Friday evening possibly; Saturday and Sunday not so much
Ditto. Saturday is a definite no. Sunday is a probable no. But I might be able to make Friday evening, if I route back from work via central London.
I am in the same position as ttaM except that I will already be in central London.
Friday I can do. Saturday I might be able to, depending on timing and location. Sunday I can't.
I can do Friday evening, if that is what works best for most people (seems that way).
Looks like Friday, then. Ajay ttAm and I will all be getting off work in places accessible to central London. I'm not sure when I will be free but can meet Ume at Kings Cross and continue in from there. Where are you staying, Airedale?
Suggestions for quiet pubs welcome
Seems like a good thread for: I'm planning a big long vacation to Britain for August, at least a week of which will include Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Anyone on that side going? My understanding is so much gets so expensive and booked early that it might be advantageous to share lodging, and so far I haven't found a traveling companion on this side able to make plans so far in advance.
I'll try for a meetup at minimum.
Not sure anywhere's going to be quiet in central London on a Friday, but if Airedale suggests a preferred location I can come up with some ideas.
Doing night shifts Friday and Saturday. But have fun!
What's the biggish place at the back of King's Cross? The Parcel Yard.
I've been there with some people from a work conference, on a Friday, and it wasn't insanely busy. There was some seating. But I expect ajay or Ginger Yellow may have better suggestions.
No, to be honest, if King's Cross is the preferred location, the Parcel Yard is probably your best bet for a Friday. It's Fullers too, so not terrible beer-wise.
I should be there about 7. If I can't work out who you are, I'll start kicking people in the head until one of them blocks me.
I am staying in South Kensington, but Friday I have tickets for the afternoon tennis matches at the O2, and, depending on how long the matches go, may well be coming from there. So really anywhere is fine.
Somewhere round London Bridge maybe (on the Jubilee from North Greenwich, good access to most parts of London)?
No self interest at all in the suggestion, I swear. Only problem is most of the pubs round there are heaving on a Friday.
I mean, I could suggest something actually in Greenwich, but I doubt that would work for anyone else.
I didn't necessarily mean to meet in Kings Cross; just that this is where I would be starting from. I can't say I know the parcel yard: everything around has been tremendously hipstered up. Where I normally go round there will unfortunately be heaving on a Friday night.
There is an amusingly hipsterish pub which actually does good food and beer a little up the road. But I'm sure that ajay will know better places.
No consensus on venue? I'll be arriving at Paddington, from Oxford, and then tubing it to wherever. King's Cross is reasonably convenient, and OK to get home to Hanwell later.
London Bridge is also do-able, but if the pubs are going to be heaving, maybe not a great choice.
Parcel Yard sounds a better bet, maybe?
I'd say the Parcel Yard too - at least it's big enough that there's a chance of finding space.
Parcel Yard it is, then. I just found it, while looking for the lost luggage office. Here's a pro tip: when you leave the train, even if you're in a hurry, remember your laptop, kids. Fuck fuck fuck fuckety fuck.
I will be a bit late from the office, though, tomorrow, since I'll be alone on the desk. Not there before 7:30.
Airedale -- the Parcel Yard is the pub upstairs on the station concourse itself, just beyond the Harry Potter platform, which is 9 3/4 (though that's actually between platforms 9 and 8). It is not on the balcony where all the other foodcourt type things are.
Parcel Yard it is, then. I just found it, while looking for the lost luggage office. Here's a pro tip: when you leave the train, even if you're in a hurry, remember your laptop, kids. Fuck fuck fuck fuckety fuck.
Ouch. I take it no luck at the LLO?
No. No luck there and all of the anti-tehft devices report it has not been logged on anywhere so I assume stolen and wiped immediately
Argh. Hope it turns up Nworb.
I expect I'll catch the 6 train from Oxford, which would get me -- assuming no usual Friday 'signal failures' -- to Parcel Yard around 7:45.
the pubs are going to be heaving
How many pints does each customer have to drink to get the whole pub heaving?
Or, using the idiom of my people, the pubs are going to be hoaching.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/hoach
What is the earliest anyone will get there?
I'd think about seven. I may be earlier than I had feared but even so wouldn't be there much before. I would like also to invite a couple of friends who would enjoy the company (and, if they knew about it, the blog), and contribute enjoyment to others, if that's all right. Ume may be delayed by developments in Cambridge until at least 7:30.
I'll be catching the train that's due into Kings Cross at 7:39, probably pulling into one of the platforms right below the Parcel Yard. So should be there by 7:45.
Probably around 7 for me. Wearing this shirt, for those of you I haven't met.
Don't forget to live blog the knife fight meet-up!
@tybalt @romeo tis not so deep as well or wide as church door #verona #plagueonbothyrhouses
The last was me. My name appears to have vanished along with my laptop. sod sod sod
The Parcel Yard has at least three rooms that I can remember. I suggest the first person to arrive posts here a description of where they are and possibly even who they are. I have grown a rather melancholy beard since last meeting anyone. there are depictions available in a once great liberal newspaper
The last wasn't me. I mean,. the anonymous one was me. Twittering mercutio was someone else showing off
Airedale we will recognise by her wiry coat, long squarish ears, and the unusual number of legs. Or by looking in another place.
"Can I just feel how wet your nose is? And do you want to sex Mutombo?"
What could possibly go wrong?
Much simpler and safer to bring a cat to the pub and see who tries to chase it.
I had to drive into work for an early meeting, so I'll be dropping the car before I head into King's Cross. I'd guess still around 7:30-7:45 ish.
I've met Ginger Y, and nworB before, so we'll recognise each other. I'll have a grey tweedy jacket, well-padded (ahem) body frame, and beard.
Realistically, 8pm before I'll make it. See you later.
Tennis just got out a little bit ago, so I am going to look at the merchandise here and then head over. I am wearing a grey sweatshirt with a BNP Paribas Open/tennis ball logo (although logo is also grey, so not that easy to see), and my hair is in a pony tail. My rain coat has a brown and black animal print.
I have about an hour's work left, at least. It might not be more, depending on my beloved comrades in the struggle
I arrived, but it is early and pretty crowded, so I am going to step into the Harry Potter store for a few minutes.
Crowded already? I have been released by a passing deadline -- what is written is written, and all that. So I'll be there in ten minutes if that
Oh, and I will be clutching a blue folding bicycle
Right now I am sitting by a bench outside the room called "the waiting room" looking to see if a table opens up in there.
I got away early and am in the pub now. Have snagged a table in a quiet side room with a sofa. I'm the short-haired woman in s turquoise fleece peering at her phone.
Someone hurry up and find me so I can get a drink. If I get up the vultures will swoop.
Sorry for the delay but it turns out two of my colleagues are having babies
52 Which ajay had to be there to personally deliver as no one else was about.
Airedale, Ginger Yellow and Nworb have arrived.
On way but I will be 45 minutes
Getting ready for the knife-fights. Waiting on ttaM to show us how it's done.
Yay yay yay! Have fun and keep us updated!
Airedale has combusted spontaneously
This is dad. She ended such a nice person.
all is well! ttaM has arrived and the tenets of halfordismo are being explained to the novices. Has anyone got a spare recoilless rifle or some elastic?
She is just refusing to sell a lurker cocaine over the internet. I admire her moral fibre.
Ajay has explained to our guests some of the shibboleths of the blog. It took a very long time, because helpless laughter, to explain about why we occasionally desist from self abuse. Matt has turned up.
No one will tell the strangers the URL of the blog
Maybe I have spontaneously combusted, maybe not, who can say.
It's the spontaneity that is crucial, not the combustion.
For some reason, the people who have drunk most seen to be funniest.
Of Mice and Me
A Brief History of Tim
Fiddler on the Roo
The Adventures of Peter Rabbi
"There's a sort of post coital hush after a really good round of puns"
She is just refusing to sell a lurker cocaine over the internet.
Is she refusing to make this sale over the internet because she's conducting the transaction right now, in person?
Airedale vs. the Black Pudding Scotch Egg
"It was actually very good", she avers, tears in her eyes. Haggis nachos are also under discussion but sadly not available.
Neb appears to have all of Twitter in his back pocket.
There are more Scottish people here than I expected.
Someone (Barry?) had a good summary for others of the blog & its customs the other day. Of course I can't find it now.
The Scotch egg was good! Just not convinced it was finger food.
What was the dipping sauce? I'm partial to a hot, creamy horseradish myself.
Nothing like a hot, creamy horse radish to warm you up right.
I was a little disappointed that ajay ignored the low-hanging fruit, but I'm relieved that you came through, neb.
I think it was actually that apple sauce/applesauce with the scotch egg. (The brown sauce was with the sausage thingies.)
ajay - e-mail me if you see this! Thanks.
I was a little disappointed that ajay ignored the low-hanging fruit
Are you saying that in your practice "brown sauce" is considered a normal choice?
"Sausage-thingies" may also be considered low-hanging fruit by you reprobates, but I believe that is actually a term of art for a certain type of English food.
77 Someone (Barry?) had a good summary for others of the blog & its customs the other day. Of course I can't find it now.
86. YES ! On reading it afghan, yup still a good description. The hoohole wouldn't give it up when I searched. Btw, I hope your weekend in Berlin went well.
Phones think they are so amusing. afghan should be again.
Last night was really fun. Thanks for rounding us all up, Airedale
87 On reading it afghan,
Dari or Pashto?
The long weekend/short week in Berlin was fantastic. 2 weeks until the next rendezvous (this one will be for 2 weeks in a nearby Sietch during a major film festival, can't wait).
Woo-hoo Barry! (Do we have a name yet for the rendezvous lady?)
Hooray, Barry ! A powermower perhaps.
Thanks all.
I don't even want to remember what happened with Doc McStuffins the First so let's go with Chani.
Don't powermowers have to be illicit? Neither of us is married or otherwise taken.
Don't powermowers have to be illicit?
Sometimes you can get a license from the relevant authority.
Well, are we talking about a 2 stroke or 4 stroke powermower ?
Both of those are probably really illegal in Arrakis.
