London Still Rocks!

Tonight , I was back with CT for Never Let Go , part of the Fringe Fix at Underbelly Boulevard . It's a comedy, one-man, gay retelling of the film Titanic . Walked from work, with an idea of getting food somewhere.. ended up in Bistro1 , as usual. Where I'm delighted to say they have a new staff member.. and wow, service is now quick! I skipped the calamari I never like, and had a lovely meal. Was early, so treated myself to some ice cream as well. At the theatre box office, I flashed my ticket - which they emailed me this afternoon - and was sent straight to the bar upstairs: And in due course, we were sent upstairs to the Stalls - we could sit anywhere we liked. I, coming with my laptop, chose an end seat, as usual: Have to say, I loved this.. it is an hour long, and it's funny - but it's a pretty faithful rendition of the movie by someone who's patently a fan, and is lovingly told. I'd forgotten much of the detail of the film - well, I was reminded tonig...

Finally in this run of six Meetups , tonight I was hosting another London Museums A-Z (LoMAZ) event! This one was part of our Dracula series.. The Nickel  wa s showing Dracula in Istanbul , and I said I'd run an event. Made in 1952, it was apparently the first film to depict Dracula with fangs.. and has Mina as a showgirl! Thought it'd be fun.  The screening sold out days ago. Well, I tried to book  The Wilmington afterwards, but wasn't able - so, doubtful of getting food, I ate in The Sun Wharf beforehand - still got to the cinema early.  Some of the Whitby crowd came, and it was a great reunion! Apart from that, only two others were signed up in the end - one of whom came, one didn't. It was a lovely, convivial evening. We chatted in the bar beforehand, and managed to squeeze everyone who came into the back row! Now, as to the film.. well, wasn't amazing, TBH. Yes, Dracula had fangs.. it's also apparently the first film to show him scaling the castl...

T onight, fifth Meetup for me in a run of six, I was with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) for the second night in a row, seeing How the Other Half Loves , a romcom at the Old Vic . Booked to eat beforehand at Bar + Block Southwark - which looked like to be my last time there, or in any Bar + Block, as the chain is closing down on Thursday! I arrived ever so slightly late - to a practically empty restaurant. Guess I didn't need to book. Anyway - typically for Bar + Block, in fact - although you're supposed to wait to be seated, it took forever for the server to come to me. He handed me a menu with several exclusions on it, explaining that not all menu items were available. Fine, sez I, I'll find something. However, there was no mention of wine - and when I asked, it was to be told that they had absolutely no wine of any kind! I got up and left - never to darken the doors of a Bar + Block again. Frankly, no wonder they're closing. The Cut has several restaurants.. th...

Yesterday wa s a bank holiday, so I managed to slot in my friend Helen , who wanted to come visit. We decided on a long lunch at Bella Italia Cranbourn Street . We were both early, but she slightly beat me to it, and we had a lovely lunch (and lotsa wine). Funnily enough, the restaurant managed to find a staff member I'd never met, who actually asked whether I'd like to taste the wine first! Anyway, we had so much to chat about, we didn't end up finishing our food.. did have room for dessert, though. And then we hit Liberty .. - the Christmas shop (bah, I hate putting Christmas before Hallowe'en..)  ..although having said that, they have some scary decorations.. and haberdashery: And off she went home. Terrific to catch up though! Well, t hat evening, and this evening as well, I booked with Up in the Cheap Seats   (UITCS)   (last night was the fourth in a run of six consecutive Meetups !) . Last night, we were at Holy Fool at the Park Theatre . It's the story ...

Today, hosted my first ever Meetup event, woo! (Third in a series of six Meetups.) It was with London Museums A-Z (LoMAZ), and hey, it's where I've finally found an outlet to advertise storytelling, which regular readers will know that I love. So, this was a Crick Crack Club  (CCC)  event, which I was going to anyway - it was Agni & Amor: Tales of Love & Fire , and happening in The Master Shipwright's House . Ben Haggarty and Steph Brittain were performing, but there was also music and food - a real end-of-summer festival. Pity rain was promised. Part of the Thames Festival Trust . We were to meet in the Dog and Bell beforehand, and optionally afterwards as well. A lot of newbies signed up to come to this one - tickets sold out in advance, and I did worry about people having got them in time. One person did get in touch to say they were passionate about storytelling, but had been too late for a ticket - I couldn't help, but advised them to check the C...