Belgravia Lights Switch On

Last night, back at last with Buddies on Budget (BoB) in London, who were headed to the Belgravia Lights Switch On! V Christmassy.. and the one day this week it wasn't supposed to rain. So far.

We were meeting at Sloane Square - so that'd be Tube. From the other side of the river, though - now, I could have walked it, but cut it a bit fine, and didn't want to have to rush, so I grabbed a bus - which arrived just as I got there! Made the Tube in good time as well - and just as well I wasn't delayed, because Mandy (brandishing a fetching telescopic pole with a little flag on top) left pretty much on the dot. Fair enough, for a free event, if you haven't heard from them - people do have a terrible habit of deciding not to come without letting others know. Just as well, also, she had the pole - lighting isn't great around there, and I didn't see the group at first. Ran into another of Laurence's group there again as well! Crikey, small city..

And off we trotted. It was a bit of a trek - as she said, Victoria would've been closer, but more crowded. And she apologised for hurrying us along, but she wanted not to miss it - sure enough, we were pretty much just in time. The Christmas decorations are starting to get into full swing:

Unfortunately, it was really crowded, and we didn't see much of the choir. Or hear them! They weren't mic-ed. There was a Santa, too - I caught sight of him on the phones of people a bit nearer than I was. We could see people drinking mulled wine, but couldn't see where to get any - it was all a bit chaotic, and long as the street was, I'm amazed we all managed to regroup at the end! We spent most of the (short) event looking for each other.. Shoulda' worn my Santa hat!

Well, seeing Santa making a beeline for somewhere else, Mandy had the bright idea to follow him. Sure enough, he had another gig, somewhere.. he set a fair place, reindeer or no! And we charged after him..

Our second location was much better - narrower, so we got closer to the choir (and could sometimes even hear them!) and they had a couple of stalls where you could get mulled wine. Or hot chocolate. And they broke for food when they arrived, so I had time to queue for some - which was surprisingly good! I could've got it for free at the other stall, but oy! the queue..

Yeah, we didn't have a great view - better than at the first location, as I say! We didn't think much of the song selection, to be honest - it was all complicated harmonies, which would be great if you could hear them.. but we hardly could, and as Mandy remarked, we'd really prefer a singsong. True. Hey ho, it was jolly enough.. and yes, again, I got a better view on others' phones:

The place was heaving with dogs and children - the dogs, I must say, particularly well dressed:

Well, they managed to turn on the lights eventually:

Much of the fun came from people-watching - I saw a couple of dogs meet and get all excited, then, in much the same spot, saw two kids doing the same thing! Also, we were positioned outside Waitrose, so I was privy to an interesting scene, where a woman was trying to persuade her toddler to eat "veggie chips". Unimpressed, he was yelling that he didn't want those horrible chips.. her "tactic" of offering them to him, then eating them herself when he refused them, was spectacularly unsuccessful..

Santa and the snowman (whom we hardly saw at all) had their own bodyguards:

We broke up after this one - and feeling Christmassy, I decided to head for Cote in Sloane Square - handy for the station. Where I was well fed, and service definitely seems to have improved - but gee, they seem to have done away with their chocolatey desserts! apart from a chocolate and salted caramel tart, which hardly counts. Ah well now, couldn't just leave - so I helped myself to some dessert wine. The half bottle, just because!

And so home - by bus, faster at this time of night.

And just the one spectacular example of mansplaining.. really, I couldn't be bothered telling him to move himself so someone (me?) could sit down beside him! Who'd want to..

And so to Tesco - where, after Tuesday's shenanigans over my non-working Clubcard (still no sign of the new one), I've now given up using it. Never mind, the chocolate is worth the extra £1.50! Ran too late to blog last night - I was doing the film list.

Tonight, I was supposed to be with a new group - London Smaller Theatre were headed to Soho Theatre to see the comedian Leila Navabi. So I decided to give her - and them - a shot! Funnily enough, the organiser sent a message around on Tuesday - he apparently changed everyone's RSVP to "Not Going", then messaged us to say to re-apply for the event once we'd bought a ticket! Huh!! As I mentioned on the group page, this is the first time I've come across that - he could just have said "Don't say you're coming until you've bought a ticket" in the first place..! I had a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn't get most of the respondees back.. nobody else responded again. Certainly, I'm used to buying a ticket before I respond, and had done already - I wasn't happy about having to click the Attend button twice..

Well, he duly cancelled the whole event - "Work commitments". Hmm. So now I'm going on my own. Not a great start with that group..

Tomorrow, I'm back to Ireland again, for the weekend.. and on Saturday, going to see Saltburn, the film that's on everyone's lips. Barry Keoghan plays a kind of ingenue in Oxford, who makes a posh friend, who brings him home for the summer to Saltburn, the family estate. Richard E. Grant and Rosamund Pike seem to play the posh guy's parents, although hold that thought - I'm just guessing at this point. Carey Mulligan plays a character credited as "Poor Dear Pamela"! Sounds suitably upper-class vicious, on the part of someone.. Showing at a decent time, happily, in the Omniplex, which is so handy for shopping.

On Monday, thinking film as well - and what's coming up is Anatomy of a Fall. The trailer for this looks really good - a man's body is found in the snow under his family's ski chalet. His wife comes under suspicion, as they try to decide whether he fell.. or was pushed. And so we get into the complications of their marriage.. Showing at a few times in the Curzon Bloomsbury - this'll be my last free ticket. Not selling out, so I haven't booked yet. We'll see what suits - remembering the last time I went there, and missed my showing!

On Tuesday, London International Meetup advertised a trip to see Thank You for the Music!, an ABBA tribute act, at the Adelphi. But then I saw cheaper tickets on CT, so booked there instead (possibly where he got tickets as well).. it'll be funny if we end up sitting together. But then, I think the only person going in that group that I know is the organiser, and last time we met, he didn't remember me.. Not a group I join often.

On Wednesday, Scottish in London are off to a trilogy of Scottish plays at the Finborough, called Knocking on the Wall. Well, I'm not Scottish, so not joining them - but I've booked my own ticket.

Next Thursday, London Social Detours is off to a talk about Chanel, at the V&A - and so am I, still being unemployed.

On the 24th, back with the Crick Crack Club for storytelling at Rich Mix - this one is The Spanking Goddess, with the inimitable Clare Murphy.

On the 25th, at The London Horror Film Group's Christmas Social - again, at The Angel on St. Giles High Street. Assuming Ivan can't make that date for a pre-Christmas social - I know another can't, but Ivan can't make the date he can! Herding cats I am again, for Christmas..

And on the 26th, back with BoB for more Christmas lights - this time, it's a full lights walk, and she's charging, sensibly. A joint event with her London Herstory Walks group.