I had a viewing today, for a room out near Victoria. Location not near enough to work to be ideal, but not a million miles away - and quite close to the West End. And the room didn't look huge - but there seemed to be a massive wardrobe, and shelving, and the fact that there was a sofa was a good sign. Took the bus out there, arrived early - and just as I was about to message the landlady, she rocked up with her husband and a new vacuum cleaner! which he was carrying. She'd said the place needed cleaning..
So, she showed me in, chattering nineteen to the dozen. The room was empty of stuff, just did need a vacuuming and a couple of paint touch-ups where there were marks. Opens directly onto the balcony, but it isn't private, the stairs down to the entrance come up there. Still, nice. The wardrobe is lovely, including a trouser rack - and she told me that there's only one other flatmate, who is a professional chef and has his own fridge, paying for the extra electricity separately. So I'd have a fridge freezer to myself.
But.. as I say, not close enough to work. Also, the room is a little cramped for all my stuff, even allowing for everything that could go in the wardrobe. Plus, a new building is going up across the road, so there'll be a lot of building work.. she checked with me that I'd be in the office most of the time. (Hah! not out there.) The orthopaedic mattress also seemed a bit hard for my liking. I don't think it's a runner, but I said I'd let her know, and wouldn't keep her waiting long. And she certainly was chatty.. very pleasant, in fact.
And so to brunch. I'd researched what was in the area, and came up with the Moo Cantina, a gastropub a short walk from there. I am in luck with food these days - it was terrific! I sat outside, it was such a lovely, warm day - baking hot that side of town, in fact. They have a large amount of outdoor seating - covered, with heaters for when necessary. Service is really friendly. Choosing wine was easy, they only have three whites available by the glass. Food was trickier - I finally went for calamari for a starter, and really considered deeply whether I'd like a steak, finally deciding the day was too hot. Instead, I had the beef milanese, an escalope. He asked whether I'd like it Napolitan, and I had to ask what that was - topped with cheese and tomato. I passed. FYI, I don't think they have a single vegetarian dish - a couple left because of that.
The calamari smelled lovely, but was a bit rubbery. The beef, however, was delicious - the more so when I squeezed the accompanying lemon slice over it! And the fries that come with it were obviously home-made (as is the bread, according to the menu, but I didn't have that). They come skin-on, and in irregular shapes - and they're absolutely divine. Yep, I can happily recommend this as an eatery!
Later this afternoon, London Classical Music and Theatre Group (LCMTG) had a late-advertised event, at the Barbican: the BBC Symphony Orchestra was playing Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6. Oh man, it has been so long since I last met this group! Something has just always gotten in the way.. Anyway, because I was taking the bus there, I had to forego dessert, making my apologies to the lovely waiter. And had a desperately hot wait, in the baking sun, for the first of the two buses I had to take. It arrived early in Aldwych - where there was a nice breeze, and shade from the trees. Just as well, considering my second bus was late!
15 minutes I was there, watching the LED predict it'd arrive later and later.. I was on the bus (finally) when our organiser, Didi, messaged the group to say she was at the concert, if anyone wanted to meet.. well, when I eventually got off (minutes to spare) I hurried down as fast as I could. Made it in, and down the steps to my seat as they were tuning up. Except.. I didn't go to my seat! I was in G4, you see (G was the front row on this occasion) - but as it happened, that turned out to be the seat on the end! whereas I sat in the fourth seat along, which was G7. They'd started by the time I realised my mistake.
My mistake was a happy one, as the first half was a set of Brahms choral works, displayed on a surtitle screen that I probably couldn't have seen from the seat I'd actually booked! What the hey, the actual owners of this seat and G8 never arrived, and for the second half I moved to G8 to give the guy beside me more room - like many others, the guy in G9 didn't come back after the interval, so I had lots of space. Could have moved more centrally, except that I was so low down that the performers would probably have blocked my view of the screen.
Ah, this was exactly what I needed! It's months since I was last at a classical concert, and this music was sublime. The Brahms was solemn and powerful, the Tchaikovsky equally powerful, and moving. And what a change from the rapid pace of my life these days, just to slow down and listen to this. The draw for our organiser, though, was the conductor, who was apparently very charismatic - I couldn't really tell, although I could see her head bobbing over the various members of the orchestra. Anyway, we had a lovely time, and met for a drink afterwards in the Barbican Kitchen - with all the other bars closed, this one was severely understaffed, but once we were finally served, it was lovely to sit outside in the courtyard and have a chat - quite a long one, as it transpired, in the lovely sunshine! Great to chat to people again.. it's been the better part of a week since I last sat down with folks!
Tomorrow, I have yet another viewing. Now, this is an interesting one - I'd asked to see the room ages ago, he didn't get back to me - then got back to me the other day and said the room was available again, and did I want to view?! Ooh, yes please - and unless something unexpected crops up during the viewing, I'm taking it on the spot - it's big enough, I think, it has a good big wardrobe, it's walking distance to work. The only one of those on the horizon. And it has its own, private balcony! Watch this space..
That evening, I'm at an online talk - Anglo-Saxon Surrey - with the Surrey History Meetup.
On Tuesday, woo! back at Shakespeare's Globe - for Henry VIII, which I've never seen. And it's years since I was last here..
On Wednesday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Bonnie and Clyde, at the Arts Theatre. Now, most of the group going booked this ages ago - I just booked recently. And I noticed that all the cheapest seats were bench seating, which didn't sound terribly comfortable. But for under £2 more, so £25, I managed to get a ticket in the next band up - in the rear stalls - from Todaytix! See, they have this great £25 ticket offer until next Sunday. Whatever about the show, the offer is highly recommended!
On Thursday, back with LCMTG - this time, we're at the Royal Festival Hall, where the Philharmonia is playing Mozart and Bruckner. Which makes this my best week for Meetup since lockdown, the only non-Meetup day being Tuesday!
And then back to Ireland for the weekend.
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