Saturday 6 October 2007

It's 5am













I stumbled in this morning at around about 5 am.
Hadn't done this in a while, I'm getting too old for it you see. :)

I was working at the bar last night and happened to be teamed up behind the bar with my least favorite person there. Very busy and a conference next door. So not looking like a great night!

At 21:00hrs, John and Simon stroll in, meaning business! They sat themselves down in the sofas right slap bang in the middle of the action and grinned.

I really didn't have a lot of time for them during the first part of the night, although I did watch them from time to time. Deep in conversation. The shift continued in a frenzy, the table of 12 were finishing up, the conference goers were coming in on time and every table was full of diners. People. Everywhere. And it's not hugely easy to maneuver about in this place! (that and they need a new website.)

Now usually, I watch this from behind the bar, and apart from the occasional person squashing by me for the till or a glass, I don't have to spend the evening trying to avoid bumping into people. But in an attempt to avoid unnecessary agro, I had opted for service side of things today. And I think I win an award for doing just about all the jobs going that night (ok, apart from the cook). I was on "go where needed" detail.

So a apart from the occasional smoke break and three words with the guys, I pretty much had my head down all night.

And then at around midnight, it wound down. Only three tables left, one of which were my table. :)
We started clean up while Max made us our 'after service drink'. I always like this part of my nights at Le Cercle. But somehow, when it stops, before exhaustion hits me, I'm psyched. (I usually head home not really wanting to). And tonight even more so because I had people to go out with after. :)

By now I begin to realise that John is sloshed. Now I don't usually see John drunk, because if I'm out drinking with him, I will be underneath the table before he's even getting tipsy.
But I was told he had been drinking since office lunch. Tonight he was really funny.

The three of us head over the road to a puppet infested bar (urgh) for a Barbar Winter Bok. (The cold season version of my favorite beer, Barbar.) We were only allowed one round unfortunately as it was closing time for them too. So we savored it slowly and had a good laugh. However, I was perpetually trying to avoid looking at the puppets on the walls to see if they were moving knowing full well I was being a complete idiot.

Back into the street, we head over to pita street for some food (and so that John can look at the naked boobies in the trees on the paintings ). Feeling altogether better for having food to soak up alcohol (for some A LOT more than others ;) ) We decide to grab one last beer at a place where I have spent many a night having a really good time.
I have been going there since I was in college and I still love it. (and no, I won't post the name or a link, this place is for the connaisseurs - and it's busy enough already.)
And the bar met John and Simon's instant approval a couple of years back (and sometimes the latter can be a wee bit hard to please)
But closing time strikes again. :( (bugger, bugger, bugger)

With no beer mug to hug, and our digestive systems crashing from oily food, we realised it was way past our bedtimes and decided to call it a night.

Now I received an sms from John a bit later, saying that his taxi had nearly crashed. And maybe it was him that was jinxing drivers.

He says this because on our very last road trip before he has to give back the company car, I finally did what I had managed to avoid doing for the past 10 years of me driving. I hurt it. :(
The beauty of company cars is that this doesn't seem to be a problem (apart from the fact that John will not have a car for his final week. :( )

So maybe all the near misses (that only ever happened in the car with John) weren't just me driving badly! ;)

Anyways, t'was a pleasant evening gentlemen, Liz where the hell were you? :)



Ps: Oh yeah, The photo. This was the sky out of my bedroom window as I was getting in this morning. I know it's pollution and street lights but it was beautiful.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The real problem with Le Cercle isn't their website, it's their filthy glasses!

It was a good night and I'm shitty that places were shutting down. I suppose 4am isn't the best time to start a pub crawl.

Unknown said...

Repeat performance?

AMC said...

Anytime Liz, but we kind of have to be in the same city at the same time to acheive this ;)

I wasn't working the bar that night - not my filthy glasses :p