Play: Common & Taste Tripper Luxury Chocolate Evening

Hello there.. it's been a busy return to London, after a v relaxing bank holiday, during which I did nothing so much as sleep! and v welcome was that rest. So anyway, yesterday was London Dramatic Arts Meetup's (LDAM) trip to Common. And they were down in the front stalls, @£35. And when I checked the National's website, behold, they had those £15 tickets available - you'd have to sit in the back row of the circle, but here, that's just fine. However, LDAM doesn't approve of such doings, thinks it "undermines the group", in a (I now believe deleted) post on their website. So naturally, I did what I always do on such occasions: booked a cheap ticket, with the expectation of avoiding them (it's a big enough place).

Ah me, I spend my whole life rushing, it seems. The office is walking distance from the National, but, you know, I was starving.. and a couple of slices of toast left me a bit late to walk. I'd save five minutes by Tube - Northern Line it was, Leicester Square to Embankment, according to Google Maps. Now, that would leave me on the wrong side of the bridge - I did consider continuing to Waterloo, but given that I've gotten lost on the walk from there to the National before, and the only entrance to the National for now is on the riverfront, I decided to cross the bridge, obediently.

And as I panted my way across, with the minutes inching towards showtime, I remarked to myself, as always, how wide this blasted river is. As I neared the theatre, they were ringing the bell.. This was in the Olivier, so I dived for the lift, emerged on Level 2, gasped out my name at the box office. Cue a pause for breath as the man searched for my booking. Ok, there it was. "You can take the lift, or the stairs all the way up." I took the stairs - had forgotten there were two levels to climb. Arrived to a helpful usher, who explained to me that they'd just started, and it'd now be 15 minutes before I could take my seat. "Time to catch my breath!" I smiled. Seemed the sound on the telly that they were suggesting I watch it on was on the blink - "Never mind", he said, "it's all swearing anyway!" But then another usher suggested that she could take me in to where I could stand at the back of the auditorium for those 15 minutes. Yes please - and in I went.

..to a scene from The Wicker Man, anonymous figures in straw masks cavorting around the stage in a pagan scene. To cut what turns out to be a very long story short, this is a new play, set in England in 1809 - when common land was being enclosed, to enrich the estates of the landed gentry, and ensure that all common folk were working for them, rather than independently.

Honestly, nobody really comes well out of this. The gentry are, as you would expect, degenerates - as our main character explains at one point, either idiots or beasts. The common folk - well, I refer you to the Wicker Man scene, which is repeated later on. One of the main characters, early on in the play, sacrifices her favourite horse, to try to ensure a better harvest. They're shown as mired in superstition and prejudice, even as they're constantly under the heel of their masters in the big house. (A good turn from the Irish labourers in it though, and a lovely rendition of Trasna na dTonnta.)

Enter the most uncommon main character. Boy, she's a doozy! Present almost constantly from start to finish, she started as one of the common folk, came into money, and is now accepted by the gentry: but she belongs to neither camp. Both sides alternately court her and shun her. She's witty, she's feisty, she's a woman ahead of her time - and she's an absolute joy to watch. Love her at the beginning, loathe her at the end; she's the embodiment of Progress, if you like, and she's unstoppable, despite repeated attempts by different characters.

The play is performed in something like the language of the time - not that I'm an expert. And that can be hard going, betimes - but it is interesting. Now, I looked up the running time before I went - and even yesterday, the opening day, they knew nothing more than "TBC". I was stunned, when I looked at my watch before leaving, to discover that the thing had run for over three hours! including an interval. No wonder my neck got stiff, looking down from the height at which I was sat. Still, to its credit, it is fascinating - there was a brief period that I thought flagged, and some people didn't return after the interval, but hey. And the only bit I regretted not being down the front for was near the front, when he got his willy out. Purely out of professional interest, you understand!

Very interesting. Recommended - but be prepared for a long night. Runs until 5 August - limited availability up to mid-July. Afterwards, I took the stairs down - and blimey, if I didn't spot the LDAM organiser, in conversation with someone, on the next level down! Cue me dashing for the lifts again. I'd normally have stopped by the office, but it was now late enough that I just said I'd take the Tube straight home from Waterloo. Mind you, on the way, it occurred to me that she takes the same line.. still, I stopped in to Marks & Spencer in the station, to buy some dinner before the 11 o' clock cut-off for wine purchase, and I think that's probably how I missed her.

And so to today, most of which I spent doing the film list - as of now, that's the most attractive idea I've got for next Wednesday. Tonight, free comedy in Hammersmith was up again (temporarily), with Random London, Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Greenwich, London Live Comedy, and London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers (an offshoot of Ken's Events). But yay, it was then replaced by a Funzing event, with London for a Tenner or Less (now defunct) - a Luxury Chocolate evening! Helen popped along, too. The code Fun_Day10 got us a 10% discount.

The venue being just off of Sloane Square, I suggested we eat in Côte beforehand - good, reasonably priced food, friendly service, and convenient. Leaving work early, I got there first, and had no trouble getting a table, at about 5pm on a Wednesday - by the time we left, after 6, the place was buzzing! My usual, fougasse and steak frites - which arrived pretty much simultaneously - and she had a cheese board and cod goujons: all but the fougasse available on the à la carte. A rather yummy bottle of wine from the Pays d' Oc, and we were well fed. We didn't have time for dessert - but hey, we didn't really need it!

A short and brisk walk down, then, to Artisan du Chocolat, where we arrived slightly late, but no-one was counting - the event started nearly half an hour after the advertised time. She ticked our names off a list, and took our emails. And we had time to mingle, as the prosecco flowed freely, glass after glass, poured by a roving man with a bottle. And so we were given a few samples to taste, then let free on the display cabinet, to have as many as we liked! Ooh-err.. I'll say this though, they were filling.. let's see: we were given three chocolates to sample, I think, and then I had - six more? and was stuffed. Maybe it was the prosecco. 10% off purchases on the night (rather than the advertised 15%, but never mind), and a free bag of chocolate pearls too - I bought a couple of things, but sadly, the chocolate of the night for me was the apple and cinnamon, which must have been a new flavour - I didn't see it on the shelves. A very good night though! And great to see Helen again. Pity about that group closing, but they only advertised Funzing - and they do quite a good job of advertising themselves.

Tomorrow, I eschewed the free comedy in Hammersmith for the Ghosts & Executions Tour, with London for a Tenner or Less - even though that guide wasn't great the last time, so I cancelled this previously, he's better than that free comedy! Funzing again, of course. Oh, and the code WELLBEING30 got me 30% off this. How it qualifies as "well-being" I don't know, but I'm not complaining! ..but last Sunday week, one of the Man with the Hat's old group got in touch, and now a half-dozen of us have organised to get together in the Swan tomorrow - we'd hate to lose touch. Not including said Man with the Hat, mind you - sadly, he's now shunning all contact with us. Hey, I know he has other commitments - but I don't think it's wise to cut himself off completely - and so abruptly. And we'll miss him. I have a late meeting, so shall probably be slightly late to this: but I'll do my best.

Then I'm off down to Helen for the weekend - she told me about this Living History Festival, and I said yes please!

Monday, I'm back to Soho Theatre with the Crick Crack Club, for something called The Frog Princess - Punked. Ben Haggerty, the mc and co-founder of the club, told us the other night that there's going to be a full punk band - goodness, who would've thought that Sally Pomme Clayton had a hidden punk side!

And on Tuesday, I'm with the London European Club, to see the Images Ballet Company at the Arts Depot.

Wednesday, as I say, at the moment looks like a film. Watch this space..!

Norwegian Dixie Band & Walk: Holborn - Residents, Rascals and Riots

Wow, it's been a busy 24 hours! So. Last night, I saw that London Social Detours (a side-shoot of Ken's Events) were charging £3 to go to the free jazz concert at the Royal Academy. So I was going to go on my own. Free. But then the London European Club (LEC) advertised a Norwegian Dixieland concert at Jamboree.. well, that sounded like more fun, so I went to that instead.

It's a long, long way away. I did take the bus - was just in time to miss mine, of course, but the next was just a few minutes behind. And what a glorious evening to take a bus trip! After all the rain we've had, it was so lovely to see the sunshine - and this route took me past the Tower. Wow, it's so long since I've been out here! (Sorry, didn't get a chance to take a photo, but it is a gem in its own right.) A crowd got on at Aldgate, and I had great fun with a very observant little girl in a buggy, whose Muslim, headscarf-clad mother smiled at me apologetically, but didn't need to - her daughter was cute as a button.

Off at Limehouse, just around the corner from The Old Ship, where I'd agreed to meet one of the group - who, as he explained, fancied a drink to unwind, on a sunny Friday evening, after a week's work. He was standing outside, though - seemed the place was full up with a private function. So instead, we decamped across the square to The Queen's Head, where we managed to get both a table and service! Friendly and efficient. And wouldn't you know it, they sell Tayto too! This must be becoming a Thing.

In due course, we decamped to Jamboree. He remembered the way, so I didn't have to - we met another of our party on the road, and the rest once we got there. And hung around outside, for a while - it was such a novelty to see blue skies. Inside, it was as eclectic as I remembered.

More photos here. Now, our organiser had speculated that the music would start at 9. In the event, it was more like half past - but when they did get going, they cooked up a storm!

Is there anyone who, having heard swing, doesn't like it? Mostly familiar tunes, they mixed it up with a few Norwegian ones. At the interval, we congregated outside in the mild evening, and we lost some as the evening progressed. As I say, it is a long way, and people had distances to travel. It is a great, cosy venue though, with some funky acts. Me, I stayed till the end this time, and many thinks to the generous dude who dropped me all the way home! 

Just in time to go to bed.. today, I did doing something local - a guided walk on Residents, Rascals & Riots, in Holborn. With London for a Tenner or Less. (Dubiously, with the promise of rain!) Got a message that that group was closing as well - followed by an email invitation to take over as organiser, as one of its top members! For goodness' sake, I'd only been to seven of their Meetups.. and I'm too busy to be taking over a group I don't care about. Anyway, they've only advertised Funzing stuff, with no social element - and there are a few other groups doing that. It'd have been different, had the Man with the Hat wanted someone to take over. May it not be too long before we see him again.

Anyway, I just managed a full night's sleep, and dragged myself out of it in time. Mind you, I then got hungry, so had some breakfast, making myself a bit late. So, although I'd intended to walk to Holborn Station, where my guided walk started, I decided the better way was by Tube. And thus I disembarked, taking the Kingsway exit as instructed, and although someone, accompanied by a group of people at the top of the escalator, seemed to be smiling at me, she soon lost interest, and I continued outside.

Where a lone woman was standing with a sign for Lansdowns London, which I'd never heard of. Well, these groups often advertise under several different sources, and it was possible. And there was nobody else. So I stood near her, and after a minute or so asked her whether she had the Holborn walk. Yes! and she informed me that it'd be a private tour - no-one else had booked! 'Tisn't everyone would still go ahead. Anyway, I suppose the rain all week might have put off any other potential clients - I might have cancelled myself, but Thursday morning was the deadline for cancellation with refund, and that morning was a busy one for me!

Undaunted, off we set. As she'd mentioned at the start, we didn't cover a huge area - but oh! what an eventful one. As I said, you might pass this way a hundred times without knowing all the stories that the area holds. Not only was she full of history, but she was from the area as well, and jeez, we kept running into people that knew her! In Red Lion Square, a fellow guide wanted a word before he left on holiday, and in Rugby Street, a chap sat outside his door with a cuppa and a yoghurt, in the sunshine, turned out to have gone to primary school with her! Indeed, we passed the very house she grew up in, on the charming Great James Street.

More photos here. Stories of wartime bombings and reconstructions, and famous residents. Down Hatton Garden, which was lined with vans for the filming of a new Michael Caine film of the Hatton Garden heist.. and ending at Holborn Circus. The rain held off - till I was on my way home! We had a gorgeous, sunny walk, and this was definitely one of the most knowledgeable guides I've had, full of stories about both blue plaques, and things that weren't thought to merit one. Highly recommended.

Tomorrow, London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) is headed out of town. We're going all the way to Northampton, to see a couple of Shakespearian plays, one directed by one of her members. Richard II, to be precise, with Titus Andronicus to whet our appetites. No-one has signed up apart from me, but what the hey I've never been there, so it'll be interesting. Managed to dig out my Rough Guide to England too, when I was in Ireland last weekend - I've photocopied the bit on Northampton!

On Monday, I'm off to Ugly Lies the Bone, at the Lyttleton.

On Tuesday, I'd booked with Funzing UK for an Infinitease Burlesque Show. In Leytonstone, so if anything better came up in the meantime, I was up for it! That's a terribly long way out. Anyway, the other day I got an email about cheap tickets - apparently there's a burlesque festival on - in Hackney, which is a bit closer. And a lot cheaper. So now I'm going to that instead - Funzing can be cancelled up to 48 hours in advance without penalty.

Wednesday was supposed to be the Man with the Hat's last event, but he had to cancel. Instead, I discovered that the UL Alumni Association (UL is my alma mater) is holding a talk on Brexit that night. And I was going to go to that - but lo, Funzing came up with something better! So then I was going to Urban Legends of London. But do you know, I completely forgot to mention that the World Music Meetup then advertised a Brazilian concert in Sands Film Studios - adore that venue. So that's now where I'm going that day! and barring the proverbial accident, fire, or flood, that's final.

On Thursday, Crick Crack is back - at Crouch End Arthouse again, unfortunately. It's just so far! Still going, of course - the more especially because it's Michael Harvey! He's worth the trip. Then I'm back to Ireland for the Bank Holiday weekend again - and taking the bank holiday, this time!

On the 30h, LDAM are at the Olivier to see Common. So am I.. on a cheap Travelex ticket, which I booked direct with the venue. So I'll be avoiding them, since they don't appreciate that.

On the 31st, free comedy in Hammersmith was up again (temporarily), with the above groups, plus London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers (another offshoot of Ken's Events). But yay, it's now been replaced by another Funzing event - a Luxury Chocolate evening! Helen's popping along, too. The code Fun_Day10 got us a 10% discount.

On 1 June, I eschewed the free comedy in Hammersmith for the Ghosts & Executions Tour, with London for a Tenner or Less - even though that guide wasn't great the last time, so I cancelled this previously, he's better than that free comedy! Oh, and the code WELLBEING30 got me 30% off this. How it qualifies as "well-being" I don't know, but I'm not complaining!

Then I'm off down to Helen for the weekend - she told me about this Living History Festival, and I said yes please!

The 5th, I'm back to Soho Theatre with the Crick Crack Club, for something called The Frog Princess - Punked. Ben Haggerty, the mc and co-founder of the club, told us the other night that there's going to be a full punk band - goodness, who would've thought that Sally Pomme Clayton had a hidden punk side!

And the 6th June, I'm with the LEC, to see the Images Ballet Company at the Arts Depot.

Talk: Vampires - Fact or Fiction?

Last night, London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less advertised a talk called Origin of Vampires: Fact or Fiction? Sounded fascinating, so I booked: left straight from the office - as usual, getting caught up with something, so I not only didn't leave time to catch a bus, I barely made it by Tube! It didn't help that I had to walk from Liverpool Street, which is complicated by its nature. Hey, at least I've sorted the exit from the Underground - left, through the station, if you're headed East, right, for Old Broad Street, if you're headed West. Counter-intuitive, if you've just come North, but there you go.

I hadn't come out this way before, but following my maps app's little blue dot, I seemed to be going the right way. Down by some bus stands I went, stepping around some cones in the road. After a bit, I looked up and realised here was nowhere to go - the road led into the bus garage, the path ahead was blocked by a metal fence. Whu..? Looked back. Yep, those cones I hadn't paid more attention to than required to get around them were actually marking the limit of the pedestrian zone - beyond this, it was a no-walk area. Retraced my steps, to dip back into the station for a little while, till I was past the fence.

London industrial architecture is very complex, and this is a very industrial area. I still don't know whether I was right to climb the steps to get me across that square, but it seemed like the right thing at the time. And it didn't help that the route on my phone both seemed the fastest, and also said it was x minutes slower - than itself. Google was as confused as I was, but I was finally on the right road - and the pub, the Blueberry, was slightly nearer than Google thought - on the corner of Wilson Street and Worship Street. I was just about on time, and the fellow taking in the street sign took one look at me and said "Funzing"? "Yeah." He pointed down the end of the bar, where there was an open door. "First floor, on the left."

The door led to a musty hall, mainly used as a storage area, and a flight of stairs with a dusty handrail. Appropriate for the topic of the undead, I mused. Upstairs, there were some loyalty cards on a table, but with no-one to stamp them, I was out of luck! I did meet the guy later, and recognised him from the talk on the Science of Anomalistic Phenomena - I guess he works for Funzing. Instead, I turned into a large, mostly empty function room - the talk wasn't terribly well attended. I took a seat at the edge, just in time for the start.

The speaker, Deborah Hyde, as she told us, is the editor of The Skeptic magazine - well, this is becoming quite a habit: the speaker at that talk on anomalistic phenomena is involved with it, too. Deborah and her assistant, whom she kept calling "Igor", work in the horror film business themselves, and she was even once a vampire herself.. yes indeed, she was the "corpse queen" in The Brothers Grimm.

That film background stood to her for the talk - her props were excellent. A casket to the side contained a stake, a box of silver bullets, a goblet that she filled with "blood" - presumably the same stuff they have to drink in the movies. A volunteer proclaimed it "very sweet" and she agreed, saying that when she'd had to drink it herself, she was sure she'd get diabetes. She offered another volunteer "vampire's ashes", which she poured into a glass of liquid - the poor volunteer got a bit worried when the glass started to fizz.

She also peppered the talk with a "vampire quiz" - every few slides, one popped up with a scene from a vampire film, which you had to identify (except for the one with Interview With the Vampire, where what you had to give was the vampire's name). First responder with the correct answer got a pair of gummy "vampire's fangs" - there was one couple, sat in the middle, who practically got the whole bowl!

Most of the talk was concerned with the origin of the vampire myth, with the influence of the Ottomans in Eastern Europe leading to a religious freedom that allowed many odd myths to linger. She spent some time talking about the diseases that might give rise to the idea of vampires, things that might cause the non-decomposition of corpses, the blood observed around the mouth of those recently dead. Yes, truly interesting - particularly to our audience of vampire fans: but mostly, it was just good fun.

I'd nipped downstairs at the interval for a drink - just as well I had cash, there's a £10 minimum on cards. Didn't really fancy eating there afterwards, and made my way straight home.

Tonight, London Literary Walks is off around Gloucester Road. It's a bit of a miserable day, grey, cold and drizzly - but it is supposed to clear in the evening.

Tomorrow, Let's Do London - for less! is off on its last scheduled trip to the opera house - the occasion is Mayerling, my favourite ballet, and is sold out by now, I see. We have tickets in both slips and amphitheatre, as usual. The clock is counting down on remaining Meetups for this most excellent group - we're already feeling the pinch of its events being scheduled less frequently. There isn't another group out there like this man's. May the hiatus be brief.

On Friday, I'd bought a ticket to Nell Gwynn, at the Globe - then it turned out that London Dramatic Arts (LDAM) is going on the same night! (Buy Your Own Ticket.) As the organiser said, it must be fate.. it'll certainly be nice to have company. Odd venue for them, though - I know the organiser doesn't like it.

And on Saturday, I'm joining the London European Club for a classical concert at the Royal Festival Hall. Oh joy, they're playing Beethoven's 9th. LDAM has a double-bill that day, in the Arcola, but it wouldn't be convenient, and I'm not that pushed anyway.

Talk: The Science of Anomalistic Phenomena, and Walk: Brick Lane

Ah yes, back in London and run-off-my-feet busy. Anyway, on Tuesday, I had this Funzing talk on the Science of Paranormal Activity.. or, as I discovered when I went in, what the speaker prefers to call the Science of Anomalistic Phenomena. Which caused me just a moment's pause, but anyway. Courtesy of London Speaks Sessions, LDN Talks @ Night, and London for a Tenner or Less. So I booked one ticket (on Funzing), and signed up with all of the above for the event.

..Which took place in Clapham. Honestly, it feels like I have had so many events there since I moved away from there! Where were all of these when I was walking distance away..? Anyway, I had my usual, Tuesday evening meeting, but it finished in good time, and I had time to take the bus. Got off at Silverthorne Road, and it was just about a 5-minute walk. Along the way, saw a couple of interesting things.. and had a pang of nostalgia when I passed a car the same make, model, and colour as the one I don't have any more. :-(

Arriving at the Jam Tree - which is more a restaurant with a pub attached than the other way around - I was a bit lost, and asked one of the waiters where the talk was. He pointed me towards the back, and asked me to register at the desk. When I stood myself beside it, the guy checking names did arrive - and joy, they were doing loyalty cards again! So he stamped my card (now full), and explained how I have to take a photo of it and email it to the address on the card to get a free talk. Rather excellent..

And so into the room - which is a rather excellent function room!

With its own bar, the room opening onto the kitchen, and French windows that can be completely opened to the beer garden, this would make an excellent party venue. An astroturf carpet and chairs in bright, summery colours complete the summery vibe. Mind you, opening onto the kitchen has its disadvantages, as during the talk we got the constant backdrop of clattering dishes and pots, and people dinging the bell and calling "service!". Terrible venue for a talk - never mind.

The seats were festooned with fliers - you can use the code "SCIENCEPOLITICS30" - for the next 43 days, now - to get a 30% discount on their science and politics talks. I see I also have one of these vouchers for "wellbeing" talks - that code is "WELLBEING30": and since I have dated it on 20 March, that one's only valid until 4 May, by my calculations. Mad keen to give discounts, these people! Anyway, I was to be glad I'd picked up a paper - despite being scheduled for 7, the damn talk didn't start till half past! No explanation was forthcoming - maybe they were waiting for more people to arrive; the room never did fill, although attendance was decent.

Now, there was other stuff I could have done that night, but this topic is of interest to me, as a lifelong horror fan. I was interested to see that the speaker is from Goldsmith's - now, the very first Meetup I ever did was a conference on demonic possession.. at the same place. They obviously have an abiding interest in it - primarily from a debunking perspective, mind. So, this talk was given by a psychologist, who proclaimed that he started off as a believer, and ended up as a skeptic.

As he acknowledged during the Q+A afterwards, he chose easy targets for the talk - but it bears remembering that some apparently paranormal phenomena do have obvious, common-sense explanations; of course, common sense is in sadly uncommon in our world.  He started by explaining to to us the difficulties inherent in replicating "ESP" experiments, and showing us a video of a controlled experiment which completely debunked a group of dowsers. Spent some time complaining about journal publication bias - and then took a break..!

At this point, I was beginning to wonder why I'd come - but the second part of the talk was both longer and more interesting. He described to us the standard "psychic reading" given to a class, each student's reading enclosed in a sealed envelope, and how they each thought it was so accurate - even though they were all identical. Well, of course it was accurate - as he said, it describes the human condition; if you don't agree with it, he joked, you're probably a psychopath..!

He also played for us the "Invisible Gorilla" video. Designed to measure how focussed the subject's attention is, it shows us two teams, one dressed in white t-shirts, one in black, and each with a basketball: and asks us to count how many times the white-shirted team throw the ball to each other. And at the end, we're asked two questions - how many times did they throw the ball, and did we notice anything else..? The point was, apparently those who are more intent on a task also tend to be more credulous of paranormal phenomena.

The Q+A at the end featured a couple of people who wanted to make the point that not everything is readily explicable, which he readily agreed to. However, the woman at the end could have saved her story about taking a photo in which a dead person was apparently captured.. simply, what could this guy have to say about that? He mentioned digital photo trickery, which wasn't a feature in this case, it seemed - he could say little else, he wasn't there. An interesting talk, though.

And so home. Yesterday, I was back with familiar faces - yay! Really, Meetup has got very quiet these days, and most days now I don't meet folks that I know - this was a nice change. London Literary Walks were off down Brick Lane. Sadly, one of my friends cancelled at the last minute though. Anyway, I had meetings, but they were over in good time - I got caught up doing other stuff, as usual, and still ended up rushing. The saving by taking the Tube part of the way was minimal, but I still did it - and was glad to hear that, of the lines disrupted yesterday evening, none were mine!

Central Line to Liverpool Street, from where I could walk or take the bus. I had my usual trouble finding my way out of the station, so ended up checking all the street names on the exit signs against Google Maps on my phone, to see which way was the right one. For future reference, take the Underground exit to the mainline station, then hang a right, because you're facing North. When I got outside, I was looking for Stop F - and wouldn't you know, there it was, right in front of the exit! And doubly lucky, a bus going my way was just pulling up. I could take the 8 or the 388 - Brick Lane was just three stops away, and had I had time I'd have walked - but time was an issue, so I didn't.

Hopped off just past Rich Mix - we were to meet at the Costa across the road. As we pulled up, I could see our organiser standing outside it - what, had no-one arrived?! I was in time, but not that early.. anyway, I crossed the road to him, and discovered that, despite the opening hours listed online, the place had already closed! Boo hiss.. he informed me that one had gone to Pret a Manger, just up the road, for something to eat, but that most had gone to a bar in the other direction, and were sat at a table outside. So I went there. They didn't serve hot drinks inside - so we sat there in the cold, until we decided it was time to gather for the walk, which was to start at 8. And boy, was it cold.. the weather has taken a real turn for the colder, and I was glad I hadn't shown up earlier! I shivered my way around for the rest of the evening. Was also glad to find a pair of gloves I'd left in my coat pocket - and indeed, a packet of Rolos in my bag: I hadn't had time to eat.

When our walk started, it was with the story of Rich Mix, just cross the road, which faced having to close right after it opened, after the local council demanded the return of the moneys owed to it. Apparently, it was saved by an online petition. And then the talk turned to matters historical. It's an area that's experienced a great deal of poverty over the centuries, and we heard about Huguenot refugees, about Dickensian conditions, about the necessity of the workhouses. (As the man quite rightly pointed out, a necessary side-effect of capitalism is the provision of social welfare - if you want people to be mobile in their careers, you need to provide a safety net for them for those periods when they have no work..)

More photos available here.

I was wondering why he'd dragged us down a cul-de-sac.. he stopped us in a car park at the end, where he explained to us that there was a school behind that high wall, with the barbed wire. And it's a notorious one - famous for being where the Kray twins went to school, it's also achieved fame for the number of its pupils who fled to become jihadi brides, and for extensive leaking by teachers of exam content just this year. Yes, you might say that the relatively recently named Green Spring Academy has become famous for all the wrong reasons..

It wasn't all crime and misery. Much of the area is now hipster heaven, and we passed many specialty shops, including the Duke of Uke (ukuleles), Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium, the Cereal Killer Cafe (which I agreed could benefit from better signage), and a shop specialising in that essential accessory, the bow tie.

Afterwards, while some headed home, four of us headed to The Astronomer, near Liverpool Street station. Cute little touches abound - like the Hubble Room (plenty of space), and the astrolabe globe on an adjoining table:

Three of us stayed till chucking-out time - and indeed, it was great to see the others again! Tonight, I had my usual placeholder of free comedy in Hammersmith - courtesy of Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Greenwich, and London Live Comedy. Of course - much like Funzing - I usually end up cancelling these, when something better comes up. And lo and behold, it did - Walking Victorian London is off to see Six Islington Squares. Did sound better, so I cancelled the comedy - the walk costs £12, but I wasn't charged on RSVPing. So, when I later got an email from ShowFilmFirst, advertising £2 tickets to a concert - Nancy & Beth - at the Royal Festival Hall.. well, that sounded better again, and now I'm going to that. Stars Megan Mullally, from Will & Grace.

Ditto the comedy tomorrow, which I've just cancelled in favour of going to the cinema (spent all day yesterday doing the list). Friday is always a bad day for arthouse - I'm guessing they figure that Friday night audiences prefer populist stuff. So, would you believe, I deleted the top 40-odd films from my list, because they're not showing tomorrow! Top of the list, having jumped to 7.5, is Raw - that's terrific for a horror film rating, and I do feel I have a duty to see this. The newspaper review on Friday described it as something the audience could only watch through their fingers, but said that, for all the gore, they never lost sight of what is a clever plot. Showing only in the Rio tomorrow, at 6.

On Saturday, I'm off to see the Naked House Cleaner! Venue to be revealed tomorrow.. ooh!

On Sunday, I'm on a walk of Hampstead Village Highlights, with Walks, Talks and Treasure Hunts. Be good exercise, leading up to my own sponsored walk in September, in aid of Cats Protection.. Helen and I are going as Dick Whittington and his cat. She's the cat.

On Monday, a summery treat! The Man with the Hat is taking both London for Less Than a Tenner and Let's Do London - for less! to the Globe (ah, it's been too long..). For one night only, the Comedy Store Players will regale us with Shakespeare-inspired improv. As usual, London for Less than a Tenner standing in the yard, Let's Do London - for less! in lower gallery seats. Which is where I go - couldn't take standing for that long. Better savour this trip - he only has four more events scheduled, three of which I'm going to, with no word on whether he'll continue longterm. And if he doesn't (Heaven forbid!), that'll leave a huge, hat-shaped hole in my life. Plenty of other stuff to go to, but hardly anything I'll look forward to as much as his events.

On Tuesday, London European Club (LEC) - it'll have been a while! They're off to an informal evening of classical music, in Peckham.

On Wednesday, London Literary Walks is doing the Sloane Ranger.

Next Thursday, Helen and I are on an Underground treasure hunt, courtesy of Walk, Talks and Treasure Hunts. TFL goodies to be won, it seems.. Then back to Ireland for the bank holiday weekend - which I'd forgotten was a bank holiday, or I'd have stayed over an extra day!

Instead, for 1 May, I've booked The Ferryman, with London Dramatic Arts (LDAM), at the Royal Court.

On 2 May, those same three Funzing groups have advertised a talk called Origin of Vampires: Fact or Fiction?

On 3 May, London Literary Walks is off around Gloucester Road.

On 4 May, Let's Do London - for less! is off on its last scheduled trip to the opera house - the occasion is Mayerling, my favourite ballet, and is sold out by now, I see. We have tickets in both slips and amphitheatre, as usual.

On 5 May, I'd bought a ticket to Nell Gwynn, at the Globe - then it turned out that LDAM is going on the same night! (Buy Your Own Ticket.) As the organiser said, it must be fate.. it'll certainly be nice to have company. Odd venue for them, though - I know the organiser doesn't like it.

And on 6 May, I'm joining the LEC for a classical concert at the Royal Festival Hall. Hallelujah, they're playing Beethoven's 9th..

Talk: The Science of Psychedelics

Funzing has gotten big into talks - dozens are scheduled in the coming months, and with four different Meetup groups (all of which I'm a member of), I certainly do hear about them. Well, The Science of Psychedelics sounded interesting, and I booked - with Funzing, you can always cancel without penalty up to 48 hours in advance anyway, so if something better comes up I have no trouble doing so. So I signed up with LDN Talks @Night, London for a Tenner or Less, and London Speaks Sessions.

So, off I headed to Shoreditch yesterday evening. (Perfect location for it, full of hipsters.) Bus as usual - you'd have to take one at least part of the way, anyway. Google Maps (when it finally decided) sent me up to Oxford Street to catch it - via a tangle of backstreets that I'm just getting used to navigating. Nothing like practice..

I had a choice - ended up on the 25. Eventually got off at Adler Street, back, and next right up Brick Lane - my, it's an age since I'd been here! Can't remember whether that Indian arch was there the last time.. anyway, probably because it was a Monday, I was nearly at the venue before I was invited to try someone's restaurant!

Good thing I was here before - Cafe 1001 is a little tricky to find, since you can't see it from the street. Signs at the venue itself were helpful, though - and this time, the person checking names was all the way inside, so those signs were needed. Oh, and it seems that since I was last at a Funzing talk, they've come up with loyalty cards  - he asked me whether I'd been to a talk before, I said yes, and he asked whether I could remember the name of the talk. "Eh, Fly First Class for Free"? I've been to more than that, but couldn't remember off the top of my head. Anyway, this earned me an extra stamp, and when I have three, I can have the fourth talk for free.. whee.. now, how that works with booking online, I'm not sure. Maybe you have to buy your ticket at the door!

I really don't like this venue. It's deliberately grungy - which is ok, but the seating is eclectic, and mostly consists of stools and converted boxes with no backs. By the time I'd got a drink,  it was 10 minutes to start time, and the place was packed. I ended up with a stool, near the back of the room, with a huge pillar right in the middle of my view of the screen. Well, what can you do? Meantime, I noticed vouchers scattered about - picked one up. WELLBEING30 gets you 30% off for 45 days (44 now, I guess). I see they have the EnjoyFunzing10 code on the website again too, for 10% off for a limited time - really, they inundate you with these codes.

Well now. This talk is, of course, about psychedelics. And it's given by someone who knows his stuff - senior lecturer in psychology at the University of Greenwich. As the talk progresses, you discover just how much he knows about it - lacking test subjects for one experiment, he just tested himself.. 20 times.. Now, it's a fascinating subject, but just thinking about the structure of the talk, he'd have been advised to get into the juicy stuff earlier. He does eventually, but the very beginning is a bit dry. After all, this was a non-academic audience.

Some interesting topics are raised. He describes the effect of psychedelic drugs as a decrease in "convergent" thinking (the ability to perform everyday tasks), but an increase in interconnectivity and "divergent" (creative) thinking. And he has the stats to back him up - although (for you statisticians out there), I had to chuckle at some of the p-values he's finding statistically significant - but then, social scientists have more relaxed standards than, say, physicists. (And some of the p-values, even physicists would be happy with!)

He speaks at length about South American tribes, with their drug-inspired art - he's spent a lot of time out there. During the Q+A afterwards, he was rather coy when asked what his list of best drugs was - but a lot of mention was made of DMT, although he explained that even that has three different variants, and the effect is different with each drug anyway, so he didn't want to compare. (If you're looking for its natural origin, the Amazonian indigenous peoples apparently get it from something called ayahuasca - which he mentioned usually made him throw up..) Someone at the back brought up the thorny issue of a couple of people he knew who committed suicide on the effects of psychedelics - about which the speaker was duly respectful, but did point out that that is quite rare, and probably indicates an underlying propensity for psychological problems.

Yeah, interesting talk, for sure. Oh, and I did sympathise when - after someone had finished drying their hands, having used the toilet - he thanked them. When the dryer finally stopped, you see - it's ridiculously loud, and drowns out whatever's happening in the bar / talk area. That was the only time it happened.. This talk is repeated on 3 April, if you're interested. Afterwards  I headed straight home -

Google Maps had told me "Stop E" but it was actually Stop D, as I discovered - where a whole host of buses would take me home. I decided to get on one to Tottenham Court Road, so I could swing by the shops and grab something to eat - the bus ended up terminating just shy of there, but no biggie.

Tonight, I'm with London European Club (LEC) for Carradine's Cockney Singalong, at Hoxton Hall. Had some fun with this a few weeks ago, when I noticed another group member had confused it with something at a different venue, and thought it wasn't now happening..

Tomorrow, I'm headed with LEC again - with a different organiser - to see 2 Cellos in concert in the London Palladium. Cool - never seen them before, never been there before, and I can probably walk there! Unfortunately, I heard a couple of days ago that it's one of those steep venues.. oo-er, I'll just have to manage somehow.

Thursday was another Funzing talk, with the same three groups, on The Science of Hypnosis. And then, wouldn't you know it, Henning from the LEC advertised.. Hypnosis - Altering Consciousness! With Pint of Science. (What is it about that day and hypnosis?!) Anyway, I do enjoy events with Henning, and I can cancel Funzing up to 48 hours in advance without penalty. So I did, and booked the other instead. And then it's back to Ireland for the weekend again.. Not sure what I'm doing next week, as someone in our team at work is visiting from another office, and we might be doing something with her. Watch this space..

Haunted Tube Tour & Opera: The Nose

Oh sweet God almighty, what a week. Well, working chronologically, I did finally get to an event on Wednesday. London for a Tenner or Less (one of the Meetup groups created to advertise Funzing) has several instances scheduled of their Haunted Tube Tour. And on Wednesday, I finally made one. It was late enough that I didn't have trouble getting there - we had to meet outside Bethnal Green Tube at 8.

Only been there once before, and didn't travel direct on that occasion; it turned out that it would take over an hour by bus alone - which is a bit much for me - but the Overground would drop me within walking distance, so that's what I took, racing up the stairs and practically collapsing onto the train, just making it in time. I'd managed to get my breathing back to a reasonable level by the time we set off, and got a seat after a few stops. Mind you, it's just as well the distance between stops isn't as long later on as for the first stops! I was really in fear of not making it to my destination in time. But it dropped me in Whitechapel in plenty of time for what was promised to be about a 15-minute walk.

Very ethnically diverse area, this - plenty to look at as I walked:

Exiting the station was a bit confusing, with the regular entrance closed for construction work, but there are plenty of maps to keep you on the right track. And with the maps app on my phone, I soon made it onto the right road, and found myself at the Tube station. Now, the Funzing page had said to meet at the Stairway to Heaven memorial in the adjacent park, erected in memory of the victims of the Bethnal Green Tube disaster: but actually, the park gates were closed, so we clustered outside them.

Now, the Funzing page also said that our guide would be a lady called Siwan, and pictured her dressed in a long, black cape. Actually, what we got was a smartly dressed chap called Nick - I believe that several different guides run this tour. He was friendly, he was knowledgeable, and he carried an instruction sheet, which I sneaked a look at, a couple of times - it included the stories he had to tell, as well as details of which Tube lines he should take, and where to go within the stations to tell the stories. You see, we tapped in at Bethnal Green, and basically travelled around various stations that were associated with grisly incidents or ghostly stories, before finally tapping out at Covent Garden. Handy for me - I was headed in the direction of home!

Good place to start, Bethnal Green, with its wartime disaster. At Bank, poor Nick had trouble being heard over the accompanying busker down the hall.. Aldgate and Liverpool Street, for me, had the most interesting stories, with the mysterious cctv ghost of Liverpool Street being a real attraction! On to Farringdon, and what Nick described as "the loudest pa announcements on the Underground", then King's Cross, finishing with a theatreland murder at Covent Garden.

It's a really interesting tour, on what is a fascinating transit system in its own right - this is the first Tube tour I've taken, and I was enthralled. Caveat - as always with the Tube, there's a fair bit of climbing up and down stairs within stations, while changing lines. We were glad of the rest, when we got a seat on the trains between stations! Also, do remember, if going on this or similar, to top up your Oyster card in advance, if that's what you're using - he gave us time to do so, but it's a nuisance. Popular around Hallowe'en, of course, and currently the next available date is the 7th - but they run right into December. Recommended.

It runs for about two hours, and I had to be up early next day, so no blogging that night. Now, the next day was Thursday - date of my second interview, and the recruiters wanted to see me first. Well, I scheduled that nice and early, and afterwards had time for one of them to take me for - what was, for me, brunch at the local Costa. And a lovely one it was - a piping hot ham and cheese toastie, with a delicious hot chocolate. Also recommended! Afterwards, it was a bit far to walk to the interview - but I had time to take the bus. The #25 is supposed to be one of the good scenic routes, and I certainly enjoyed it:

My destination was Golden Square, in Soho, where I arrived early enough to admire the sculptures:

..and the interview seemed to go really well - watch this space. Anyhow, it's really central, and although I was booked to go to the Opera House later, I still had time to eat after I'd finished. Chinese beckoned, and I was an easy walk from Chinatown - where I located my last favourite, New Loon Fung. Lordy, it's so long since I ate Chinese, I nearly forgot to ask for a fork! (You don't want to see me handle chopsticks - it can get messy.) And yes, their honey and lemon chicken is as delicious as ever - although a couple of pieces were very chewy.

I was dead early for the opera - the Man with the Hat was shepherding us all to see The Nose, written by Shostakovich and based on a satirical short story by Gogol. Well hey, means I got the pick of the tickets!

Two hours without interval.. and as you can imagine, a nose features prominently. Actually, in one scene, a line of tap-dancing noses, which I think everyone agreed represented the highlight of the evening. 'Tis a surreal tale of a chap that wakes up one morning.. noseless. Terrible state of affairs, and he runs from pillar to post, amidst mindless bureaucracy, getting nowhere. While his nose, on the other hand - so to speak - dresses up in a posh uniform, busily evading capture as it skips through the town.

Quite a surreal evening overall, with one actor entering via the stalls, a narrator remarking how weird this all is, and a nose with a life of its own. It's been described as being over-long not to have an interval, but if you have a liking for the absurd, you're sure to like something in this. Overall, the music isn't very tuneful, apart from one funeral scene, where the cast join in chorus and produce one of those gorgeous, loud sounds that the Opera House does so well. Recommended, for fans of the absurd. Mind you, when I checked, there were only two performances left with remaining seats: the 1 & 9 November. Hey-ho, off you go..

Afterwards, we usually repair to the Sun, but apparently they had a Hallowe'en thing on last night, so instead we went to our previous haunt, the Covent Garden, which used to be called The Globe - just across the road. They were crowded downstairs - and upstairs - but the ever-resourceful Man with the Hat had told us to ask them to open the top level, if we needed space - and that's what they did, leaving it all to us. Good chat followed - but I wish I knew what white wine I'd ordered (I didn't specify), because I'd hate to have it again..

After we watched the Man with the Hat wobble off on his bike, we walked to Waterloo, where I had a cheap train ride home, given all my travels during the day (max fare again). Again, I had to be in Guildford today, so again, the blog didn't get written. Met Helen for lunch in Heart and Soul - another one looking for a job: must be contagious! I see they've changed the menu somewhat - I had some delicious garlic bread, which was eventually followed by a quite spicy Cajun chicken burger (service hasn't improved, I notice). Good food - just don't go there if you're in a hurry.

Now, I was thinking of a film for tonight - hence the delay with the blog, although the film list was a good bit shorter than usual. However, when I finished it - top of the list was Starfish, based on the true story of a man who contracted a particularly vicious case of septicaemia, losing his hands and part of his face. Oh wonderful. Just what I didn't need, on the day I was supposed to hear whether I'd got the job, but didn't hear. Nah, I stayed in and wrote the blog instead, otherwise it'd never have got done!

The weekend is devoted to the Man with the Hat - well, the afternoons, anyway! Tomorrow, we're back at the Opera House for a production of Anastasia - must remember to get up, it's a matinee! Both groups going, as usual for here - London for Less Than a Tenner in the slips, as usual, Let's Do London - for Less! in the Amphiteatre.

And on Sunday, he's got no fewer than three instances of London for Less Than a Tenner, heading off to a guided tour of Billingsgate Roman House & Baths - one each at 12.30, 2, and 3pm. He originally advertised the 12.30 and I booked - then he advertised the 2pm one, and offered us the chance to switch if we liked. So I did, for a bit of a lie-in! He finally put one up for 3pm as well, which is now sold out, I see..

Monday is Hallowe'en (whoopee)! I was supposed to go on a guided walk - London for a Tenner or Less again, Funzing again, and wouldn't you know, I was on a walk with the same guide last month. Wasn't massively impressed - I finally cancelled it (Funzing gives a refund if you cancel at least 48 hours in advance), and since I had the film list done, decided I'd go to a film that night instead. Horror, natch. Top rated horror, as it has been for a while, is Don't Breathe, about a group of thieves that break into a blind man's home to rob him, but get more than they bargained for.. unfortunately, locally it's only showing quite late at night, but I can grab a showing at Vue West End at 6:30 or a bit later, depending what suits. Much scarier than a ghost walk, I'll bet.

Tuesday, I'm back with the Crick Crack Club, who are back in Rich Mix, with the appropriately titled Day of the Dead. Includes the excellent Nell Phoenix and - my favourite - Clare Muireann Murphy.

Wednesday, I'm at a classical concert called Goyescas: Music in the time of Goya, in St. John's Smith Square. I'm going in the company of Kensington Classical Music.

Thursday, I'm going to the much over-advertised free comedy in Hammersmith - this one's called Bonfire Special, and I've signed up to go with five different groups (just because I can): Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, Random London, London Art Comedy & Culture Lovers, London Live Comedy, and London for a Tenner or Less, who advertised the thing no fewer than three times themselves. So, if I get a better offer that night, I'll have a lot to cancel, eh?!

Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, and we're off to Aida at the University Concert Hall that Saturday. Another thing to remember to print off tickets for - website permitting!

On Monday 7th, I've booked for a talk given by a new group, Org London, whose theme is Digital Dystopias: Orwell's 1984 and the Internet Age. Or I might go to a film - we'll see.

Tuesday 8th, yippee, I'm back with free comedy in Hammersmith! (so far). Only with three groups so far - Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, London Live Comedy, and London for a Tenner or Less (just the once).

Wednesday 9th is back with the Man with the Hat, who's taking Let's Do London - for less! to Southwark Playhouse, to see Orca.

Thursday 10th - yes, you guessed it, free comedy in Hammersmith! Think of it as a placeholder. Funnily enough, I'd just booked with London for a Tenner or Less, and only just noticed that Free Comedy Nights in Hammersmith Wimbledon and Farringdon, and London Live Comedy, were also advertising. Again. So I've booked. Again. What the hey, it's free.

Now, on Friday 11th, London Dramatic Arts are off to see King Lear at the Barbican. Haven't seen that since I studied it in school. Well, I'm off to see it too - cheaper, and sat in the very back row! Hopefully, with the maze that the Barbican is, it'll be fairly easy to avoid them.

And I did have something to do on the 12th - or rather, the Man with the Hat did, until hardly anyone booked, so he cancelled! Bah humbug. Might go to the Lord Mayor's show, which is on that day. Or perhaps a film..