The short one looks like the kind of person you would keep in a box under the bed and bring out on special occasions. The tall one looks like an angry Alan Bennett. Sadly, they did not bring the dogs.
I'm in a fairly chipper mood at the moment, I really, REALLY like working in the new office - I've done most of the admin and am in the process of re-writing all the briefs for the next 12 months. Had a good meeting with the woman who runs the library and my staffing rota is coming together without too much grief. I was half minded to go and see some friends in Brighton - the weather was nice and it's not such a big deal to get the train over but in the end decided to stay local.
So, in a vague attempt to network, I went to the launch of Coastal Currents at 'eat' in Alexandra Park. All the usual arty types were there - including the mayor who was very overdressed - and her silver shift dress did nothing for that gold chain of office - she must get sick of wearing that thing. It was OK - but the free wine was horrible and the nibbles tasted strange. M G was running the bar, she was the perfect hostess but has that look about her that makes me think she holds everyone in complete contempt - which is one of the reasons I really like her. It was such a nice evening I stayed outside and missed the speeches. The park was full of people with dogs - who obviously never walk them - it was chaos - mostly caused by two very small terriers who could run at 90mph and were attacking everything in sight. It was like watching some strange televised dog fighting contest "One Man and his Rabid Dog'
The 'do' was full of people I seemed to vaguely recognise, including the woman from Harris Tapas bar who always seems off her head but very friendly, and assumes I'm having an affair with whoever I am in there with - then it hit me like an Acme Anvil dropped from the sky ( copyright Grace Dent ) - I'm convinced she was Penny from Big Brother 2 who was a fucking loon ( but in a good way ) and got kicked out in week 1. Her boyfriend was also familiar and very good looking.
I also recognised the journalist Kathryn Flett, who I have met before - many years ago. She looked fantastic ( she is about 5 year older than me ) and seemed to be a bit taller than she used to be. I had no idea she lived in St Leonards. She gave off an air of 'I am VERY important' She also seemed to have a very good looking boyfriend with nice hair.
There was music on the bandstand - they had erected a frame with a red curtain in the park so the acts could get changed - oblivious to the fact that whilst they were shielded from the revelers in the cafe - they would flash the people in the flats opposite.
The big guests were the performance artists Smalls-Murray, a bit like Gilbert and George meet Morrissey down a dark alley. The short one is very cute - the tall one less so. I bet they get that a lot and it really winds the tall one up. I saw them come into the park from a distance of half a mile - walking in tandem in their identical suits. They must have been a bit nervy, they did a circuit of the park, changed their mind about coming in, then the short one went to the public toilet while the tall one waited outside. Perhaps this was part of their act?
Afterwards they ran a selection of Victorian parlour games, including blind man's buff and Murder - I was dragged into this one and had to pretend to have an anurism in the park and play dead. Much to the delight of some small boys. I was wearing the worlds reddest jumper and could probably be seen on Google earth. When we were leaving Smalls-Murray were dancing on their own in the park with matching bottles of Newcastle Brown ale. It was quite romantic. They are rather good dancers.
Afterwards we went to Tin-Tins. There was a man at the bar with a laptop trying to chat up some girls. His laptop was open at the facebook page for his high heeled shoe collection. He was quite blatant about his fascination with wearing a nice high heel - although he really needs to shave his legs. He was a size 4 and looking for a girlfriend to go shopping with. Later a selection of aged rock and roll casualties turned up - it was like Spinal Tap in a cancer ward, with one middle aged woman who had the most sinister facial tattoo's I've ever seen.
After that we went to the FILO. I quite like it in there. Three gay couples including one who were obviously in the process of splitting up and lots of late middle aged couple who were getting jiggy in the corners. It occurred to me that I would have hated it in there before the smoking ban.
When I got home there was a sign language double bill of Mastercheff - so I watched the Basil Rathbone version of Hound of the Baskervilles instead.
To think, I vaguely considered going to Brighton yesterday - and I would have missed all that!
1 comment:
Sounds like a good night!
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