Rain avoided by going to the pub

They say there is no such thing as a free lunch, but lunch on Thursday courtesy of Davenport Lyons in Covent Garden appeared to be a gesture from one’s lawyer, which is something that immediately a rouses suspicion. Profligate when it comes to charging out their time, on this occasion they were a little less generous when it comes to serving food. The first warning came at the introduction, when the assembled salivating, free-loading guests were told that the address by Hugh Tomlinson QC would take place after the main course and before desert. Those of you living in the south of France will have already noticed a grave omission; no entree. One gets 5 courses at the Auberge St Donat, but only two in the West End. Although the wine flowed freely (as long as one was able to catch the eyes of the waiters), food was at a premium. Two pieces of fish, the size of very small plums, albeit very nice fish, and 4 pieces of an indeterminate root vegetable comprised the main course, and a small portion of a similarly indeterminate crumble the second, adorned by a thimble full of custard. It was at Victoria Station at about 3.30 that the hunger pangs hit me and Ronald McDonald was the lucky recipient of my largesse. He kindly supplied me with a cheeseburger and chips to assuage my being.

My second banter Blog has been published on Onboard Online, and can be read by clicking on the highlighted text. Please do have your say at the bottom of the column, either in support or against. I shall know whether you are from the civilised south or the tundra strewn north depending upon your comment. Peachy Butterfield’s riposte should be published on the same page shortly.

Talking of comments; many will know that there is a feverish limerick writing coven inhabiting that section of this column. This morning, whilst lying in bed with a cup of tea, That Nice Lady Decorator took to reading some of the posts and some of the comments. I was pleased initially at taking an interest, although slightly concerned in case I have been rude about her recently, but that satisfaction was to be dealt a slap in the face for this columns author when she expressed the opinion that the material from other contributors was more interesting than that provided by its author.

Stormy seas at Brighton

Yesterday it rained. It has rained at some stage on all but two days since December 15th, exactly two months ago today. I have tried to ignore it, tried the SAD light, been to Tenerife for a week, been to Cannes for a weekend, watched some travel programmes but nothing, not even the benefits that can be bestowed by opening an account with Currencies Direct is working. The continual damp and the wet is getting to me. Thank goodness we are off to Barbados in a few weeks time. If I wasn’t already going for a 50th birthday celebration,  I would have been booking some sunshine on-line today.

So, after a very wet dash to LA (Littlehampton to you non Arundel residents), getting wet, a  dash into town and getting wet, we decided to go out for a lunchtime pint and get wet. The Bridge at Amberley for a halumi salad and fish cakes, plus a couple of pints, a siesta and I was ready for the annual ritual of opening the Valentines cards. I usually set aside a couple of hours to open the biggest ones, and, after unloading the pantechnican from the post office, decide where to place them all, then it was off to the White Hart where the new restaurant JAK is getting underway, of which more tomorrow.

Chris France
@Valbonne_News