Wonderful. Not only is my U2-ing over for the foreseeable future, but I woke with a dose of the flu. Perfect. Amidst blowing my nose, I did manage to catch the overcrowded airport bus and join the ridiculously long security line at the airport. You know, if you complained, they'd blame high passenger numbers and point to a successful airport - me, I blame it on the fact that they only opened three of the nine security gates on both occasions I've flown out of there, recently.
Well, I had a dilemma on the other side of security, because there are two completely separate directions to take for different gates, and it was supposed to be nearly two hours until Ryanair let us in on which gate we'd be using. I just picked the direction that seemed to have more duty free. Bought a couple of things - in the main duty free, could hardly understand the guy's accent, and just had terrible customer service in Boots. (I do wish they had self-service..) It was very satisfying to hit the angry face on the customer satisfaction rating device.
I was well ready for food - as usual, my hotel charged for breakfast, so I didn't have any. They're always overpriced. Unfortunately, all I could see were sandwich and pastry places! I've never seen such a lack of decent eateries in an airport this size. I actually had to Google eateries in Dublin airport - finally, scrolling down through a long list of, yes, sandwich and pastry places, I came to the Garden Terrace. Ok, cool - where was that? I discovered it upon looking up.
So up I went to the first floor. Helpfully, the short menu on each table explains that you find a table, note the number, and order and pay at the bar. Careful, read that menu closely - "fillet steak" isn't actually a steak, it's under the sandwiches. Similarly, "piri-piri chicken" is listed under the burgers. So, they have sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, salads, and a half dozen mains outside of that. I had the steak frites and a glass of wine. Decently priced, arrived quickly, and was very moreish - they may be the only proper eatery on site, but they are good. They don't do starters or desserts - going in search of desserts, I saw that Ryanair had sneakily advertised our gate number half an hour early (happily, it was in the direction I was headed in), so I headed the mile or so down there. Where all you could get were - sandwiches. And, to be fair, water. As we queued to board, I noted that they were, for now, still tagging over-large cabin bags for free.. probably for the month, to give people time to adjust to not being able to bring them on.
Well, I had a dilemma on the other side of security, because there are two completely separate directions to take for different gates, and it was supposed to be nearly two hours until Ryanair let us in on which gate we'd be using. I just picked the direction that seemed to have more duty free. Bought a couple of things - in the main duty free, could hardly understand the guy's accent, and just had terrible customer service in Boots. (I do wish they had self-service..) It was very satisfying to hit the angry face on the customer satisfaction rating device.
I was well ready for food - as usual, my hotel charged for breakfast, so I didn't have any. They're always overpriced. Unfortunately, all I could see were sandwich and pastry places! I've never seen such a lack of decent eateries in an airport this size. I actually had to Google eateries in Dublin airport - finally, scrolling down through a long list of, yes, sandwich and pastry places, I came to the Garden Terrace. Ok, cool - where was that? I discovered it upon looking up.
So up I went to the first floor. Helpfully, the short menu on each table explains that you find a table, note the number, and order and pay at the bar. Careful, read that menu closely - "fillet steak" isn't actually a steak, it's under the sandwiches. Similarly, "piri-piri chicken" is listed under the burgers. So, they have sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, salads, and a half dozen mains outside of that. I had the steak frites and a glass of wine. Decently priced, arrived quickly, and was very moreish - they may be the only proper eatery on site, but they are good. They don't do starters or desserts - going in search of desserts, I saw that Ryanair had sneakily advertised our gate number half an hour early (happily, it was in the direction I was headed in), so I headed the mile or so down there. Where all you could get were - sandwiches. And, to be fair, water. As we queued to board, I noted that they were, for now, still tagging over-large cabin bags for free.. probably for the month, to give people time to adjust to not being able to bring them on.
Coming back in, I mused what a very long, tedious journey it is on the Stansted Express - it's been a while since I had to take it. How I miss City Airport.. Tomorrow, I booked for Macbeth, at the Wanamaker Playhouse. And then Let's Do This (LDT) finally posted that date for the Shirt Tail Stompers at Wilton's - well, I couldn't miss that! Funnily enough, London Social Detours have now advertised the same thing (and are charging more, as usual) - there's a terrible rivalry between the groups, with the leader of the latter group thinking she has prior claim to the floorspace. Sparks might fly, what with her 36 attendees to our five. More fool them - I find her quite snippy, myself. Meantime, anyone want a spare ticket for Macbeth?
On Tuesday, we have our monthly team outing - probably just the two of us, but hey.
On Wednesday, 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 Thursday, I'm going to try the Seven Deadly Sins Pub Naughty History Tour. Walking in London again. 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. 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. The club does have a Meetup group, but it seems to have gone dormant, and is no longer advertising upcoming events. Not that that stops the organiser from attending - I'm sure I saw her at a recent event! I've actually asked whether they're now defunct - we'll see whether I get a response. None yet.
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 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, I'm back to the National for I'm Not Running.
On the 5th, LDN Talks @ Night and London Speaks Sessions (both Funzing) advertised a "Winterville" talk on The Science of Santa, where we get the scientific explanation of how he does it. Taking place at The Windmill. However, seems they meant the day before, when of course I'm busy. So instead I'm going to True West, with Kit Harington, at the Vaudeville. Cheapest tickets from the venue.
On the 6th, 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. Whether this event happens is anyone's 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. But then Henning, with the London European Club, advertised a Happy Xmaths evening at Imperial College, the same night! Festive fun for maths geeks. Plus it's free - you just have to register with Eventbrite. I thought it'd be great to get back with this group. And since I booked the walk with Funzing, I've cancelled and will get a full refund. And I feel no sadness at missing an evening with Hazel, after what's been happening. But gee, this evening is proving to be one of the more popular- now a colleague has booked it for his leaving do. So I'm now going to that instead. Nibbles arranged at The Enterprise.
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!
On the 11th of next month, I'm going with North London Friends to The Convert, at the Young Vic. Discounted top-price seats, it seems!
The 12th is our office Christmas party, but LDT has now advertised a Christmas dinner- which sounds a more attractive prospect. So I'm doing that instead.
On the 13th, I'm thrilled to be going to Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, at Sadler's Wells, with UITCS. He's a fantastic choreographer, but I've never before gotten around to seeing this all-male version. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again.
And on the 17th of next month, the Crick Crack Club is performing Gilgamesh, at Soho Theatre. With Ben Haggerty in the spotlight, this will be a treat!
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