Restaurant: Sofra

Tonight, I was with Let's Do This (LDT) for another Turkish meal - this time at Sofra. It'd also be the first time since July I'd have met Mary! Mercifully, I got out of my evening meeting - so was able to leave in good time. Still, I left late enough that I decided to take the Tube. Less crowded than it would be a bit later. But boy, was it hot and awful - it was such a relief to get off, for the short walk to the Shepherds Tavern, where we were to meet.

We were all quite prompt, this evening, and pushed two tables together for a convivial chat. The bar was a little manic - like all in the area - and the music got a bit loud; it was well located for us, just up the road from the restaurant, but it's not one I'd choose to come to for a relaxing drink. Still, they were showing the same Turkish news channel I'd been watching in Amsterdam. So it was nice to catch up on how those stories were progressing.

When it was time, we made our way down to the restaurant, and were shown to a table on the ground floor - which looks much bigger than it is, by means of a full-wall mirror at the back! The basement has more seating - and another full-wall mirror - as well as housing the toilets, in a snug, twisty little section at the bottom of the stairs.

We were handed A3-size, laminated menus - with Duchy Originals breakfasts on the back! Kind of hard to choose - and be warned, the portions are a bit large. I had chargrilled ground lamb & beef for starter, and went with the lamb tagine for main course. I don't think any two people had the same thing - and we shared a bottle of red and a bottle of white for the table, one person having beer.

My starter tasted exactly like Birds Eye beef burgers with onion. That's actually a compliment - they're very tasty! The lamb I had for the main course looked more intimidating than it actually was - it was on the bone, so that took up a lot of the bulk. And it was as tender as you could wish, the meat literally falling off.. a few gristly bits didn't spoil my enjoyment. The rice was good - and we were served with lovely, warm bread throughout. I was the only one who had a dessert - everyone was too stuffed. The chocolatiest thing on the menu was ice cream, so I had that - you get three smallish scoops of your choice from a variety of flavours. Someone else was an aficionado of Turkish coffee, so had that..

Altogether, a very pleasant experience, in good company, as ever with this group. The menu says something about the waiters always having a smile, and gives a five-minute guarantee on starters. Well, I'm not sure about the five minutes, but the smiles are definitely part of the service. Good eats, and not expensive for the area.

As it's a school night, and we hadn't hurried the meal, sadly no drinks after, and we wended our separate ways home - me by bus, remarking, as I was waiting for my second one, how many more 19s and 38s there are than others.. I wasn't the only one there to notice that. 

Tomorrow, film again - already booked though, because they were already selling out. It's part of the London Film Festival at the BFI - Be Natural is the story of Alice Guy - Blaché, the first female filmmaker, and is narrated by Jodie Foster. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, again.

On Monday, back with North London Friends for The Wild Duck, by Ibsen, at the Almeida. I wasn't in time to get one of their tickets, so booked my own - what the hey.

On Tuesday, comedy with Ahir Shah at Soho Theatre.

Next Wednesday, a real dose of nostalgia - Mayerling ballet, at the Opera House. My favourite ballet, this was also the last event we attended here with the Man with the Hat. And the second last event ever. At least it'll be less evocative since, for once, I'm sitting facing full-on! He always had us in the slips, so I haven't faced the Opera House stage since I started with his groups! I'd watch it blindfolded just to have him back again, though. We miss you, MwtH.

On the 18th - why, I'm off to Manchester. For U2, unsurprisingly. Yes, I get busier around now as they come around these parts. Taking the train that evening - it was the cheapest, and so much handier than having to make my way to and from airports and watch what I pack! I should arrive walking distance from my hotel, Roomzzz Corn Exchange, which itself is walking distance from the venue, the Manchester Arena. And right beside the shopping centre, apparently! That could be handy.. if only to buy provisions, as this is an aparthotel, so I can cater for myself.

The concerts themselves are on the 19th and 20th, and I'm expecting a more enthusiastic audience than my section last Monday! Really, who'd believe such apathy from a U2 crowd?! Ironically, the English concerts are the only ones whose tickets are being posted to me - and would you believe it, what with booking them in January and moving in June, I completely forgot to make the connection. So I forgot to update my address with Ticketmaster (TM). Just remembered recently, by which time it seems they'd already been posted. I've contacted my old flatmates, but the only response I got was from one who's also moved out - happily, TM says, if I contact them next week, they'll void the old tickets and issue new ones that I can pick up at the box office. There's always some palaver on a U2 tour, and this isn't the first time I've had to pick up my tickets in Manchester!! Outside of England, they're all e-tickets..

I take the train back on the 21st. Better not leave it too late, as I've actually booked for the Smithfield & Clerkenwell Walk: Guts & Glory, with Walking in London - but more specifically, with Katie of Look Up London! Excellent - I was booked for this in July, but she had to cancel. She's one of the best around. Should be close enough to me, too, and it doesn't start too early. And it being a Funzing event (like all of Walking in London's) I scoured my old Funzing discount codes, and discovered that Funzing_Fb20 seems to be working again - for all of them I've recently booked! So, a 20% discount - better than any recently offered on their Facebook page.

On the 22nd, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club for Buddha Babies, again at Soho Theatre. Naturally, not advertised on their Meetup group. I wonder whether that's now defunct, as they have advertised no upcoming events.

On the 23rd & 24th, I don't have to travel so far to see U2 - they're playing the O2 in London. These tickets, I got my address changed in time for, it seems - they're also being posted. Helen is going on the 23rd.. sat in the corporate box, poshly! Nah, I'd rather be closer and sweatier, thanks! I wonder how many of them stand during the show..

The 25th is my colleague's last day before he quits for a new life in Stockholm - we're headed out that night. Amazing that I still had that day free when we arranged it!

On the 26th, I fly to Belfast. Yep, U2 again. Told ya. Staying in the Crescent Townhouse, walking distance from the SSE Arena, where the concerts take place on the 27th and 28th. On the 29th, I'm taking the train down to my mother for a week - makes more sense than jetting back and forth to her!

On the 5th, I'm back up to Dublin. U2 again, dont'cha know? Staying in the Clayton again, which is a hop, skip and jump from the 3Arena, where there are concerts on the 5th and 6th. Would you believe, not even I could swing a ticket for the 5th - well, I'll just rock up on the day, and hopefully I can get something at the box office. I have heard of such things happening. I've had stranger things happen!

On the 7th, I fly back to London (BA) - purely so I can work on the 8th, before flying back to Dublin that night! Was supposed to be Cityjet, but they've now ended their flight schedule after this month - so now I'm going Ryanair. Same hotel, same venue, same band - on the 9th and 10th of next month. I fly back on the 11th, exhausted, and finished with U2 concerts for the year!

On the 12th, I booked for Macbeth, at the Wanamaker Playhouse. And then LDT finally posted that date for the Shirt Tail Stompers at Wilton's - well, I couldn't miss that! Eh, anyone want a spare ticket for Macbeth?

On the 13th, we have our monthly team outing - probably just the two of us, but hey.

On the 14th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at last for Love Lies Bleeding, at the Print Room at the Coronet. Got my ticket from London Theatre Direct.

On the 15th, I'm going to try the Seven Deadly Sins Pub Naughty History Tour. Walking in London again, so discounted again! Then I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend.

On the 19th, News of the Strange, from the Crick Crack Club, at Soho Theatre.

On the 20th, back with UITCS for Pinter at the Pinter - Pinter plays at the Pinter Theatre. Two long ones on this occasion - this is Programme Four: Moonlight & Night School.

On the 21st, back at last with The London Jazz Meetup, who are off to the London Jazz Festival for a concert by the Faraj Suleiman Quartet at King's Place. UK premiere, apparently!

On the 22nd, with UITCS at the Garrick for Don Quixote. The only cheap tickets left for this were terrible, so I went a bit upmarket. A bit - I'm still behind a pillar!

On the 23rd, I'm on a Paranormal Activity Tour - ooh! Now, for this one, we get ghost-hunting equipment, which could make it interesting - I don't fancy the dowsing rods, myself, but we'll see. Walking in London, again. Discounted, again. And this was after my loyalty discount - so I got it at better than half price! which is good, considering the price.

On the 24th, I'm off on my own to see A Small Place, at the Gate.

On the 25th, back at last to Winter Wonderland! That evening, I'm off to Cirque Berserk - an annual tradition for me. The latest show is the cheapest, so that's the one I booked.

On the 26th, I'm back with UITCS for Programme Three of Pinter at the Pinter - Landscape / A Kind of Alaska / Monologue.

On the 27th, I'm going to see Company, by Sondheim, at the Gielgud. No tickets available for the upper levels on the official site - they must all have been bought up by resellers! Cheapest I found was with OfficialLondonTheatre, run by See Tickets.

On the 28th, I'm with Walking in London again (and the same discount) for the Haunted London Pub Tour.

On the 29th, I'm back with UITCS at the National for Hadestown. Then back to Ireland again for the weekend.

On the 3rd of December, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.

On the 4th, I'm off to the Bush, for Drip.

On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing). This is a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill.

The 6th could be interesting - Hazel of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts, London Guided Walks (and, indeed, Walking in London) has a Christmas Carol Tour. Now, the last two events I booked with her turned out to be no-shows.. the first might not have been her fault, as she was advertising someone else's event, but the second, she just missed the ball on and left three of us standing on a street corner. We shall see whether this happens, I guess! Now, it's technically more expensive if you book on Funzing - but if you have my discount ;-) it comes down to the same price she charges on her own site, without the booking fee! So I did it that way.

On the 7th, back with UITCS at the Royal Court, for The Cane. Got the very last ticket, phew!

On the 8th, with them again at the Orange Tree Theatre for The Double Dealer.

On the 9th, the Crick Crack Club is back at the British Museum for I Know Not, an afternoon of Sufi legend.

On the 10th, I'm off to the Bridge Theatre for A Very, Very, Very Dark Matter, by Martin McDonagh. Starring Jim Broadbent, this is a dark take on Hans Christian Anderson!

And on the 11th of December, I'm going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems!