Film: Posti

Today, I booked with London Guided Walks (LGW) - but, armed with the information that they now advertise through TAC, I booked through them instead! (Sold out with them in due course.) This was the Secrets of St. James Walk, and given how I booked, I'd have to bring £3 cash on the day. I have to admit, the standard of these walks is excellent. And it was supposed to rain again, bah humbug.

Woke a little later than intended, but still in time for my buses - and wouldn't you know it, they were delayed. By a huge amount, in the case of the first bus - so I schlepped around the corner, to a stop that didn't list the bus I was to catch there: and lo, it duly arrived. Yay for Google Maps, it's more up to date than the bus stops! There are lots of ongoing diversions, you see, so you really can't trust the old routes. Anyway, I was optimistic of making it in time - despite heavy-ish traffic in the West End. It was the triple whammy of traffic lights that really did for me, just before my stop, however.. still, it was bang on the hour when I jumped off and made a run to where the walk was to start. I really should have been in time, but I knew what would happen - sure enough, when I got there, there was no sign of anyone. No way do they wait for the appointed time to start - I think they're instructed to make sure to leave early, and hang anyone who isn't there. Thank goodness, at least I paid a lot less than usual - and it all went to TAC; LGW won't have got any of it.

Well, Plan B - as usual - was a film. The promised rain was holding off, so I found a bench and updated my film list. Top of the list were a couple of Indian films - one was 777 Charlie; this is a film about a reclusive guy who is reintroduced to society by a rescue dog. Sounds lovely - except it's nearly three hours long, and was only on today in the O2! which would take the better part of an hour to get to. For goodness' sake, talk about overdoing it - could they not have achieved much the same film with half the length?! I wouldn't be back until after midnight! No, much better to go see Posti, a comedy showing in lots of far-flung places; the closest is Cineworld Wood Green, somewhere I haven't been in 7.5 years..

Well, it was now mid-afternoon, and this wasn't on until evening - and my phone needed charging. So I schlepped home again, with a phone dying so quickly that I had to guess the last part of the journey! Popped it on to charge, and researched where to go, locally, for food. Plumped for O' Neill's, an Irish pub just up the road. Which turned out to be an inspired idea! They had free tables, although it was filling up, so I was delighted to see they also had QR codes, so I could order from the table: and service was as quick as always with this system. Mind you, it was fast and friendly throughout - this place is very well-run. Gaelic football on one screen, and for the others in the crowd, cricket on the other. Irish-language signs on the walls, and a buzzing atmosphere. Yep, this is a good Irish pub.

The menu has everything you might expect - and I had "smothered" chicken (with BBQ sauce and Monterey Jack cheese) for the first time in years, with onion rings on the side. Ooh, and they have Oyster Bay! Yes, I think this is my new favourite local eatery - will definitely look to be back. Unfortunately, I couldn't try dessert - had to schlep home again to ring my mother.

So, this evening I traipsed out again to catch a couple of (very-crowded) buses to Wood Green - was sat upstairs, for the first time in years, on the second! And it dribbled rain the whole time - so I was right to dress for it. Arrived early at the cinema, bought a ticket, headed to the toilet. Handily, the toilets require a code - which is printed on the ticket, or receipt! After that, bought some chocolate, as I hadn't had dessert, and headed in. To an empty screen. Took my seat, ate my chocolate, enjoyed the trailers. An usher came in, scribbled something on a clipboard - I'm guessing he was counting numbers.

I'd about finished the chocolate when the film started. What a load of tosh. There's a warning at the beginning about domestic violence - I stayed that long, and can testify that each blow is accompanied by a cartoonish noise for emphasis. Reminded me of the Marx Brothers. I never really took to the Marx Brothers. The protagonist (Posti) is a buffoon, who spends his time stoned on poppy husks, and acting like one of the Marx Brothers, with an idiot sidekick. There's also a much-laboured love story, with lots of longing looks between an unemployed PhD graduate and his beloved, who lives with her brother, who doesn't want her talking to men, and his wife, who knows what's going on, and keeps looking petulant about it. Seems a lot younger than her husband's sister.

Oh gawd. I finally gathered my things and left - probably had been there less than half an hour. Passed the usher on the way out - I wonder whether he recognised me.. Out of curiosity, before I left the cinema, I checked what else was on - but nothing enthused me; it was mostly Indian films, and I'd had enough of those for a night: so I schlepped home again. In the rain. On, thankfully, less-crowded buses. Ah well, I tried..

Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for Jitney, at The Old Vic. I didn't fancy the cheapest seats - but gee, SFF had seats in all but the most expensive price bands, for very little more! So I now find myself in the central Stalls for this..

On Tuesday, I'm at the Royal Court for That Is Not Who I Am, a play about identity theft, from a mysterious writer about whom we have few details, except that he has worked most of his life in the security industry. Ooh..

On Wednesday, back with TAC for The Lark Ascending and Piano Quintet, a classical concert at St. Giles' Cripplegate, a church I've often passed but never been in! Part of the City Churches Music Festival.

On Thursday, back at the same festival - with CT, this time, for a concert of English Song at the lovely church of St. Bartholomew the Great. It's been too long.. Then back to Ireland for the weekend again.

On the 27th, booked with TAC to hear an interview with Chris Patten, the last UK governer of Hong Kong before it was handed back to China. Happening at Conway Hall.

On the 28th, back again with Free Stuff and Free Events, for their Free Tuesday Sing-a-Long for Health and Pleasure. Online, and one where you're muted, so you don't even have anyone hear you sing! Great for the shy.

On the 29th, I'm finally succumbing to Anything Goes, at the Barbican. Now, I got my ticket for this from Time Out, which is the first place I saw the offer - but it turns out that any number of outlets have £25 tickets! If they're all for the same seats as Time Out, then I'd have to feel sorry for people that bought tickets for £38, which is cheaper than the original price of £45 for the seats on offer! Assuming anyone did. Anyway, with no bad seats here, you'd have to be crazy to pay more.

On the 30th, back with Bucket List London - who obligingly is doing something midweek! I'll have to skip off work early - this is for vespers in Westminster Cathedral, and starts at 4.30. He is actually in Westminster all day, attending Ministerial Question Time earlier - but not only do I have a job to go to, but jeez, I do believe this would just infuriate me! So that, I'm not attending..

On the 1st, back with Civilised London for dinner at Caravel. Terrific reviews..

That weekend, I'm back with the man with the famous name - Dr. Stephen King (not the writer) is guiding a couple of walks for LGW (courtesy of Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts). Sadly, not as yet advertised on TAC, so I booked them through the official site (discount of £3 with the code MEETUP3, as usual). Both topics / areas I've covered many times before, but gee, he's such a great guide! So I hope I make these - early. On the 2nd, it's his Southwark Walk.

On the 3rd, it's his Royal Coronation Walk. I just bet he comes up with something I didn't already know..

On the 4th, I'm headed to A Doll's House Part 2, at Donmar Warehouse - sequel to the famous original, where the wife leaves an unhappy marriage; this sequel examines what happens when she returns.

On the 5th - well, I finally saw UITCS' ad for Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch, at the Underbelly Festival! A parody musical, right up my street - I hate how Meetup so often doesn't show me the events I really would enjoy! Just as well I saw this in time, before I booked anything else.

On the 6th, back with CT for a concert by the Royal College of Music Brass Ensemble, at the college on Shelton Street.

On the 7th, back with Guided Walking Tours in Brighton and Sussex, for The London Necropolis Virtual Tour. I pointed out to him that the registration link had the wrong date, and he said it was outdated, and he'd replace it and send me the new link - well, he's removed it, but no new link yet.

And then - you guessed it, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend again!