowded pub, and while I was queueing at the bar, spied the organiser down the back. Took forever to get served, but I eventually made my way down and joined the group..
We had fun, catching up. But after a while, I did start to wonder where our companion was, who had commented that he was already there and having a pint. (When I hadn't seen him as I arrived, I'd just assumed he was at the bar, or the loo.) I said as much to the organiser, who doesn't have a smartphone and hadn't got the message; well, perplexed, he took off on a tour of the pub to find him. No sign. We joked that maybe he'd mistaken the name of this pub - The Globe - for Shakespeare's Globe, on the other side of town. I thought - maybe I'd better message him to check that he isn't over there, just in case! Well, wouldn't you know it..
So, he said he'd get right on the Tube, and the organiser told me to tell him to ring when he got to Baker Street, because we wouldn't be very far away. And indeed, it took us long enough to get out of the pub.. a German-sounding man at our table overheard me telling a story - about another person, in another Meetup group, who mistook the venue, once, and similarly, had to dash across town. The story involved a swearword, as uttered by the unfortunate person in question. Well, our companion decided to use this as an opportunity to tell this long and involved joke.. with his particular sense of humour.. and damned if anyone was leaving until he was finished. Including his friend, who was trying to buy a round for the two of them!
When we eventually made it out, we started the walk under a canopy, dripping with rain, which was still pelting down. Finding shelter was to become a feature of this walk, more particularly in the early stages; the rain eased as the evening progressed. Then it was to an underpass, to get across busy Euston Road: and what an interesting underpass! In fact, we were just in time to get across before it was locked for the night - a security guard asked us which direction we were headed in. Anyway, it turned out to have some curious exhibits:
..and some interesting historical panels!
Above ground again, and our lost sheep rang the shepherd - after a minute, we found each other, and all was well again! Apart from the weather. We learned that the Abbey National Building Society now occupies 221b Baker Street, where Holmes was supposed to have lived - and so they sponsored the statue of him that now stands outside the Tube station! We learned that Madame Tussaud's has a domed roof because it used to be a planetarium:
We toddled off to the Sherlock Holmes museum - behind roadworks, from the other side of the road, at the moment, and not terribly photogenic. Just up the road from the actual address, it does have a fictional blue plaque saying that the detective lived there. They also sell location-appropriate clothing, across the road:
The mixed description of the walk was explained by the sheer variety of things he had to talk about. There was the usual rogue's gallery of celebrities that lived locally - we spent an enjoyable time reminiscing about the unique talents of Kenneth Williams. We passed somewhere that Dodie Smith, who wrote the 101 Dalmatians, lived.. hence the title of the walk. And we passed the Steiner House, and discussed the Steiner method of education. Also passed a school that had bought the adjoining pub when it went out of business. Must have made classes a bit more interesting.. Oh, and speaking of books, here's an interesting storage idea:
We never did get very far from Marylebone station, and it was there that we finished up - gratefully, and damply, in the Victoria and Albert pub. Where the kitchen was closed, so I had a packet of chicken-flavoured crisps with my wine. And we repaired to a comfy sofa in the well-appointed, wood-panelled room off the bar.
Nice place - although they close ridiculously early! Last orders were called before nine, and we had people throwing us out of there before 10.15. Anyway, we went our separate ways, and it was great to see everyone! I was close enough to walk home - but it was still drizzly, and I was wet and cold, so I let a bus take me down Euston Road.
Tomorrow, the London European Club is off to a contemporary dance performance called Morphed, at the Royal Festival Hall. It's part of the Nordic Matters festival, apparently. And wouldn't you know it, not a drop of rain is forecast between 8am and 2am the following day!
On Friday, handily enough, Spooky London Pubs (another new group for me - I think!) are hosting a talk on Conan Doyle and the Mysterious World of Light. Handiest of all, it's in the King and Queen - my local! Why, I pass it every day.. Couldn't miss the opportunity to pop in.
On Saturday, I'm finally back with London Dramatic Arts, for the opening night of Against, with Ben Whishaw, at the Almeida. I'm in the rear stalls - they also have tickets in the front stalls, for a higher price, of course. They're actually also going to see Apologia, with Stockard Channing and Laura Carmichael, earlier in the day, but for a ridiculous price, so I passed on that. (Never mind, I'm going myself - cheaper - in October: cheapest tickets I found were with Amazon Tickets.) It'll be weird to spend a weekend in London again, it's been so long - lovely not to have to fly anywhere, and just have a lie-in.
On Sunday, I've now booked with Carpe Diem, who are doing a Cockney Walk. Let's hope it's dry!
On Monday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats: just a single play this time, Dark Room, at the Etcetera Theatre.
On Tuesday, back with Funzing: LDN Talks @Night and London Speaks Sessions have a talk called Z List - Dead List! So, a comedian is to regale us with tales of nefarious dead people, and we are to decide who deserves to become a celebrity forever! I got a 30% discount with the code WELLBEING30. Shoreditch, as usual - this one is in the Loves Company Cocktail Bar.
Next Wednesday, another Camden Fringe double bill with Up in the Cheap Seats: Ego, in The Lion and Unicorn, and The Trial of Le Singe, in The Water Rats.
On the 17th, I'm headed to a rather interesting talk on Bodysnatching in Southwark! Mary, too.. and it's a funny thing, all the tickets were gone when I first saw it, but then I checked again on spec, and more were available! Lucky. As advertised by Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - but they're not running it, tickets are available on Eventbrite, and are free. I see London Social Detours are going too. Then I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend.
On the 21st, I'm off to see Jesus Christ Superstar, finally! At the open-air theatre in Regent's Park - again, I hope it doesn't rain.
On the 22nd, my first talk with Scarlet Ladies UK (!). Their stated aim is to abolish the stigma of talking about sex.. so they have a load of talks. This one is about the history of slut-shaming.
On the 23rd, back with Jennifer Rees (and the same two Meetup Funzing groups again), for a talk about the Psychology of Serial Killers. This is at least the third instance of this talk - I was booked for one last month, but had to cancel - it clashed with the trip to the Icebar. The next was sold out - and then I saw this one and booked, at last! It's on the Battersea Barge, of all places! Just a 10% discount this time - I see the latest code for that is crazy_fun.
On the 24th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, a musical about the life of Billie Holiday. Nice and close to me, at Wyndham's.
On the 25th, back with the same group (!) for yet another Camden Fringe double bill: Boris - the Musical! at the Cockpit again, and Make Advena Great Again, at Camden People's Theatre. Goodness, that's only a short walk from home..
On the 26th, I'm back to the Proms for the first time in years! Funnily enough, it was inspired by a Meetup group - Gothic Requiem London (!). This is the "Gothic Prom", you see - all the composers are Czech (Bohemian). Now, I'm no Goth - but the Proms sound like a great idea.
On the 27th, I'm off on a day trip to Bath, with Carpe Diem: booked while I was in Barcelona, recently.
On the 28th, the organiser of Walks, Talks & Treasure Hunts promised Helen and me free tickets to a treasure hunt she was organising that day - in recompense for that treasure hunt, not run by her but advertised by her, where the organisers never showed, and instead marked us as no-shows. However, the event on the 28th still hasn't been advertised, and what with severe engineering works at Waterloo for the whole month, Helen's not sure she can make it at all. We shall see.
On the 29th, I'm off to see Five Guys Named Moe, at the Marble Arch Theatre - a pop-up, it seems! From the Box Office provided the best deal on this occasion.
On the 30th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats, for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, at the Apollo (although booking is with the Young Vic), with Sienna Miller, Colm Meaney, and nudity. Cheapest tickets this time were with LoveTheatre.
On the 31st, back with those two Funzing groups. This time, the talk is entitled "Can You Trust the Media?", and is given by Annie Machon, who gave an interesting talk last month on Russian Hacking. Another 30% discount. I just wish she'd use some visual aids.. At the Lighthouse again, terrific. :-/ Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 4th September, I'm finally going to see Dreamgirls, at the Savoy. Amazon Tickets, again.
On the 5th September, back with the Scarlet Ladies for a talk on Generation Sex.
On the 6th September, I'm with another new group - North London Friends - for an interview with Michael Palin, at the Knowledge Centre Theatre at the British Library. I was really torn, though - London European Club is off to an early music concert the same night, and I do love that - but had already booked this, and it is Michael Palin. Hey-ho..
On the 7th September, back with North London Friends, and another talk on Fake News - different speaker, mind! This is the Fulbright Commission annual lecture, at the British Library.
On the 8th September, until today I was still technically booked for free comedy in Hammersmith with DiscoverLDN.UK. But, as I say - good atmosphere, but the comedy is usually pretty bad. I was saved - again - by Up in the Cheap Seats, who are off to see Doubt, a Parable, in Southwark Playhouse. Aww.. it's so long since I was there, and I have so many good memories of it from my time with the Man with the Hat!
On the 9th September, Helen and I have our 25km sponsored walk, in aid of Haslemere's Cat Protection Society. We're going as Dick Whittington and his cat, respectively, and the route is the Thames Bridges Trek. You can donate here..
Which will tire me out nicely, just in time for my flight to Prague the next morning! I'm at a conference there, Sunday to Tuesday. (What a nice company I work for!) Gee, but I love Prague - most beautiful city I've ever seen, and I've seen a few. They're putting me up at a nice hotel too, just down the road.
So, I fly back on the 12th September, and on the 13th I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats, at Sadler's Wells, for the Hofesh Schechter Company grand finale.
On the 14th September, I'm at another talk with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts - this one, at Southwark Cathedral, is about the River Effra, South London's Secret Spine. Another free Eventbrite event, this is to publicise a book about the subject, and the talk is given by the author. Another thing that had no tickets, then it did! Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 18th September, I'm off to Showstopper! at the Lyric. Ticket courtesy of From the Box Office again. I have actually seen this before - but, being an improvised musical, it literally is different every time!
On the 19th September, back with the Scarlet Ladies, for a talk entitled 100 Women - Their Breasts, Their Stories.
On the 20th September, Funzing (same two groups) and Jennifer Rees again - this time, a fun talk about the Psychology of Batman Villains! The first of hers for which I managed to get a 30% discount.. and it's on nice and close to me again. Seems to be a feature of her talks!
On the 21st September, technically, free comedy in Hammersmith - with Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich, Random London, and DiscoverLDN.UK. And on the 22nd September, the same - with DiscoverLDN.UK. I rather doubt it though - don't you?
On the 23rd September, I was to do the same, but am now headed to the launch of Rob Luft's new album, Riser, at King's Place. As advertised by The London Jazz Meetup. Not that I'm going with them though - I still haven't paid the membership fee, and won't, if I can't see see the point in it. And if I don't attend with them, I get to put it off again.
I had booked the same free comedy, with the same group, on the 24th September, but was again saved - this time, by the World Music Meetup! They're off to see Kefaya, in Nell's Jazz and Blues bar, back in my old stomping ground of North End Road! Happy days, when I was working there..
On the 25th September, a group called Theatre and Stuff is off to see Prism, at Hampstead Theatre. They're charging extra to go with them, though - so I happily bought my own ticket. What the hey, odds are I won't know any of them anyway.
On the 26th September, I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats - to see Wings, at The Young Vic. Accidentally booked standing, I think.. :-/
On the 27th September, with Up in the Cheap Seats again - for Jekyll & Hyde, presented by the National Youth Theatre, at the Ambassadors Theatre.
On the 28th September, with another new group: London, Surrey and Beyond.. for an event called "A Unique Experience. Olde Pub, Gerry's Private Club, 2 'i's Famous Fish 'n' Chips". Which says it all, really! Then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.
On the 2nd October, back at Hampstead Theatre, for No One Will Tell Me How to Start a Revolution. North London Friends are attending - and charging extra, so I'm going it alone!
On the 3rd October, free comedy in Hammersmith - nominally. With Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith, Wimbledon and Greenwich. Or not!
On the 4th October, Up in the Cheap Seats and Labour of Love, with Martin Freeman, at the Noel Coward Theatre. Cheapest tickets from the venue, for once!
On the 5th October, same group - headed to see the Company Wayne McGregor, at Sadler's Wells.
And finally! on the 6th October, headed to see Chekhov's The Seagull, at the Lyric. Third night in a row for that group - almost as busy a group as I am a person!
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