Yesterday, back with London Classical Music and Theatre Group - this time, we were at the Royal Festival Hall, where the Philharmonia was playing Mozart and Bruckner. Which made this my best week for Meetup since lockdown, the only non-Meetup day being Tuesday! The last time I saw this organiser was even longer ago than I saw Didi, the organiser on Sunday! (She's a classical guitarist - I just found her page..)
So. Here, the best choice for food has to be The Archduke, and off I went. I didn't need a reservation before, and chanced my arm again, walking in and asking whether they had a table for one. "We do," he said, "but I need it back by 7/7.10." No problem, I had to meet the group by 7.15 anyway! So he showed me to a table right at the end of the conservatory, round the back.
Lovely, friendly servers.. and this time I decided that, being that it's a steakhouse, I should finally have a steak! Now, they ain't cheap here, but I don't make a habit of it. Went for the fillet - which isn't quite the most expensive, they also have some massive concoction that they suggest be shared! They have quite a range of sauces - I fancied some kind of butter, of which they have three; I chose the garlic and herb. And a carafe of New Zealand wine - which it turned out they didn't have, but she suggested an alternative.
Yeeah. Guess what? I was underimpressed with the steak! It was ok, but honestly, back in the day when I cooked steak, I did it better. And I am no cook, although I could cook a mean fillet. And the mushrooms I ordered as a side were not worth the £4 charged. I'll say this though - the garlic and herb butter was spectacular! I mentioned it to the waiter, and she got me a second pot (it comes in a separate pot, and I also got a couple of extra pots, one with ketchup, one mustard, for the fries - which are supposed to be bottomless, with steak). Gee, I'd nearly have another steak, just to have that garlic and herb butter! Cheapest is the steak frites.. might consider it next time. I could order dessert straight away - I know the ice cream sundae is gorgeous, and I had plenty of time for it.
Headed up to the hall early - and it was great to see people! Not everyone gathers for a chat, of course - interestingly, Didi passes this group's events on to the Classical Music for Those in their 20s and 30s group, and someone from that group happened along. And was suitably confused - but hey, I think we're just as interesting! And we chatted away until it was time to head upstairs.
I had so many free seats in front of me, I should definitely have moved down - but I didn't. The royal box was occupied, I noticed - couldn't recognise any of them, though. And so to the music. First up was Mozart - and I always love Mozart, thought it was gorgeous.
After a blissful half hour or so, down to meet the others again at the interval, then back up for some Bruckner - a surprisingly modern-sounding piece. Happily, the house never was fully darkened, and I had enough light to read the free programme I'd picked up on the way in (when I wasn't busy imbibing the lovely paper smell, so unfamiliar to me these days)! So, in summary, a lovely programme, and an excellent way to spend an evening.
Afterwards, most of us who met stayed on in the bar for a drink, and much of the chat related to the advanced age of both the conductor and the piano soloist! Truly, 90 seems to be the new 60.. Anyway, we had a lovely time, and I was delighted to meet the group again at last. Sometimes it just happens that I don't see people for a while..
Speaking of what happened to our group member on Wednesday, I saw an interesting WhatsOnStage article about it today! OMG, he's become famous..
Today, back to Ireland for the weekend - finally, with a delayed flight. And an English couple in front of me in the queue to board wondered why we had been sent to a locked door - as I explained to them, this was the door into the corridor where the disembarking passengers would pass, and we had to wait for them to do that before we went out the same way. And that's why they block off the escalator - it's too dangerous to have people coming down that, facing a locked door. Ah, I've become such an expert.. On board at last, it was lovely to see the first flight where we weren't obliged to wear masks! I saw all of one passenger that did. And in Shannon, I know the customs guys are unusually friendly - but really, the guard I got this evening outdid himself in chatting to everyone!
The film for the weekend - is looking like Top Gun: Maverick! in which Tom Cruise reprises his fighter-pilot role of so many years ago. Also stars Jennifer Connelly as his love interest, Val Kilmer back as Iceman, now an admiral - a significant decision, given that throat cancer has left him unable to speak, and his lines are apparently read by an AI program. Ed Harris is the rear admiral. Theme song by Lady Gaga. Now, I can't really miss this. And indeed, a flattering review in today's paper was written by someone who hadn't expected much from it at all.. as she says, "The bastards. They got me."
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