Last night.. flamenco!! Which I love. Found a group, Flamenco Events in London, and requested to join - but they completely ignored me! Anyway, booked for this concert they were advertising, in St. John's Church Hoxton. Tickets from Eventbrite - free after-show party, but I passed - have work today, of course. Booked with Schnitzel Heaven for beforehand.
A couple of small tasks, I completed at work in good time - and really didn't feel like hanging on. So I was away early - and my bus came promptly. I was glad I'd got on near the start of the route, though - wow, the crowds that got on along the way! Especially where I got off - a stop early, the driver having informed us (in good time, at least) that the next stop was closed.
So, I had a slightly longer schlep with my laptop - especially not appreciated given that I skinned my heel on Wednesday, walking in my new boots! Still made it a quarter of an hour early - they asked me to wait a moment while they cleared a table for me, and when I complained about the extra walk I'd had, they explained that yes, they're laying down broadband cables. I had a good, long look at the variety of schnitzels on offer (you can also have burgers) - and lo, when I noticed the katsu schnitzel, that's what I had. Unsurprisingly - I love katsu. Now, I was sure I'd been here before - and sure enough, it turns out I was at the same place nearly two years ago! And guess what I had..? On that occasion, mind, I also had the squid to start - which did sound good last night, but I wasn't so hungry.. they had pastries in the office, in honour of employees with birthdays this month!
Sure enough, my katsu schnitzel was again served with garlic butter and lemon, as well as katsu sauce. I was happier with the katsu this time - and delighted to see the standard of the schnitzel itself hasn't fallen, being still beautifully seasoned. I'd forgotten that, not only are the schnitzels huge, but they give you two, one on top of the other.. I was rather glad I hadn't had a starter, and fairly rolled out of the door! They have a decent wine list, but unfortunately, only serve medium-size glasses. But yes, I'd be delighted to come here again.. just as I was last time. Plenty of delivery orders came in while I was there, I noticed.
A short walk got me to the church, where my ticket was scanned, and I was told I could sit anywhere but the front row - which is good value for a regular ticket! (which could also have got me into the afterparty for no extra fee). I went straight in and took a seat - in the second row, on the edge, so my laptop didn't cause too much of an obstruction.
The lady in front of me was at pains to explain to me that she had a problem with sensitivity to noise - now, as she said, she was well aware there'd be plenty of noise at this, and she wasn't warning me to be quiet - rather, she was explaining herself in case she heard me during the show, because, as she said, she has a habit of looking in the direction of the noise. It's a reflex action. Poor woman had to cover her ears every time the audience applauded..
There was a support act, playing what sounded like Arab music at first, which was later explained to be Iranian - played, as I recall (although I might be mis-remembering) by a guy from those parts. With an oud. Another man had a hand drum. And then the dancer appeared..
Ahh.. the music, the movement - that irresistible rhythm.. absolutely compelling, ran right through me. And the golden evening sun that poured in the windows almost evoked Andalusía.. After this initial session, we had a 15-minute interval, and I hit the bar - where they had Casillero del Diablo, lovely! Terribly small glass they served, mind.. I should have asked for a second, in the same glass..
Beautiful guitar.. he played solo for a while, then invited all the performers from the first part - plus a singer! 
Tonight, I booked at Sadler's Wells with Up in the Cheap Seats (UITCS) again, for Oona Doherty-Specky Clark. Which sounds.. curious, being an interpretation in dance of a family history involving a family of butchers and, on the other side, working in an abattoir.. Anyway, also booked for The Wilmington again. But then the organiser of The Hideout messaged me, late last night, to ask whether I was free - and offered me a free ticket to the Final Destination double bill (the original, in which people who have cheated Death have it come after them, in the order in which they were originally supposed to die, plus the new one, Final Destination: Bloodlines, in which we see a family connection) at the Odeon West End this evening, for which they have an event! He can't go now, it seems.. well, gee, sounds good - I'd have booked in the first place, if I hadn't been booked for the other performance! So I said yes, cancelled the other, and booked Bella Italia for dinner - they're meeting early, of course, with the programme starting early too, which means I'll have to make tracks pretty early.. So I didn't finish this post last night, figuring I'd better go to sleep early so I could get up early and start work early, to counterbalance it..
I was leaving Sunday free in case my ex-colleagues could come to a consensus to meet that day! But as it happens, Ivan can't make it that day, and with the sudden news of a cousin visiting, James isn't sure what he's doing for the whole month. So, for that day, I spotted an event from London Museums A-Z: for Gen Xers and Millennials (LoMAZ). I never heard of them before, but they seem to be zipping randomly around the alphabet.. this is T - for Tutenkhamun: The Immersive Exhibition, which apparently uses VR to put you right back in Ancient Egypt. Booked through an outlet called Fever, which I'd never heard of - also available on Eventim. Sounds interesting - and I do love VR. No problem in joining straight away, either.. and the organiser was nice enough to contact me yesterday, and send me the link to their WhatsApp group, so we can organise meeting on the day!
On Tuesday, was planning film - and gee, London Net seems to be down! Checking individual film sites - and finding there's a bit of a lack of choice - I came across Riefenstahl, a documentary about the photographer and film-maker that propagandized the Nazi regime, among other things, and afterwards claimed to have no knowledge of what went on. Looks interesting. Showing in the Curzon Bloomsbury - and was mostly sold out already, so I booked!
On Thursday, back with The Hideout - for The Lighthouse, lovely! A psychological horror directed by Robert Eggers, who so recently blew all of our minds with his new version of Nosferatu, and co-written by him and his brother, Max, this stars Robert Pattinson, and the always-excellent Willem Dafoe, as the sole occupants of an isolated, 19th-century lighthouse - where the occurrences might be down to the supernatural - or to their fevered imaginations?! Always wanted to see this, and never quite managed it - but now it's showing at The Prince Charles, excellent. As usual, I'm eating at Bella Italia beforehand, and we're meeting for drinks at Victory House before the film. This showing is sold out already, so the cinema has arranged another showing in its other screen, starting a bit after this one on the same evening! Also now sold out.. Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend, which I'm not really looking forward to - with my mother in the hospital. Assuming I don't have to rush back in the meantime..
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