Friday was something advertised with the Crick Crack Club (CCC) - they're celebrating all things Mexican in Kew Gardens this month, with Mexico After Hours on some nights! With something about the Day of the Dead, of course.. and on Friday, the CCC came along.
That far out, it had to be Tube - even coming home, late at night. Outbound, I took the Piccadilly Line - happily, before it got to be full, so I got a seat. And changed to the District Line - as you have to, for Kew Gardens. And when I got off, it was drizzling - as it had been all afternoon. Just as well the e-ticket they sent me included a map, though, showing me where to enter - although Google Maps recognises Temperate House, where the event was taking place, in no way did it seem to know exactly where it was! Without the map supplied with the e-ticket, I'd have been completely lost. As it was, I had about 15 minutes' extra walk once I got as far as the gardens. You couldn't miss it in the end though - I arrived at about 6.15, 15 minutes before it was due to open, and the queue outside the gates was growing rapidly..
They were about five minutes late letting us in. The path to Temperate House was lit for us - most attractively, I must say. And as we made our way, someone behind me remarked to her companion that she'd looked into hiring it as a wedding venue - but it would've cost £20,000..
See those buildings either side? They're all connected - this is, apparently, the world's largest Victorian greenhouse.
The central atrium is the centrepiece of the activity, with constant music and a bar:
Oh, and to satisfy the macabre cravings of - well, people like me - there are plenty of shrines to the ancestors:
Well, we'd been handed the evening's programme on the way in, and I could see that the first of two CCC sessions was scheduled for 6.45 - five minutes' time, by this stage. Unfortunately, this central section of the glasshouse is on a raised area, steps either side - and yes, the CCC sessions were in a separate building to the rear. I spent the whole blasted night steeling myself to go up and down these steps - no handrails, of course. No accessible alternative, either - when I went for food, later, I did manage to find a flat path to the side, which I used to come around to the back again. However, the event trucks were parked there, and when I tried to exit that way at the end, an usher spotted me and sternly ordered me back hrough the central hall. There were a few people on mobility scooters - I suppose, if they had wanted the accessible path, they'd have been allowed.
Well, I managed it - and scored a central seat, in the ring of chairs they'd erected, for the performance.
(Note the plate of scraps of paper in front of the altar - the CCC left blank paper and pens at the front of the stage, for people to write deceased loved-ones' names on, if they wanted, and leave them at the alter. So they'd be included in the ceremony.)
All night, Clare Muphy and Sarah-Liisa Wilkinson took turns to deliver short stories centred around death, cheating death, the Land of the Dead.. One interesting tale described the origin of mist, and I heard again the story of how Hare brought the tale, from the Moon, that people woud die, but was in such a hurry that he completely forgot the second part of the message, that they would rise again. Clare Murphy has a wonderful, comic delivery, and Sarah-Liisa Wilkinson an absolutely madcap one, always urging the audience to contribute sound effects. I was sad to leave them at the end of the set - but we had to make way for a Mexican cookery/cocktail making demonstration, so off I went. It was damn chilly in there, anyway - I don't know how "temperate" these glasshouses were that night, with all the doors left open!
And so to investigate the bar. By this time, it was about 7.25, and I managed to grab the very last small bottle of white wine in one of the ice buckets - a pinot grigio. And a plastic container to go with it. Tricky to open, but I'm good at that - and I was determined. And meantime, there was a parade of costumed people! ( I did take a video, but am having trouble downloading it..)
And then I went for a stroll. It's fantastically lit, quite surreal in the dark:
Marigolds are supposed to ease the passage of those from the Land of the Dead:
Quite striking from outside:
I finished what was rather a weird-tasting pinot grigio, and headed for the cocktail bar, where I had to queue - you could have an old-fashioned, or a margarita. Margarita all the way for me, thanks! and it did taste good. Toilets are located down a spiral staircase, in the "magnolia room". And then, being hungry, I went in search of food! Following the map on my programme, I found that the only food to be had was back the way we'd come in - great, down the steps again. Where I found just the one food stall, serving tacos - pork or veggie. I had pork. After a long queue, the guy to the side taking orders with his card machine. I dunno why he bothered to ask what we wanted - they were the same price, and we had to give the order again at the counter! Ah well, it was tasty anyway. The miniscule amount of it we had, for £9.50, was scandalous - mind you, they were the only food stall there! Disgraceful - of course, I should have left earlier to find food elsewhere, but wanted to stay for the storytelling at the end of the night.
I sat and watched people stream in for the demos - and when a queue started for the storytelling, I joined it. Unfortunately, there is very little seating. And, of course, all the people who'd been lucky enough to score a seat for the demos were reluctant to give it up, and thought they might experience a bit of storytelling as well! So, for all of the ladies in front of me in the queue saying it wasn't fair, we hadn't a hope of getting a seat. Being first up, though, we did manage to get a perch on a ledge at the edge of the flowerbeds, at the side. Where we (usually) had a clear view to the side of the stage, but it was a challenge to hear. Ah well. At least some newbies were experiencing storytelling - and it might stick with some.
Different stories for this section, of course - Sarah-Liisa regaled us with the tale of a Scandinavian hero, whose mother came to rescue him and bring him back to life, after he was killed while out adventuring. Both got a great reception. Meanwhile.. a ghostly silver cat slinked its way through the crowd, disappearing into the foliage. Then came back and did it again, completely ignoring us all. And as I left, at the end, I could hear its meowling, bidding us farewell.. most appropriate.
The Tube home was interesting - first up was the ever-interesting District Line, where I found myself sitting beside a bunch of people in togas, one arguing with another about the suitability of his modern underwear, which was poking out, to the period he was trying to evoke. And unfortunately, I decided to change to the Victoria Line - which was stifling! What a relief to get off..
Couldn't blog that night, as I had to be up early. Yesterday was another of those busy days. So.. first I was headed on a walk with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpy Old Londoners - this one was Paddington - Proud, Perky & Picturesque.
Not hard to get to Paddington - a simple bus ride, with a choice of buses. (And would you believe it, I was just in time to miss a #205 - the fabled, but rarely seen bus of the fleet. What are the odds?) Having got off the bus, though - not being familiar with the station, it was impossible for me to find it!! Jeez, they have roundels for the Tube - could they not stretch to a sign saying something like "station entrance over here"? Anyway, it appeared as a big blob on Google Maps - so, heading in that general direction, I eventually came across what looked like an entrance. Found the platforms - and Laurence had helpfully mentioned that the Paddington Bear statue beside which we were to meet was on Platform 1. And so it proved - but not at the top of it, oh no. I had to walk a long way down the platform - and saw the group before I saw the statue. Ah well, he's only a little bear.
We waited for latecomers, and then we were off. And one of the most interesting things in the tour was right outside!
There's a man in the clock - about lifesize. And he's constantly on the move - cleaning it, repainting the hands as the time changes. Seriously, you could spend so much time just watching this..!
On to the Mitre pub:
And to the other side, an upmarket (Rolls Royce) ice cream van!
We enjoyed our trip to the park - but it was hard for Laurence to get us all back in time, and we were a bit late starting off again! Never mind, we were nearly finished.. just a quick stop outside St. Mary's Hospital, which has seen the births of so many members of the Royal Family in recent times!
A most interesting and entertaining walk! And so to lunch in Fountains Abbey pub - where you might be forgiven for thinking they'd never heard of us, although Laurence had rung to book, as he always does. Well, they have a couple of function rooms upstairs, and duly shunted us into one of them - where we did a bit of reorganising so we were all sat together. We had to go back down to order, mind. But we were well fed - me on the half roast chicken with BBQ sauce - and passed a most pleasant afternoon chatting.
Me, I was killing time - I wasn't going home, because, for nearly a year now, I've had tickets booked, for me and Helen, for Dara O' Briain in the Hammersmith Apollo that night! Crikey, I'd never even have thought of it if it hadn't been noted in my calendar. So anyway, she couldn't come on the walk, but we arranged to meet for dinner beforehand in Bill's of Hammersmith. I could only hope for better service than I got in Bill's of Clink Street..
So, I got the bus. Buses. And ended up going the wrong way, slightly. Ah well, I was still on time - got the table, and then she arrived and someone was right along to take our order. This time, I had steak - skipped a starter, under the circumstances. And we shared a bottle of sauvignon blanc. And it was good - although the steak was nothing special. Indeed, we might have had dessert - certainly, I asked for the dessert menu - but Bill's was back to its old self, and the only thing we could get the staff to do for us from then on was bring us the bill. Yep, not the place to come for a special occasion.
As usual, I couldn't access the "free WiFi" - can't get it in train stations, on trains, or in hotels or restaurants or airports at all any more. It technically exists, but has "no internet". Which meant I couldn't download our tickets. Of course, as soon as I was out the door, no such problems.. it was a short walk to the Apollo, and we went straight in. And having booked quite quickly, we had very good seats!
No support act, he came straight on. I love his comedy, and really enjoyed this - his comeback tour after lockdown. Revelation of the night, however, was that he's adopted! He was describing the palaver to get a look at his birth cert, following which he tracked down his birth family. Crikey, you never do know, eh?
Too tired last night to blog, but it was a great day, and great to see Helen again. Today, back with the CCC for Inisfáil, Irish storytelling courtesy of the wonderful Clare Murphy, in the British Museum. Mercifully, not on till afternoon, so I could have a lie-in - and walk there!
Took the back entrance, as cleverly suggested to me by Google Maps, and arrived just in time. And wow, I have never seen one of these events so well-attended! Popular subject today, methinks. There were people directing audience members to seats. I got one a few rows from the front - and a young couple were delighted to grab a couple of spare seats together, right beside me.
Well, she took us on again in her inimitable way, charming her way into the audience with a healthy dose of humour. Today, it was all about the Tuatha Dé Dannan - even the name sounds like a drumbeat. About how they came to Ireland (then known as Inisfáil) and fought the Firbolg. And finally, about how they in turn were displaced by the Celts. When she asked, yes, many of the audience had heard of the characters in the tales - but probably hadn't seen them brought to life in the energetic way that she did. We spent a fabulous hour or so - and the man of the young couple beside me turned to his partner (as so many have before) and thanked her profusely for dragging him there. Well, yes. Others on the way out were remarking to their friends how Clare Murphy is one of the best. Well, yes! I heartily agree.
On then to The Museum Tavern. It was pretty full, but I found a table right at the end - with a QR code on it! And hey, here - and in the museum itself - is the first free WiFi I've come across in ages! So, I was going to have a stab at that for once - but just as I was looking at the website, the waiter came along and took my order. Now, this is also a Greene King pub - like the Fountains Abbey pub - so a similar menu. So I decided not to have the chicken again, and went for a steak and ale pie instead. And the requisite glass of sauvignon blanc. Which were serverd quite promptly. The glass could have been cleaner - but otherwise, it was very moreish, gorgeous beef dripping gravy accompanying the pie. The chips weren't the best I've had, but the pie might well have been. I was absolutely stuffed for the walk home.
Tomorrow, I originally booked a free online talk about Railways of Surrey, from the Surrey History Meetup. But I just recently saw (despite the fact that it was evidently posted months ago) an event in Sadler's Wells from Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) - Samsara is inspired by the Chinese novel, Journey to the West, and contains partial nudity, we're told. Tickets for this are quite cheap, and we're all in the Stalls, for once - they haven't even opened the Second Circle, where we normally are! So, no stairs, for a change!
On Tuesday, I've booked for Iphigenia in Splott, in the Lyric Hammersmith.
On Wednesday, was supposed to have drinks with Ivan. But now it turns out he has Covid, so that's off the menu. Instead, I'm headed to hear the London Handel Players perform At Their Majesties' Pleasure, a programme of Baroque dance music, at St. John's Smith Square. Courtesy of TAC.
On Thursday, back with Civilised London for dinner at Le Sacré Coeur. Always good.
On Friday, back to Ireland again - and the following Monday, it's my mother's birthday, so I'm staying in Ireland for that and flying back on Tuesday 25th. I've already cleared it with work.
On the 26th, I've booked with UITCS again - for Mary, at Hampstead Theatre again. Political machinations in the court of Mary, Queen of Scots. Funny thing - there were two seats in the main seating section at the cheapest price, but the site objected to me just booking one of them. No problem booking an equivalent seat in a higher price bracket, though! So I booked one of the high seats, at the back, instead. At the lower price.
I hadn't anything booked for the 27th - was thinking film - and then Ticket Text (one of hundreds of ticket organisations I seem to have signed up for) sent me an advertising email. So, it seems that night the comedy venue, 21Soho, is holding an event of Comedians Telling Spooky Stories. Which sounds the business, for the week that's in it. So I booked. Hallowe'en fancy dress, apparently - well, I'll have a think. I do have some duds that might do.. 😜
The 28th, I've kept free for an all-night drinking session with Ivan. Man, I've missed these! In vino veritas, as they say, and these are wonderful chances to get stuff off your chest. He fancied doing it earlier, but I didn't want to have to take time off work - this was the first overnighter I could fit in. And with him taking ill, it seems it was just as well! I hope he can make this one.
Which should make the 29th interesting - I'm on another walk with Laurence and the 45+s! Might not actually get to bed in between.. this one is the Edgy London Walking Tour, and is one of his new ones.
And yes, I have something to do that evening! (This month is far too busy.) I'm back with the CCC, for the Game of Candles - their Hallowe'en offering, where they extinguish a candle for every spooky story told. Tim Ralphs and Sarah-Liisa Wilkinson - in King's Place, lovely! I can walk (or stagger) home..
