London Wine Meetup

I had a half-day today because I had a root canal this afternoon - they actually called this morning to move me a bit earlier, so I had to leave a little earlier than anticipated. I planned to have lunch beforehand, at the George, which is right nearby - they warned me to eat beforehand, saying I'd feel a bit numb afterwards and wouldn't want to.

And that's how it went - I could walk there, where all the outside tables were occupied, but there was plenty of room inside. Unfortunately, order from app wasn't working, so I had to queue at the bar. Which took time, but service was quick - albeit they served the karaage chicken I wanted as a starter slightly after my main. Ah well. It was all good - I squeezed in a second glass of wine before I had to leave.

Couldn't fault the root canal - it was almost painless, albeit so long that I felt I'd been through an ordeal. For a couple of hours afterwards, it felt as though my mouth was hoiked up at one side, with the numbness. But that feeling did pass.

Anyway, I didn't want anything this evening that was starting too early - which is how I come to be back with the London Wine Meetup, who were meeting at 7pm (should have been ok by then) at The Victoria, Mile End - RSVPs closed by today. We had to pay a deposit, most of which would be taken from our bill.

I headed off by bus - always do, as long as it doesn't take an hour or more, and it was just under. Arrived a bit early, grabbed a drink at the bar - and suddenly wondered whether they might be in the seated area round the back - and as I looked that way, lo, I caught the eye of one of them! So, made my way out there. We had a covered seating area, with heaters if required.

I wasn't hungry, of course - they all ordered from the Wednesday mussels menu, which wasn't on the printed menu, but I had seen on the blackboard as I was coming through. General consensus, in the end, was the the one with the chili sauce was superior. Me.. I had a liquid diet. But conversation was good, and I was glad I'd come.

Tomorrow, back with TAC for Falla 150, a tribute to the Spanish composer, Manuel de Falla, at St. Clement Danes church - part of the Echoes Festival of Latin Classical Music. Regular tickets from Ticketsource. Eating at Cote Covent Garden beforehand.

Then it's six days of Meetup! On Friday, I'm back with The Hideout, for Roar, a comedy documentary about Tippi Hedren, her daughter, Melanie Griffith, and her husband, who directed and co-wrote it.. and some lions. Apparently Tippi Hedren is a real lover of animals. And as the blurb says, no animals were harmed in the making of this film - 70 cast and crew, including all of the above, were! It looks ridiculously OTT - and as someone says, this makes a mockery of Tippi Hedren claiming she was traumatised by Hitchcock attacking her with birds on the set of The Birds! Anyway, showing in The Nickel.

On Saturday, back with Museum, Art & Culture Socials at the Museum of Soho for an exhibition, The Magnificent Mr. Mole, about a local artist. Meeting at Cafe Boheme beforehand, and with a quick look at The French House bar & restaurant, where the late Mr. Mole used to hang out, afterwards, before a pub social.

On Sunday, hosting my first ever Meetup event, woo! It's with London Museums A-Z (LoMAZ), and hey, it's where I've finally found an outlet to advertise storytelling, which regular readers will know that I love. So, this is a Crick Crack Club event, which I was going to anyway - it's Agni & Amor: Tales of Love & Fire, and happening in The Master Shipwright's House. Ben Haggarty and Steph Brittain will be performing, but there'll also be music and food - a real end-of-summer festival. Part of the Thames Festival Trust. We're meeting in the Dog and Bell beforehand, and optionally afterwards as well. A lot of newbies coming to this one - hopefully they remember to buy tickets, which are limited.

Monday is a bank holiday, so I managed to slot in my friend Helen, who wanted to come visit. We're having a long lunch at Bella Italia Cranbourn Street.

And that evening, and indeed on Tuesday as well, I'm with Up in the Cheap Seats. On Monday, we're at Holy Fool at the Park Theatre. It's the story of Shostakovich, who trod a tricky line living under Stalin.

And on Tuesday, we're seeing How the Other Half Loves, a romcom at the Old Vic. Eating beforehand at Bar + Block Southwark.

Next Wednesday - I'm hosting another LoMAZ event! This one is part of our Dracula series.. The Nickel is showing Dracula in Istanbul, and I said I'd run an event. Made in 1952, it's apparently the first film to depict Dracula with fangs.. and has Mina as a showgirl! Should be fun. We're headed to The Wilmington afterwards. Connor has signed up, which is nice.

On the 3rd, I'm back with CT for Never Let Go, part of the Fringe Fix at Underbelly Boulevard. It's a comedy, one-man, gay retelling of the film Titanic.

And then - with a last-minute reschedule of what I was supposed to be doing - I finally have a weekend free to get back to Ireland, phew! Took me ages to get the flight booked, mind - the Ryanair app was down, I had to use the browser. And both Ryanair and Stansted Express have forgotten me, I book so seldom any more.. hopefully meeting the friend I usually lunch with when I go back.