Oldie Magazine Literary Lunch, London

G booked as a treat for her folks a trip to London to a literary lunch run by The Oldie Magazine (which is a bit like Punch used to be with an older slant). It was in the very grand Simpsons On The Strand, where I gather chaps have been playing chess and drinking in since the early 1800s - Churchill used to drink there and so mythically did Lord Peter Wimsey. Oddly it was cheaper to get 1st class train tickets so it was posh all the way (well, free coffee and wi-fi on the train anyway)
Drinks then lunch in the posh diningroom - quite squished in together on long tables. The author speakers were a social historian David Kynaston, culmnist Lynne Barber was ill so an appreciation was made by an Oldie columnist who knew her well, and extra on the bill was politician Alan Johnson which was cool for G as she'd just read one of his books. - Each speaker 20mins each so not so painful and it was light. I liked Johnsons's line that a constituent came up to him compaining about something and said, "Come on, Alan! It's not rocket salad!"

It was fun to see a slice of life in London, you knew was there but had not seen before - excellent people watching. Some obviously come every month to this and the lady I was sat next to had come up from Brighton for it.

Killing time waiting for the booked cheaper train home was a little tiring and I was exhausted when I got home at 9.30pm having got up at 7.30am