I texted an old pal who lives somewhere near Derby, which is a kind of town in the UK, "Let's go clubbing, in London." There was a pause in the text stream as Derby considered this enticing option and then, "I think I'm too old for that kind of thing."
Huh. Resisting the urge to type with my thumbs "don't be pathetic" I replied, "No, not that kind of club, obviously, a club. Let's RV at the NatLib." He thought about it and the idea fell into that ether where unwanted emails, broken furniture and election promises go to die. But not so fast, the concept's still on the table.
Plan being, fly to London in Q1 24, catch a fast mover to Paddington, a cab or tube to Whitehall, set up in rooms and then stroll 'round the corner to Gladstone's place. Walk through those storied doors, wave a sunny hello to Luiz, guarding the gate, and then walk up Europe's largest freestanding marble stairwell to the Smoking Room.
Be annoyed for an instant because you can't smoke in the dam Smoking Room anymore, and walk over to the bar humming Ship of Fools. Safely at the bar, order an excellent Negroni, they really are just that, and admire the palatial space of this remarkable club.
Jules Verne always springs to mind. Imagine, back in the 1880s this was the largest clubhouse in the world, complete with electricity and an elevator. No kidding, all very Nautilus, and you can sense that as you walk through rooms within which the fate of the British Empire, and of the world, was in play. The place was a powerhouse.
Today it's a social club, a beautiful oasis of calm right there overlooking the Embankment. And here's the thing, you're all welcome to join me for an LSP social some time after Easter. DM to RSVP.
Clubland Forever,
LSP
13 comments:
I thought that it was Darby...yeah, I know, just jerking your chain, but a clubbing derby sounds like a challenge. How many clubs in how many days? Like a great race, but you need a handicap. Do it on unicycles or something like that. But it will be cold and wet because it's Old Blighty. You are planning to end at Whitehall?
Just got what looks like a new tie-rod end stuck in my hip so I'm off that list for a while.
As if any decent club in London would let the likes of me in anyway!
LL, I think clubs in Derby involve plastic glasses, less dangerous that way, you see.
The plan is this. Begin and end at Whitehall with a foray into the hinterland in the midst of it all. Join in, if you like, I'll have dates sorted in a month or so and think April/May might be best, though I like London in Feb. Can book rooms at the Farmers' Club ('round the corner from the NatLib on Whitehall at very reasonable prices).
Oh man, Wild, hip malfeasance isn't a joke, I know this. But look, the jolly old NatLib isn't going anywhere soon, short of Armageddon, so why not pencil in for a later date?
And not to worry, they let me in, shocking slack :)
This keeps me in tune as a staunch Anglophile.
I still don't see what you actually do at a club.
Rule Britannia!
LL, I just relax and have fun, others make deals, others again do both.
WSF, you must join in!
I guess I'll need to bring business cards in the hope of fleecing my British cousins somehow.
I was meant to give a short presentation* at a cardiac conference in London in late January but decided to blow it off. And now this! Sigh.
Not a member, neither honorary nor corresponding, at any Club, alas. But amusingly, my former research fellow (now an attending physician and Harvard Med faculty member (so proud)) joined up at the Harvard Club. The club (named after a dead white guy, yet) sort of goes against her political philosophy, and I had to work manfully at not laughing as she awkwardly** invited me to attend as her guest.
* it’s not as if I have anything to say that people are dying to hear. Giving you “a talk” at a conference means it’s more likely that you’ll pony up the $500 to $1500 conference fee so that you can get up on your hind legs and yammer to a semi-captive audience for 5 to 10 minutes. Semi-captive because they’re waiting for their chance to yammer. Hahaha.
** she knew I was going to make fun of her for joining the Harvard Club. Officially we despise each other’s politics. But issue by issue she’s way more conservative than the people she claims to support. And it’s gotten only more so after she had a kid. Interesting, that.
Mike_C
You must, LL.
But perhaps you mean Calling Cards?
Dammit, Mike, perhaps you can give a talk in April/May?
And of course you're skeptical about the Harvard Club, some would call it Satan's Club.
If I were you I'd accept every invitation to that den of vice, all the while bellowing over vintage port, "Wymxm Priest? No such beast!" and, "Damme, ain't it time we shut the border down?!?! Follow the science!"
You'll get kicked out but so what, I'll make you a member of the NatLib which has good recip rights in the US, though not at the beastly Harvard Club.
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