Work Social

Tonight, we had another work social! Back to Fairgame, which was such a hit last time - and this one sold out. Although I'm off from tomorrow - as described below - it made no sense to go into the office today; I'm closer to Fairgame at home! Besides, it would've been pretty crowded in the office today.

Ah Lordy though, such a pile of work - I could have got the bus, but ended up taking the Tube to allow myself more time to try to finish what I'd said I would. And wouldn't you know it, I had to leave it because I ran into a horrible snag.. I finally said enough was enough, and set off. The Tube was as crowded as ever - not to mention we had to stop at a red light "to even out gaps in the service". Still, I knew our booking was for 6pm - and it wasn't quite that when I exited the station into the maze that is Canary Wharf. But hey, I've gotten lost enough times here to have some idea where's where - and when I got nearer the venue, things started to ring a bell. Actually, wouldn't you know it, I arrived at the same time as a large group of my co-workers! Excellent timing - I was right behind my boss as we were led down to the back, to the same area we had before.

The venue hasn't changed much - naturally enough, within a year. Some things have, though - you're now given a card with a QR code, which you have to scan before playing each game so it'll register your score. I still have the card.. the wristbands are now purely to identify which group you're with. Now, as I told the others, following my disastrous attempt at basketball hoops last time, I was going to try to do it first this time, before I got drunk. Heh. Except the drink was already there, the food wasn't arriving until 6.30, and the games didn't start until 7.15. So I'd done my part to deplete the drink stash by the time we started to play..

As usual, we bemoaned the lack of drink - as I mentioned, we had a full group, so by the time we arrived (not very late), it was practically all gone! I personally drank most of what was left of the wine: and the CEO wasn't around to persuade to order more, as he had last time. It was later that a rumour went around of a bar tab.. and sure enough, the company had generously stumped up for (ahem) over £500 credit! As I said to people, this was much better - you could have exactly what you wanted, rather than be restricted to whatever was left.

We seemed to have the same food choice as last time - but the preference of people for the nachos, tacos, and sliders, instead of the pizza, was dramatic! Half the pizza must have gone uneaten. Me, I democratically had a slice of margherita, a slice of garlic bread, and a chicken taco - as well as some of their moreish tater tots - but the winners of the night were the sliders: in particular the "butter bacon" one. And sure enough, you were well advised to take as many as you wanted straight away - the sliders were completely gone by the time I went back. The food is good here, as I say.

And so to the games. I determined to start with the basketball - and sure enough, with less drink taken, I didn't find the ball quite so heavy. And lo, I scored three baskets in each of the two rounds that you get for every game! Awesome. My next worst game last time had been the one where you knock what are supposed to be grocery products off shelves - I think I improved a bit on that too. And the others went to form - although have they made the whack-a-mole harder? My arms ached at the end.. Disaster of the night, however, was the one I did best at last time - the shooting range, where the end guns (one of which I had) were faulty and wouldn't shoot anything. As someone remarked to me afterwards, explaining how she'd studied each game carefully before she played..

Yes, it was a good night. But when I'd finished - less far down the field than before - I had one more glass and called it a night. I'm tired, and I still have that assignment to complete.

And I have to be up ridiculously early, because I'm accompanying my sometime Meetup companion.. to Switzerland! She's a big fan of Jakub Józef Orlinski, who's appearing in Agrippina at the Zurich Opera House on Sunday - and as she's never been to Switzerland before, and I'm dying to see it again, we're taking a few days there. We're flying Swissair from London City, conveniently - albeit quite early (well, she's coming back on Easyjet), which I booked with Booking.com - and we're staying in the Aldstadt Hotel, booked through Vio. Ooh, the sheer luxury of having the means to travel in Switzerland without having to stay in a hostel!

We'll do a bit of sightseeing too, of course - but the only thing we've actually booked is a tour, with Viator, to Interlaken and Grindelwald, on Saturday. Because I can't imagine going to Switzerland without seeing them again.. 

We fly back to London on Monday. My boss approved my days off pretty quickly, last week. And I have to say, Swissair customer service is excellent, with us having received confirmation emails detailing the menu, the baggage allowance, and even advising us where to go when returning, because of construction works in Zurich Airport. Ah, I feel so comforted.. and today, they informed me that I could check in my large carry-on, free of charge, if I wanted, considering how full the flight is.

Well, assuming we survive all that, I have a sociable week planned - on Tuesday I'm heading to Cineworld Leicester Square with Movie Roadhouse London, to see Marching Powder, with Danny Dyer. It's a comedy about a middle-aged man refusing to act his age, getting arrested for possession of cocaine, starting fights - and all the while attempting to rekindle his relationship with his long-suffering wife. It's not yet rated, but I have to say, the trailer looks a right laugh - made more of an impression on me than anything else showing at the moment, certainly! And the Meetup general listings said there were no group events that day, imagine - they go from bad to worse! Naturally, I'll be eating in Bella Italia beforehand.

Next Wednesday, back with that group and their sister group, The Hideout, for their Spring Equinox Social! At the BFI Riverfront Bar upstairs, as usual. And I'll eat in The Archduke beforehand.

And on the 13th, back with Up in the Cheap Seats for Son of a Bitch at Southwark Playhouse. As usual, I'm availing of their excellent-value Pay As You Go offer, £75 for five productions, no time limit..

Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend. St. Patrick's Day is the following Monday, as it happens, and is a bank holiday over there - so I've asked for that day off as well while I'm at it, and will fly back a day later.