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mitchy at 07:18pm on 19/03/2007 under melissa visit 2007
mitchy at 07:18pm on 19/03/2007 under melissa visit 2007As usual when I hit a cycle that's pretty much just work, slump, sleep, work, slump, sleep, I haven't been posting much to LJ. However, my Friday night is deserving of being recorded for posterity :)
Four years ago, I went to Bouchercon in Austin and met Melissa from rec.arts.mystery. Austin is her home town and she was great about showing us tourists around. She took us to Threadgills, for which I will be eternally grateful (best restaurant, ever).
Last week, she took a trip to Switzerland to gather with friends and on Friday she was flying back home, but stopping over in London for 24 hours. Naturally this meant we had to organise a meal and this we did. I planned carefully, persuading Foghorn to give me a lift into work on Friday morning, so I could just walk to the station and catch a train straight into London. This went according to plan and by 4.40 I was on the train for London, heading for Melissa's hotel in Paddington. She's not a stranger to London but it seemed harsh making her navigate her way to the Salisbury on her own after having battled with the airline and airport to get there :)
On the train I made a bad tactical decision - I got off at Finsbury Park and caught the tube to King's Cross. Stupid me - KX was a total zoo. I should have stayed on the train til Moorgate, which is on the right Tube line to get to Paddington. So bad were the crowds on the Metro/District/Hammersmith line that I just leapt on the first train that was going in the right direction, changed to the Bakerloo line and Baker St and got to Paddington that way. Took a bit longer than I wanted but never mind. I finally found the hotel and saw Melissa for the first time in 4 years. Yay! Hugs exchanged, we battled the rush hour madness (including an insane queue for tickets at Paddington) and tottered into the Salisbury.
It was packed out. I've not seen it on a Friday before - note to self, it's just as bad as a Saturday evening! Luckily, Melissa spotted a seat and nabbed it and shortly thereafter, another seat became free so we could relax with a drink while waiting for Rik and Carol to show up. Which they did, only an hour late. Honestly, I really must learn to give them a meeting time earlier than I want them to be there :)
There was happy yakking and more drinks and I got a belated birthday pressie (yay!), the 40th Anniversary of the Mary Poppins DVD (shut up, I like the movie, OK?). We were greatly entertained by the certificate label on the back that said the film was rated U and contained "mild language". Mild language? It's a Disney movie! It's Mary Poppins?! What on earth could be termed "mild language"? I made everyone laugh by suggesting it was because the lead actor was called "Dick". (When I've watched the movie again, I'll let you know if I heard any mild language :P).
We then decamped over to Porters English Restaurant, for that was where I'd booked a table. It took a while to get our starters, because unfortunately a party of 50 had come in juuuust before us! Ack! But the wait staff did keep us informed regularly about progress, which was fair enough. It gave us time to see Rik's demonstration of how to raise one eyebrow - oh I wish I could do that! - and MrMonkey got to meet the toy dog that Melissa's son had given her to "keep her company" :)
I had the pate to start, which was lovely, but came without toast or bread, which seemed a bit dense. Luckily a basket of rolls was provided so I snaffled one of those. Lovely pate, brandy flavoured, mmmm! For main course, I had the wild boar and sage sausages with mash. I didn't have room for dessert, again. Melissa had the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and dared to ask for it without gravy, because she's not a fan of sauces and things. I did warn her it was unlikely anyone in the kitchen would pay attention and I was right; when the plate came, there was gravy as far as the eye could see. We did suggest sending it back, but Melissa refused and seemed to enjoy it anyway.
Finally, full to the point of bursting, we waddled back to our respective stations. I took Melissa to Leicester Square and made sure she knew how to get back to the hotel and then I hopped on a KX bound Piccadilly train and got into KX in time to catch the 11.06 express to WGC. One taxi later and I was home. It was a very good evening :)
Four years ago, I went to Bouchercon in Austin and met Melissa from rec.arts.mystery. Austin is her home town and she was great about showing us tourists around. She took us to Threadgills, for which I will be eternally grateful (best restaurant, ever).
Last week, she took a trip to Switzerland to gather with friends and on Friday she was flying back home, but stopping over in London for 24 hours. Naturally this meant we had to organise a meal and this we did. I planned carefully, persuading Foghorn to give me a lift into work on Friday morning, so I could just walk to the station and catch a train straight into London. This went according to plan and by 4.40 I was on the train for London, heading for Melissa's hotel in Paddington. She's not a stranger to London but it seemed harsh making her navigate her way to the Salisbury on her own after having battled with the airline and airport to get there :)
On the train I made a bad tactical decision - I got off at Finsbury Park and caught the tube to King's Cross. Stupid me - KX was a total zoo. I should have stayed on the train til Moorgate, which is on the right Tube line to get to Paddington. So bad were the crowds on the Metro/District/Hammersmith line that I just leapt on the first train that was going in the right direction, changed to the Bakerloo line and Baker St and got to Paddington that way. Took a bit longer than I wanted but never mind. I finally found the hotel and saw Melissa for the first time in 4 years. Yay! Hugs exchanged, we battled the rush hour madness (including an insane queue for tickets at Paddington) and tottered into the Salisbury.
It was packed out. I've not seen it on a Friday before - note to self, it's just as bad as a Saturday evening! Luckily, Melissa spotted a seat and nabbed it and shortly thereafter, another seat became free so we could relax with a drink while waiting for Rik and Carol to show up. Which they did, only an hour late. Honestly, I really must learn to give them a meeting time earlier than I want them to be there :)
There was happy yakking and more drinks and I got a belated birthday pressie (yay!), the 40th Anniversary of the Mary Poppins DVD (shut up, I like the movie, OK?). We were greatly entertained by the certificate label on the back that said the film was rated U and contained "mild language". Mild language? It's a Disney movie! It's Mary Poppins?! What on earth could be termed "mild language"? I made everyone laugh by suggesting it was because the lead actor was called "Dick". (When I've watched the movie again, I'll let you know if I heard any mild language :P).
We then decamped over to Porters English Restaurant, for that was where I'd booked a table. It took a while to get our starters, because unfortunately a party of 50 had come in juuuust before us! Ack! But the wait staff did keep us informed regularly about progress, which was fair enough. It gave us time to see Rik's demonstration of how to raise one eyebrow - oh I wish I could do that! - and MrMonkey got to meet the toy dog that Melissa's son had given her to "keep her company" :)
I had the pate to start, which was lovely, but came without toast or bread, which seemed a bit dense. Luckily a basket of rolls was provided so I snaffled one of those. Lovely pate, brandy flavoured, mmmm! For main course, I had the wild boar and sage sausages with mash. I didn't have room for dessert, again. Melissa had the roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and dared to ask for it without gravy, because she's not a fan of sauces and things. I did warn her it was unlikely anyone in the kitchen would pay attention and I was right; when the plate came, there was gravy as far as the eye could see. We did suggest sending it back, but Melissa refused and seemed to enjoy it anyway.
Finally, full to the point of bursting, we waddled back to our respective stations. I took Melissa to Leicester Square and made sure she knew how to get back to the hotel and then I hopped on a KX bound Piccadilly train and got into KX in time to catch the 11.06 express to WGC. One taxi later and I was home. It was a very good evening :)
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