Movie night at Bea's of Bloomsbury

I'm having a bit of a love affair with London this week. My brothers are in the US so they offered me their flat for the time they're away. It's perfect timing, its just worked out that I had the option to be out & about every night having a (say it quickly) social life!

This is the view from the balcony in the boys bedroom - no doubting where you are!

London has been hot hot hot this week so when LBB and I were deciding what to do last night Bea's of Bloomsbury's block party style cinema club seemed like a perfect idea. 

Bea's is an awesome cafe with a few shops in London (including a brand new one in Farringdon that I'm planning to try this morning) and a railway arch in Maltby Street SE1 - their fresh food and cakes everyday are fantastic look at their website for more details (www.beasofbloomsbury.com).

We were running a little late so jumped in a cab - when we asked him to drop us off at these railway arches in what looks like an industrial area he thought we were mad, but go in through the metal door and inside it's all set up with a massive screen and a load of assorted deck chairs. 

The screen really is massive but we still grabbed a seat at the front to stretch out 

Not unsurprisingly the food was fabulous and we went for a chilli cheese dog each and paired this with a bottle of prosecco!

There was also mac'n'cheese, popcorn, some delicious looking cakes, beer wine and soft drinks. 

The atmosphere was relaxed and friendly, we watched Forrest Gump and the small group laughed, sighed and cried through a few gentle hours. 

It was a great evening, we walked back in the warm evening to London Bridge which was still buzzing.    I love that London offers so many choices and that awesome companies and places like Bea's exist. 

They have movie night running through the rest of July and August each Tuesday with more classic films including Some Like it Hot, Home Alone and Jaws. Tickets are £5. 

It's another beautiful London morning, I need to get up and walk to work before it gets too hot!  Another adventure in town tonight. Lucky lucky me. 

Lets go to the Movies.....

This weekend The Boy decided that we needed to catch up on the films we want to see and hatched a Plan

Off we pooped to the local multiplex and made good use of our monthly unlimited passes (about £13 per month, so as long as we go to three or more films we save on the ticket price.  We saw Avatar, Nine, Where The Wild Things Are & Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll.  All of them were really good films and all of them completely different

Avatar

We saw this in 3D and whilst the effects were pretty bloomin special I think you could see it in 2D and still be pretty impressed.  The effects really do make the film, the acting is secondary as (to an extent) is the story.  It's a good family film and is a bit bubblegum, in that you don't really need to care or pay too much attention to enjoy it.

Nine

A musical that is both beautifully shot and beautifully acted.  An amazing cast - Daniel Day Lewis, Sofia Loren, Judi Dench, Penelope Cruz, Marion Coultard, Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Fergie (the black eyed peas one not the miserable sourpuss football manager) - and a brilliant score.  It was beautiful from start to finish and made me want to smoke, drink espresso and wear beautiful underwear and much much more eye make-up.  The Boy didn't enjoy this film much - he appreciated that it was well made but didn't enjoy it - he's not really a song and dance man.  I however, love love loved it and will be buying it on DVD and backcombing my hair in the meantime.

Where The Wild Things Are

I had read and heard a  lot about this film so may have gone in with high expectations.  It is a lovely film, sad in places and heartwarming in others.  I really felt the little boys loneliness but what I liked about this film is that the last 5 minutes didn't suddenly fix everything - it was a sad ending but was a Hollywood smultz fest either.  It was really well made and my only small negative was that it felt a bit slow in places.  Really glad I've seen it on the big screen, and I probably will watch it again when it's on TV.

Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll

Again I have heard a lot about this biopic of Ian Dury and have seen Andy Serkis on the TV quite a bit this week talking about it.  It is a film for people of a certain age and (in the same way as The Dammed United & Brian Clough) if you don't know anything about the era or haven't heard of Ian Dury & The Blockheads you may not engage with the film.  However, the acting was amazing - particularly Serkis and the kid who play's his son Baxter, Bill Milner, who was the lead in Son of Rambow.  Both the female leads were strong as were all the supporting cast.  The Boy really enjoyed this film - his favourite of the weekend.

All in all a good weekend, back home now - the fires on the stew is in the oven all that's missing is the bottle of red wine - oh well only another 21 days to go on the wagon.

We have a plan

It's been a bit of a hard week for The Boy, he made it in to work every day but it's been a chore and a struggle, so he gets to choose what we do this weekend.

As there is no football on and it's really blooming cold he has decided we are going on an expedition.  Walking boots, layer upon layer (though not as stylishly as Florrie go and have a look at her winter layering post) snood, hat & coat and off we will pop.  We are going to walk the 2 miles to Xscape, this is our local multiplex - there is also an inside snow slope (with real snow no less) some snow & mountain sport type shops and a few restuarant chains (pizza express, Ask, Nando's, Chiquita's, Frankie & Benny's, Starbucks etc); there are also a few bars and a night club.  Over the road is an outlet village no where near as nice or fancy as Bicester (which I will blog about soon) but good for kitchen wear or sport wear and has a great Gaggia and Le Creuset shop.  Anyway I am digressing - he has a plan.

After the MIL phones this morning (hopefully around 11am) we will eat the soup I made yesterday, red pepper and lentil on nom nom nom, with the fresh bread which is currently baking then suit up and head out. Whilst it's only 2 miles with the weather as it is it may take a bit more than the 30 mins it usually does so we are going to give ourselves and hour and get there in time for the 1pm showing of Avatar 3D.  It's quite a long film (about 2.5 hours) so with the adverts that's 3 hours.  Then a quick coffee and a loo break then back into the flicks to see Nine.

Then the long walk home (I may veto this and get a taxi).  As a plan it sounds fine but there is part of me that just wants to build a fire and clean the @teamvaughan way.  He is also talking about doing the same thing tomorrow but to see Where the Wild Things Are  and Sex & Drugs & Rock'n'Roll.......sigh.

Ah well, off we pop out into the brave new world.  Wish me luck.......