May Social

Today was the May Social from The Hideout and Movie Roadhouse London, in the BFI as usual - upstairs at The Riverfront. Eating at The Archduke beforehand.

Made it on time, around the correct side of the roadworks, as it happens.. had to skirt them on the other side to get where I was going later! 

At the moment, you can only get in here from the south, towards the station - there's no direct  entrance from the river. Anyway, I was seated upstairs, with a fine view of the roadworks, as you can see - and then I was left. Handy things, mobile phones - it was when she saw me playing games on mine that someone thought I might like to order. And it happened again, when she thought I might actually like to get some food. Funny - once, they never had mushroom soup, now they always seem to have it! And it was very moreish - and the chicken as delicious as ever.

I didn't have time for dessert, as I explained to the server who brought a dessert menu - I asked for the bill, and she disappeared. When I saw her pass me to clear another table, I said, ah now, this is taking the p***! I got up to put on my coat, whereupon someone else asked whether I'd like a drink..! No, said I, I asked for the bill five minutes ago.. and thus, I got it. Seriously, if you're in a hurry, give them no slack here - they're very lackadaisical.

Made my way around the roadworks and to the bar, where chairs were, intriguingly, arranged in a circle.. conversation was good, as ever, and it was great to see people. Always too short, these evenings..

Tomorrow, storytelling from the Crick Crack Club again! This time at Folklore Hoxton - and it's Maui Trickster. Where, considering what a nightmare it is to get to the understaffed bar, I might get two drinks to be going along with.. Eating at The Blues Kitchen beforehand, and my companion from the Swiss trip says she'll join me.

Then I'm back to Ireland for the weekend - it was booked already, and I have stuff to do there. Now, when I was there last, there was talk of meeting cousins - no word on that yet, apart from one asking whether I was still coming. Failing that, if I have a chance to go to the cinema, what's coming up is The Salt Path, starring Gillian Anderson, who and whose husband, facing their golden years, suddenly find themselves both homeless and broke! Could happen to us all, as they say. So they decide to walk around the coast of Britain. Earlier showing is in Ennis, so I might head there.

I'm meeting an old friend on Sunday for dinner in the Abbey Tavern, en route back to the airport.

Looking for films on Monday, I've found a rather good one - The Last Republican is showing at the Curzon Bloomsbury. A documentary about Adam Kinzinger, who had the temerity to stand up to Trump and was, of course, fired as a result, it also features Sylvester Stallone and John Cusack.. and well, lots of other famous politicos. Looks interesting.

The next two days, back with Meetup - on Tuesday, with Up in the Cheap Seats for Romancero del Baile Flamenco - well now, that wasn't going to be a hard sell! Showing in Sadler's Wells, as part of their Flamenco Festival - olé! Eating beforehand in The Wilmington.

Next Wednesday, back with London Literary Walks, for a walk about Elgar and Freud. Meeting in The North Star, Finchley Road.

And on the 5th, heading with TAC again, for Ruthless at Arches Lane Theatre.