I just returned home from lunch with Karl at The East India Club, a members-only gentlemen's club in St. James' Square. So many Victorian novels and stories suddenly breathed into life as I found myself not in Pall Mall, but the equally renowned St. James' Square. My elitist blood is pumping after lunching in the building shown above. I'm sure you don't have any difficulty in understanding why. Peeked into the window of the men-only smoking room and the beautiful library (both full of leather armchairs, but, as it was midday, decidedly few leather men).
I'm making a phone call to the airline/site through which I booked my flights to see if I can extend my stay by 2ish weeks tonight. Most likely will be returning as planned, but one can always hope. I cannot hear out of my left ear and currently feel that spending 8 hours in a pressurized environment wouldn't be all that good of an idea at this point. I'm off balance and feel like I have a fish tank in the left side of my head.
What have I been up to since I last updated, aside from being sick. Where to begin? What- you didn't think a nasty bout of illnesses would pin me down, did you?
Trying to remember back... On the 3rd, a Saturday, I saw Salome at the Royal Opera. I think it's required of my immune system to be shot when I go to the opera. My seat was 2 from the wall, stage right, as high as I could possibly get. In short, it was difficult to see anything that wasn't happening within 15 feet of the front of the stage (unless I rested my chin on the ledge in front of me).
Breakfast with Jonathan the next morning (Sunday) in St. Christopher's Place. We had intending on going elsewhere, but everything in the entire area was closed. Lovely. I figured out that morning that Bond Street is incredibly long. Spent the rest of the day wandering around all of the extravagantly elegant men's tailors and sellers of accessories in Savile Row and Jermyn Street as well as other pretty bits of Picadilly/St. James'. I told myself I needed to go back. Funny I should end up there today...
Monday...don't remember.
Tuesday- bedridden all day until I joined the hashers for post-run socializing near Baker Street.
Wednesday found me on a train to/in Tonbridge for a massage by Alain, an occasional LSO extra violin. Our hellos had been cut short, so we finally had a chance to chat over tea and an attempt to assist me along the road to recovery.
Thursday- City of London Festival concert at St. Paul's Cathedral (sold out). You may remember my recount of last summer's performance of Bruckner 9 by the LSO. This summer was a very powerful Beethoven 9 with John Eliot Gardiner. Seat was a the foot of the stage-right steps, so I was given some surprised faces as the players were taking their places. Actually, they were probably thinking, "Why are you still here?"
I had every intention of spending Friday in recovery mode. I was mistaken. Phone call from Ivor in the AM asking if I could turn pages for the evening's NLS concert- Rossini's Petite Messe Solennelle. Of course, I said yes- and volunteered myself for the rehearsal, as well. At the interval of the performance, I sprinted to Pret for some fruit before what I'm sure would have been my first fainting spell. The stage light was shining directly at me, and I had no hair tie. That, accompanied with nerves and illness made for a shaky Ashley. Food was my saviour.
Saturday was Emily and Lucia's joint birthday party at Ivor's. Emily and Lucia are sisters I have known since last summer. We are all in both the choir and the running club together. Ivor's, of course, the choir conductor. His flat was beautiful...check out some photos of the garden on my facebook page. Adam and I departed at 3 AM. I heard of some hearty souls who remained until 6. By time we had left, we had stolen the dancefloor. A benefit, perhaps, of a duo of professional-training (since he was 4) and close-enough-to-professionally-training gave us plenty of reason to strut our stuff together.
Sunday- slept late, watched the British Grand Prix in the afternoon and the World Cup final in the evening.
Yesterday- watched 3 episodes of Top Gear, 1 of QI, baked cookies, ended up spending some time with Lex and Princess, met up with Adam to assist in the devouring of some leftovers.
Today has already been described, but I would once again like to remind you that I ate here today, and you didn't:
1 comment:
I should have acknowledged your post yesterday, but was on the way to Gram's. Was so happy I could take the article along with me. You never have a dull moment, even when you're feeling under the weather. Love You!
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