Ivan Shakespeare Memorial Dinner, Café Rouge Holborn, 4 June 2015

A first time for the Ivan Shakespeare memorial dinner crowd at a new venue, which seems at the time of writing (January 2017) to be our gathering’s new home. John Random circulated us a couple of weeks before:

In response to popular request I have taken the decision to change the venue to the Cafe Rouge at 77 Kingsway.

I have explained the background to Ivan Shakespeare memorial dinners sufficiently elsewhere – e.g. click here and look at the second of the three events.

I don’t remember a great deal about this June 2015 gathering in particular. After the event John wrote:

I believe I speak for all when I say that the new venue (Cafe Rouge, Kingsway) was well-liked, so all being well, we’ll be going there again some time in the early autumn…

…I would also like to thank Gerry, Mark and Colin for their quizzes.

A three quiz evening. That’s big.

 

Middlesex CCC Sponsors’ Party, Thomas Lord Suite, 2 June 2015

I don’t remember huge amounts about this one.

The party was scheduled for the end of Day 3 of the Middlesex v Warwickshire County Championship match, but I recall absolutely nothing about the match.

Looking it up, I can see that the match was rain-affected and that my work “sent items” tray has sent items throughout Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday – proof positive that I didn’t get to HQ in time for cricket at all that match.

But I did go to the party. I remember it being convivial (they always are). I’m pretty sure it was this occasion that I won a Middlesex pendant thing, much to the chagrin of Posh Margaret who had her eye on that prize.

When I showed the prize to Daisy (who didn’t want it)| and told her what Margaret had said, we agreed that I would present the item to Margaret from both of us next time I saw her at Lord’s.

I’m also pretty sure I took Jez along as my guest that year, making it a good opportunity to catch up with him too, now he no longer works for us.

I do recall having quite a long chat with Eoin Morgan at that party. I told him that I was pleased he was being given a proper run at the one day captaincy. He thanked me and told me he’d been getting some flack that evening. I told him that I felt that England had tremendous potential as a one day side but had been delivering less than the sum of its parts for some while. It was very interesting to hear Eoin’s insights into Trevor Bayliss’s approach and how hopeful he (Eoin) was that they could work together well to fulfil that potential.

I’m sure I nibbled at some food and drank a little more wine than I had originally intended to drink. That isn’t specific memory, that’s just what tends to happen at these dos.

I’m sure I didn’t drink too much and that I resisted the temptation to continue chatting and drinking in the Tavern afterwards; I had a relatively early meeting with the auditors scheduled for the next morning. There’s bad planning for you.

buckets by Adam Barnard, Orange Tree Theatre, 30 May 2015

An interesting short play, this one, lots of tiny vignettes not really connected other than a general theme around bucket lists.

The title actually is “buckets” with a small “b”. Not sure if that is significant or just modern “mess with capitalisation” stuff.

There’s real “what was that all about” weirdness about this play – I’m pretty sure Janie said that as we left – but still we enjoyed some of the scenes and performances. We had plenty to talk about afterwards.

It reminded me, actually, of the sort of experimental stuff Sam Walters used to do above the pub back in the “original Orange Tree” days.

Excellent on-line resource with all the details, in the modern Orange Tree way – click here. Lots of review quotes in there but tellingly the one from the Guardian is excluded. In his gentle, pro-Orange Tree style I think Michael Billington sums it up very well – click here.

Yes, we went for Spanish food at Don Fernando afterwards, That’s normally what we do.

 

Youth Club Alumni Dinner at Bill’s in Covent Garden, 28 May 2015

Around this time the previous year, my old youth club (Streatham BBYO) gang gathered at Bill’s in Covent Garden. We had done nothing of the sort for well over thirty years, but was a great success.

Linda had taken the lead organising the 2014 gathering and then asked me to finalise the details at the end. This is how she kicked off negotiations, in March 2015:

Hi Everyone,
Thought it would be good to meet again as its been a year in May!
Last year we met on a Thursday in the school holidays so thought we could try that again, what do people think?
The date would be 28th May, if that is not good for the majority any suggestions are welcome!
Then Ian I can pass it to you if it becomes complicated ?
Linda xx

Strangely, it proved incredibly easy to organise. Everyone was comfy with the date and everyone agreed that the company was more important than scratching around for a different venue, so Bill’s got the nod again.

Natalie had to drop out at the last minute this time, sadly, but still we had me, Linda, Sandra, Mark, Andrea, Jacey, Liza, Wendy, Martin and even a visitation from Ivor.

The atmosphere was partly tinged with sadness that evening, as news of Jeffrey Spector’s passing was only a few days old that night. Still, Jeffrey wouldn’t have wanted us to mope and nor did we.

Ivor told us all about his Hollywood movie prospects while Martin showed us the photographs he took at our infamous “fashion show” back in 1979 (I didn’t realise colour photography had been invented back then). Details of both of those interludes shall remain under wraps for the time being.

Again it was lovely to see everybody and again it seemed impossible that so many years had passed and that most of us had felt disinclined to meet up like this for such a long time.

After two such gatherings, it seemed inevitable that there would be more get togethers…as indeed there have been.

Anyone For Real Tennis?, England v New Zealand Lord’s Test Day 4, King Cricket Match Report, 24 May 2015

Janie and I (or should I say Ged and Daisy) went to the Sunday of the Lord’s test against New Zealand in 2015.

My King Cricket match report linked here and below, describing our day, was published on King Cricket in October 2015.

Anyone For Real Tennis? – England v New Zealand match report

I-Cant-Get-My-Head-Round-These-Rules

Just in case anything ever happens to the King Cricket site, the above piece has been scraped to here. 

This piece is, in a way, the second part of a trilogy.  It is linked to a couple of other pieces about Ged and Daisy encountering Mr Johnny Friendly, an MCC member, friend of the family and real tennis enthusiast. In reverse order:

The irony that I myself have subsequently taken up real tennis with gusto is not wasted on me.

To understand my King Cricket match reports you need to know that:

  • Ged and Daisy are nicknames/noms de plume for me and Janie. Friends are all referred to pseudonymously;
  • King Cricket match reports have strict rules: “If it’s a professional match, on no account mention the cricket itself. If it’s an amateur match, feel free to go into excruciating detail.”

If you do want to know about the cricket itself, you might want to have a look at the on-line scorecard – here. We were there the day Stokes scored a scintillating, fastest ever test hundred at Lord’s. Stokes had only just started at tea, when we ran into Mr Johnny Friendly. Of course the King Cricket report is silent on such details.

Cocktails For Two, England v New Zealand Lord’s Test Day 2, King Cricket Match Report, 22 May 2015

King Cricket published the match report for this day in September 2015 – click here to read it.

Not much to add or explain.  I started a running gag about Charley “The Gent” Malloy’s bottle of wine in this earlier piece.  But apart from that, nothing fancy or obscure.

King Cricket match reports have strict rules: “If it’s a professional match, on no account mention the cricket itself. If it’s an amateur match, feel free to go into excruciating detail.”

If you do want to know about the cricket itself, you might want to have a look at the on-line scorecard – here. New Zealand were making hay that day and it looked like one of those Lord’s tests that could only end up a draw unless England messed-up the third innings – how wrong we were. Of course the King Cricket report is silent on such details.

Ireland With Dumbo – 7 May to 19 May 2015 – Post Script

You are welcome to read about this trip to Ireland in reverse order, blog-stylee, but you might prefer to start with this preamble and work forwards.

Photographs from the whole of our trip to Ireland are gathered in an album on Flickr, click here.

 

 

Ireland With Dumbo Day Twelve – 18 May 2015 and home the next day

Rose early and enjoyed the wonderful benefits of suite and view for the last time.  We both breakfasted on hake before preparing to leave.  While settling the bill, met an American couple whose TomTom experience re directions to “daft Aghadoe” had been similar to ours.

I drove the first leg, just over 100 miles, then we swapped over.  Checked in at Clontarf, then learnt that we need to catch an earlier ferry.

My type of casino, this.
My type of casino, this.

Still, back out to check out the Casino at Moreno – almost impossible to find but inexpensive by casinos standards.  Stopped off at Clontarf CC on the way home for a look around and even saw a little cricket, worthy of a King Cricket match report. 

Then fiddled with heating – possible room change – decided against.  Scrubbed up and had a lovely pub style supper of beef and guineas pie with Daisy–approved mash, washed down with an Oz Shiraz-cabernet.  Daisy also had an Irish coffee.

An early night.

19 May 2015 – Rose early to catch cruise ferry, as our catamaran had been cancelled due to inclement weather yesterday afternoon.  Still, benefited from the club class – indeed perhaps more so on the bigger boat and longer trip.  Event free drive back to London – Daisy did the longer leg.

Photographs from the whole of our trip to Ireland are gathered in an album on Flickr, click here.

Ireland With Dumbo Day Eleven – 17 May 2015

Daisy tries fish of the day, hake, for breakfast, while I tried kippers today.  Efforts to get up and out a bit earlier came to nought, so we again set off around 11:30, not that it matters.

We plug for a longer walk today, the circular around Tomies Wood along the south west side of Loch Leane, a very beautiful walk, mostly straightforward track.  Again very few other people.  One of the few remaining ancient Irish forests in all Ireland.

Walking In Tomies Wood
Walking In Tomies Wood

We considered a second short walk after returning to the car but decided against that idea in favour of the wonderful spa. There we enjoyed the several thermal whatnots – eucalyptus steam, sauna, laconium (very light steam – warm not hot) and the wonderful hammam. 

Then dinner again in the informal bar/lounge area.  The pianist really irritated Daisy this evening, although I think it was the same plonker as the first night.  Daisy had a club sandwich with chips while I had hake in a very tasty sauce with bland mash and nice veg.  We shared an apple and pear crumble desert.  Nice bottle of Californian chardonnay.  Very nice evening.

Photographs from the whole of our trip to Ireland are gathered in an album on Flickr, click here.

Ireland With Dumbo Day Ten – 16 May 2015

Fish of the day is Cod again today, so I try a “Full Irish” while Daisy tries smoked salmon and scrambled egg.

Weather much better today, so we plan a couple of walks.  First up – Muckross Abbey and Monks Wood –at lovely circular walk.  We stopped at a small car park near the Abbey where a sweet jaunting car fella tries to convince us that his services might help us, as we’ll be walking all over 3 miles if we do the round trip I describe.  We explained that it is our purpose and he wishes as well on our way.

Super circular walk taking in the Abbey, a small wood and then the Muckross House gardens.  We resisted the temptation of the cafe and press on to Derrycunnihy  church, where we do the first three stations have a wonderful mountain track route and then returned to the car having done a further 3 miles or so.  Took some superb pictures are up there too.

This isn't one of the superb pictures
This isn’t one of the superb pictures – this is Daisy trying her hand at map reading

Then return for a quick spa – it is very busy this evening and then informal meal in the bar, where we share tempura prawns, share a giant burger and share the cheese plate.  Quite substantial all in.  Lovely evening.  We don’t hear a squeak from the penthouse party above.

Photographs from the whole of our trip to Ireland are gathered in an album on Flickr, click here.