Thursday 31 May 2007

Another Bank holiday weekend

I have no idea where the time is flying to. It seems like it was just yesterday that I wrote here but it is already the next weekend is upon me before getting to write about the last. And the last one was def a notable one full and busy and a long weekend as well. With the aim not too ramble too much but not seeming to skim too much either here is what went down last weekend.



The friend that we met for drinks was Gary and his arrival in London a week and a bit ago (that Tuesday night) created even more excuses to get out and about and explore London. The Tuesday night had us wondering around the area of his hotel for a bar and then for somewhere to eat (which happened to be another bar - go figure) Finally got to have a traditionally fish and chips and mushy peas for dinner and then we toddled off home.



By Friday we knew we had to take Gary out for some good partying in London. The plan was to go to KOKO in Camden but I'm still waiting for a night there. We started off at the worlds end pub in Camden which is a wonderfully alternative pub with such a wide variety of people. Think Obs on steroids. After a few calls we found out Paul and Alice were up the road at the Dublin castle (there are 4 pubs in the area all called 'so-and-so' castle each representing England, Ireland, wales and Scotland - we were at the Edinburgh castle if you noticed in a previous blog)

So off we trot up the road - I say trot cause I have on my most killer heels for a night out :)



Drinks were had with Paul, alice and her friend as well as a bunch of people that Alice's friend had met online and this was the first time she was meeting them in real life. Finally Gary made it through to us (he made a habit of getting lost plenty in London) and we all then follow the crowd off to a club on oxford st called Metro for what we were promised was some good alternative/rock music. The music wasnt exactly what it was cracked up to be as per the flyers promise and the evening seemed to just been what I can only think of as being very british pop rock punky stuff. Didnt know half of it - think alot of it was old school re done punk stuff. But never the less I'm always the one to try make the most of the situation and off C and I went to the dancefloor where we found a step for me (so i'm not so short -lol) and danced away. Then the others came to join us and we all got to have fun time anyway despite the music.



Then after walking miles down the closed off section of oxford st to deposit Gary on the best night bus we head off to find ours. Thanks to the closed off roads etc and after waiting for ages for the elusive 390 bus (which was saw numerous ones later in the weekend) we landed up cabbing it home and crawling into bed at 4.



Saturday 'morning' (we only surfaced at about 13:30pm) and set off on the mission of finding me a hairdryer since my now old hairdryer decided that it wanted to do the impression of a fireball by glowing orange it was so hot and being seconds away from bursting into actual flames in my hand. So we missioned to Argos, the strangest shopping concept i've come across so far. You walk into the 'shop' that just has banks of counters with big laminated books (which the housemate calls the laminated book of dreams) and little machines that you type in the code of the item you want to see if they have it in stock. Then you got to the payment counters (or self service payment counters - which is very cool and I got to use now that I have my chip and pin card), you pay. then get a number and collection counter number. You then sit down and wait for the number to be called, you go to the collection point and there appears your item/s and you walk out. It very strange system and even stranger buying something that you havent actually seen or felt. But then again they are seriously cheaper. Think i'm actually going to stop by there again soon to get us more bed linen and towels :)



Ok i've gotten off track a bit. By this stage it is late afternoon and we hadnt eaten yet so we decided to head off for an early dinner or late lunch which ever way you want to look at it. After some debating we head off to pizza express in kentish town which was in a lovely converted hall of some sort. We hit the lull between lunch and dinner and were one of 3 tables occupied. We had the most stunning meal of dough balls (why we dont have these in SA I have no idea - they are devine !), pizza and tirumisu with a lovely bottle of wine. Was a really wonderful 2 hours completely wrapped up in our own little world talking endlessly as usual :)



Then off to Leicester Square to see The Pirates of the Caribean 3 with Gary and his other friends. Which was good entertainment to end off a Saturday night.



After feeling like it had already been a full weekend we were very happy to realise that there were still 2 days left of the weekend...



Sunday ! Finally our plan to wander around spitalfields market came to fruition. This is a very cool indoor market that has been around since 18something or other - read as very very old ! There are stalls with clothing and shoes and second hand clothing and anything retro, food, bags, etc etc. We wondered around taking it all in enjoying the atmosphere, had some lunch from the famous square pies place and bought the most stunning chocolate from the most stunning chocolate shop! We also wondered around the other markets in the area like petticoat lane and bricklane as well as taking in all the galleries and the shops and the vibe of the area. C had really wanted to show me the area as he would love to move therebouts - but those are decisions for later in the year. AND what we can find in our price bracket.



We then got a call from Gary to do something and so we all landed up in Camden again at a cocktail bar called Fifty Five which was just off the main road so nice a quiet. Then we find out that it is 2 for 1 cocktail happy (2) hours. So we all pick a cocktail and get 6, then pick some more, and then more, and so we always had a pile of different drinks on the table and are sampling and drinking from them all. Was a great way to try new cocktails and share the love - LOL. I must say that whoever came up with the cocktail that was ice cream, oreo cookies and alcohol was a genius !!! what a yummy cocktails! So now that we exhausted the happy hours we head off in search of FOOD :) and luckily (or most likely evilly planned from the beginning by C) Wagamama's is right next door. It is one of C's favourite restuarants and I think he was just having withdrawl symtoms from the lack of spicy food in his life thanks to my tastes.



Wagamama's was a very cool resturant where we got to sit at large bench tables (i.e right on top of the people next to you) and since we were all in hyper active drunken states we landed up having to befriend the 2 females sitting next to us. We def brought amusement with us and I think scared the waitress a bit. Especially since we were attacking each other with the menus. At one stage Gary asked her for empty coke bottles and he really was no only cause she had visions of use attacking each other with the glass bottles. Eventually Gary did get to pull off his tower of bottles trick and she was very impressed until she whipped them away and was pretty much like leave already, well it was closeing time and we were some of the last people left there.


OK looks like i have to work now - will post again about my monday later :)

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