I've been feeling a bit down over the last few weeks. I had nothing planned over this last weekend. Except that I knew I was going to have to work all day Sunday and Monday, and would probably spend most of Saturday preparing for that. Prospects for fun seemed non-existent.
But Saturday ended up being one of the best days I've had in... well, certainly this year... possibly in the last two or three or four years.
Here's how it panned out.
The Elements of an unexpectedly stonking Saturday
1) Starting early
I got a call from The Choirboy rocking up in my 'hood at around 3pm. I decided to abandon my plans to be diligent all weekend, and we arranged to meet up for a drink around the corner.
2) Stupidly beautiful weather
One of the prettiest skies I've ever seen in Beijing - blue as blue, with high wispy clouds tinged with pink, and a dazzlingly bright three-quarter moon visible during the day.
3) Familiar haunts
The token stop-in at 12 Square Metres always salves my conscience, even though most of our drinking was done elsewhere.
4) That hypoglycaemic 'high'
Er, we didn't really eat all day. That probably gave the alcohol more bang-per-buck than usual....
5) A really cool venue
Cool in all senses of the word: decently air-conditioned and just, well, cool. I have only recently 'rediscovered' tiny music club What Bar after three years or more of neglect; but it is just as wonderful as ever. Possibly even more wonderful.
6) A really cool laoban
The lady boss at What is such a charmingly mellow woman. Probably too easy-going to make a success of her business, in fact; she cheerfully tolerates most of her punters stocking up on xiaomaibu beers outside. She's even pleasantly friendly and low-key about collecting the door money.
7) Old friends, new friends
Skip and Chery of fun surf rock band The Flying Mantas were there to check out the show. I used to see them a lot in the Pool Bar, but hadn't caught up with them in a year or two.
8) Free food
Only a very token offering, and not nearly enough to soothe my hunger, but... it's such a charming gesture. Visiting Norwegian band Vom hit up the 7/11 before their show to get a few cakes and croissants to distribute to the small but appreciative audience.
9) Hot girls in prom dresses - with guitars!
What is so appealing about that combination? I don't know, but it sure as hell works for me! Did I mention that Vom are an all-girl band? I fear I may have drooled a little too obviously over the leggy strawberry-blonde bass player... (Sex appeal aside, it was a really fun little show. Only 15 or 20 people there, but that meant the girls could take it in turns to come down off the stage and play right in the midst of us.)
10) A sensibly early night
Well, when you're working early the next morning, going to bed at 1am completely slaughtered is probably not all that responsible - but it might have been oh so much worse!!
[Alas, it is difficult to find out much about these Viking lasses because they share their band name with an undistinguished but much more Web-prominent American punk outfit of the late-70s/early-80s. I haven't yet been able to find any performance videos of them. There is this band webpage for them, however (in Norwegian; but you can try Google Translate on it!) - with several quite good pictures (they appear to have a bit of a food obsession; I particularly like the one of them sprawled on a sofa, surrounded by a sea of junk food.)]
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