London Still Rocks!

Tonight, I was with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for a reggae musical called The Harder They Come at the Theatre Royal Stratford East - the story of a young musician trying to make it in the business. Should have been easy to get to - if not by bus, then straight there by the Jubilee Line .. if I were travelling from home. Even with today's Tube strike , which didn't affect that line. Except, of course, I wasn't coming from home, but from the office.. Never fear, Google Maps reassured me that I could get the Elizabeth Line (which isn't a Tube line) from Tottenham Court Road , straight there. Really easy, really quick - less than 30 minutes altogether. Now, I've been on that line when it was really crowded, so I was a bit dubious.. but I went down there after work, only to find all but one entrance to the station closed, and a flashing "Do Not Enter" sign overhead, accompanied by a repeating announcement saying the same thing, and citing overcrowd...

Tonight, the last scheduled from the Crick Crack Club 's Story Pick + Mix in Next Door at Theatre Deli - this time, it was We Are Fox , with Alys Torrance and Lucy Lill   - collectively known as Storyjam . And it's a good job that they recently invited me to buy a ticket - I'd completely forgotten to do so! Got sorted in the end. I left in time to eat at Nando's Lime Street - and wow, it was a breezy day. I'd expected the bus to be busier, after yesterday - but of course, this was the day between Tube strikes ! Arrived in nice time, got seated, got fed - and it was richer than I remembered. It has been three weeks since I was in a Nando's, of course.. the last time I was at this venue, in fact! Arrived in decent time, selected some pick n mix - there weren't many seats left, but I got one up the front. Ah, this was marvellous - whatever I was expecting, it wasn't this. The fox of the title was a man by day, cursed to roam the streets of London...

Last night, I was supposed to be back with CT and Shake It Up: The Improvised Shakespeare Company , first Monday of every month in the Hen & Chickens . But Lordy, last Saturday night, the organiser of The Hideout persuaded me to join them again yesterday evening - the original Poltergeist  wa s showing in Cineworld Leicester Square . We were meeting in Victory House again beforehand. And so that was two outings with CT cancelled in a row! I went in early enough to eat in Bella Italia , if I could get a table - I hadn't been able to get one online when I finally got a chance to try, but it being a Monday night, I figured it was a case of online bookings being closed, rather than them being full. And so it proved, with plenty of empty tables.. but of course, this was quite an early showing, which meant I was eating early; by the time I left, it was much fuller. Wow, I do love their tortellini.. sadly, no time for dessert, but I was well satisfied by the time I left. Particul...

Couldn't blog on Friday night - I had to be up early.   On Saturday - back with Laurence Summers and the 45+ Not Grumpies for his Nooks and Crannies of London walk - and damnit, Meetup was charging for RSVP again! (plus an extra charge, of course). Seems as though that'll continue to be a feature - although not consistently. I was one of the first there, as it happened, and arrived at the same time as Laurence - and his wife - and the dog, Daisy - and his wife's friend. Quite a retinue! We waited a bit for latecomers, and set off - on a day that, mercifully, wasn't as hot as earlier in the week. Especially good for Daisy, whose woolly coat did cause her some problems all the same. Laurence's wife took charge of her mainly, walking with her in the shade, and frequently carrying her. Soon, we were stopped in Red Lion Square : Now, the reason I've taken a photo of the ground is there's a rumour that Cromwell is buried there. Somewhere. During the reign of...