W.London CHristmas Dinner: Brula, Twickenham 1st Dec

[spooxooky]

OK, Brula booked for FRIDAY 1st December!
For own private room! 2 things, we must arrive between 7-8 pm (no rpoblem, surely!) and if there are 10 or more of us they can go off a la carte for different menu (if we want).

So - who's in?

(Not stepping on yr toes, oh cheekboned one, this is as organised as I get!)

Foxie, a glass of wine with book before night bf sounds like an excellent idea.

I have to admit dd sleeps soundly when I've had a couple of glasses. I, too, only read while bf. Don't seem to have time for it otherwise.

I would love to join your virtual book club. I'm stuck reading chick lit as I don't have time to find better authors. I would love to be exposed to new authors. However, I only borrow books from the library 'cos I go through books like a bullet train and I'm too cheap.

Mellow - I 've started to buy them second hand now as I was wasting too much money on books I fact DH and I used to fantasise aout having a litle 2nd hand bookshop and I could probably sart one now with the books I have in the house.

Not sure whether to give them to charity or do a car boot type thing. Really I should do a stall for the school at their next fair

There are a few book club threads but they tend to be "have you every read the Time Travellers Wife?", rather than a group all reading the same book at the same time, then talking about it. A virtual club is a great idea.

What are you reading at the moment?

Have you read Anita Shreve - she's not exactly Chick Lit, (more Chick Lit with a bit of crime, suspense and history thrown in)but some say she is - I've got all her books if you want to read her.

I'm about to embark on Sue Townsend's Queen Camilla. Just read 3 of her other books recently.

I just read Nick Hornby's how to be good. I really liked it as I thought the portrayal of a breakdown of a relationship spot on. I thought the ending was a bit of a cop out though.

I've not read Anita Shreve before. I would love to borrow one of your Anita Shreve books. Which would you recommend?

Shall we set up a virtual book club then? Would it be just anyone who wants to join from the West London thread or would you open it up to all MNetters?

Don't have the slightest idea of how you go about setting it up. One for you, foxie?

goodness your stamina! i drifted off to talk to dh then went to bed.

mellow - it is easy to just pick up anything because you just need a book. for a while there i was reading only thrillers easy ones so that my brain could just half engage and still follow the plot. which is not saying much for the book.

last year i went through some great reads
snow by Orhan Pamuk
the half brother by lars saabye christensen
a couple of David Mitchell books thus starting an obsession, i think he will be great one day.
blindness by Jose saramago
and a few other books too.

i like Anita Shrieve as well as Anne Tyler they write well and its not chic lit.

foxie yes swaps def. an idea between dh and i we completely fill our tiny flat.
when we moved late march05 we were calling moving agencies and saying under special circs that we had quite a few books.
we will never forget this girl 'what more than 100?' she said smirking 'yes considerably more' stunned silence. it was expensive!

mellow we have a librarian friend who just does not get our book buying habits

mellow - errr (I was hoping you'd offer to set it up LOL ). Not sure I have the energy atm. Maybe when I've popped this baby out LOL

Shall I bring an Anita Shreve to the next meet up we're both at? Resistance is brilliant. She's really easy to read and its all about relationships, but she sets the stories in a time and place unfamiliar, so it kind of opens your eyes as well as being an easy read.

A kind of white bread with healthy bits

How about a book swap coffee morning round mine one Saturday morning?

We could each donate some reads we really enjoyed and want others to read and all do a swap, interspersed with fattening cakes LOL

Or even better - we could post some wish lists/preferred genres and then we can try and "fulfil" those for the other people - match up the wants with other people's recommended reads.

I really want to read Orhan Pamuk and haven't heard of David Williams but he sounds interesing.

I have loads by all the well known contemporary novelists as am avid buyer/reader, but I have no Sci Fi (can't get my head round it) and not much Chick Lit.

Realy like foreign writers as well (specially middle eastern & Asian)

...BTW my house is a tip though so be warned!!!

I know I haven't been on a lot the last couple of days due to tooth & flue but oy... I can't keep up and the latest new posts REALLY should be on the general thread... and another oy... how do you manage to get time to read???

so sorry mrsbossy

foxie super idea, only you have never seen busy until you see my tiny flat with 2 clutter friendly adults and a messy toddles what would the housekeeping lot say
had teen niece around today intraining for future babysitting job

and summer in the park oh lovely
right off to general thread

i meant messy not busy, think you have plenty of that

runs off after sfx, with her tail between her legs....

So what's happening re: 1st Dec, then, are we looking for an alternative venue? Places such as Strada (esp the Richmond one), Pizza Express etc are great and much easier on the pocket.

easy on pocket sounds good... reducing work hours as of Monday (if I'm going in) and finish work 15/12. Then I'll be more broke than before if that's possible

I'm waiting for an excecutive decision from someone (Oxo?, MrsB?).

If we do cheap I can go (hints)

I think a book swap morning would be an excellent idea.

[Scuttles away before MrsB catches me]

oh you naughty naughty girl you will get us all in trouble...

who want's my sci-fi books?

I do wish people wouldn't diss this thread by talking about my book swap coffee morning

...anyone else interested in the bookswap? I suggest we have a sci-fi section.

eh?

Ok, no more dissing. Back to general thread

bonjour mes amies

so - is Brula off then? Am happy to cancel but will need to do so asap so restaurant can relet room.

Does anyone want an alternative? Twickenham has good Indian restaurants; cheap/ cheerful.

Or do you all want to l;eave it until later?

hoxooxoxo

oxo I'm easy especially this very moment drugged up to the brim after tooth extraction. Better throw in some painkillers before local wears off

MrsB - you poor thing

Oxo - a couple of people havce asked if we can change the date - how about 8 December instead???

Anyone???

I'd be happy if we change venues, so I can afford it .

OK. I'll cancel the restaurant.
Sorry, but I can't make the 8th as I've got a girls night out that night . I'll make the january one though

Oxo - you have to come as I haven't seen you for ages

How about one of the Thursdays - 30th or 7th??

don't worry Foxy - you won't get time to forget me. Didn't someone mention a mn outing to Kew? Am happy to bring mulled wine and mince pies to that instead