London Still Rocks!

Tonight, the second of two music events in a row - I was at another  Jazz Night at Americana . Courtesy of CT. And in the company of my sometime companion from   Up in the Cheap Seats . I worked late - I could certainly do with the extra time, especially after a software glitch rendered me unable to work for most of the day. I had to change buses - my first bus decided to finish early, but happily, at exactly the stop I wanted! Unfortunately, I waited forever for the second .. its predicted arrival time was confirmed on the display at the stop , but when it finally got to "due".. and we all leant forward a bit in anticipation, despite the biting wind.. I swear, it was another seven minutes before the thing finally appeared. Easy to see that is the terminus.. Anyway, having aimed to get there for 7, I made it at about 20 past. Just as well, despite the show being advertised as starting at 7.30, it wasn't officially slated to start until 8.30 - and we were told the music ...

Back in London, two nights of music beckon. Tonight, I was at a  Conductors' Podium student classical concert  at the  Royal College of Music . Tube , as usual out there - and I actually headed out a little early, since whatever else I might have been doing would have made me late. I was amazed to see actual space on the Jubilee Line .. has half the city left for Christmas already?! I didn't get a seat, but I could actually move.. and I got a seat on the District Line after one stop. Of course, the main problem with getting the Tube to this venue - or anything nearby - is that it doesn't actually go there! The number of times I've raced through the subterranean tunnel that runs from South Kensington station to get to Exhibition Road , panted up the stairs, and still had to make my way up the hill for another five minutes.. Gorgeous view of the Albert Hall from right outside, right? Anyway, in I went - it's years since I was last here, but happily, the concert ha...

Last Thursday , back with Movie Roadhouse London for  Conclave , starring  Ralph Fiennes ,  Stanley Tucci , and  John Lithgow  as cardinals involved in the election of a new pope.  Isabella Rossellini  shows up as a nun. Shenanigans were promised. Our organiser chose the Vue West End .. whose showing was very late! Still, it gave me the chance to stay on late in the office - always a good look. There is a limit to how late I can stay in the office - they lock it at 7: or, as another late-stayer warned me, slightly before. So I made sure to escape before being locked in. I exited to a miserable evening - a lot warmer than recently, but it was pouring rain! Well, it's walking distance from there - so I walked. Now, as usual for there, I wanted to eat in the adjacent Bella Italia - but I'd been unable to secure a booking! Still, they take walkins, so I said I'd try - and of course, they did have a couple of tables free. More outside, but nobody was sitt...

This evening was the  Christmas Social   for  The Hideout  and their sister group,  Movie Roadhouse London  (MRL). At the  BFI  again. And I always book   The Archduke   for there - but when I was looking, I couldn't get a booking there for this evening! Until I thought I'd try again today, and lo, they had a few timeslots left, including one that suited me perfectly - so I booked. Headed off early, needing to do some shopping locally - therefore, headed to The Archduke early too. And, sensibly, I see they've added appropriate signage around the roadworks! It was amazing to see how many people didn't notice where they couldn't go until the last minute. Anyway, I made it, they gave me a table early - on a kind of mezzanine level I hadn't seen before: Beef bourgignon, an ice cream sundae, wine. Perfect. Mind you, the carafe - and glass - could have been cleaner. Just saying. And so, on to the BFI. Where there was some confusion as to wheth...

In the middle of two Christmas socials right now . Last night, our company's Christmas Party was lovely and convenient for me - at  The Oyster Shed , walking distance from home! So I skipped heading into the office that day, which was likely to be manic anyway. Besides, I never go in on a Tuesday. They had a meeting in the office beforehand - end of year company roundup, presentation of achievement awards.. and a prosecco reception. Those of us not present joined a video call - and wow, the number of prosecco bottles! Anyway, the call didn't last long.. and I headed out early, into the bitter cold. I knew most of the route - it was just when I got across London Bridge I was going to have trouble, never having been to this venue before. It was encouraging that I could see it from the bridge - it faces the river, and in the above shot, it's represented by strings of golden lights at ground level, just to the right of the other visible bridge, Cannon Street Railway Bridge . L...

Tonight, I was with CT for  Shake it Up - the Improvised Shakespeare Show  - at the  Hen & Chickens . Now, it's a not inconsiderable journey up there - and I left it a bit late to head off. And this would be the evening that there was one of those proverbial gaps in the service! So I was late enough getting there that it would have been a bit of a rush to eat properly - I headed for Pret . Where they didn't have their nice chocolate bars, damnit - I had a packet of crisps instead, after my sandwich. Not bad. It's a massively inconvenient junction for pedestrians who want to cross to the other side, as they can only walk on half of it.. but I did make it over to the pub eventually. Which was crammed, as ever: First off, I went to have my name checked off, and pay for my membership card - good for a year, my last one had expired already. Mind you, the card does give you a 10% discount on drink - I think there's a £1.50 maximum on that, which is the cost of the card. ...

Tonight, there was a carol service at  St. John's Hyde Park , so I headed over there. I actually saw it advertised on TAC - who charged £2 for it. This was a red flag, as they normally charge more.. sure enough, when I looked it up separately, it was free! so I just went on my own. I booked the local  Maximini Chinese restaurant  beforehand - and wouldn't you know it, I booked it days ago, but they cancelled just this afternoon, with no explanation! Not very professional, and I doubt I'll bother with them again. Instead, I booked the Thai restaurant at   The Heron   for afterwards. I was late leaving - not to mention having to go back and get a coat with a hood, because of the unforeseen drizzle - so took a bus  (five-minute wait) to the station and the Tube from there. The Jubilee Line was lovely and uncrowded for once, it being a Sunday - and came immediately. The same cannot be said for the Central Line , which I then changed to - I had to wait anothe...