First Thursday is at our regular venue of Jurys Inn Hotel on Midsummer Boulevard, on 2nd September from 8 pm. Look out for the Mblem on one of the tables to the right in the foyer. Parking is a bit busy around Jurys and The Hub, so we usually try and get in across the road and then walk through the underpass.
Regular first Thursday of the month meeting. We'll be around for our usual mix of lively conversation and a good atmosphere. As always, we're at the Millstream, Cambridge Road, Hitchin. Good food and good beer both available! Call me on [Phone Number] for more details and encouragement. The pub is about ten minutes walk from the railway station.
We're going to try for another Beach Hut day at Mablethorpe on Saturday 4th September. I'll be there from about 10.30 to enjoy the delights of the quieter end of Mablethorpe's miles of sandy beach and the amusements of Queen's Park: putting, bowling green, crazy golf, boating lake. Please pre-book with me via email [Email] or ring [Phone Number] for directions, further information.
Round off the weekend with a drink (alcoholic or non-alcoholic) and chat (silly or serious) at the Vat & Fiddle pub on Queensbridge Road. It's near Nottingham railway station but just ask if you need directions. Look for the Mblem to left of the bar from 8.00 pm on Sunday 5th. New faces are always welcome!
Following our successful walk and excellent lunch in July, we will again be starting our walk from the Garden Centre in Studley Green. Expect less than three hours walking on good footpaths and finish at the Garden Centre café for Sunday lunch. Good value and usually a choice of two or three roast meals as well as lighter options. Apple crumble specially recommended!
For the walk meet outside the Garden Centre on the A40 at half past ten on Sunday 5th September. There is a bus service available from High Wycombe and Stokenchurch and ample parking space.
We will aim to return to the Garden Centre about 1:00pm, so join us then if you would prefer to come for lunch only.
Please ring me on [Phone Number] or e-mail me at [Email] for directions / encouragement.This month's FMOTM meeting is on Monday 6th September at 9pm. Like the August event, the venue is up to you to decide. The first person to phone or e-mail me by 1st September gets to nominate their favourite pub as the meeting place - as long as it's within the NN1 to NN5 postcode areas. Once the venue has been nominated I will send a message out to all those members for whom I have a current e-mail address.
The second Wednesday of the month is 8th September which means we're meeting at 7.00 pm inside the doors to the Cornerhouse in the city centre for our 'chicks & flicks' event. A meal at Nando's chicken restaurant (plenty of veggie options too) followed by a film at Cineworld. Discounts at both venues make this a cheap night out for all ages. Why not join us?
Our rolling roadshow of eating-meetings around the county continues to The Copt Oak restaurant, just south of M1 J22 at Markfield on the 9th at 8:00pm. Details and directions can be found at http://www.coptoakpubmarkfield.co.uk/, but as this place can get busy, please drop me a line at [Email], or give him a call on [Phone Number] so I get get together a large enough table! My wife and I have eaten here a number of times, and there's still a whole bunch of things on the menu we're looking forward to trying.
Then there's the usual second Saturday meeting on the 11th at The Collection, Danes Terrace in LIncoln. Do join us in the coffee bar for lunch/snack or just a drink, spot the yellow Mblem. For more details/encouragement, contact me as above.
If you fancy a little exercise on Sunday 12th we're meeting at Bramcote Hills car park (GR SK499384) at 10.00 am for a five mile scenic walk into the city centre via Wollaton Park, Nottingham University lake and Nottingham canal with an optional pub lunch at the end. As this is not a circular walk please let me know if you're coming so that we have enough cars at the end for shuttling back to Bramcote. Also please phone if raining on the day to check if the walk is still going ahead.
A games evening at my place, [Address]. Please bring some board games! Elaine will organise food when numbers are finalised.
New faces and old all welcome for food and/or drink and a chat at the Standing Order (Wetherspoon) on Irongate. Find us in low ceiling area at rear of pub. Call Alistair on [Phone Number] or Maxine on [Phone Number] for directions.
On Wednesday 15th September, 7.30 pm, we are going to try the Shiraz restaurant next to Waitrose in the Food Centre. This is a Persian restaurant with an all-you-can-eat buffet for £12. We haven't been before, but it is very highly reviewed on MKWeb. See their website at www.shirazmk.com. Please let me know by Monday 13th if you plan to come as I may need to book a table.
The Roadshow meeting is at 8pm on Thursday 16th September and it's to the south-east of the county: The Red Lion, High Street, Yardley Hastings. The village is one the A428 between Northampton and Bedford, and the pub is visible from the main road. Members from Beds and North Bucks are welcome to pop over the county border to meet us. Passports are not required, but watch out for the speed cameras.
Join us at the Cowper Arms, Digswell (near Welwyn village) for Not the Last Friday - I've had to reschedule to avoid clashing with beer festivals! Good food and good beer available to suit all tastes! The venue is next to Welwyn North railway station (Kings Cross - Cambridge and Peterborough line with trains every 30 minutes). Contact me on [Phone Number] for further details and encouragement.
Our third event this month is a 3½ mile circular walk from Farthingstone to Litchborough and back. Weather permitting, it will be on Saturday 18th September. Farthingstone is on one of the back roads a few miles south of Weedon and west of the A5. If you use a SatNav the postcode is NN12 8EX . Meet up outside the Kings Arms pub at 11am for the walk. Alternatively, meet us in the pub at 12.30pm for lunch.
It's the annual Bedfordshire Steam and Country Fayre again at Old Warden. If you like falconry displays, vintage vehicles, fairground organs, traction engines and other reminders of a different age, this event is for you! The event is family-friendly but outdoors. I'll be there from about 10 on the Saturday and can arrange pick-ups from either Biggleswade or Flitwick stations. Call me on [Phone Number] for directions, further details and encouragement.
I'm hoping to be able to repeat last year's apple-picking meeting at my house on Sunday 19th, 3-5pm. We have too many apples, so are happy to give them away to anyone who wants to come and pick them. Or just come for chocolate cake and a chat. Please contact me beforehand, as above, to confirm whether the meeting is on.
Next, our "regular" (well, this is the second!) third-Thursday-of-the-month pub meeting is actually going to be on the fourth-Thursday this month, just to confuse you all! We're meeting up at the Old Horse on London Road in Leicester at 8:00pm as it's pretty central, has car parking and is also within walking distance to the Station. Discussion point of the day is "if they were to make a movie of your life story, who would play the lead role?". Hmmmm.......
The Letchworth beer festival. It's that time of year again! As always, it's at Plinston Hall, about five minutes' walk from the station. I'll be there on Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday afternoon. Food is available and there are usually about 50 - 60 beers available as well! If you're coming, give me a call on [Phone Number] for details and encouragement.
We finish off September with another popular T@3 on Saturday 25th at Dobbie's Garden Centre in Fenny Stratford, just south of Milton Keynes. Look for us in the restaurant from 3pm onwards - there are several sections so we may not be immediately obvious, but we'll be there somewhere.
A pub meeting at Essex Arms , Langley Way, Watford. Please look for the Magazine on the table.
This month we're trying a brand new restaurant for our eating meeting at 7.30 pm on Tuesday 28th. Our favourite Big Wok on Parliament Street in the city centre has closed down and re-opens this month as Peachy Keens. This set price eat-as-much-as-you-like buffet restaurant will have live cooking stations serving cuisine from India, China, Thailand, Japan, Italy, Portugal and Mexico. I have half price vouchers valid for September only. If you would like to try out this new restaurant with us please let me know by 24th so a table can be reserved.
We will meet at the upper room in the "Eat Fish" restaurant on Berkhamsted High Street. All members young as well as adult very welcome, you do not have to eat, just have a glass of juice or any other drink and enjoy the chat. However the food is good and reasonable if you are hungry. Having a room to ourselves helps the conversation, so do come and join in! Don't forget you can park across the road behind Tesco's store. Parking is free after 6.00 pm. Hoping to see you all.
The St Albans beer festival. Just in case you didn't try enough beer at Letchworth, St Albans beer festival is the following week! The venue is the Alban Arena , Civic Centre, St Albans (in the city centre). Food is available and there is a large range of beers as well! I'll be there on the evening of Thursday 30th September and Friday 1st October - if you're coming, give me a call on [Phone Number] for details and encouragement.
On Saturday 2nd October we have a Theatre & Spanish Meal event.
Wycombe Swan is presenting Agatha Christie's "Witness for the Prosecution". See http://www.wycombeswan.co.uk/wrt-productions_details.asp?pid=4359 for full details.
Please book your own theatre tickets for the Saturday afternoon performance, (see http://www.wycombeswan.co.uk/wrt-productions.asp ), but let me know you are coming so that we can look out for you.
Afterwards we will go to La Tasca in the Eden Centre for a meal and to discuss the twists and turns of the plot! You are welcome to come just for the meal.
I will need to book a table at the restaurant, so please ring me on [Phone Number] or e-mail me at [Email] by Monday 28th September to let me know you are coming.
Finally, advance notice for an event that requires pre-booking. At 7.30pm on Monday 4th October we will be heading to the Red Hot Buffet at Sixfields in Northampton for a meal. The cost of the meal is £12 (drinks are pay as you go). I need to know numbers by Wednesday 29th September; cheques should be made payable to me and sent to 33 Argyll Street, Northampton, NN5 5LJ. Phone or e-mail me if you want details about the venue.
The new Waterside Theatre at Aylesbury is due to open in mid-October 2010. The full autumn programme for the new venue is available at www.ambassadortickets.com/aylesbury Before it opens to the public there is a charity gala performance, cost £5.00 per person, to be held on Saturday 9th October. Still no details of the programme as yet.
This is a one-off opportunity to be amongst the first people to enjoy a performance at this theatre, which is already attracting much praise for its construction and design from the arts and cultural trade and press. Tickets are limited and I will need to apply for them well in advance! If you are interested in coming, please let me know as soon as possible.