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Original poster

ROLL UP! ROLL UP! Midlands area Christmas Dinner/Get-together: Friday 3rd December

227 replies

LunarSea · 22/10/2004 10:49

Midlands area Christmas Dinner is booked - please come along and join us.

Date: Friday 3rd December
Time: 8pm
Place: Bear Inn, Berkswell
Location: Close to J6 of M42, near the NEC - see map here
Cost: £19.99

Menu:

Roasted Cherry Tomato & Butternut Squash soup laced with Basil (served with half a crusty baguette & butter) OR Smoked Salmon, Creme Fraiche & Crab Parcel (served with brown bread and butter) OR Warm Salad of Crispy Duck, Walnuts, Spinach & Pomegranate (with a balsamic raspberry vinaigrette) OR Port & Stilton Rarebit (garnished with cherry tomatoes)

Traditional Turkey & Honeyed Ham (served with sage & onion stuffing, bacon, chipolata sausage, cranberry & bread sauces)
OR
8oz Sirloin Steak with Bearnaise sause
OR
Fresh Haddock set on Walnut & Stilton crushed new potatoes (garnished with wilted herbs, capers, cherry tonmatoes and rocket pesto)
OR
Half a Roast Duckling (served with a winter berry and cassis sauce)
OR
Mediterranean style roasted Vegetables, Spinach & Brie Calzone (a folded pizza parcel filled with vegetables, olives, spinach & cheese)

All served with a selection of fresh seasonal vegetables

Christmas Pudding & Brandy Sauce OR Festive Berry Pavlova OR Tarte au Citron (served with a raspberry coulis)

Coffee, mini mince pies & Bittermints

Accomodation nearby: Travel Inn at Balsall Common - we should be able to fix transport to/from if people want to stay overnight.

HOWEVER... I do need deposits (£10 each) by next Thursday to confirm the booking. We may be able to add extra people on to the booking later, if they still have spaces, but no guarantees. I will also need your menu choices in advance of the meal (although not necessarily as early as next week.

Can anyone who wants to come either CAT me or send an email to
Midlands_Xmas AT mail2uk DOT com
and I'll get back to you with details of where to send cheques to.

Probables so far:
jampot (Solihull)
NomDePlume (Worcester)
GeorginaA (Worcester)
LunarSea (Leamington Spa)
Ailsa
Ronniebaby (Tamworth?)
MumtoLaura
whimsy (North Birmingham)
clary (Derby)
CHRIZ (South Birmingham)
Mum2girls (Coventry)
MadameButterfly (Burton?)
Lavender2 (Cambridge)

OP posts:
NomDePlume · 04/12/2004 19:28

Lavender, may I CAT you please ?

lavender2 · 04/12/2004 20:12

f* Ronniebaby was fab ...yes please cat me!!

HosannainexsAilsa · 04/12/2004 22:05

Just popping in to say I had a great time last night. It was nice to meet some new faces. I am just waiting for the speeding fine to come through the door now, think I got caught on the way home . Anyone know what happened on the M42 J6 north, there was a hell of a tailback.

GeorginaAdventCalendar · 04/12/2004 22:49

Ailsa Hope it was just an empty camera. Do like your chrimbo name

RonnieTinselBaby · 04/12/2004 23:48

M42 J6 Tailback north, yeh they made it 3 lanes down to one, and they were putting up the gantry etc, so closed the J6 slip roads etc.

Thank you for your comments, when you look at a pict of yourself, well I do anyway, I always think, GOD dont I look awful. But I hadnt realised how my eyeshadow would should up soooooo white

Lavender it was good to meet you and dont worry about being quiet, a lot of people are on the first meet, except for me & Jampot, we just seem to be able to talk for England, no matter who is there and how many times you've met them. Mine comes from my job, having to stand up in front of anything from 4 - 30 people,(I train users on Telecoms & PC's)

Lav - MadameB is your best person to talk about tarot's but me I'll talk to anyone about anything.

So if anyone wants to chat anytime, I'm on MSN & Yahoo, just ask me for my addy!!!!!!!!!!!! (Except for JP)

BTW it was good to meet the others toooooo.

OK who is sickofpeopleflouncing??? and Troubleatmill.

No hiding ladies/gents, it aint far, who was flouncing anyway???

I enjoyed myself regardless, except for (Roo) kicking me like crazy all night, and when I got home I had the beating of my life, I think I ate too much and (Roo) wasnt happy.

ChrisseyMas · 05/12/2004 16:28

hi yes ev1 was a fab nite

NomDePlume · 05/12/2004 19:02

I enjoyed it too, although I was a bit disappointed with the table layout (obviously the fault of the venue and not the organiser!), as it meant that I couldn't see MumtoLaura or Chriz, let alone talk to them !!!! So, sorry to anyone at the other end of the table who may have felt that I was being stand-offish / ignorant / rude .....

RonnieTinselBaby · 05/12/2004 20:27

NDP I agree with you, I had Lav next to me, but cause she was on a round table and me on the square I got more of her shoulder and so when we chatted she had to almost turn round fully to chat, thus almost putting her back to JP, also I didnt really get chance to chat to you guys much, besides shouting down the table and our discussions were already being overheard as it was Wink

LS - organising - yeh great job.

ChrisseyMas · 06/12/2004 13:18

hi there no worries

i,m normally quite and shy lol

yes great organising from LS

sorry for being so late will just drive there myself next time lol be on time then

look foward to one in the springtime

tc chrisseyxx

NomDePlumPudding · 06/12/2004 13:24

RonnieBaby - Did that guy end up falling for the black lace ruse then ? I thought MB had blown our cover Wink

cranberryjampot · 06/12/2004 13:51

Apparently the show of hands proving we were all novelists swayed it for him although he was a little sceptical at first after MB decided to be all honest according to his mistress Grin

NomDePlumPudding · 06/12/2004 13:57

His mistress ?! TBH, I reckon we could have all told him the stretchmarked net geek truth and he still would've chosen to believe the 'erotic fiction' fib, it's a man thing.....

Damn MB's honest streak Wink

ChrisseyMas · 06/12/2004 14:36

lol

MumtoSantaCLaura · 06/12/2004 16:39

Hi All,
I really enjoyed Friday night (but do agree with NDPlumPudding about the table).
I've taken up your idea of my Christmas name JamPot.
Good to meet you Lavender2.

hollyandlavenderwreath · 06/12/2004 16:53

was a good night...what time did you guys finish then?...hope can do again soon (might organise next one myself as way of apology!!)..

ChrisseyMas · 06/12/2004 21:55

hi there lavender great idea

where abouts you from there

me and Mb left when our taxi arrived lol aka hubby at about 11.15

did we pay the correct amount for the bill LS?

yes lavender start a new thread when u come up with some ideas

like the xmas name mumtolaura
tc chat soon

cranberryjampot · 06/12/2004 21:57

I left about just after 11.30 I think got home about 12. Would love to do another one - maybe next time get more people involved too and even meet up with the yorkshire crowd

Yorkiegirl · 06/12/2004 22:00

ooh a combination meet up would be great! When?? Where??

ChrisseyMas · 06/12/2004 22:00

hi jampot

yes great idea

cranberryjampot · 06/12/2004 22:01

should we try for Spring? I will look at map and work out convenient area.

ChrisseyMas · 06/12/2004 22:02

not sure where ever is a good location with hotels near by then i can have a drink lol and drive back the next day

Yorkiegirl · 06/12/2004 22:03

that would be great! If you want to see what I look like then look on the moderators' page!
Derby could be central....

ChrisseyMas · 06/12/2004 22:03

yes please

great idea

cranberryjampot · 06/12/2004 22:04

Get your little butts over to the Midlands & Yorkshire thread....

ChrisseyMas · 06/12/2004 22:05

ok miss