Had Sleepy staying from Monday to Friday. He’s been working again, poor thing. He’s a little bit daft in that he eats ready-meals every single day – sometimes with small pre-made salad which looks like an attempt to show he’s not being *that* unhealthy.
It was mostly a week spent in as a result – watched a lot of films and tried cooking a few bits and bobs. I began the week on Monday with a Fray Benton’s steak and kidney pie (from a tin, headed in the oven – hilariously naff but fantastic comfort food) … QI Fact: the factory of which last year was given World Heritage Site Status.
During the day on Monday I was out swum at Oasis Leisure Centre. Naturally, I was mortified to have been knocked down from 2nd to 3rd place. Accordingly began two of my longest recent swims, the first of 1.6km and the second of 2km.
There’s now clear blue water again between 2nd and 3rd so I’m safe for a while. At least they motivate me at any rate.
I also started a ‘challenge’ – to cycle or walk at least 20 minutes, twice a day maximum to ensure that between 6th Jan and 6th Feb. I’d have completed 16 qualifying workouts. I started ridiculously late compared with everyone else on there and so I’ve had to basically start doing two per day every day else I’ll miss it. I’ll find out next Saturday whether or not I’ve succeeded. If I do it’ll be the first of its type I’ll have attempted and succeeded at.
On Tuesday Marty visited for dinner. L1 did an excellent starter course – a beetroot, mascarpone and walnut salad. I cobbled together some chicken with black olives and tomato sauce. Was very nice to catch up with him.
On Wednesday I did some domestic chores – the flat needed a bit of a clean and so I finally got around to doing that a bit. I’ve visited the Doctor to get some tablets since I’m failing miserably to sleep now most nights – welcome back to Insomnia!
Thursday I visited Ku briefly on the way to heading down to a new Geeks Meetup. Perhaps unsurprisingly I ended up there for the evening and felt bad to have missed the geeks’ night which by all accounts was a success. I’ll try and join the next one. Sleepy and I dined over at Tokyo Diner though and that was excellent.
Saturday
Brunched with some interesting new guys at Balthazar on Russell Street in Covent Garden. Attending were regulars Simon, Anthony, Stefan, Eddie and Jack. Additionally I was pleased that Robert and Steven could make their first brunch.
Balthazar didn’t disappoint over-all. Some of the service in the start was a little slow and having spoken to them several times on the telephone to discuss split / individual billing as well as to confirm attendance (being reminded that my table and deposit would be lost if I was more than fifteen minutes late) they themselves kept us waining over fifteen minutes! Without a sincere apology and having obliged me to regularly enquire to be sure they hadn’t forgotten us – we stood, at the bar, looking lost and a little bothered.
It looked to me like all of the meals were exceptional – I took a classic english breakfast as I’d forgotten that they annoyingly add on that American fries thing and didn’t service pork sausages with it – oddly. Service and drinks were good albeit that the drinks were a little unexpectedly expensive in places. A pot of tea arrived almost lukewarm, which was a shame. For me, the service won it and the food was excellent. I love the ambiance of the place; the calm hustle and bussle of folk to’ing and fro’ing here and there.
On from there I enjoyed a few drinks at Ku – first with Simon and Eddie and then afterwards with A&T briefly since I had to dash quite quickly in order to get my outfit change (into blacktie) and up to The City of London for the SNP Burn’s Night Dinner.
Russell, organising, did a splendid job as he had last year and which was the principal reason I went back to visit.
Much of the rest was a disappointment. Almost everyone on the table was obsessed with their mobile phone. To the point that we had to plead with them to interrupt their essay-esque writing. Unsurprisingly the two chief culprits for this disgracefully rude behaviour were some of the most appallingly rude characters, devoid of perceptible personality, whom I have had the misfortune of meeting in many years. One, so drunk that he could only just construct a drivel-filled sentence had the audacity to remove his tie at the table and start inviting me to be friends with him on Facebook! I immediately declined on a simple rule: If you want to be my friend you need to know how to behave at dinner.
The nail in the coffin was a speech by some precocious Scottish MEP whose best shot at comedy was to offend his own guests including the table I was on, for not being of the same opinion as he about Scottish Independence. I think it tells me all I’d ever need to know about Scotland’s nasty party, their lack of etiquette and lack of manners. Having invited us, accepted our money, apologised for the worst table location of the evening and then finally insulted us, I have decided I will not being doing that again. I’d never in a million years treat a guest of mine this way whether we agreed or disagreed strongly or otherwise about anything whatsoever.
Sunday
Involved quite a bit of travel – I raced back early in the morning from London Paddington to Swansea where I visited my grandfather and later joined my family at the Woodman Pub for a roast dinner. I’m looking forward to leaving a trip-advisor review since the food and service were atrocious – especially where the wine was concerned.
Took a brief trip down memory late by enjoying a night-cap with SSCJ, DNL’s I & II, at the poorly re-decorated No Wine Sign Bar which was very jolly. I’ve always called it that because they’ve consistently had appalling stock levels but that night was a particular treat – being out of absolutely everything decent.
APJ drove me back later in the evening – my first trip to London by car since the days I used to accompany JAJ to Peckham. Glad, frankly. It’s a fine ride and we did it in 3hrs, which is great. Just the boredom of night time wet driving to tolerate.