London AW Meet, Sat 22 May 2010 !

[Shara]

The London AW meet is going ahead on the afternoon of Saturday, 22 May 2010. We are meeting in the function room (upstairs) of The George pub, The Strand, London WC2R 1AP (map here (http://www.capitalpubcompany.com/the-george/get-here.aspx)). The pub is opposite the Royal Courts of Justice, and the nearest tube station is Temple.

We can have the room all to ourselves, from about 1pm to 5pm. After that, those that have to travel home will still have time to get trains, and those that want to stay on can maybe move on somewhere else.

It was not possible to find a date to please everyone, but hopefully enough people can make this one to make it a success.

Happy to answer any queries - just ask.

Hope to see you there.

Shara

[IdiotsRUs]

Woohoo!

And I won't get lost any more than usual because I know where it is!

[WildScribe]

You're meeting on my mom's birthday! I wish I could come... I miss London. :)

[waylander]

In the diary.
Should we wear name-badges?

[Shara]

Maybe we should wear AW handle name-badges so we know who's who!

[Maxinquaye]

Maybe we should wear AW handle name-badges so we know who's who!

I'll have to qualify my presence with actually being in the UK at the time, but if I am... will you beat up the insufferable know-it-all Maxinquaye, or should I wear a badge saying 'Birol'?

[zahra]

Lordy, haven't been to the West End in so long, I'm a bit scared.

Suppose there are footy hooligans and I get my bag snatched and the tube gets stuck and someone vomits on my shoes?

Can't we meet in Chiswick, instead? (Whine, whine).

[waylander]

Football season will have finished by then, and Chiswick is terrible to get to unless you're driving.

[zahra]

Football season will have finished by then, and Chiswick is terrible to get to unless you're driving.
But I won't be driving.
Love, Miss Unreasonable.

[Shakesbear]

Lordy, haven't been to the West End in so long, I'm a bit scared.

Suppose there are footy hooligans and I get my bag snatched and the tube gets stuck and someone vomits on my shoes?

Can't we meet in Chiswick, instead? (Whine, whine).

Chiswick? Only one good thing about Chiswick - only I can't remember what it is! ID? - hmmmm - maybe we should all carry quill pens?

[Perks]

I was in London last July (from North Carolina.) I wonder if it's too late for me to claim to have left something and zip back over to fetch it in May.

[waylander]

Chiswick? Only one good thing about Chiswick - only I can't remember what it is! ID? - hmmmm - maybe we should all carry quill pens?

The only good thing in Chiswick is the Fullers Brewery

[zahra]

The only good thing in Chiswick is the Fullers Brewery
How dare you! What about the...ummm...the - ooh, I know - the comedy club? The Old Cinema Antique Shop? High Road House brasserie? Devonshire road shops? Norman Shaw houses? Er...Arts Ed students talking loudly about their acting projects and getting all Glee on the green in the summer?

Oh, OK, West End it is.

[MacAllister]

The rest of us want pictures, and a full report! I always LOVE it when AWers do a regional meet up. I try very hard to get myself to them, if at all possible.

London in May just isn't possible, I'm afraid - but rest assured I'm horribly envious and hope you have a marvelous time.

[truelyana]

Dearest Shara,
Thanks for organising such an event.
I have been eager to meet members of AW for a couple of years now.
I have just heard about this from Lostwanderer and waylander.
Thank you both. :)
London is fine by me, and I'll put the 22nd May in my diary.
I shall be meeting with Jonathan Porritt in The George in 2 weeks, so I shall be visiting this pub for the first time then.
I look forward to meeting you all then! :D
P.S-Will scarletpeaches be attending?

[lostwanderer5]

I don't think I have ever been to that part of London - at least not knowingly - but looking forward to it.

I will look up train tickets today, and assuming they don't cost me a fortune, I will be there. :-) Looking forward to meeting you all.

[waylander]

If the train is too expensive you could consider taking a coach.
Get a train ticket that includes a one-day tube pass. The Tube is expensive if you buy one-off tickets

[Bookdragonette]

Chiswick? Only one good thing about Chiswick - only I can't remember what it is!

Donna Noble.

Wish I could come, but I won't be in the UK in May. :(

[ImogenAnn]

Rats! I'm away that weekend, and it would have been great to meet you all.
The George is fantastic. Good wine, great history and HUGE plates of nachos.
Hope I'll catch you next time.

[Thump]

I should be able to make it. My friends and I are supposed to go to Alton Towers that day but I can probably push it to Sunday.

Best thing is though that I'm moving to London this month so it makes it that much easier for me :D

[JimmyB27]

Woah, this is next weekend! Doesn't time fly? I'll be there, unless I'm not.

[Twitchiest]

I'm a mere lurker on this forum, but I would like to come, if lurkers are allowed. >.>

*sidles away from her post count*

[Shakesbear]

Just a reminder of where and when!


The London AW meet is going ahead on the afternoon of Saturday, 22 May 2010. We are meeting in the function room (upstairs) of The George pub, The Strand, London WC2R 1AP (map here (http://www.capitalpubcompany.com/the-george/get-here.aspx)). The pub is opposite the Royal Courts of Justice, and the nearest tube station is Temple.

We can have the room all to ourselves, from about 1pm to 5pm. After that, those that have to travel home will still have time to get trains, and those that want to stay on can maybe move on somewhere else.

It was not possible to find a date to please everyone, but hopefully enough people can make this one to make it a success.

Happy to answer any queries - just ask.

Hope to see you there.

Shara

I will be there - with camera!

Twitchiest - I am not sure if there are any reasons why you should not come to the meet -

Looking forward to meeting every one.

[firedrake]

i can't even begin to tell you how homesick I am right now.:cry:

[CACTUSWENDY]

<<<<<trying to figure out how I could slap a stamp on my forehead and get myself mailed over there in time. Not having real good success with that concept....the glue isn't sticky enough.

Carry on....you lucky guys.

[Fran]

I can't make it now due to reasons that are far too boring to go in to. Twenty hours on a bus there and back for one night out is one of them. :)

Have fun, everyone x

[JimmyB27]

I'm a mere lurker on this forum, but I would like to come, if lurkers are allowed. >.>

*sidles away from her post count*
I think Twitchiest should definitely get a buy in, even if only for pointing out the below to me:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/by-date.aspx?offset=6

Just in case anyone's affected.

[waylander]

I can't make it now due to reasons that are far too boring to go in to. Twenty hours on a bus there and back for one night out is one of them. :)

Have fun, everyone x

And I was so looking forward to discussing the new governement with you ;-)

[Fran]

And I was so looking forward to discussing the new governement with you ;-)

I'm willing to give them a chance but they'll probably have pissed me off somehow by Saturday. ;)

[aruna]

The rest of us want pictures, and a full report! I always LOVE it when AWers do a regional meet up. I try very hard to get myself to them, if at all possible.

London in May just isn't possible, I'm afraid - but rest assured I'm horribly envious and hope you have a marvelous time.

I'll be happy to represent you, Mac. Just send over the jackboots.

Yes, I'll be there. Almost wasn't, though. Got stuck at Cologne/Bonn airport for the whole of yesterday, waiting out an ash cloud that didn't even exist.

[Priene]

Waiting out an ash cloud that didn't even exist.

Is a great title for a short story.

[timewaster]

[QUOTE=Shara;4726148]The London AW meet is going ahead on the afternoon of Saturday, 22 May 2010. We are meeting in the function room (upstairs) of The George pub, The Strand, London WC2R 1AP (map here (http://www.capitalpubcompany.com/the-george/get-here.aspx)). The pub is opposite the Royal Courts of Justice, and the nearest tube station is Temple.

We can have the room all to ourselves, from about 1pm to 5pm. After that, those that have to travel home will still have time to get trains, and those that want to stay on can maybe move on somewhere else.

It was not possible to find a date to please everyone, but hopefully enough people can make this one to make it a success.

Happy to answer any queries - just ask.

Hope to see you there.


So sorry I won't be able to come - daughter is racing in a regatta so unless my husband does the honours I will be by the river somewhere.
Hope you all have fun.

[Lyra]

Well, if it isn't going to look to presumptuous I'd like to join you too. Maybe I can sit in the lurkers corner with Twitchiest...

[aruna]

NOTE: I will NOT be wearing a name tag. You can take a good long look at my avatar, which is more than I can say for the rest of you...

[Shara]

Well, we're nearly at Meet Day, and as usual weekend engineering works are making it very difficult for anyone coming into London on a Saturday.

The TfL website link has been posted earlier - would recommend everyone take a look, as most of the tube lines are affected.

The good news is the district line is running through Temple, so it is possible to get there by Tube.

Several AWers will be coming in to Waterloo, and I think the best option from there is a bus to The Strand.

If anyone has any concerns/queries, please let us know.

Look forward to meeting you all on Saturday.

Shara

[waylander]

Several AWers will be coming in to Waterloo, and I think the best option from there is a bus to The Strand.

Shara

Numbers 26 or 76 from Waterloo to Royal Courts of Justice

[mccardey]

Don't forget - we want photos!!! And rep points to anyone who brings or wears a quill.

Double rep points if that's all they wear!!!

[JimmyB27]

Don't forget - we want photos!!!

I'll certainly have my camera.

And rep points to anyone who brings or wears a quill.

Double rep points if that's all they wear!!!
Only double? :tongue

[truelyana]

I'm really looking forward to saturday, and putting people to aw handles. :D I'll also have my camera. ;)

[IdiotsRUs]

Right have worked out my tube route to the hotel and on to the meet. And bloody hell, for once engineering works don't affect me! *faints in astonishment*

I also have my quill at the ready. It's pink....

[truelyana]

Can we order food in the function room? :D

[Shakesbear]

truelyana I was wondering about food as well.

Note to self: take quill pen.

[waylander]

The George does food, Order in the bar and they will serve it in the function room

[IdiotsRUs]

The food is pretty good too!

BTW, (looking at my PM's) in case anyone wonders about going straight to the function room, go past the bar and there's a door on the right. Go straight on up. No secret handshake required.

[truelyana]

truelyana I was wondering about food as well.

Note to self: take quill pen.

I don't have a quill pen, but I have always wanted one.

The George does food, Order in the bar and they will serve it in the function room

Thanks. :)

The food is pretty good too!

BTW, (looking at my PM's) in case anyone wonders about going straight to the function room, go past the bar and there's a door on the right. Go straight on up. No secret handshake required.

Brilliant. :)

[Sophia]

I'll be the one stammering and talking rubbish. :D I don't have a quill, either, but I do have my trusty orange Bic pen!

[IdiotsRUs]

I'll be the one stammering and talking rubbish.

Hehehe that's me! Although I'm feeling oddly rational this week* so who knows. :D

*this rationality sale price relates to the rationality price of April. So it might look like a good deal / rational, but....

[eyeblink]

NOTE: I will NOT be wearing a name tag. You can take a good long look at my avatar, which is more than I can say for the rest of you...

I will give you a clue. I do not look much like Barbara Stanwyck circa 1933.

See everyone there.

[aruna]

Oh! But I thought.....

[mccardey]

Still no photos.... sigh....

Will someone by me a drink? An imaginary drink, of course, because of me being here in Australia while you're at The George....

[Shara]

Give us a chance, McArdey. You posted your message at 7:30am UK time.

Meet doesn't start till 1pm!!

[mccardey]

I'm just saying....... :p

[truelyana]

:D

[aruna]

I'll buy you one, mccardey. wait for it.... a couple hours to go...

[Sophia]

AW has the best people. :)

Thanks, everyone, for a great meet!

[truelyana]

It was really lovely to meet you all, in real life. :)

[Maryn]

Oh, I'm so glad to hear this went well and you all enjoyed meeting one another. (I hope someone took pictures.) And for once, unlike the other AW meet-ups, no violence!

Maryn, kidding--but not about expecting photos

[Shakesbear]

It was lovely to meet you all. Thanks.

[JimmyB27]

So you guys really are real people after all.
Thanks everyone for a great day! :)

[Maryn]

So, I'm curious, having met up with some AWers myself. Were people pretty much as you all had expected them to be, or was someone shyer, or funnier, or vastly different from their avatar photo, or a total weirdo? (Oh, wait, that's always me.)

Maryn, who's meeting up with the House of Love for the third time soon

[SaraP]

I just want to see the photos. :D

[maxmordon]

Me too, Sara!

[JimmyB27]

I'm quite different from my avatar...

[mccardey]

Where's my drink???

Also photos! With quills!!

[som1luvsmi]

I can't wait to see pictures!!!!

I'm so glad everyone had a great time. Someone tell us all about it, please!

:D

[Shakesbear]

JimmyB27 you are indeed very different from your avatar!

mccardey so sorry you have not had your drink yet - we were celebrating the Cricket!

[mccardey]

**sigh**

[eyeblink]

Great to meet everyone yesterday.

[Sophia]

Everyone was very nice. :) I think I'd forgotten that a lot of writers can be a bit introverted, so I think we were all in a similar frame of mind of not letting anyone be left hanging if they said something, and keeping the conversation going. We talked about zombies, computer games, films, publishing, scary real-life critique group experiences, writing and AW. :) It was a glorious day in London, and the meet was a lot of fun. We did take a few photographs, which we were mucking about for before the serious posed ones were taken. :)

Edit: I didn't have a quill, so I took a biro with feathers from the sofa cushions taped to it. And everyone was kind enough to give me their autographs. :)

[waylander]

It was really great and we'll do it again.

[IdiotsRUs]

It was really great and we'll do it again.


Absolutely! It was great to put faces to avi's.

PS: Photo incoming.

[IdiotsRUs]

Okay here's my one photo - didn't come out brilliantly. I think Shakesbear took more though?

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n83/spinynorman_2006/22052010047.jpg

Yes, I am a troll :D

[Lauretta]

I want to seee mooooooooreee!

[Lauretta]

Okay here's my one photo - didn't come out brilliantly. I think Shakesbear took more though?

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n83/spinynorman_2006/22052010047.jpg

Yes, I am a troll :D

Hello troll, pleased to meet you :D
You all look gorgeous!! Who's who?

[waylander]

From the left: Twitchiest, me, Truelyana, Eyeblink, Shara, ElaraSophia, Aruna, Shakesbeare, JimmyB27. Seated IdiotsRUs, Lyra

Not in the picture but was also there: Broadwordbabe

[Lauretta]

Awwww! It's so nice indeed to put faces to avies!!!

Hello all! :D

[SaraP]

So great! Thanks for that!

I so wish I could have joined you guys, but alas it was not meant to be yet.

[waylander]

There were lots of folks who couldn't make it so we'll do it again, and hope a few more can come along.

[aruna]

Guess who???

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h266/arunadasi/funny%20stuff/003-Copy.jpg

[aruna]

Guess who???
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h266/arunadasi/funny%20stuff/007.jpg

[aruna]

The Quill!!!!
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h266/arunadasi/funny%20stuff/008.jpg

[aruna]

Guess who???
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h266/arunadasi/funny%20stuff/009.jpg

[Shara]

I've put my group shot in the AW FB group because I'm not very good at inserting pics on the forum.

So hopefully here is the link:

http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=5354304071&view=user#!/photo.php?pid=4593272&op=1&o=all&view=all&subj=5354304071&aid=-1&oid=5354304071&id=557186637 (http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=5354304071&view=user#%21/photo.php?pid=4593272&op=1&o=all&view=all&subj=5354304071&aid=-1&oid=5354304071&id=557186637)

Shara

[KTC]

Very cool! I met 3 AWers recently...it's always great to meet you guys in person. I'm glad others had the opportunity! Looks like fun was had by all!

[firedrake]

I'm glad you all had such a great time. I've been lucky enough to meet up with some fellow AWers in LA and it was fantastic.

*tries not to be envious or homesick*

It's brilliant to put faces to names. Thanks for posting the pics.

[aruna]

Idiots is exactly like her avatar. ;) I recognised her straight away. When I walked up (about 2 hours late) everyone yelled ARUNA! So I guess I look like my avatar!
It was really weird walking into a room full of strangers who you know.

[Wayne K]

Unofficially, jealousy is ugly, so I hate all of you :D

That said, if another UK get together happens when I'm flush and I find someone asleep at the wheel that gives me a passport, I'm there.

[timewaster]

I've put my group shot in the AW FB group because I'm not very good at inserting pics on the forum.

So hopefully here is the link:

http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=5354304071&view=user#!/photo.php?pid=4593272&op=1&o=all&view=all&subj=5354304071&aid=-1&oid=5354304071&id=557186637 (http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=5354304071&view=user#%21/photo.php?pid=4593272&op=1&o=all&view=all&subj=5354304071&aid=-1&oid=5354304071&id=557186637)

Shara

So sorry to have missed it. I would have loved to have been there, but at least my daughter won her race.

[SaraP]

When I walked up (about 2 hours late) everyone yelled ARUNA! So I guess I look like my avatar!

That sounds great! How neat is it that people who have never met you, recognize you at once and are thrilled to see you?

[eyeblink]

Not in the picture but was also there: Broadwordbabe

And also zola_the_gorgon.

Photo taken by Mr IdiotsRUs.

[Haggis]

From the left: Twitchiest, me, Truelyana, Eyeblink, Shara, ElaraSophia, Aruna, Shakesbeare, JimmyB27. Seated IdiotsRUs, Lyra

Not in the picture but was also there: Broadwordbabe

My Dog! You mean to tell me they left you unmoderated? :eek:

[Sophia]

My Dog! You mean to tell me they left you unmoderated? :eek:

:ROFL: I can't believe we didn't pick up on that at the time! :D

[IdiotsRUs]

Photo taken by Mr IdiotsRUs.

We had the convo on the way there

So, you're IdiotsRUs. What does that make me?

Mr Idiot.

Gee thanks.
Idiots is exactly like her avatar. ;) I recognised her straight away.

And there was me thinking not having a big stick wiv nails in was going incognito. :D

My Dog! You mean to tell me they left you unmoderated?

And nobody died!

[Fran]

I'm glad you all had fun.

Of course, I spent the day in bed with a raging fever and thumping sinus headache, so I had a much better time. :wag:

[mccardey]

Hmmm... I'm finding it all suspiciously Decorous......

But I like the pink quill :) :)

[SaraP]

Lol - and it had to be IRU to take it. :D

[CACTUSWENDY]

W00t!

That is sooooo cool. Sigh.....maybe I'll try super glue the next time and see if the stamp will stay on. I have met three of the gang so far....and they are great. Did you all try to talk at once or did you bring computers and type your dialog out? Hey...inquiring minds want to know. ;)

[ReallyRong]

I was mulling over this one and was even getting prepared to travel by train to the big smoke to attend the event when, suddenly, I was overtaken by an 80 degree weekend and an invitation to a drink sodden barbie. I'm ashamed to admit that it wasn't a hard decision, but I'd like to pay triibute to those that did turn up and hereby swear an oath to attend the next London AW meeting (if there is one) . I salute the people that made the effort that I didn't, and hope that it leads to bigger things. (But please try to choose a bad weather day next time!)

[Shakesbear]

I did take pics - but will have to ask my brother for help in posting them ... I am a techie dork.

[Thump]

I meant to go but then my friends decided on a trip to Alton Towers. I traveled all the way to Oxford to meet up with them and then the car broke down and I didn't get either good thing :(

That's what I get for skipping on previous plans. Maybe next time there's any AW meets in London since that's where I'm living now.

(or those of us who live here could meet anyway I know it's not nice to exclude people but... we live close to each other so why not?)

[Fran]

I think it'd be really unfair if it was always in London. I know it's the Centre of the Universe (;)) but spare a thought for those of us who have to get 400 miles, and it's NOT cheap. Repeat after me:

"I will not burst in to flames if I go north of Watford." :wag:

[aruna]

I thought there's be two meets, another in the North in June or something?

[IdiotsRUs]

Actually I'd quite happily go to one further afield.

I've always wanted to go to forn parts. :D

[aruna]

There seems to have been a division at this point (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4674158&postcount=103) in the other thread.
After that the Londoners continued to plan and the Northerners didn't.

I am pretty much tied to the south and can never make a meet further than, say, Oxford or something.

[truelyana]

Thank you so much for the photos, shara, IdiotsRUs and aruna. They are lovely. :)

It was really nice to get to know a little bit of all of you, and I'm happy I came down.

I look forward to meeting up with you all again soon, and more new members too. :D

I'm quite flexible on travelling, so can do any place if advised beforehand.

[JimmyB27]

There seems to have been a division at this point (http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showpost.php?p=4674158&postcount=103) in the other thread.
After that the Londoners continued to plan and the Northerners didn't.
Layabout northern monkeys. :tongue

So, when's it happening? If it's not *too* far north, I could probably manage that one too. :)

[Fran]

After that the Londoners continued to plan and the Northerners didn't.

Ah. I didn't realise the Northerners were supposed to go their own way. I thought we were all planning it together.

I don't organise parties. I have in the past and no one has ever turned up. Not one person. Ever. Hopefully I'll get the job I'm going for on Monday and then I'll be significantly less available anyway. :D

[IdiotsRUs]

Ah. I didn't realise the Northerners were supposed to go their own way. I thought we were all planning it together.



We were until I think someone said that obviously it's hard for us all to find a place that's not billions of miles ( okay, not billions...) to travel for everyone so maybe we should have two.


Next meet at Fran's place? :D

[Fran]

Next meet at Fran's place? :D

Yes. :evil Send all the drink, cake and vegetarian food to my place. Then when you all cancel one by one I can at least have a good time. :D

I particularly love profiteroles. For those of you who are writing this down. ;)

[Shara]

I organised the London meet. I leave it to someone further North to organise the other meet!

Shara