drink

The Trouble with Weekends…

| Richard

…is that when they’re good, they’re very, very good and you don’t want them to be over.

Such was the case with mine.

It started on Friday evening with an early shoot from work so I could get home and changed before heading off to The Gallery on the Corner in Battersea for an exhibition of erotic art called “Sensual Seduction”, combining artwork and photography.  So I met up with GT at the Mason’s Arms beforehand for a swift drink and off we went.

As usual, Greg Brown‘s photography in particular was excellent and I got location envy from some shots from Tim Rosier who chatted away with us for a while.

Then off over the road for a wonderful Italian meal at Metrogusto and, surprisingly, I went for a completely vegetarian option, all of which was absolutely delicious. Finally headed off to Epsom and bed.

Saturday and we went off-roading in the RX-8. OK, a slight exaggeration, but it was snowing heavily and we had to drop off GT’s daughter and friend at a Duke of Edinburgh thing at Box Hill. With the four of us in the car, epic speed humps and the last part being a track, it was grounding out and getting filthy. Then back to mine to change before heading out to Covent Garden for lunch and the obligatory visit to the Apple Store.

Still horribly cold and snowy, so we grabbed a cab over to Volupté for cocktails, champagne and afternoon tea … oh and a burlesque show which was excellent! We particularly liked Tina Turner Tea Lady…

Then we headed off to Waterloo to get GT back to Epsom. With a leetle excursion to Azzurro so we could have a quick drink. OK, a bottle of red, some olives, some bread and oil and er some liquers and coffee.

And now after a lay-in (for me, GT had a 15 mile race to run), some fettling of Blue Rex and a quick shop, I’m relaxing after a great chilli – if I say so myself – to watch zombies on the telly!

Marvellous!

Househunting

| Richard

A busy weekend: Saturday started off fairly well with an opticians’ appointment to have a contact lens check at Surrey Quays. On the plus side, there was no change in my prescription but on the minus side I was then forced to go food shopping in Tesco with my glasses on (due to the yellow dye they put in your eyes to check fit).

Then a very enjoyable evening in Epsom with a drink at the Assembly Rooms, followed by a meal at the excellent Cinnamon Spice Indian restaurant and then on to the Barley Mow for more drinks.

Sunday saw lots of bike racing on the telly – MotoGP and BSB – interspersed with househunting. It’s about time I sorted myself out something for the long-term and with my divorce pending, now’s the time to start looking if I buy new.

So off I went to see Berkeley Homes’ Kidbrooke Village Development. This isn’t too far out of London – 15 minutes’ train journey from London Bridge (near my office) but as it’s early on in the development, there’s nothing there yet in terms of shops, bars, restaurant and amenities. Lovely place though but the lack of my own secure and powered garage is still a major issue. Perhaps it’d be better to buy a house in Rotherhithe near where I am as this is a short bus ride from work and I can even walk it (and do!).

Then back home for a Thai stir fry and TV including “Salt” which I’d recorded. And copious wine…