Cool Camden Pub Walk & Play: Scandaltown

Well, Wednesday was Star Wars Day. And I had another flat viewing on Wednesday evening - advertised as a 1-bed! Imagine, affordable and within walking distance of work - I hoped it'd work out, I'd love to live alone again, for the first time since I moved to London!

I could have taken a bus, but with a last-minute work demand and having to call my mother, it ran too late, and I ended up on the Tube. I arrived where I'd been told to go on the dot of 5, when I'd arranged to be there. Messaged him to let him know I was there..

So, it started to rain. No response from him, and the only people around had shopping bags, so I figured none was him. I messaged him every few minutes, no response. No sign of him either. Then it started to pour - I finally took refuge under a large tree across the street. I might have left, but was so keen to view a 1-bed that I hung on. At 5.30, he apologetically messaged back, asked whether I had a UK number. Duh, no, just the one you've been messaging me on! I pointed out to him that it's on WhatsApp, on which you can call and message for free - indeed, this was what we were talking on! He told me there was someone in the flat, who would call me on WhatsApp.

He did, told me to come into the courtyard. I told him the gate was locked, he contradicted me and said it was open. I said it had been open, but someone had gone through and locked it. He said he'd come down.

No sign. His boss, whom I'd been speaking to first, got back to me to say the other guy had been calling and there was no answer. Meantime, someone opened the gate and I entered the courtyard. I didn't know the flat number, got it from the boss - but checking the list of flat numbers, I couldn't see it! A local resident passed, and I asked - he told me I was on the wrong side of the building, I'd have to go out and around. Sure enough, there was another courtyard with another gate - and it was open! Guy #2 called me again, I explained what had happened, and he came and got me, led me up to the flat.

He told me someone else was also looking. Well, duh - I should have been in and out by now. Lo, it was a couple that had also been waiting around the other side - pity I didn't get talking to them! Now, they'd got directions from someone, and come around here before I did - pity the idiot didn't join the dots and realise I'd got lost the same way. Anyway. The place - described in the ad as "spacious" - was the pokiest flat I've ever seen. A tiny kitchen, a tiny bathroom, no storage anywhere - and two other rooms. The whole place still needed furnishing, which makes it odd that it's already available! Anyway, I was confused about the two rooms - oh, he told me, he's renting out both! So it's a 2-bed. Well, they were way too small for my purposes, as was the whole flat. What a let-down. I legged it out of there, and reported the ad to Spareroom as misleading. They've been on to him to change the description.

I was due back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners shortly afterwards! Ah, it'd been too long.. someone suggested that I skip off work for a couple of hours during the day to go on the walks, but seriously, every time I checked when his walks were, I had a meeting that clashed! So, not an option. Anyway, this was the Cool Camden Pub Walk! and a short walk from where I was. It was actually rescheduled - was originally supposed to happen last week. Unfortunately, last night it clashed with a couple of other things - a Civilised London (CL) meal I was actually booked on (happily, he gave me a refund of my deposit), and leaving drinks for my favourite ex-boss from my last company. Tarnation. Well, couldn't be helped - I really wanted to go on this. I was originally booked for an online talk that night - Fight Them on the Beaches was a talk about the greatest speeches in parliament. Courtesy of Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex. But they record the talks, and indeed the organiser sent me the link yesterday, since I didn't attend. True, isn't it - everything happens on Wednesdays!

So, I was the first Laurence met. And heading to the nearby station, we met someone I literally haven't met in years! Great to see her. The others happened along gradually - only half the number who'd booked, because of the rain. And off we schlepped, through the always-interesting streets of Camden. To be fair, it did rain on us a bit, but not as much as when I was stuck under that tree. It was chilly, though..

Came across a statue that Laurence described as "unloved" - but this guy does deserve respect, as the man who helped to repeal the corn laws, which had such a devastating effect on Ireland as well as England.

Famous residents included:

and I've always loved the graffiti:

We even saw some blue sky, eventually:

Our first pub was The World's End, with nice heavy music on the sound system, and a barman who (again!) mistook my request for a glass of white wine, and tried to serve me red. And him Irish, too! Mind you, he was a bit away with the fairies - stared into space as I was ordering, and came back to himself with a jolt. Anyway, I always like this pub.

Next was The Dublin Castle, which had a loud, live gig in the back (with well-soundproofed doors, thankfully). This is where we shared a table with someone who used to work there, and regaled us with stories..

And so finally to Camden Market:

and our final pub, the Hawley Arms, where Amy Winehouse used to work. V musical part of town, Camden!

Terrific to see everyone! I'm nearly forgetting how to have proper conversations these days, it happens so seldom.. Anyway, I was too tired that night to blog. Mercifully, my internet connection was down yesterday morning, so I got a bit extra in bed. And then too busy to blog all day!

Last night, I was off to Scandaltown, at the Lyric Hammersmith. Yet another play by the prolific Mike Bartlett, this is a revamped Restoration comedy, set in modern-day, debauched London. As always, love his stuff and was really looking forward to this. But wouldn't you know it, now CT has tickets.. ah well..

Again, work got in the way of my leaving at a decent hour - and again, I had to do without a proper dinner. Grabbed a molten steak slice from Delice de France in Liverpool Street Station en route to catch the Tube. And while I was there, caught sight of a Tube status update board - severe delays on the Circle, District, and Hammersmith & City lines. For different reasons, it transpired. All the lines I could get direct to Hammersmith. Happily, there's an alternative - Central and Piccadilly lines. Just as well I've been out there several times lately, and knew what I was doing.

Now, this had all been a rush - which is why, as we approached Hammersmith - in the above-ground section, where I can get internet - it occurred to me that I hadn't dug out my ticket yet. They had texted me a link, but that was to pre-order drinks. So I set about finding the ticket - and was so engrossed, would you believe it, I missed my stop! Jesu. I ended up all the way out in Acton! Non-stop between there and Hammersmith on the Piccadilly line, mind you - so I just caught the next one back. Having said that, I was so flustered, I was in grave danger of missing it - it's years since I lived in West London and used to fly to/from Heathrow, so was familiar with this station..

The Lyric isn't far from the station, is well-signposted, and visible once you're at the right exit - all v helpful. It also helped that I knew where to go - the entrance is on the right, the theatre upstairs (not immediately obvious) - and with all of the fuss, I just made it in time! Well, I might actually have been slightly late, but that was due to the horrendous queue on the stairs. And I had a nice seat, third row in the Stalls:

I'd heard a bad report of this - but that was from someone who doesn't like Restoration comedies. Me, I absolutely loved it! The tone is exactly right, rather silly and very debauched, with even some of the appropriate language creeping in! (The excuse for the two young persons at the centre of the plot speaking in such an old-fashioned way is that they were raised by their aunt, who "wanted to raise them right"). It's hilarious - and wow, does it poke a pin in the inflated ego of some of today's sacred cows! Politics, TV, social media, "wokeness".. scathing dialogue combines with very topical plotlines. Covid shows up, appropriately, as the Plague - Tories having parties in the garden, anyone? The hapless politician, squirming and changing sides as he finds himself in bind after bind, turns to the audience at one point for support. Heh. In fact, there was a good bit of heckling, all taken in good spirit by the cast. Silly, cheeky, OTT.. Highly recommended! Only runs till the 14th - run and see it!

(Oh, and maybe buy something from the poor usher who positions himself in the Stalls at the interval - with everyone heading out to the landing, where there's a bar as well as an ice cream stand, he had nothing to do! Occupied himself bopping to the interval music. Well, I'd have bought my ice cream from him, but he didn't arrive in time..)

Anyway, the Tubes were all running again when I was headed home, and I got a direct one. Ran too late to blog though, as I had to be up for a meeting today - which, ironically, I couldn't attend: internet problems again! For tonight, another ex-boss, Ivan, asked could we do drinks again! He also suggested we try to find somewhere quieter than the last place - not an easy ask, for a central venue on a Friday night. Ah, but I have contacts.. the organiser of CL once recommended to me a pub just off Charing Cross Road, which he knows as quieter than the usual - I couldn't remember the name, but he reminded me it's the Round Table. I'd have booked, but they seem not to take bookings on Friday evenings. Our ex-colleague, James, was coming, and for the first time, my aforementioned ex-boss from my last company! Promised to be cool, and would make up for me missing her leaving drinks on Wednesday night.

And now Ivan has cancelled - as usual. Complicated life, as he says - he swears he'll make it up to us. Ah well, I did enough drinking on Wednesday night anyway! And my ex-boss is still recovering from her debauchery on Wednesday. James is still meeting me for a meal - we've booked Cote Covent Garden. V necessary on a Friday night.

Tomorrow, back with Laurence and the 45+s - this time, it's a walk called Red Lights, Rabble Rousers & RocknRollers, around Soho. And Helen is coming up for it! So, a highly sociable week! Sadly, this'll probably be my last trip with Laurence and the 45+s this month.. the trials of working during the week.

On Sunday, back with the Crick Crack Club (CCC). This is The Origins of Life and Death, with Jan Blake, at the British Museum, which I missed in January. Limited availability at time of writing, as they have socially distanced seating.

On Monday, I'm headed to a film - Everything Everywhere All at Once is a Chinese English-language comedy about a woman travelling through multiple alternate realities. Jamie Lee Curtis shows up too. Nearest showing to me is in Hackney Picturehouse, and I've booked because it's booking heavily.

On Tuesday, what I think is my last event rescheduled because of Covid - I'm headed to the postponed Tarot, at Soho Theatre. Wow, it's over two years since I was there last.. (and now TAC have tickets, blast.)

On Wednesday, back with TAC - for another operatic evening at Hoxton Hall. National Opera Studio is presenting Mozart: Secrets and Seduction. (So much for Meetup being busy on Wednesdays!)

On Thursday, my only Meetup of the week - I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats, to see a performance of As You Like It at Wilton's. Went for a slightly more expensive seat than usual, this time - I'm sick of straining my neck.

Then back to Ireland for the weekend - would you believe it, I've exhausted the films showing locally that I'm interested in! So it'll be a quiet one.

On the 16th, headed to Middle, at the National.

On the 17th, back with CL for a meal at last - this one is at Mestizo (Mexican). Not usually my favourite, but I'll give it a shot. Meeting beforehand at the Crown & Anchor.

On the 18th - well, I saw on Meetup that a group called Get a Tech Developer Job has a free webinar, Learn Web Scraping with Python! Now, we're expected to use Python in my new job, and I never have - so this could be very handy indeed.

On the 19th, I'm headed to the CCC again, for Astray, at Rich Mix. A storytelling double bill.

On the 20th, headed to Marys Seacole, at Donmar Warehouse. Based on a true story, I've heard mixed reviews - we shall see.

And on the 21st - well Lordy, I've booked for the Roman London Walk, with Walk About London (also advertised on Walks, Talks & Treasure Hunts - both linked to London Guided Walks). Now, I missed the last two I was booked on with this company - third time lucky?