Tea room the Eighth - sun, sea, sangria, and perhaps a sandy Mellors

[DontCallMeBaby]

Greetings, welcome to the eighth incarnation of the tearoom.

The tearoom has been, and will be again, a virtual safe haven for anyone up for rather random chat and a comprehensive range of virtual snacks. Nothing in the tearoom will make you fat, or drunk (unless you want it to) or cause an allergic reaction.

The new tearoom location is a beautiful beachside cafe (no need for factor 50, the virtual sun will just lightly tan you, bring out your freckles or simply warm your skin, as you prefer) with a range of garden swings, hammocks, sunloungers, deckchairs etc (as well as a rather incongruous, but well-loved, chaise longue). For those in need of sanctuary, we have managed to fashion a new priesthole out of woven grasses.

Our fellow residents include Mellors the rugged gardener of few-but-well-chosen words, the naked mohawk babies, a coterie of bishops, various domestic pets, and a selection of others. On the human side, all are welcome - while we live in the One Child topic some regulars have more than one, and we are welcome all (except people who put their heads on one side and tell those of us with one child that it's just not fair to have only one child).

Please help yourself to a glass of Champagne and a canape on the way in ...

Don't know that one CMOTD ... where is it near? I might be able to give up my wistful longing for a local Wagamama if we actually have a decent noodle place after all.

Today DH and I went to a very interesting talk by this chap, and then I mooched round the town (gutted to find I was not in a shopping mood, though at least it was cheap) until it was time for a talk about facial disfigurement with Carol Vorderman, her brother Anton, this lady, and a plastic surgeon (Felicity Mehendale). Both very interesting, and the lady from CBeebies with the incomplete arm got a mention at the second (in the context of non-facial visible differences).

All went wrong this afternoon, DD was a pain in the posterior at the family event about food (note to self: DD doesn't really like food, this was a mistake). DH has stayed out for another event, and I've come home to a house with a full fridge, cupboards and freezer which nonetheless doesn't contain the makings of a single meal.

Gah.

It's down the end that the Brewery thing is - just go a bit further, and it's on your left. Imaginitively it is called Bar 188, and it's 188 the High Street.

Not quite the same as Wagamama (which we adore), but good noodle soups, stir fries, and excellent squid (Ds's favourite). Plus they automatically give you a bowl to decant childrens food into from your plates, don't turn a hair at mess, and provide childrens cutlery.

I'm hoping next year to make it to some of the science festival events - DS too small to enjoy anything atm

someone summarise for me, you guys are so fast, I don't get online as much as youse so I keep falling behind!

As for us, I got invited into a neighbour's house for a cuppa tea (she has a dd of a similar age and doesn't want anymore) but I am so shy I left after 10 minutes now I feel I was rude.

I do find it hard to make friends and I worry Niamh will too.

Sorry, just feeling a bit sorry for myself tonight

It is hard isn't it. I find small talk and making friends really hard and have to make a real effort.

CMOTD, you don't mean Bar & Wok do you? Cos that's the right location, and I can't find anything about a Bar 188 online ... I've not been to Bar & Wok, but hear good things. Mm, squid ... I like squid, DD would have a fit of the vapours if I tried to get her to eat squid (she was about the only child not rushing up to try jellyfish and coriander ice cream this afternoon, although I can't say I entirely blame her). She does like my (Nigella's) noodle soup though, so there is hope for her.

DD went to one science festival event last year (aged 4) - 'science with the Mr Men'. DH took her. This year's two have been a little disappointing, the first for the event itself and today's more for her behaviour. The Discovery Zone in the main hall seemed good, though I didn't get to take her in, and there were lots of other bits and pieces going on. Lit Fest is better for littlies on the whole (although can vary) - should be something suitable for CMOTtiddler's age this year.

Ooh, forgot - scottishmummy, there is a thread about small talk, only know cos I'm on it admitting to being rubbish at it!

small talk - ugh.
I used to be horrendous at it and then started work as a massage therapist so learnt to be a bit better (along the line of the hairdresser's chat but a bit more informative and I like to think more humorous!)
Now I can prattle on ok for a bit, but unless I am helped out by the other party, i still dry up fairly quickly.

SM, perhaps the lady who invited you in feels that she might have not made you feel welcome enough - next time you see her, make some nice remark so that she knows everything is ok between you

I seem to be fairly good ta small talk.. or maybe I'm just very bad at drinking a cuppa quickly and then leaving.

Night all, I'm off to bed to sleep badly and worry vaguly about DH who is cycling through teh night. Its been VVVVV wet round here and the band of rain has only moved a bit north so he will still have to come through it in teh wee small hours. Am expecting him home 10am ish VERY tired, dirty and wet after 24 hours in the saddle...

Aha, mystery solved, CMOTD! Bar & Wok is 288 the High Street! Have menu open in front of me ... mm. I rarely venture down that end of the High St, but will have to, maybe next time we got to the cinema, instead of same old, same old in the Brewer.

I went to Wagamama with a friend between rehearsal and concert for the previous concert (also like Tampopo) - but took picnic last night and felt very virtuous eating my celeriac salad, omelete tomato and cucumber and managing to say no to the canapes that were passed around at the party after the concert last night. Concert went fairly well, despite the best intentions of the people getting ready for the party to make as much noise as possible, particularly during the quiet bits or just after a movement finished

as we walked in there today I realised that I had miss numbered it.

Am replete with char sui noodle soup and prawn crackers, and DS is comatose after fried rice, squid and prawn crackers

Will have to try the lit festival. I'd like to get to some of the 3 choirs stuff this year - last year all the things that were a good time for DS were sold out really fast

What was the concert last night MT ?

Started with Mozart's Jupiter, then the choir (with me!) sang Rachmaninov Vespers, then we did Mozart Requiem in the 2nd half...

Sung in 3 choirs many years ago too!

ooh I love the Mozart Requiem - not as much as the Berlioz Grande Messe des Morts, but it's my second favourite Requiem Mass.

DH seems not entirely opposed to the concept of noodles for post/pre-cinema food in future. Is promising. I have had Thai from the other end of the High Street instead. My science festival is now finished (it must be very nearly finished overall now) with a swan song from Ben Goldacre.

well I saw the grandmother of the little girl who's mum I spoke to the other day. She is actually the MIL but lives in the same street as her son/DIL and me, if this is making sense?

She asked straight away if I was going to have any more (we were out in the street, Niamh was playing, she was passing with her dog...).

I said 'no', she started with the 'oh that's not fair...she'll be lonely...she needs a friend...'

I just gritted my teeth and said something along the lines of '[name of her granddaughter] will be Niamh's friend, won't she?'

I know said MIL gets on her DILs nerves about having another. And this MIL only had the one son herself

How rude grrr

Scottishmummy - Ha! That's probably the explanation. Maybe MIL has some ishoos about only having one child (and, to be fair, maybe it wasn't what she had wanted or expected) and is projecting those ishoos onto her DIL and you. Well done for your quick response!

All this talk of singing in choirs and going to the science festival is making me feel like an utter philistine.

I'll join you in the philistine camp. My culturl activity this weekend has been taking boy to teh library coz it was raining. Today it wasnot raining, he had a sport hall party and tehn we went to teh park. Let DH have a few hours sleep. He got home at 10am.

Shall we send teh NMBs to teh 3 chiors fest? do you think they can sing.

After all, I don't have a favourite requiem mass, let alone a second favourite.

In my philistine camp, DS's acheivement of the week is to be finally able to reach to wee standing up with no step. He is most impressed.

I like singing, but am a tenor, which is a bit of an issue in groups. I think the NMBs would make very cute choirboys

We made cakes this afternoon. DS insisted on making them and then didn't want to eat any (full of strawberries). DH on a diet. Thus I bring fairy cakes with icing to you

I have always been curious as to why the term Philistine (i.e Palestinian), meaning uncultured, is never considered racist...? People seem to object generally to nationality/race being used in any sense which could possibly be thought negatively stereotyped.

(I am just curious, not judging anyone, it just makes me wonder every time I hear it used or catch myself using it - and it would never have occurred to me if I didn't know a smattering of Arabic!)

very interesting point Donk!

Any one else?

I'll have some, thanks Mistle

mmmmm delicious!

Gosh, I'd never thought of it that way. I'll stop using the term

A cheeky glass of rose would be lovely

hadn't realised that was where teh term came from, um, opne to ponder I think.

hmmm, interesting stuff on philistinism. Perhaps it is one of those terms originally used as a stererotypical xenophobic insult that has just fallen into common parlance. Like vandal, and goth for e.g.

CMOTD - as a tenor, Berlioz's Grande Messe des MOrts is for you - there is no alto part except in one movement - we decided he had had a Bad Experience with an alto and written them out of his life thereafter. I didn't mind - I got to sing first tenor throughout - a fantastic experience!

Glass of merlot this way please - it might help with the last of the sorting...