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alexsarllHello all. As usual, December 27th is my birthday and as usual, being a stickler on these points, that's when I'm celebrating it. There will be drinks in Finsbury Park from 7pm (subject to the delight that is festive transport).
HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT BE AT THE SAME PUB AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
This is because said pub, the T Bird, has gone rubbish lately. So instead, we're going to THE FALTERING FULLBACK*, on Perth Road - details and directions here.
Apparently some first time visitors do not notice the pub's big back room. So, if you get there and can't find anyone, do make sure to find a big back room before panicking.
Pass on the invite to anyone you think I may have missed. Visiting relatives, paramours, catamites, and acquaintances with nothing better to do welcome (I was going to say No Serial Killers, but on reflection, the devilishly attractive type from the movies are welcome - just don't bring any weird-faced supermarket employees who only have seven friends on Myspace). I will be on email at alexsarll@gmail.com (and no other address you may have for me) intermittently over the next week, but if you're likely to need to contact me, you're better advised to try my mobile. If you don't have that number (and it's not the one beginning 0774 anymore), gmail me for it in advance.
I'm fully aware that due to my birthday being so close to Father Christmas', many of you will have family or other commitments elsewhere; no apologies needed on that front. But if you should happen to be around for the remainder of this week, I can also be found at The Beautiful & Damned Masked Ball in the Boogaloo, Highgate on Thursday 21st, and at Friday 22nd's New Oxford Street show by the excellent Indelicates.
To those of you I don't see - merry christmas, and a happy new year. Let's hope 2007 is an improvement on the dog of a year that was 2006, eh?
Finally saw Paris Motel on Monday, and they're every bit as lovely as I'd been told; haunted yet still uplifting, their own site's reference to 'spectral hoedowns' probably sums them up as well as anything. They'd sit very comfortably on a bill with Scarlet's Well, I'm certain. And in their encore they even managed to make a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song into a thing of beauty! Just a shame that the delays at the bar (only one barmaid? Incredibly competent though she was, that's insane) meant I missed what sounds like a very touching scene.
'Out of Time' was sufficiently good that I'm now really sad we only have another three episodes of Torchwood this series. I've always been fascinated by how cheap it can be to make good SF, and this was a perfect example; a thoughtful time travel tale with not a special effect to be seen. Plus, this time the RTD-endorsed fixation on Emotion actually bore fruit. The father wasn't especially likeable, but by heavens I still felt for him by episode's end, and I liked that Jack didn't get some spuriously hopeful resolution to the situation. The pilot's story was just heartbreaking, in an inspirational sort of way. And my inability to separate lovely Olivia Hallinan from her prior role as Kim in Sugar Rush gave me an extra if entirely metafictional reason to be happy for her in the present, in that growing up sapphic in the fifties would have been rubbish.
I'm now six episodes into the second season of Battlestar Galactica. I would have watched more of it, but aside from the time, I simply don't have the emotional energy. It's bloody harrowing.
*Yes, I know it's not perfect, but so few pubs are. I had hoped to find the opportunity for a factfinding expedition to a couple of other candidates but you know how it is - the opposition of events.
HOWEVER, THEY WILL NOT BE AT THE SAME PUB AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS.
This is because said pub, the T Bird, has gone rubbish lately. So instead, we're going to THE FALTERING FULLBACK*, on Perth Road - details and directions here.
Apparently some first time visitors do not notice the pub's big back room. So, if you get there and can't find anyone, do make sure to find a big back room before panicking.
Pass on the invite to anyone you think I may have missed. Visiting relatives, paramours, catamites, and acquaintances with nothing better to do welcome (I was going to say No Serial Killers, but on reflection, the devilishly attractive type from the movies are welcome - just don't bring any weird-faced supermarket employees who only have seven friends on Myspace). I will be on email at alexsarll@gmail.com (and no other address you may have for me) intermittently over the next week, but if you're likely to need to contact me, you're better advised to try my mobile. If you don't have that number (and it's not the one beginning 0774 anymore), gmail me for it in advance.
I'm fully aware that due to my birthday being so close to Father Christmas', many of you will have family or other commitments elsewhere; no apologies needed on that front. But if you should happen to be around for the remainder of this week, I can also be found at The Beautiful & Damned Masked Ball in the Boogaloo, Highgate on Thursday 21st, and at Friday 22nd's New Oxford Street show by the excellent Indelicates.
To those of you I don't see - merry christmas, and a happy new year. Let's hope 2007 is an improvement on the dog of a year that was 2006, eh?
Finally saw Paris Motel on Monday, and they're every bit as lovely as I'd been told; haunted yet still uplifting, their own site's reference to 'spectral hoedowns' probably sums them up as well as anything. They'd sit very comfortably on a bill with Scarlet's Well, I'm certain. And in their encore they even managed to make a Yeah Yeah Yeahs song into a thing of beauty! Just a shame that the delays at the bar (only one barmaid? Incredibly competent though she was, that's insane) meant I missed what sounds like a very touching scene.
'Out of Time' was sufficiently good that I'm now really sad we only have another three episodes of Torchwood this series. I've always been fascinated by how cheap it can be to make good SF, and this was a perfect example; a thoughtful time travel tale with not a special effect to be seen. Plus, this time the RTD-endorsed fixation on Emotion actually bore fruit. The father wasn't especially likeable, but by heavens I still felt for him by episode's end, and I liked that Jack didn't get some spuriously hopeful resolution to the situation. The pilot's story was just heartbreaking, in an inspirational sort of way. And my inability to separate lovely Olivia Hallinan from her prior role as Kim in Sugar Rush gave me an extra if entirely metafictional reason to be happy for her in the present, in that growing up sapphic in the fifties would have been rubbish.
I'm now six episodes into the second season of Battlestar Galactica. I would have watched more of it, but aside from the time, I simply don't have the emotional energy. It's bloody harrowing.
*Yes, I know it's not perfect, but so few pubs are. I had hoped to find the opportunity for a factfinding expedition to a couple of other candidates but you know how it is - the opposition of events.
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Date: 2006-12-20 02:49 pm (UTC)indeed!
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Date: 2006-12-20 03:11 pm (UTC)downstairs in the pub from 6.30 / 7ish.
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Date: 2006-12-20 03:04 pm (UTC)That's happened before as well. Has he actually managed to resolve anything in this series? At least he still looks good (see!).
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Date: 2006-12-20 09:41 pm (UTC);-)
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:09 pm (UTC)Off the top of my head, he saved the rest of the team from the cannibals, and he managed to kill Suzie. Eventually. Ditto the Cyberwoman, I suppose.
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-20 04:04 pm (UTC)-x-
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Date: 2006-12-20 04:20 pm (UTC)just you wait
and FOR CHRISTS SAKE why not go 10 minutes down the road (ish) to the big red
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-21 03:12 pm (UTC)and as for not going there SHAME ON YOU
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:16 pm (UTC)There are many pubs I've never visited in London. Indeed, Arthur Machen, one of my favourite authors, used the impossibility of knowing every London pub as a cornerstone of his writings. I've never made a point of avoiding it - but nor has anyone ever made any overtures to get me there.
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:20 pm (UTC)one cannot listen to every album ever made, that dosn't mean that there is any excuse for not listening to "when the man comes around" by johnny cash, given the chance
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-21 03:32 pm (UTC)whatever way you wanna define chance then feel free - all i'm saying is that while it would be wanky to try and try out all the pubs in london, there are exception which through word of mouth, enough recomendations must have been made for person a to take or make an opportunity to seek it out themselves..... just like albums and when the man comes around. If they don't the excuse of "well i never was bothered" isn't allowed
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:39 pm (UTC)And as to the other point, given the number of times I have walked from the station past the Fullback, and the number of times I have walked from Finsbury Park to Holloway Road, it simply doesn't deserve a response.
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:44 pm (UTC)but fair enough
(for the record I don't think it's the best thing ever - just that the standard is so poor that a pub which is pretty good is a rarity)
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Date: 2006-12-20 06:39 pm (UTC)Torchwood is largely appalling.
But! Have you seen that youtube trailer for The Runaway Bride? Tardis car chase. Rockin'.
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:12 pm (UTC)You're just upset that in 'Countrycide', Torchwood revealed the truth about Welsh life outside Cardiff.
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:43 pm (UTC)Totally joycore, teh rox, or whatever it is that netgeeks say.
Countrycide was my favourite episode, actually! Listen, I live ten minutes from Chester and 40mins from Liverpool. OK, I'm in the country(ish), but I'm not that woolybacked!
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Date: 2006-12-20 08:58 pm (UTC)Also considering the Beautiful & the Damned tomorrow, depending on work, tiredness levels, and - most importantly - whether I can devise some way to wear a mask and also be able to see properly.
(Sadly, I'm unable to commission the manufacture of a prescription lorgnette at twenty-two hours notice, befitting though that would be.)
Whenever I see the words "Finsbury Park", i imagine them announced jovially in in Harry Hill's voice. Clearly not been in Lundun long enough yet.
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Date: 2006-12-21 03:13 pm (UTC)Have mailed you the number. Re: tonight, bear in mind that masks are encouraged, but not obligatory.
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Date: 2006-12-21 11:45 am (UTC)no subject
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