It did? Why did I not notice this?
Hi everyone. I suggested the date of Nov 29th and it seems that we may as well now fix this in stone, since there have been no seriously violent objections, no alternatives which garnered more support and no prevailing trend to suggest something else. But it’s a shame if it means Bib can’t attend. Then again, you know how these things go, you can choose any date in the year and there’s always someone who can’t make it (and last time, I was one of them!).
I suggest convening at 1pm at a designated spot at either Paddington Stn (near the Paddington Bear shrine) or Waterloo (under the big centre station clock), for the greater benefit of those travelling from afar. Decision to be made by due democratic process.
Afternoon session: 1pm onwards in pub to be decided. Suggestions welcome from those who know either Padd or Waterloo area.
Evening session: Silver Cross (just sth of Trafalgar Square). Yes, I’m boring because I always suggest it, but it is the ideal choice: big, loads of room to ourselves, Guinness, food if you want it, no loud deafening music, pleasant enough place, dead central and easy to find, good service, not terribly bad ripoff prices… and so on. Full location details wil be provided in due course.
And Space Dog you are most welcome.
Well, the Silver Cross is traditional and handy. Shall we stay with tradition?
Also, I have a suggestion since it’s early enough to book: how about we go and see The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s matinee performance. I went to see it a few months ago and trust me, you will ALL love it. I could look into group bookings.
Wow, you guys are hardcore! Multiple sessions?
I guess this means I should take the flight arriving at 6 am, and drink LOTS of coffee…
And is Paddington Station really named after the bear? Or was it the other way around? And how will I know you guys?
Also, any hotel recommendations? I’ve got the Let’s Go: Britain & Ireland 2002 edition at home from the last trip, but personal recommendations always trump any book…convenient is good, not hideously expensive is good, and bug-free is good; comfy mattresses are a bonus. But those of us who have survived Sputnik, the Soviet youth travel agency, aren’t fussy.
You get to know how to spot Dopers. (Traditionally, I employ some attention-getting method, such as wearing my High Visibility Shirt, or shouting “1920’s style DeathRays” … but, even without that, Dopers are easily spotted.)
I’m not sure it’s really ‘multiple sessions’ because the afternoon session will tend to elide seamlessly into the evening session. The undeniable truth is, a sizeable majority of us (Brit Dopers) drink a lot. We’re not proud of it, we know it’s not big and it’s not clever, but that’s the way we are. So we tend to enjoy the afternoon session to kind of ‘warm up’ and pace ourselves for the evening. We don’t necessarily get drunk or horrible, you understand, it’s more a case of getting a bit silly and easily amused. You’ll like us, I promise. And of course, there’s no onus on anyone to drink at all, or to drink more than they are comfortable with. Sobriety and intelligent/fun conversation are possible and DO happen.
Paddington… the bear is named after (or named for, as merkins say) the station, not the other way around. The famous little bear in the books arrived from Lima at Paddington station and, not having any other given name, borrowed the name of the station.
Most first-timers worry about the ‘how will I know you’ question. I did. Don’t worry, it’s not a problem. For a start, we will have our two most easy-to-recognise people with us, our Queen, Francesca, who is the shortest person in the world, and Kferr, who is the tallest. And probably Tir Tinuviel, a strikingly attractive woman with genuine vampire-style fang teeth. Now, that’s not a combination you’re going to encounter in many places in London.
Also, we will have agreed a fairly well-established meeting point by the time it comes, and what’s more, if you really want to see what some of us look like you can view pix of last Tuesday’s mini-London Dopefest here:
OOOOOh ya!
Did I get your number? I forget, and too drunk to check my phone, email it to me on the addy in my profile!
That goes for anyone else who want to meet up early Nov too!
Wow…after looking at the photos, it looks more and more like a group blind date!
Actually, they remind me of my old buddies from growing up, and the wacky things we all used to do when we got together, only without quite so much body art or beer. That’s OK; I’m kind of used to being the sober voice of reason. That way you collect more material to blackmail…em, I mean tease…people with later.
In any case, I’m looking forward to it: hanging out alone in London the last time was not nearly as much fun as it would have been with some jovial company!
Now, if I could just finish hunting down the Parisian contingent, I could make some airline reservations…one of them has apparently moved to Zurich, but the other still remains to be talked to.
I may have exaggerated slightly, although glasses were emptied rapidly enough to warrant frequent glass collections by the staff. As for why you didn’t notice various things happening around you, well…I think the photos provide ample explanation for that.
OK, I’ll be getting into Euston, at about twenty to one, judging by the train times. As I could get to both Paddington or Waterloo fairly easily on the tube, I’m fairly flexible as to where we meet.
Going to see the Reduced Shakespeare Company might be good fun, but beer in pub is good as well.
Ah, yes. As I recall I wasn’t paying much attention really was I? But then, neither were others…
Right, seeing as the 29th November has been set in stone, I have booked my tickets, and will definitely be seeing you lot there.
I’ll second the Silver Cross suggestion as we can easily occupy the basement (both making us easy to find and allowing more room than whatever odd-corner-of-a-genuine elizabethan-ale-house these things seem to end up in).
I reckon I can make this.
There’s a thread by Miller enquiring what us Brit Dopers are up to on 29 Nov, which is a bit of a coincidence, innit? I’ll sling him the link.
This is good news, good news indeed! It wouldn’t seem right to be having a LonDope without you.
Re the Reduced Shakespeare idea mooted by Queen Fran, I’ll probably pass simply because I’ve already seen it. However, I’d like to chuck in my two cents to say that yes, it IS funny, it does make a nice, easily-enjoyed afternoon break, it’s not too pricey for what it is, and (since people tend to ask) you don’t need to know anything much about Shakespeare to enjoy it and ‘get’ the jokes.
At the Brumdope, Angua organised for us all to pile into rather a good curry house. I thought this worked rather well, and was good fun. Would anyone like to do the same for this one? Or shall we just rely on the food they serve at the Silver Cross (which is actually pretty good for pub food), so those who want to eat can do so and the rest don’t have to?
oooh, curry! I like this idea; I hear curry in the UK is the best there is outside India, and didn’t get to try any the last time, because I didn’t know where to go and hate going to restaurants by myself anyway.
I promise to return the favor if you guys are ever in Chicago!
Friends, your thoughts, views and votes on
(a) the where-to-meet-up initially question. Paddington, Waterloo, ne where else?
(b) the evening main nosebag options. Don’t bother / pub food OK / en masse curry / en masse other / all bake cookies and bring them along / somebody play at being Anahita and bring lots of chocolate along / eating necks (Tir’s option) / other idea.
And I guess our reigning sovereign would welcome your views on her idea of a thespian excursion.
Food is for the weak…
Biting people however…
a) I suggest Charing Cross - mainline station that also happens to be within walking distance of the pub. Paddington might be difficult to access by tubes on the weekends, as I think they’re still doing engineering works.
b) I don’t mind, though
Wha - wha - what happened there? How did I manage to send that without hitting send? Bet I couldn’t do that if I wanted to.
Anyway, I don’t mind what you all do about food, but I probably won’t get anyway. Maybe we should look around for a curry place with a bar, or one that wouldn’t mind some people just ordering starters.
I might be up for some culcha. Can’t confirm till I know what babysitting I have though.
No, Tir! No! Down!
We’ve told you before! You are not allowed to bite people at Dopefests! Remember the little talk we had the last time? Do you want us to take your beer away? No, I thought not. Well then, just remember that biting people is not nice, it’s not a good way to make friends and people do not enjoy it. We do you want you to come out and play with us, you can drink beer, smash a monkey and rip your sheet, but it’s strictly no biting. Promise? Or is it the ‘muzzle/Guinness through a straw’ combo again?