We have a new venue and start time for First Thursday on 3rd April. Starbucks @ Borders have started shutting much earlier, so we have decamped to our "backup" venue of Jury's Inn on Midsummer Boulevard, and moved the start time back to 8.00pm. Look out for the Mblem in either the foyer or the bar.
Our 1st Thursday meeting is on Thursday 3rd April and it's at our usual venue: The Fox & Hounds in Harlestone. If you've not been there before, the village is on the A428 a couple of miles north of Northampton. A Mensa mag on one of the tables will show you who we are sometime after 9.00pm.
We have our three usual offerings with a variety of hosts this month. As I'll be away at the Regional Officers conference Kevin Bamford has kindly offered to host our "5th of the month" event at the Vat & Fiddle pub on Queensbridge Road in Nottingham. Join Kev and the regulars from 8.00pm on Saturday 5th for drinks of both the alcoholic and non-alcoholic variety. New faces always welcome. Contact Kev on [Phone Number] for directions if required.
On Wednesday 9th Paul Henchliffe is hosting our "Chicks & Flicks" event. Meet at 7.00pm inside the doors to the Cornerhouse in the city centre. From there we'll dine at Nando's peri-peri chicken restaurant whilst arguing over which film to watch at Cineworld afterwards. Cornerhouse card holders get free soft drinks at Nando's and Orange mobile owners get 2-4-1 cinema tickets to make it a cheap night out. Contact Paul on [Phone Number] or [Email] for details.
Regular First Thursday of the month meeting will be on the second Thursday, 10th April, because I'm on holiday on First Thursday! Join us from 8.15pm at the Millstream, Cambridge Road, Hitchin. Good food and good beer both available! Call me on for more details and encouragement. The pub is about ten minutes' walk from the railway station. Sadly, there are now very few evening buses in the area.
Our Third Wednesday meeting at the Old Beams in Shenley Lodge is on 16th April. If you're definitely planning to come, please let me know as it will help us to grab the right sized table, but don't let that put you off deciding on the spur of the moment - you'll still be welcome. See www.mcmullens.co.uk for location and menu details.
The "3rd Wednesday" falls on the 16th this month, so why not join us at the Standing Order any time from 7.30pm for a meal or just a drink or even just to pop in to say hello. Just look for the yellow Mblem on one of the tables at the back. Please contact me for directions and encouragement.
This month's Roadshow meeting is on Thursday 17th April and we go back to The Barley Mow at Paulerspury. The village lies just to the west of the A5 a few miles south of Towcester and you will normally find us to the right of the bar as you come through the front door. We'll be there at 8.00pm. Hopefully the pub will be open when we get there, unlike the Bricklayers Arms at Creaton which was to be the venue for our February meeting. I hope that the short notice change to Spratton didn't inconvenience anyone.
I'll be having my own 'at home' on the following Monday, the 21st, in Butterley Park, Ripley with the usual offer of friendly chat, food and board games, but please call to let me know you're coming so I can organise parking and herd the cats.
On Friday 25th April at 8.00pm join us once again at our new venue, the Prince of Wales,Hertingfordbury, to unwind at the end of the month. Food and an interesting range of beer available and interesting and stimulating conversation guaranteed! Look for the Mag/Mblem. Hertingfordbury is about 20 minutes' walk from Hertford North station.
We're also doing another T@3 this month, as they have proved popular before. We'll be in the restaurant at Dobbie's Garden Centre in Fenny Stratford on Saturday 26th April at 3.00pm. Dobbie's is on Watling Street, just up from the large A4145/A5 roundabout. It's well worth a visit for the food hall alone, not to mention all the spring bulbs and bedding plants that should be in bloom by late April. Hope to see you there.
On Saturday 26th April we're visiting the Cactus Cafe, a Mexican Cantina which opened in 1990. The address is 17 High Street, Loughborough, and the website is www.cactuscafe.co.uk. Prices are reasonable, and a sample of the menu can be found on the website. If you live in the Loughborough area, it would be lovely to meet you (which is not to say you won't be equally welcome if you happen to live in Brooke!). Please get in touch if you intend coming, so I can give a reasonably accurate estimate of numbers.
We will be meeting at 7.30pm in the bar at the Brache Beefeater Osborne Road, Luton, LU1 3HJ off Gypsy Lane. We'll be eating about 8.30pm at The Meah Tandoori Restaurant, 102 Park St, Luton. LU1 3EY . Please ring Les on [Phone Number] to book your place ASAP or by previous Wednesday at the latest or email [Email]
Join for an early dinner at the Laughing Buddha on Silver Street whether or not you are going to the "Scottish play". All very welcome but please leave a message on [Phone Number] if you hope to turn up so we can get a table together.
Join us for the Lincoln Shakespeare Company's "Macbeth" at the Drill Hall. The seating is usually chose as you arrive so you can either book direct yourself or Jacquie will book for you if you ring [Phone Number] by the 11th. Either way, please let her know to look out for you if you are not going to the meal first.
See SpaceScienceDay.ashx for details.
This months' meeting on Tuesday 29th April 2008 at 8.00pm is a repeat of last year's successful Scrabble evening in High Wycombe. All standards are welcome. Please ring Peter or Val a few days ahead for directions / encouragement. Tea and coffee will be provided.
Let's see if this month's "Postcode Pubcrawl" event is as exciting as the one in January. 16 of us turned up at the pre-booked venue to discover they'd just had a powercut! Whilst we could have dined by candlelight, the heating had gone off and there were no cooking facilities. My birthday meal was swiftly moved to another pub where the food was still delicious - and cheaper! Thanks to the staff at the Pullman Inn for managing to serve us drinks by torchlight and my Mensa friends for persevering with the venue change. This month a pub has been recommended in the NG23 postcode area so we're going to the Boot & Shoe Inn, Main Street, Flintham, near Newark which is just off the A46, at 7.30pm on Tuesday 29th. The venue is a traditional English pub dating back to the 17th century and now serves homecooked food. Directions and their menu can be found at www.thebootandshoeinn.com. Please let me know by 26th if you can join us so a table can be reserved.
Please note change of venue. We will meet at the Crown Inn at Ley Hill. Car parking is in the lay-by opposite, which usually has plenty of spaces. Do come and drink, eat or just join us for a chat. All members welcome, come if you can. If the weather is nice we can stay outside.