Out & About - An Update

 

Where exactly? You ask in that exasperated kind of way. Well I'll spare you the detail but I've been in the UK, in London, in the beating heart of what was once the greatest empire in the world. Alas no longer, but the place's architecture reflects its glorious past.

Speaking of which, many of the city's Clubs still remain and I love them all, each good in their various way. That said, I enjoy the Reform on Pall Mall, utterly congenial, and if you stay there you get breakfast in the Coffee Room (Dining Room), which ain't shabby. 

So week one was all about setting up in Pall Mall and entertaining old friends in pleasant surroundings. Week two began with Sung Mass at St. Peter's London Docks, which is thriving, followed by outstanding beef from the trolley at the East India Club on St. James Square. Man, I tell you, their Sunday beef is exceptional, try it out if you get the chanace.

Then, the following day, ride the rails to Cheltenham and behold the slightly faded splendour of this beautiful spa town which used to be your home back in the mists of time. Still lovely, no doubt about it, but somehow more shabby. A friend who lives there agreed, "It's because they don't clean the streets and there's far more louts." He had a point.

Cheltenham over, drift back to London and a few nights in Soho followed by a weekend at the Reform and Sunday Mass at the Brompton Oratory. I love the Oratory and you might too. Oriented Latin Novus Ordo, recording quality music and the place is packed, there must've been well over a thousand souls at the Solemn High on Sunday.

Next step. Stroll down Knightsbridge with one of your sisters for yet another perfect Sunday lunch at the East India, followed by tea at the In & Out. Hey, if it's not broke, don't fix it. And this week? Just taking it easy, striding about town and visiting old haunts and friends before flying back to the great state of Texas on Friday.

All this by way of update, analysis, ahem, to follow.

Cheers,

LSP

Get Back

 

There it was, the urban glory of WC1, and then the nightmare that is Heathrow's Terminal Three. This used to be vaguely congenial, I recall, but presents itself now as some kind of psychotic night club in a bus station sponsored by Hermes, Gucci and Tissot. 

Nightmare? Yes, but word to the wise, you can buy an airplane book at WH Smiths and a surprisingly cheap sandwich at the Boots pharmacy franchise for £1.50. I bought several, along with Nial Gaiman's Neverwhere and headed through the madding crowd to Gate 36.

The sandwiches were tasty, bizarrely, Neverwhere entertaining and the flight easy and fast, getting into DFW an hour early. What can I say, an exception which proved the rule. And then touchdown on the DFW runway and there we were, home. A taxi ride later I was back in the sylvan idyll of Winnetka Heights, Dallas, and a warm welcome from Ma LSP, "Champagne?" Most assuredly yes.

So that was that, a successful recce patrol across the Atlantic and back to Texas, safe and sound. Lessons learned? Don't lose your phone and bank card after carousing at the jolly old NatLib, do go to Mass at the excellent St. Peter's London Docks and while you're at it, spare a thought for Turner's Old Star 'round the corner from the church, well worth the visit.

In other news, CONUS is being attacked by balloons in a vicious act of asymmetrical warfare, the Scottish National Party (SNP) is in tranny turmoil and the dear old Church of England's gone even gayer than it was already, which is saying something.

Get back,

LSP

Great Result

 

"So where've you been, so-called 'LSP'?" you mutter askance. That's a very good question and the answer's simple, in the UK. Object being to take two Sundays off and have some fun in the Sceptered Isle. So far so good with a week in London and attendant serious clubbing, let the reader understand, and now Edinburgh.

The high point? Going to mass on Sunday at St. Peter's London Docks (SPLD), one of the founders of the Anglo-Catholic Movement as we know it today. Tract into act sorta thing, and they did just that, ministering heroically to the cholera stricken poor in the 19th century.

That in mind, Sunday's Mass was outstanding. Hordes of kids, 13 Confirmations, a full church, great sounding choir and sparkling wine after Mass. Totally all good and uplifting in every respect. Well done, SPLD, you're bucking the trend and showing the world that real religion, as opposed to its ersatz rainbow simulacrum is the way forward.

And what good people! America take note, the UK is home to some pretty switched on punters, no kidding. Happy with that, I strolled through the streets of East London after Mass with an old friend, and today? 

Rode the rails to Edinburgh and the Royal Scots. More on this adventure as it unfolds.

God bless,

LSP