July EDF Drinks - Saturday 4th July at The Rye Hotel

[AllforNun]

Was voldermort in there ?

[daizie]

sounds about right

[LegalEagle-ish]

Thanks Quids. Loving my new Teetotal persona. Still foul mouthed and loud, but not quite as bad as when i've had a skinful!

[????]

Well we love the foul mouthed amd loud bit don't lose that, but respect on the booze abstinence

[charliecharlie]

I turned up, could not see anyone I recognised... hovered about for a bit, there were a few jolly groups sitting comfortably in their 'zones', bit pathetic I know, but had a shy moment, was not sure if everyone had been and gone so I totally lost my nerve and left...!!!

x weedy cc

[gallinello]

Awful boozer, ridiculously over-priced, strange choice, glad I never attended!

[HAL9000]

charliecharlie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I turned up, could not see anyone I recognised...

> hovered about for a bit, there were a few jolly

> groups sitting comfortably in their 'zones', bit

> pathetic I know, but had a shy moment, was not

> sure if everyone had been and gone so I totally

> lost my nerve and left...!!!

What a shame. We exchanged greetings as I arrived and you were leaving (just after 8). I thought surely you must have recognised me? There were about 8-10 forumites there already, none of whom I recognised either. But within 10 minutes or so someone arrived that I did recognise and it turned into one of the best drinks evenings I've had the pleasure to attend so far. All told about 15-20 of us had a terrific time and a few ended up in the Bishop where we met up with a dozen or so other regulars.

[MrBen]

Yesterdays dilemma. The Rye for forum drinks. Or free backstage access at Hyde Park sipping cocktails on a white leather sofa with The Phenomenal Handclap Band

Hope you'll forgive me.

[KalamityKel]

charliecharlie Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I turned up, could not see anyone I recognised...

> hovered about for a bit, there were a few jolly

> groups sitting comfortably in their 'zones', bit

> pathetic I know, but had a shy moment, was not

> sure if everyone had been and gone so I totally

> lost my nerve and left...!!!

>

> x weedy cc

Deary me CC VERY unlike you! ::o I'm in such shock!

[charliecharlie]

yes, nice to see you briefly Hal, of course I recognised you... so sorry I dashed off... my social skills had faded away by then

I too hovered around for 10 mins felling like a bit of a plonker. There were a few big groups all looking well ensconced, for some reasons I didn't have the guts to go up to each group to ask if they were the EDF drinks, as KK says, not like me at all but everyone has their shy moments!

silly me....

next time!

[daizie]

who could blame you charliecharlie ! Was it all a bit cliquey cliquey ?

[charliecharlie]

doubt it big time... EDF drinks have never been cliquey...

it was my problem, nothing to do with the monthly drinks thing

[bignumber5]

We got there at 8.30 to find not another forumite in sight! A few trickled in as the evening progressed...

Spent most of the evening chatting to the lovely mr&mrs digitalronin (can't remember what mrs.digitalronin posts as, sorry - bit worse for wear as the evening progressed). Also nice to meet new faces as well as to have a catch up with some old faces later in the evening (moos using a philosophical debate around what constitiutes a good chip to blindside me into letting her steal half my dinner... watch her, she's trouble;-))

[charliecharlie]

oh damn and blast... looks like it all started just after I left (about 8.20 I think)

got there early as I thought the 'day though to early eve' crowd would be there, wasn't sure if it was going to turn out to be an early or late one

maybe a 'starts from' time for the eve would be good for next time...

[daizie]

Maybe a visible notice on the table saying 'EDF drinks' would be an idea, or is that a bit amature / common ? That way , no one would have a wasted journey .

[annaj]

CC, I think you really did leave just a few minutes before half a dozen of us arrived. We walked all round looking for the forum group, and you're right there were lots of groups in the garden, before deciding there wasn't one and settling down. As BN5 said, people then drifted in over the evening. We came to the conclusion that there had been a bit of a lull between the day drinkers and the evening drinkers and I guess a few people did exactly what you did Charlie, which is a shame.

A great evening despite the small number and slow start. I was inspired by digitalronin and his totallly charming other half (whose username I can't remember either and I don't want to "real name" her) and their long and impressive list of hobbies. MrJ and I have vowed to learn to tango! Nice also to meet HAL and Matthew123. Great, as always, to have a giggle with all the usual suspects, particularly Lady MacGabhann looking gorgeous with her summer look. But I think my favourite moment was walking through the bar with SeanMac and hearing a table of girls in the corner say, slightly too loudly, "Look that's THAT Sean bloke". Tee hee.

ps lenk, the festival-wristband-wearing, extremely-slow-moving, floppy-haired teenager behind the bar was a little frustrating, but why didn't you come and say hello if you were there anyway?

[annaj]

ps dazie, we cross posted, so to answer your question, it's never really been a problem before, because the venue has always been a quietish place on a Friday night and so the forum has been the only big group and easy to spot. Since we all came to our first drink once ourselves, we all remember the hovering-and-looking-feeling and usually everyone keeps a lookout for people who look like they're doing that and invites them over. At a few there have been signs on the table I think (the Gowlett?) but it hasn't made much difference. The problem last night was that there was a gap between the day drinking and the afternoon drinking when there simply wasn't a group to identify, and it was much busier than previous drinks so there were lots of other groups around.

You really should come along to one and find out for yourself that it's actually very friendly and inclusive, but a guess it's just more fun to grumble about cliques whenever you get the chance.

[bigbadwolf]

Good grief, do you mean to say that I missed out on meeting the forums doctor and her partner in crime? How on earth could I have missed the chance of sharing oxygen with the gentleman, scholar and statesmen David Carnell. Moos I'm just plain disappointed in you.

Daizie, just so I can put your mind at rest the drinks are incredibly non-cliquey. Except for that time that Poppylucky turned up with her numerous shadows and we ended up pouring super glue in her hair.

I was there and as usual I was the guest of honour as always. I met Legaleagle, Quids and his missus although we weren't formally introduced (can't say I blame you though Quids) and Floating Onion and his girlfriend who I enjoyed talking to alot.

[annaj]

Hang on.... where has my first post gone? The ps post was a ps to a whole other post and I think one of Charliecharlies has vanished too. Nothing contraversial in either. Weird.

Don't have the energy to post it all again, but the short version is....

CC, sorry, we just missed you.

Mr & Mrs digitalronin charming and inspiring.

Regulars all on fine form.

Lady Mac looking gorgeous

Amusing moment when SeanMac was spotted by possible lurkers across the room.

It's those sinsiter moderators at work again no doubt.

Oh and BBW, do you really think it's chance that you just missed me? You've made no secret of your facebook stalking and since you can't find me there I'm doing my best to be as elusive as possible in real life too...

[bigbadwolf]

Oh Anna, that was like an arrow through my heart. I'd been trembling in anticipation that I was finally going to meet a forum member as esteemed as yourself and BN5. I was going to take the opportunity to serenade you with Keats and Wordworth but alas my endeavours were in vain. With my soul destroyed and dreams in tatters I simply resigned myself to the fact that our gaze would never meet.

I think I've seen your facebook Anna and going by what I saw you can check my pulse any day of the week.....madam!

[annaj]

I think I've seen your facebook Anna

Most unlikely as I'm not on Facebook, but I'm sure whichever Anna you have been admiring is terribly flattered.

[bigbadwolf]

Oh Anna, another volley of arrows to my already wounded heart. How could I be so uncouth to a lady of such high birth and nobility.

How silly of me to confuse facebook with Interpol's most wanted section and judging by the mugshot of the 'doctor on the run', I'd put a bounty on your beautiful self.....dead or alive.xx

[Moos]

Bloody hell, turn your back for a minute and you're getting volleyed and thundered from all sides.

- BN5 - pah, a measly chip. Whassat to a man of your stature in the community?

- BBW - leave it out, I clearly announced our imminent arrival in good time for you to whip back from Forest Hill, don't take it out from me just because you didn't get to meet the lissom Dr. J.

But it was a super night, and such a treat for Mr. Moos and me to be out on the tiles. Lovely to see the (slightly wobbly) SeanMac, the ever-upright CitED, the always-charming BelleCarnells (sorry about the bottom slap) and all the tableful of fine folk. Seconded re: the glamorous Lady Mac and her fab dress.

DigitalRonin, very nice to meet you. HAL9000, sorry we didn't really chat but at least I talked to your friend, the Man With The Burglar Stories *waves* ! Mrs DigiR, we will find you a hedgehog, oh yes.

[annaj]

Moos, I have to know, was it the Belle bottom or the Carnell bottom you slapped?

[bigbadwolf]

Yeah come on Moos, who did you grope/assault/violate/demene/humiliate/arouse?