On Tuesday, I tried to get the first meeting of the year going with that group from my last company. Had the idea while I was eating at the Amarcord Museum - I love to advertise good places to people, and this is one! But apart from a couple of people who made their excuses because they're on holiday abroad - and despite the invite having gone out before Christmas - the only taker was Ivan, with no-one else even bothering to respond until the last minute, and most not at all. Dead in the water, that group, it seems. Well, their loss.
He was working from home, and had a lot to do - he was taking the bus in, and I'd said to let me know when he started out, so I could start to make a move as well. He lives a good bit out of town, so it'd take a while for him to get there. So I ultimately made a move - in time to walk, which I did. And boy, was I frozen by the time I gratefully got there! And.. the restaurant was closed. Really shouldn't have been - I checked the website, you could technically still book up to 9pm that night! (It was 8.30 when we arrived - Ivan just slightly after I did.) Well, blast - with only the two of us, I hadn't bothered to book - and I suppose they'd had no business on a cold Tuesday night, and had closed early. What a shame..
Never mind, I knew The Museum Tavern, at the street corner by the museum itself, does good food - so we went there. You can't miss it - festooned with fairy lights, it advertises itself well. We managed to get a table, I perused the menu - he got a bottle of wine, which we shared, and then he had a lot to say for himself; turns out he had a job interview the day before, and was full of plans for the future, and news. And so it took me forever to get my order in (he wasn't actually that hungry, and passed on food: so it was just as well we ended up in the bar, where that wasn't such an issue). I was wondering whether I'd ever get the chance to order at the bar - but the server, who had little to do, saw me with the menu and decided to come and ask whether she could get me anything. Very obliging - you are supposed to come and order at the bar! So I ordered my regular hunter's chicken - which was reasonable priced, and absolutely delicious. I'm a sucker for bbq sauce.
By the time I finished - Ivan was still talking - the kitchen was closed, so no dessert: and anyway, he wanted to make the Co-Op near the studio, to pick up some more alcohol. It'd take a while to get the bus - so we took the Tube instead. Our train would be the third, with one waiting on the platform - we really shouldn't have had to wait long. A train was sat at the platform, there'd be another along between it and ours. Except.. no movement. No announcements. Meantime, another delayed passenger took an interest in Ivan's guitar, which he'd brought - during this prolonged delay, he had tons of time to have a look, have a go on it himself.. isn't music a great unifier?! They were bosom buddies by the time the other guy's train arrived. Signal failure, we were eventually told. In practical terms, it meant that we were delayed enough that we just missed the Co-Op, which had just closed, tantalising bottles of wine visible from through the glass doors.
Blast. Well, he investigated Google Maps to find the nearest off-license.. and there was one about 10 minutes' walk away! Ironically, very near Ladbroke Grove Station, which was one before ours - so we could have got off early, and saved a walk. Hindsight is 20-20. So off we set - and I was getting a bit miffed at walking by now. Anyway, we arrived, I chose a bottle - he was still deciding, so I went to pay: and the card machine was broken. He did tell us that there was an atm just down the road, so off we headed, as Ivan didn't have any cash either. Turned out to be right beside a Sainsbury's - which was still open! We went to have a look, he decided there was a better selection, and he shopped there instead, also picking us up some food. Me, I went back to the off-licence, where I'd left my shopping on the counter.
And so off to the recording studio for the night. And as they do a special deal for 10 hours.. it was all night! So I took yesterday off work - wisely. A great time was had - the Tube home was much less problematic, and by the time I finally dragged myself home, I just had time to have a few hours' sleep before I headed out again. Grabbed a quick bite to eat in the ever-tasty and convenient Upper Crust.
Yesterday evening, I originally signed up for my first ever event with The Roads Less Travelled: Ekzotic Adventures Travel Club. Not actually travelling, mind - this was a talk about Myanmar. Specifically about the rubies you can get there, but with plenty of other information about the country as well. Took place in a room above The Iron Duke pub. Ah, but then.. (and I should have remembered this event, because I knew about it) London European Club (and the World Music Meetup) advertised a concert by a Kurdish artist (from the Turkish side) at the Finnish Church. So I booked for that instead. Tickets from Tuned In London, as usual.
The No. 47 bus got me straight there - and another very cold, but mercifully short walk took me the last stretch. On the way, I passed the Norwegian Church - gee, a real Scandinavian vibe to Rotherhithe! Obviously a legacy of its days as a port. Another little bit on - and I came across an unassuming building, with a couple of glass doors: went over to check, and sure enough, there was something written on the doors about it being a church. And Google Maps said I'd arrived. So I tried the doors - which wouldn't open! Ah, I thought - maybe this is the back door, and there's another. So I left to have a better look around the building - but before I could get to the corner, someone came running after me and shouting! Turned out to be the janitor, who doubled as the sound engineer at the concert - he showed me where I should have rung the bell! I hadn't seen that, over the side. Anyway, he swiped me in.
Everything in there seems to be in Finnish.. so I was lucky that it was easy enough to find where I was going. I entered the cafe - these things tend to be cash-only, and it's ironic that I had cash, for once! but I didn't see anything I wanted. So I searched for my ticket - the organiser was checking the tickets, but didn't even bother with mine - she knew me, of course, and had seen my name on the list. She told me where both groups were sitting - well, the World Music Meetup were up the front, but it turned out that London European Club had another attendee! who just hadn't formally RSVPed. I knew him, so I sat down the back with him.
The wall behind the altar is a fabulous centrepiece, all natural stone. The concert took place just in front of the altar - and what a fabulous voice that lady has! Operatically trained, it seems - and it shows. Her voice soared clear and high over the music.. the songs, a mixture of Kurdish, Cypriot, Turkish, etc. were lovely, but her voice was the main draw, and I could listen to it eternally. We were supposed to be out of there by 9, but ran over.. she gave a full two hours' show, and then some. It was a lovely, soothing end to my day, and I was delighted I'd made the effort. She's on a UK tour - details on her website, above.
I ended up leaving before the encore - and wouldn't you know, when I left, it was raining. Damn, that wasn't supposed to start until after midnight! And me without a hood. Google Maps said I should walk to Southwark Park to catch my bus back - but I knew the stop on the outbound journey was closed for extensive roadworks, and suspected the same of the one I had to use now. So I went down to the stop before.. had a freezing cold wait (at least it's covered).. and when I finally got the bus - yep, I'd been right, Google Maps is unaware of the stop closure at Southwark Park. You have been warned..
It ran too late to blog - I had to catch up on my soap, and I was tired anyway. Tonight, I'm back at Soho Theatre for Jen Brister's show, Under Privilege. Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland for the weekend - where I have to sneak a look at my mother's Eir contract. She just changed to a new package, I just got her first bill for it (we've gone paperless, so it gets emailed to me as she doesn't use her email account), and I swear they've overcharged her on the monthly package price. They messed up the email address when I was ordering over the phone, so I never got the confirmation email - will have to check the paper version she got to ensure that what she got was what I agreed on in the first place. No point in asking her to check - she won't know what to look for, and she'll only get hysterical.
And assuming I survive all of that (they are AWFUL to deal with, and I thought her previous internet provider, 3, was bad!), on Monday I'm back with Up in the Cheap Seats for The Haystack at Hampstead Theatre. Another group of them went on Friday night, and I'm hearing excellent reports..
So on Friday, I met up with Ivan. It was supposed to be at a friend's house, but the friend took ill, and it ended up being just the two of us - so, in the interests of not being thrown out of anywhere (and of having a place quiet enough to hear ourselves think), he booked the recording studio he's been known to use for, well, recording. Good chance to blow off steam.
I needed to eat beforehand, so we agreed to meet at The Garden Bar, just up the road. We thought it might be better to book a table, being a Friday night, so I did that. And then had to take the Tube, for a journey this far. Arrived just before he did, and early for the booking - and then got a little lost. My internet reception isn't the best in West London, anyway. I'd just spotted the place, and was making my way back to the station, where there is a zebra crossing, when he came out, lugging a guitar, and completely oblivious to me.. so I got to shadow him the short distance to the bar. When I finally got his attention, we agreed to sit in the (covered) area outside, since he wanted to smoke. It wasn't busy at all.
Ended up eating out there too, which turned out to be a good decision, as the bar became really noisy. They happily bring food out to you, giving you a canister that contains your cutlery and napkins, and has a number painted on the side to identify you. I had the chicken katsu curry - well, we'd had an all-hands at lunchtime, where we always get pizza, so I hadn't had my usual chicken katsu lunch! And it was fine - although not reaching the dizzy heights of my usual Wasabi. Hey-ho, we had a fine time there, until I'd finished and it was time to head - our booking at the studio was at 10pm.
He led the way, of course - just as well, as I'd have been massively confused. Pirate Studios doesn't seem to advertise its presence, the entrance being through a courtyard lined by graffiti-covered walls. An access code, sent to you when you book online, gets you through the outside door - there are several, in numbered arches. Carry on down the corridor until you get to the room number you need, passing toilets, and a self-service area with a microwave, small fridge, and sink. Another code gets you into the room. Tip: if the keypad flashes red, you've done something wrong - start again when the light goes off. If it flashes blue, you're in! Took me a few tries to get it right.
Inside, there's a (very low) leather sofa, a couple of slightly ratty leather swivel chairs, a desk with equipment. He'd thoughtfully brought his laptop, so we got to have music played for us without doing it ourselves, and there was a keyboard - the cable they'd supplied wasn't very good, so he called for a replacement. We'd stopped off to buy supplies on the way, and yeah, it was a late one - our booking was for 10 hours, so we blearily exited at 8am, into drizzle. They were in no hurry to kick us out - no-one had booked after us. And yes, it was - as I remarked to him - a Very Good Plan. Great to catch up, and roll on the next one.
Now, yesterday, I first booked with Best Authentic Walking Tours in London, for a Royal Maritime Greenwich Ghost Tour. This is - as with all their walks - with Funzing, so I can get a refund up to 48 hours beforehand. Which I knew I'd probably do (have, in fact, done for this twice already), as I might have gone to a film that day - depending what was on - or, if I didn't like the offerings, Love London Theatre, Arts, Music & Stuff was off to Blood Wedding, a new adaptation of the Lorca play, at the Young Vic. But that since sold out - was bound to happen. Well, I finally did come up with an alternative that made me cancel the ghost tour - another ghost tour! specifically, of the British Museum, with Spooky London (SL). I mean, technically I could probably have gone to both - I just couldn't be bothered rushing the first to traipse all the way out to Greenwich, for an event that wouldn't be at all sociable! Might get on that walk some day.
Ivan wanted to watch the match, I wanted to get home to bed. So we parted, and heading hone in pouring rain, I managed to squeeze in a much-needed few hours' sleep, before taking the bus to the museum - in plenty of time, I know what those entrance queues are like at the weekend. Curiously, I later heard that the queue at the rear entrance was as bad, yesterday! Took me about 15 minutes, and I took a seat near the information desk, where we'd been told to meet - I seemed to be the first there, of the group, although I didn't really know the others coming, so not sure about that.
When it was getting close to time, with still no sign of anyone, I posted a message asking whether anyone else was there - which turned out to have been a good thing, as one of the group was in the queue - a lot longer than she'd expected, and thinking about bailing, until she read that. It took a while more for the organiser, in black baseball cap (as advertised) to show, from which point at least I knew I was in the right place. The others dribbled along slowly - everyone was having problems with the queue, and as the organiser remarked, it was a good thing that the tour guide was also delayed, as it gave the others some more time to get there. We paid on the spot, and got business cards for the organiser's website -Spooky Isles - as a receipt, which is a cool marketing idea. It must have been 15 minutes after scheduled start time that we headed off. Glad, with the weather, that this walking tour was indoors.
The personable guide turns out to be working on a book about the ghostly goings-on at the museum - read more here. And our tour, let me say from the outset, is fascinating - but then, it's fantastic to get any kind of intro to the museum; entering it on your own is an intimidating prospect, just due to the sheer size of the collection. I hadn't actually realised that the British Library was also housed here, until it moved to its new location. Never mind the additional ghost stories, the objects themselves are incredible, and it's lovely to focus on particular items - like, for example, this mechanical ship, designed to announce the start of a banquet; the detail is amazing.
But the accompanying stories of the supernatural lend an extra layer to what we were looking at. This same ship, for instance, came up in some tourist photos with a strange reflection - perhaps a ghost from the time of its making..?
Much of the tour centres on the Egyptian galleries - I guess, perhaps, many of these artefacts have a more potent association with the supernatural, having been revered originally as religious icons. Seems the museum also has some trouble with people wanting to revere them in the present day.. the above statues of Sekhmet apparently get quite a lot of attention. Some activity on the supernatural plane, too. But what was interesting to me was the oft-repeated reminder that a lot of artefacts are in storage, never to see the light of day.. and the energies associated with them are, well, stewing in the basement, where the items are stored. Now, there's a thought..
We spend some time in the African galleries, too. (Hint: I wouldn't get too chummy with that double-headed dog.) Lots of climbing up and down stairs means plenty of exercise - you can, of course, take the lift, but that means potentially losing the group. Which I did, briefly. Easily done, in such a huge place, with so many ways in and out. What the hey, I found them again, and was glad I did. Excellent tour, with plenty to entertain and inform.
Afterwards, just across the road to the Museum Tavern, where we - quite amazingly - got a space to sit, right by the door! They do pack the tables in here, mind. Funnily enough, I thought I'd never been here - had completely forgotten the one other time, at the end of a London Literary Walk. In my defence, it was over two years ago, and I was sat at the other end..! As on that occasion, I ordered food - had hunter's chicken, which was delicious. Except for the thick slice of gammon that they'd popped in the middle of the chicken - which is a shame, because I like gammon - but this was undercooked and inedible.
The chat was good, and I stayed as long as there were people left to chat to - the tour guide stayed too, and dropped us more snippets, about things that happen in the storage areas of the museum. One lady left early, to head to the fireworks at Battersea Park - she'd been before, and proclaimed it one of the best displays in town. I didn't contribute a huge amount to the conversation - I was really fading by now, and indeed, a sore throat was fast coming on; I was as hoarse as a crow by the end of the night. Never mind, it was worth coming out - I do like this group, and will meet them when I can. And yes, I would have had to leave early if I'd been going to the other walk, so just as well I didn't.
My bus arrived in perfect time. Straight home to bed then, and a lovely, long, indulgent sleep. Today, of course (usually the reason for a lack of preview), is film - and it's looking like the hugely popular Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix as the title character, in an imagination of how the twisted psychopath of the Batman stories came to be. Also stars Robert de Niro. Delighted to be seeing the one everyone's talking about. Closest showing is in the Barbican - nice n close, and not apparently selling out, as it's been out for a little while now. And I'm rather glad not be socialising, so I can rest my throat.
Tomorrow, back with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) at Sadler's Wells, for a Rambert2 double bill - the first of two performances.
On Tuesday, I'm going to the comedy The Man in the White Suit, at Wyndham's. Stars Stephen Mangan as the chemist who develops a material that never gets dirty! and finds himself suddenly in huge demand.
On Wednesday, back with UITCS for The Antipodes, at the National - a play about stories and storytelling, sounds irresistible. Mixed reviews, I hear, but I can hardly miss this.
On Thursday, back with SL for their monthly drinks - and Ivan, who has business in the City that day, has expressed an interest in coming. This month, it's in the Prospect of Whitby. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend.
And on the 11th, I'm back with UITCS (as always!) for a night of comedy with Sara Pascoe, at the Backyard Comedy Club.
