June 2010 Babies - London Meetup #2

[fillybuster]

OK...this is is, an attempt at a post-bump get together in London :)

So, how do you all feel about trying for Westfield centre this time? I've never been but apparently there's loads of parking and good transport...

I can do any time in Sept but mostly Mondays and Tuesdays for complicated personal reasons for most of the month - October is a lot more flexible!!

Just done some research :)

For those bringing toddlers:

1. Free kids club goodie bag....fill in this form and hand it into Concierge on ground floor when you arrive

1. Free play area: is here

1. Apparently 'The Balcony' is where all the food services are...there are big communal tables and about 13 different food options...it might be a good idea to meet here and just take over one of the large tables, as its got lots of space for buggies etc....what do you all think?

Sounds great, thanks for doing the research filly. :)

Sounds great filly, and lots of food choices are good, as it increases my chances of finding something dairy free. :) I'm sure I have friends who go there for dim sum, which sounds yummy.

Yes, it could work out fairly expensive. Would anyone like to meet somewhere else? Another option could be to meet in one of the London parks that has a toddler friendly cafe, or somewhere like (don't laugh) the V&A which has a really amazing and huge cafe/restaurant area as well as lots of space inside and out for toddlers to run around. Perhaps that would be better as its right next to South Ken tube?

filly - I know I'm only a 'possible' anyway, but I definitely won't come if it's not somewhere that I can drive to. Brent Cross would be good for me .

Brent Cross is genius for me :) :) :) Free parking, easy to get to and buggy friendly.

Anyone else?

I'm just a probable, and not really a london person officially. Brent cross suits me ok, a bit further for me than westfield but could combine it with a trip to my parents which could be a bonus and free parking sounds good! Would consider coming in for other suggestions though - I'm up for the challenge of bringing my 2 on the tube! Maybe that's just because I've had too much wine this evening though

Brent Cross is just as good as Westfield for me (live in Dalston). I am not a keen driver so a'near tube' or indeed 'on bus route' option equally fine for me and happy to go with whatever suits most people. Just bringing Alice, not DS.

What's the protocol on a MN meet-up? Do we reveal our real names?

Brent Cross is on the tube (choice of Hendon Central or Brent Cross tube stations, Northern Line)and there is a massive bus depot bang in the middle of the shopping centre....there's 102, 112, 113, 142, 143, 182, 186, 189, 210, 232, 266, 326 and C11 according to the website - probably best to check on London Transport or on the Brent Cross Website

Is my enthusiasm for the Brent Cross option too obvious?!

Especially as I had just worked out how long it would take me to get to Westfield and how much parking was going to cost....

Still open to any other suggestions though!

Sorry WWISAU, yes, we reveal true names but it doesn't seem to make much difference....for example, CSWS went straight back to being CSWS in my head within about 30 secs of her telling me her real name .....

We do tend to avoid using RL names on the boards afterwards though :)

lol filly. I still think of you as filly even though I can remember your real first name. And I know greensnail's name too as I have her on fb (and met her in rl). But I'll answer to pretty much anything!

I'll be identifiable by a light smattering of two-day-old posset, and I always have a ridiculous number of waitrose bags on and under the buggy

Sunworshipper Minimoo Earlyonemorning & MonkeyMargot....please note proposed change of location for Thursday's meetup!!

Are you guys possibly ok with meeting in Brent Cross shopping centre instead of Westfield? It has free parking and is possibly easier to get to, esp on public transport....

Will post this on the post-natal thread too, I think :)

Am giving the 'where to meet' thing some serious consideration....there's the John Lewis cafe which provides about a zillion different hot/cold food options and is very buggy friendly; a really yummy cafe/restaurant called Kanteen which does great food; Starbucks at one end and Costa at the other and a big foodcourt with Wagamama and Pizza Hut in the middle (although actually that's the least nice of the various options).

Won't be able to make it unfortunately as bit of a trek & need to get back to pick up ds1 at 1.

Next time hopefully!

I'll be there by 11 - John Lewis cafe seems sensible :)

Sorry this doens't work for you Minimoo, hopefully next time?

sorry everyone I may have to have to pull out, which I'm really fed up about as I was looking forward to it. What should have been a tiny piece of work to some tiling has turned into a 'rip the shower out and wait for new parts to come on Thursday' saga. A potential leak has been averted, but it's messed up my MN plans. If the part doesn't arrive, I'll come and find you in JL cafe around 11. I need to buy a new grobag for Alice, as turns out all the ones from DS that are the right size are the wrong tog, so I would love to do a John Lewis shopping trip.

Hello June ladies. I'm so sorry that I went AWOL. My life went a little pearshaped to say the least! Anyway I had a little girl on 30th June. Had her at homewhich was amazing and very fast 2hrs 2 mins.
I just feel like I'm kind of gettiny life back on track. Ex is still with the other woman, I moved out of his house when my daughter was 4 weeks old. I'm doing ok raising 3 under 3.5 by myself but it's been hard.
Ex has behaved like a total twunt and you wouldn't believe half of it as I still find it hard to believe.
Sorry for the hijack, hope you're all really well?

I'll be in the JL cafe from around 11.15 latest...I have longish red hair, will be wearing glasses due to a scratched cornea and will be accompanied by mia in a very old burgundy bugaboo. Hope that makes me easy to spot! :)

lovely to hear from you wheredidmyfeetgo! Do pop onto the main thread and rejoin us if you can (this is just a thread to arrange a meet up).

earlyonemorning - I will prob be there 10am ish, as will travel direct from school run barring some sort of disaster in the morning. If you email me on cantsleepwontsleep at gmail dot com then I'll reply with my mobile number which should make meeting up easier!

I will have the double (tandem) red babyjogger with me, but will most likely have J in a carrier, certainly if he's sleeping (although I'm hoping that he sleeps rather than screams on the journey down). I have bobbed hair and am somewhat overweight .

Hi wheredidmyfeetgo! Am in awe of you managing 3 under 3.5 on your own. here is a link to the main thread if you want to rejoin us!

I'll be aiming to get there about 10.30 ish. I have dark brown hair and will have my 2 in some kind of buggy/ buggy board/ sling combination. DD1 has a mop of thick, curly brown hair. Hopefully I'll recognise CSWS as we've met before. Csws- can we exchange mobile numbers on fb incase I can't find you? I thought I had yours on my phone but I've just checked and I haven't.

Hi ladies, I'm sorry I won't be able to make Brent Cross - it's just that bit too far and I'm not up to grappling with pram on the tube - it's too heavy! Would love to meet up again if a bit more central and can do the bus without it being other side of London. Have fun.

Oh sunworshipper, do you not have a sling/carrier? I have hated every time that I've taken a buggy on the tube (not often, not actually being a londoner), but with a sling it's so easy! I trained (overland and underground) from luton to leicester square the other week with J in my close carrier, and it was fine. I even had 4 people offer me a seat, although I chose to stand so that his legs could dangle freely, which he prefers. I highly recommend getting one, even if you still don't make it tomorrow!