This time, I got off at Stamford Brook! Right beside where I first lived in London. And it wasn't too long a walk to The George & Devonshire - past a Fuller's brewery that lends its moniker to lots of pubs round about!
For once, I was one of the first there. And our guide was kind enough to order a variety of nibbles for us - I'd not eaten. We took a table in the well-appointed back room, and decreed that we would not leave until our nibbles arrived! (A Lions Club meeting in the function room occupied much of their attention, so ours took a while.) It was very nice when it did arrive - tasty, if crispy, garlic bread, good fries, and enormous wedges! With the wedges, proceed with caution.. you need an appetite, or a group.
Well, not everyone showed up - but almost! One said she'd been delayed, and was en route - in the event, we were still around the pub when she arrived. And I do have to give due credit to the one who - somehow - tracked us down, further down the road. We started with some elegant, adjacent buildings.. Chiswick Square was mentioned in Vanity Fair:
What followed was really the most pleasant stroll down Chiswick Mall, noting the flood defences - which didn't put us off wanting to live there. Gorgeous period houses (figure about £10 million apiece) overlook their moorings, on the other side of the mall, or alternatively small gardens, on the riverbank. Towards the end, we even came across an Italian deli that was closed - but she let us in for a look anyway, and even made a sale!
The only problem that our guide had was keeping track of our wayward participants, who kept getting distracted by one thing or another, and rushing off for photos - and who can blame them? And after another lovely stroll, some of us repaired to The Raven for a nightcap, and a check on what was happening at Wimbledon. Oh, and the cat came to say hi:
A really excellent evening. Tonight, back with North London Friends for Europe, at the Donmar Warehouse. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
The first three days of next week, back with Up in the Cheap Seats. On Monday and Wednesday, we're at LAMDA - Monday for The Ofsted Massacre.
On Tuesday, we're at Trafalgar Studios - I'm finally going to see Equus, with its nudity and blinding of horses. Have to see what all the controversy is about!
On Wednesday, the play is My Children! My Africa!
Next Thursday, our overdue social from the company I was last with - this month, we're off to the Queen's Head and Artichoke, for dinner and drinks.
And on Friday of next week, Helen is in town again for training - and we're off on the Hidden Horrors Haunted History London Ghost Walk. Which I was on before, but wouldn't mind going on again - it's good (as I can see from the review I left), and I could do with reminding, after all. Let's see how much I've forgotten.. It's also Funzing, and I got a 15% discount with the code Fun15, which can only be used once. Advertised by Best Authentic Walking Tours in London - so Funzing does still have a Meetup group for walks.. Don't believe what they say about "no refunds" though, the Funzing rule of a full refund up to 48 hours beforehand still applies.
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