Paul's Christmas Pub Crawl, Ballet: Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes, & Winter's Night Wonder Tales
Last Monday, headed with 45+ Not Grumpy! on Paul's Christmas Pub Crawl - started in the Lion & Unicorn in Waterloo, where we'd be eating, and was to head back towards my home, lovely! Mind you, Paul messaged that day to say he was going to try to get there early, to get a table - so I ended up having to leave work early! A short day that I couldn't make up until today, which meant a really early start..
Never mind, 'tis the season. And off I set, arriving at the station early. Now, this is in a part of the station known as The Sidings - a new shopping centre, basically, which I'd never before been inside of! In fact, I didn't even know where it was - signage isn't great, initially pointing me towards the middle of the concourse. Unable to find it, I turned back - which was when I saw another sign pointing down some stairs I hadn't noticed, to a level under Platforms 24-26.
Just as well I was early to the station - I got to the pub just about the time he said he'd be there. First, I ran into someone else in the group that I knew - and we had both beaten Paul, who walked in just as we were looking for him! Well, the pub was pretty busy, so we decided to sit in the fairly empty outside section. Technically I have been there before, as I've been in the Nando's there, but entered from the outside, so had never entered the shopping centre proper. I see most of the units are still empty..
We spread out over a few tables - it was a large group - and we had fun chatting as people arrived. Lots of us ordered food - Paul enjoyed his curry, but I have to say, I wasn't at all impressed with my katsu - not crisp, as I'm used to from other places, it wasn't all that tasty either, and served with dirty cutlery and a very indifferent attitude by the server, who banged it down on the table and stalked off.. no, I won't be eating here again. Cheap or not.
And so, a lovely stroll along the South bank, to The Founder's Arms.
Wasn't on our schedule - but after the first pub, the schedule was ignored. And I've always liked this pub, which has great views and friendly staff - also plenty of space. I was sorry to miss The Old Thameside Inn though, which had been scheduled - that's one of my favourites. Again, chat was good, and we stayed for one before hitting the road again. Plenty of Christmas lights to be seen:
Our final pub of the evening was The Sun Wharf - handier than what was scheduled, actually, being on the right side of the road for me to walk home! A Wetherspoons, just like the first pub, so nice and cheap - some people had crisps here, but with only Walker's on offer, I passed. Conversation was great again, and we had a lovely time - apart from a wee blip when someone misplaced her phone! A staff member found it, and all was well again. We were there till closing - a few of the others, feeling in a seasonal mood, wanted to carry on to a late-night place, but I had work next day and passed. Hope they enjoyed it.. certainly, it was a most convivial evening! I was home too late to blog..
And next day, I started planning ahead.. and what a plan! which is mainly why this week's posts are so delayed. Anyway, last Tuesday, I headed with my sometime travel companion again to Matthew Bourne's The Red Shoes, at Sadler's Wells - eating in The Wilmington beforehand.
Oh Lordy, I thought I'd never get there. The buses were delayed, and I didn't really have an alternative - finally got a #188, way later than I should have been, changing to a #63. Now, this route has a whole pile of diversions - and had I known how far out of my way I'd be taken, or how bad the traffic would be, I'd have walked between Blackfriars and City Thameslink - it'd have been faster! As it was, we must have spent at least half an hour sitting in traffic - so long that by the time we got to change buses, my travel time had gone over an hour and I had to pay a second fare. My companion got there way faster than I did - just as well she was coming, or they mightn't have honoured the reservation!
Well, I got there 20 minutes after I was supposed to - and initially couldn't find her, it was chaos, with a Christmas party in the dining area. Finally saw her in the bar area - she'd already had a starter, and ordered a bottle of Chardonnay for us - unfortunately, as I prefer Sauvignon Blanc, and they have my favourite there. If she's going to stick to Chardonnay in future, I think we'll have to stop sharing bottles. Anyway, I grabbed the server straight away and ordered a flat iron - told her we were in a hurry, and to be fair, the mains arrived not long after. My steak was beautifully buttery, the fries lovely - her aubergines arrived burnt. As she said, she wouldn't have thought that possible - but I guess anything's possible..
We paid promptly and galloped out the door. Interestingly, she was actually on a work call the whole time, since before I met her - she'd forgotten about it, and had to attend. Happily, she didn't have to say anything! She just had the phone on all the way to the theatre. Well, we hurried up the hill - only to discover that we needn't have hurried at all! I have never seen such a queue at the door.. turned out it was because of overcrowding, they were trying to delay entry. Popular show, eh? We just about had time to catch our breath, and we were in - taking the stairs, there was such a sea of people between us and the lifts!
Naturally, the show started 15 minutes late - I just had time to get settled. (By the time we booked, there were no available cheap seats adjacent to each other, so we sat separately.) Now, I have seen this before.. but it was years and years ago, and I couldn't remember it. And I do so love Matthew Bourne.. It's beautiful to watch, beautifully staged - perhaps the most conventional of his ballets, the story of the girl who wants to dance, as symbolised by a pair of red ballet shoes, and who finds herself torn between her lover and her work - epitomised by her affair with someone who can advance her career. Set pieces evoke backstage, a cafe - and the stage at Covent Garden, represented as a revolving curtain; behind it, we see her kissing her illicit lover - in front of the curtain, we hear the applause that accompanies her performance (confusing our audience, many of whom thought that was the cue for us to clap as well).
Well, despite some upsets, it was a good evening - I had lovely food, and saw a beautiful show.. runs to the 18th of next month, if you want to catch it.
My companion and I left on separate buses, so we didn't speak again that night.
On Wednesday, I was back at Winter's Night Wonder Tales, at The Palmerston, as told by Alys Torrance. Always so atmospheric.. and this time, I was in time to catch a bus! By 'eck though, it's a long journey, nearly an hour on a single bus - I wouldn't fancy being the driver, high as the salaries are. I did get to the pub just under an hour before the performance, ordered my usual beef and Guinness pie - and as I waited, overheard someone ask for Guinness, only to be told they didn't have it! Which begs a number of questions.. where did they get it for the pie? Do they reserve it for the pie? Is it actually Guinness in the pie?!
Whatever, it arrived about half an hour before the show - and was very moreish. And as I was eating, who should happen through the pub but the storyteller, recognised me, and asked whether I was coming to the show! which I told her I was. And when I was finished, I just grabbed another drink before climbing the stairs and taking a seat at the side, as usual.
That night, it was Hungarian folk tales - and she informed us that her father is Hungarian! The story before the interval centred on a bad-tempered old king with three sons - as usual, it's the youngest who manages to find out what's wrong, and sets off on a quest to do as the king demands. A break then, and a trip downstairs for another drink - and the story afterwards centred on the same young prince, and a tale, just as fantastical, about his search for a bride, and the imposter who tries to take her place. Both involved "glass mountains" - as she told us, this is a big theme in Hungarian folk tales, owing to the mirage effect caused by the heat rising from the Hungarian plains, with the mountains in the distance appearing insubstantial.
Anyway, by the time I got back home, it was too late to do anything about the blog - I had to be in the office yesterday. See the next post for more..
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