Tonight, I tried the Seven Deadly Sins Pub Naughty History Tour. Walking in London, so Funzing, again, with a 20% discount - as ever - with the code Funzing_Fb20. There was a late meeting, but happily my boss said it wasn't important, if I wanted to skip it to work on tomorrow's release. Which was a good thing, considering he hadn't left the meeting by the time I left the office..
And, of course, on the plus side, I was in time to walk! Down St. John Street, I was in unfamiliar territory - however, from the map, I identified some backstreets to get me there a bit faster. Arrived about five minutes early, and I think I was the first - for a larger group than usual, as we heard, we apparently arrived pretty quickly. As for my cough - well, I'd been worried earlier in the day, with intermittent violent bouts of coughing, but it's been behaving itself pretty well since evening. I guess most of what had to come up already has, by now..
We were missing one person, by start time. A jolly Aussie, he spent some time chatting about The Castle, just down the road, which had a visit from George IV one day. Seems he'd heard there was a cockfight on, and wanted to bet on it - so he wanted to pawn his watch. Upon being told that they didn't have a pawnbroker's licence, he immediately scribbled one out on a napkin. And they held that for over 100 years..
More photos here. This has to have been the most convivial walk I was ever on. It helps that we stopped off at no fewer than three pubs on the way - would've been four, but he didn't want to rush it! The first was Ye Old Mitre, where we congregated outside because it was so cramped inside - just as well it wasn't raining, or too cold. Lovely, chatty group. Thence, we did the usual circuit of Smithfield and St. Bartholomew's; at Pye Corner, I could've sworn the statue had glowing eyes!
Our second pub was The Viaduct Tavern - I've passed it numerous times, and been told about the ghost here: but even though I visited the basement toilets, I saw no sign. Here, as in the last pub, our guide spent his time telling us historical anecdotes, as he drank his share. And so on to our last pub, The Old Bell, where the tour broke up. Truly, a friendly gathering, and a fun way to spend the evening - highly recommended!
Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend. On Monday, 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 ever get a response. None yet.
And, of course, on the plus side, I was in time to walk! Down St. John Street, I was in unfamiliar territory - however, from the map, I identified some backstreets to get me there a bit faster. Arrived about five minutes early, and I think I was the first - for a larger group than usual, as we heard, we apparently arrived pretty quickly. As for my cough - well, I'd been worried earlier in the day, with intermittent violent bouts of coughing, but it's been behaving itself pretty well since evening. I guess most of what had to come up already has, by now..
We were missing one person, by start time. A jolly Aussie, he spent some time chatting about The Castle, just down the road, which had a visit from George IV one day. Seems he'd heard there was a cockfight on, and wanted to bet on it - so he wanted to pawn his watch. Upon being told that they didn't have a pawnbroker's licence, he immediately scribbled one out on a napkin. And they held that for over 100 years..
More photos here. This has to have been the most convivial walk I was ever on. It helps that we stopped off at no fewer than three pubs on the way - would've been four, but he didn't want to rush it! The first was Ye Old Mitre, where we congregated outside because it was so cramped inside - just as well it wasn't raining, or too cold. Lovely, chatty group. Thence, we did the usual circuit of Smithfield and St. Bartholomew's; at Pye Corner, I could've sworn the statue had glowing eyes!
Our second pub was The Viaduct Tavern - I've passed it numerous times, and been told about the ghost here: but even though I visited the basement toilets, I saw no sign. Here, as in the last pub, our guide spent his time telling us historical anecdotes, as he drank his share. And so on to our last pub, The Old Bell, where the tour broke up. Truly, a friendly gathering, and a fun way to spend the evening - highly recommended!
Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland again for the weekend. On Monday, 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 ever get a response. None yet.
On Tuesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (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 Wednesday, 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!
Next Thursday, 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, 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 Let's Do This 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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