Dirty Stop Outs

The first Friday of every month is always bookgroup at Le Chat Noir, and last Friday night was no exception.

I'd booked the table for 11 people (who'd said they could make it) and was surprised to arrive and find the table full of people I hadn't expected...bookgroup members alright, just not ones I'd anticipated seeing, still, it's better to have more people there than less.

The book we were supposed to discuss was 'Eat, Pray, Love' (which I have previously reviewed and declared it to be a waste of my time), and because most of us who'd actually ploughed through its navel gazing, personal analysis had thought it to be bilge we didn't actually talk about the book much, other than to agree on its crapness and to refuse to read the sequel.

It was the previous month's book that still had us talking though - 'To Kill a Mockingbird', is just a great, great classic, this coming month we're reading another classic, we voted to read 'Catch 22', could be an interesting read and hopefully an interesting discussion.

Amongst non book related topics last night were;

- the availability (or rather, non-availability) of Indian and Chinese food, L refuses to eat any Indian cuisine outside of his native India (apart from that he's cooked himself) whilst K & T (from Singapore) have still not given up the search for a decent oriental restaurant, we joined in bemoaning the orangey/brown glop that seems to accompany all 'chinese' food here in Germany, whether the dish is masquerading as beef in black bean sauce, chicken with cashew nuts or sweet 'n sour pork it all has the same sauce.
- N's Liverpudlian accent has strengthened over the last couple of days, due to her mom visiting from the homeland, I said N's accent had regressed and the mother wasn't amused...
- NS mentioned she was thinking about going in for army training which started K off on his reminiscing of his two years National Service, T rolled her eyes in frustration apparently this is standard behaviour of any Singapore male, they get started on their army time and it's hard to deflect the conversation.
- I think we've gained two more partygoers for April 29th, when we (girlies) plan on spending the whole day in front of the TV, glued to the Royal Wedding coverage, drinking champagne and eating appropriate wedding food. Both NS & T are keen, as is K, but as he's male and probably doesn't look good in a wedding hat, he'll only really be useful acting as barman!
- I'm trying to talk L into going ice skating, he's never been before (what with growing up in India) and in theory has good balance (as he can do a head stand (years of yoga) but personally I think that's down to him having a flat head) but L isn't especially keen. There's an open air rink in the middle of Essen at the moment surrounded by Glühwein & Waffel stands with a sledging slope next to it that you can hurtle down on huge innertube things, I'm sure Rebecca & I can persuade L to join us and the kids there next Sunday lunchtime...Rebecca & I can stand and watch while L is taught to ice skate by 4-5 children.

I'd been prepared to have to leave earlier than usual as Rebecca (who I share a taxi with) has a really bad back and sitting for a prolonged period of time is not a good thing, however she refused to leave early and we ended up being the last to leave - dirty stopouts that we are.