General miscellany

For photos which don't belong anywhere else...

One ♣ Zwei ∞ Trois € Cuatro ¥ Cinque α Seis π Zeven © Osam

We'll open, still in January 2007, with Katie's "How To Eat Ice Cream Whilst Looking A Bit Odd".

A visit to what I think is the Blue Cat with Rachel (plus mysterious ghost woman in the background)...

...and Dave.

Mid-February and it's time to see the Killers at the MEN, supported by (superior in my view) Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.  This is the kind of view you can get at arenas...

...and this is the kind of excitement that can be incited by the Killers' forthcoming presence.  Oh my god, what have I left myself in for?  I seem to remember being a bit ill that night too.

I enjoyed BRMC.  The Killers were... very polished and with lots of money clearly having been spent on the show, with lots of crazy lighting and glitter and stuff.  Let there be light.

Later that month and, I presume, a trip with Marcus Markington (of Barlowshire) to Cloud 23, the very highly placed bar in the Hilton hotel building.

They offer a variety of cocktails, but served in very sticky glasses.

Lest you think I don't put photos of me on here, here is one.  Of me.  Take note: this is how to drink beer.  Certainly when it's a bottle of Singha lager beer anyway.

Well now.  Here we are at the Pitcher & Piano (as was - it later changed to Bar Birolli and is currently shut).  Craig defies gravity on his way back from the gents.  Splendid stuff.

Here he is the right way up.  Erm, sort of.

We were here as a pair of couples.  Whilst Craig and I arsed around, Vicky and Lynne had more interesting things to discuss.

Moving forwards in time, as is good practice, we're in Dublin, which is covered in more detail here.  I had my camera, but my phone was perhaps used for more opportune moments.  Like: a building!

A kebab shop name which I thought only existed in Paul Calf world.

And, Guinness drinking!  "I'll have an 'alf."

One more building for the road.

Some close pitch-side action at the Latics in early April.  Come on Oldham!  Give us a goal!

That's yer lot.

A week later and it's Lynne's goodbye meal in 2007 before she went to Luton to do volunteering work.  This was quite late on (it was effectively the Sunday when I took these photos it seems).  Lynne grabs hold of Gareth and Dave as if to say "Right, boys, this is your last night of fun for a while."

Dave has some serious moves.  Jonathan (I think) looks on (I think) amused.

He's soon whipping out his electric (air) guitar).

Given that I was taking a picture of what is presumably French toast at 2.30pm the next day, this probably formed the basis of the hangover cure.

The Hilton hotel is quite an imposing sight from right next to it.

Right, it's the end of April and it's Wes's (aka barney) stag do in Manchester.  Outside Peter Street's Bar 38, Phil isn't too ashamed of his permanent itch problem.

One thing's for certain - he celebrates a good pool shot like an animal.

Ah yes, I remember now.  This looks lazy at first sight, taking a shot whilst sat down.  And that's also true at second sight.  But what is in fact going on is Crazy Pool, a game concocted by Wes and me.  I do recall at least one occasion where someone got an advanced challenge such that "nearest girl in the pub takes your shot (use a different girl if already used)".  We approached such a girl and, at first, the boyfriend was not keen - until, bizarrely, he saw the challenge card, which seemed to authenticate it for him.  I guess it meant our approach was harmless rather than seedy.  Which was probably the case if it wasn't Phil...

This is the famous shot from the Curry Night Review opening page of Euan, renowned curry lightweight, actually having, actually daring to have, a prawn cocktail at a curry house, presumably ordered from the "English dishes" section which is generally viewed of as a comedy section (as in: "I think I'll have the omelette" - pause - await generous but forced laughter).  This was taken on the trip in early May to Shaandaar (an excessive number of a's, one always thinks) in case you were wondering (...why we've never been back).  Ruth's even more controversial starter is actually her hair - not sure if that's technically vegetarian but still.

Round at Eddie's during the middle of May 2007, and Doylie goes all bling with his onion rings.  He is not afraid of showing his corn-based snack jewellery.

It doesn't impress the good doctor, though, who can sleep anywhere.  LITERALLY ANYWHERE.

A couple of weeks later and we're off to Burnley's Turf Moor stadium to watch England B vs Albania, just because we can.  (It's the only reason I can think of.)

Next up: the always-scintillating Annual Pensions Convention at the Manchester Hilton, of which I attended both days (as much for the proximity as the content, one suspects).  Anyway, this is the mid-point of the event, the evening dinner, for which they evidently hired the Comedy School Performers.  I can tell you no more of this without further prompting (I think I wrote some notes in a work email once).

Now recovered, an excerpt from said email:

"The evening's frivolities started with some free drinks (including beer), before moving to a proper sit-down meal with lots of students paying for the degrees by moonlighting as waiters and waitresses. The food was ok (not to my tastes) and the beer swiftly became pay-to-drink. We were unfortunately joined, at our table, by a distinct lack of females (bemoaned Dave) and a surfeit of stuffy old shirts (they didn't seem interesting in talking with us, so we didn't talk to them.

The Comedy School did improvisational comedy in the style of Whose Line Is It Anyway, and were amusing to most people (except Dave). June Mulroy even got thrust onto the stage to join in. Dave initiated the later accosting of the comedians for general enquiries. Finally, we (sans comedians) ended up in Cloud 23, spotting non-local celeb and pensions rapper Simkins, with Gareth failing to leave at least three times."

Ah yes, this is the giveaway as to the venue, because when the drinking at the meal stopped, Dave, Gareth and I headed to Cloud 23 for further alcoholic action (as noted above).

Sir Dave looks splendidly worse for wear here.

Time for some me action.  As could be predicted, I stuck to what I know - lager.  None of those fancy cocktails.

Gareth was still here, but looking a bit bored.  For the camera, obviously.

Yes, I did say expert - this is clearly how to pour lager with, um, no head.

There's quite a view from up there, y'know.  This looks like the place that Deansgate meets Deansgate Locks, says hello, and carries on through.

That's all for now.

Next stop: new page.