This has been the week of parties, three in a row, in fact. Thursday was Sarah's work Christmas party, Friday was Morrie's work Christmas party and Saturday was Georgie's going-away party. The rest of the week was a bit more relaxed, comparatively.
Sarah's Christmas party was an employee's only affair, no partners. They went to Jongleurs in Battersea, a comedy club. Morrie's Christmas party was dinner at Cafe Latino Bar in Soho with partners allowed. Latino was really good, the music was awesome and the food excellent. The only downside was its size, extremely small. Saturday night we headed to The Long Island Ice Tea Shop, which is actually a bar/night-club near Leicester Square, for Georgie's farewell. Georgie worked with Sarah at DCA and was a good friend. She is leaving for her home-country New Zealand on Tuesday. Kerry, also from DCA was there and brought along a heap of friends. We were still being introduced to people several hours after arriving!
Start Morrie's Sermon
The Long Island Ice Tea Shop is a great venue. The top floor is a great chill-out room, the main floor is a bar with a small dance floor. These two floors share the same "air" and, as a result, the same music. The basement is a night-club-type affair with its own music and chill-out areas. We spent most of our time upstairs and were decidedly unimpressed with the music. In fact, either we've been unlucky or bars in London play crap music. Everywhere we go its seventies/eighties tunes. I mean this is London, its supposed to be on the very top of the music scene. Why in God's name would a London bar be playing oldies when every day tons of great songs are released. Its so depressing how complacent and undemanding bar goers are in this city. Every time an oldie comes on they all start jumping up and down, waving their hands and, of course, going up to the bar to buy more drinks. Londoners need to re-develop their ears and understand that a song should be listened to, and possibly enjoyed, even if it hasn't been heard before. The way I feel is that I can listen to oldies anytime I want at my house with my CD collection that has been growing over the last decade. At a bar I want to hear new music that I haven't bought or probably ever will buy. I want to be "educated" by the DJ. I love leaving a bar thinking, man that was great music, but not being able to name more than a handful of the bands. Well, that's just me.
Sermon Over
Of course we didn't wake up on Sunday until after noon and we relaxed the day away at the grocery store and walking around Hampstead Heath. See ya next week (hopefully).