annaj

Weird. I'll be there. :))

Well, yes, that would be one interpretation...

Sorry to go off the point, but I've only just caught up with the days events after a busy day at work and I feel compelled to ask. Considering Sean's accidental "neaten" after Strawbs's (correct apostrophe? Save me from the grammar police) "beaver" on the open mic thread, is my superpower revealing other peoples' (and another one) subconscious thoughts about me?

*clears throat* Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Haaaaapppy Biiiiirthdaaaay Dear Bellenden Belle! Happy Birthday to You! :))

Great response Smokie. Despite my less than luke warm response to the curry night idea, I do really feel for you trying to balance your vision with good business and I admire what you're trying to do with The Duke. I was in for a drink yesterday and pleased to see it busy, but as you said Sundays are your best day. Having seen your lovely menu yesterday I'll be PMing you in the next few days about a group booking...

smokie, I'm going to try and put this as nicely as possible, because you're obviously trying really hard to make a sucess of The Duke, but I think "Madras Madness" sounds like a terrible idea. As Michael said, Lordship Lane has a curry house practically every second shop and many of them high quality and reasonably priced. I can't think of any reason people would go to a pub, particularly one that tucked away a bit, for cheap curry when there's so much other choice available. What I loved about The Duke when we went there for forum drinks was the simplicity of the place. It was comfortable and cosy and serving great food and drinks. Simple as that. No gimmicks, no cocktails (why does every new pub that opens seem to think cocktails are the answer to all their problems?) and no special theme nights. Look back through this thread, and of course the EDF is just one section of the local population and doesn't represent everyone, but does anyone actually sound keen on the curry thing? Look at the things people are suggesting, quizes, comedy, cinema. Couldn't you conisder any of thoses things? I do understand that pubs have to make money and this is a competitive and difficult market, but you have a lovely little pub there, please don't lose what you already have in your enthusiasm to improve.

I was in the brownies and guides (thrown out of guides mind you for not working hard enough to get my green trefoil even though I was a patrol leader. The shame.) and I wouldn't say it affected my feelings on God or the queen, although I do still try and help other people and keep the brownie guide law* I didn't learn anything as useful as knotting though, the only badges I remeber getting were country dancing, housekeeping and agility, so maybe we should address the inherent sexism of the scouting movement before we tackle God. I think I would also agree with what has already been said about religious and humanist ceremonies. I went to a humanist wedding and although it was very personal to the couple and very apporpriate for them, it didn't feel entirely real (and of course it wasn't they had actually been married in a registry office the day before). We didn't want a religious marriage ceremony, so had a very moving and memorable civil ceremony which felt appropriately formal, but still personal. Aside from the legal bits that have to be included we had complete control over what was included and could have written the whole thing ourselves if we'd wanted to. The whole question of baby naming ceremonies is a very modern dilema. I've never been to a humainst one, but know people who have and found them really naff. My sister and her husband recently had a "launch party" for their twins, with a very short speech and a cake, but no ceremony, which was nice, but maybe not formal enough. The other problem is what to call the equivalent of godparents if you're not doing the whole god thing (I've recently been asked to be one so was pondering this anyway) Non-god parents? Godless parents? Special adult friends..... Maybe not. Not sure that ramble has added anything, but thought I'd share! *the brownie guide law is to treated others as you would like to be treated yourself and do a good turn every day.

I'm sorry, have I completely misundrstood this or are you actually complaining about Community Support Officers eating while on duty? Last time I checked public sector workers, shift workers and volunteers are all entitled to meal breaks just like everyone else. Even I get to eat while on duty occasionally. As for "having a good ol' chat with the staff" they are community support workers, surely the whole point is for them to form good links with the community, including local businesses?

After a completely dire weekend at work, of the sort that makes even a natural optimist start to doubt human nature, I made the mistake of venturing outside today and went to the supermarket. My petty annoyances are.... The man carrying a baby in a sling (so its face was right under his chin) and smoking... The man in Sainsburys who took a flapjack out a box on the shelf and ate it without buying the box... The man at the checkout who ate his way through an entire bag of kettle chips and drank half a bottle of juice from his trolley, whilst flicking through a magazine off the shelf, in the five minutes he was queueing. FFS it's five minutes. Can you not just wait? Are you really going to starve? Are you really that busy and important? And finally, the woman on the really busy 185 carrying nothing more than a handbag, but with her papers spread out on the luggage shelf, you know, so it's easier to read, who completely ignored me and didn't move and inch when I got on with three enourmous (reusable, don't panic) shopping bags. And SeanMacGabhann, if you so much as whisper that it serves me right for going to Sainsburys, I'll.... well I don't know what, but just don't.

Hurrah! Louisa hates it. I liked the place before, now I love it!

We won't be there tonight, have a good evening. Not sure if I should say good luck to Ally or Onion...

It seems to be only Mockney grumpy-old-man Piers who's not keen on the Mag.... I like flock wallpaper.

Mockney, I'm no champagne snob (actually my current favourite bubbly is Chapel Down made in Kent, but that's a bit of a tangent) and I agree entirely that there are good proseccos out there (we drank a lot of it on our Sicilian honeymoon. Another tangent), but I don't think Adventure is using is one of them. And there is something a bit daft about a whole page of cocktails headed "Champagne" in big shiny letters with a tiny note at the bottom saying *not made with champagne.

Good point David. Perhaps they we all looked so terrible this month that Andrew can't bring himself to post them... Anyway, do we have a decision yet for next month?

There was a sign on the door on Saturday saying that they were starting the new menu this weekend. Has anyone tried the food yet?

No, no AcedOut. That's all wrong. Far to high maintenance and low yeild. Don't you understand the distance crawled to drinks consumed ratio at all?

Ooh, that's really difficult. Can't decide between The Rye, because I've never been or The Mag, because it's lovely and I want to support it...

I went last night for the first time and found it a really relaxing and welcoming space. I thought it was original and actually quite hard to define, which I think is one of the things I liked about it. The only thing I wasn't sure about was the scent from the candles (Lilly of the Valley I think) which was quite strong at first and a bit odd, but I got used to it. Company was ok too...

What a lovely pub! Great food, great staff, great atmosphere (tastefully decorated and music you could talk over) Obviously, the great thing about forum drinks is the people, and last night was no exception, but the pub gets it's own special mention as the nicest place we've been so far. Back to the people, lovely to see everyone again and meet a few new faces, especially AcedOut (does anyone know if he made it out of the kebab shop again?) who was charming and who we owe a drink next time for leaving so "early".

No such madness on the Upper East Side. I feel quite envious...

AllforNun, the OP was quite clear that the dog peed (peeed? pee-ed?) on the pavement outside the shop, not the shop front or the raised "garden" area directly in front of the shop. Difficult to say not having been there, but it does seem a bit unreasonable to object to that.

Here it is Raquel! Oh dear I'm bored today. Have resorted to tidying up the forum like some sort of bustling, interferring virtual mum. :-$

Progress has been closely followed here...

Oh, so gentlemanly, I feel almost like Dulwichmum. Apology accepted.

Keef, I'm extremely upset that you thought I would go to a cocktail bar and order a sweet Rose. If there were an emoticon for looking hurt, but dignified, I'd be using it right now.