Concert: Hagen Quartet

Tonight, my first meeting of the year with London Classical Music and Theatre Group! We were off to Wigmore Hall, to listen to the Hagen Quartet play Mozart. They're Austrian, so that's appropriate.. I just needed to remember not to drink the ultra-expensive sauvignon blanc! Was to meet my sometime dinner companion beforehand, down the road at Olivelli.

The next bus supposed to come was the #205. Yeah, right - the bus that never comes. Except.. this time it did! And en route, I got an early classical fix - the little girl in the buggy, in that area reserved for buggies and wheelchairs, had a book. And every page that you turned over in this book revealed a button, which, when pressed, played a classical tune! Excellent idea - and I got treated (several times) to the Ode to Joy. Lovely.

Arrived early at the restaurant, ordered a bottle of sauvignon blanc, and waited. Internet access was only sporadic - and when my companion still hadn't arrived, 15 minutes past when she was due, I ordered. And messaged her to find out where she was. Which was when she messaged me, saying she was "there". (?) Not in my room, she wasn't. My food wasn't long in arriving - veal, in a mushroom and white wine sauce. The waitress offered the suggestion that she might be next door - in Cote. I went to have a look - sure enough, there she was. She'd ordered, too - her food was sitting in front of her, having obviously just arrived. So, she ate hers, I went back and ate mine - the veal was tough at the edge, but otherwise fine - and she nipped over to mine to finish the wine with me.. Caveat, apparently this isn't the first time this has happened at this restaurant!

And so to the hall, and met the organiser - and a lady at the next table, who turned out to be one of ours! And we chatted a bit before taking our seats.

So, this was a selection of string quartets - of which, I think we all agreed, the best was the last. It was a lovely concert though, a pleasure for me to hear classical music again, first time in a while. They have a busy weekend, actually - three days in a row of these. The free programme we were given on the way in gives a most detailed description of all the pieces played over the weekend - most foresighted of them!

Afterwards, we thought about returning to Cote - only to find it was already closing, at just 9.40pm on a Friday! So we repaired to the Lamb and Flag, where the two of us had more wine, and the others beer. And some very enjoyable conversation! Good to be back with this group again, and with people who are prepared to socialise a bit after.

Speaking of which, tomorrow, well, Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners are back to Greenwich again. Now, I have been there with him before.. not sure how "new" this one will be, but hey, it was a great day last time! And that evening, meeting Ivan - and another ex-boss with whom I'm still friendly, Martin, for dinner: and wouldn't you know it, I actually managed to book O' Neill's. Wonders shall never cease.. of course, Christmas is over now, so things might calm down. Also, although the Six Nations is on that day, the matches are in the afternoon..

On Sunday, nothing on Meetup appealed massively - I thought I might go for a walk along the Ken's Events route, if I feel like it! (on my own). Or Over 40 Living the Life has advertised a walk along the New River.. I'd have to see, as I have to pay to sign up (refunds given to those who then come). And I might well change my mind.. which I finally did, when Free Stuff and Free Events advertised a blues concert at the Earl of Chatham, Woolwich. It's a way out, is all - but then, it's free, if I wanted to cancel. And.. now I have, because London Herstory Guided Walks! has finally advertised a walk I can go on. I was recommended this group by someone a while ago - they run guided walks with a female theme. Sunday's is Deeds Not Words! Suffragettes, Spies, & Warrior Queens. Delighted to be able to go on one of theirs, at last - they're usually on during working hours. Only thing is, they don't specify how to pay - cash on the day, I'm guessing, as they don't take payment on booking. Mercifully, it's in the afternoon - I might need the rest, after Saturday!

On Monday, my first actual event with the Over 40s. We're off to How Not to Drown at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East - the first event of theirs for which I couldn't get a cheaper ticket! So I decided, if I couldn't beat them, I might as well join them. True story of an unaccompanied, 11-year-old asylum seeker.

On Tuesday, excited to be headed to see Derren Brown in Showman, at the Apollo Shaftesbury Avenue. Cheapest tickets with Official London Theatre again.

On Wednesday, off to The Lehman Trilogy, at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. Based on the true story of the bank that collapsed. Got the last £39.50 ticket!

On Thursday, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Winner's Curse, at the Park Theatre - an interactive show about a peace negotiation. Turns out North London Friends are headed to it the same night - what, are they now copying this group, as another group did some time ago? (since closed down). And then I'm back to Ireland again.

And on the 13th, I'm headed to Allegiance, starring George Takei in a musical based on the true story of his time in an American internment camp during the Second World War. Showing at the Charing Cross Theatre.