Sunday 11 December 2011

Through a glass darkly...


...or Cider with Rosé.

I realise my blogging has been pretty lax of late and I have kept going with the odd cartoon or photo nicked from someone else.  It’s not that there’s been nothing to write about – far from it – there’s been SO much going on that I just haven’t had time to put fingertip to keyboard for ages and then I’m so knackered by daily life that I’m generally falling asleep on the sofa by 9pm which doesn’t help either.

Anyway – I’m going back to half term and a ‘works outing’ (I love that phrase).  Some bright spark (you SMH!) thought it would be a great idea to go to the Ice Bar in London.  For the uninitiated, this is um, a bar made of ice. 

You book a time slot (you only get 40 mins or so) and some nice boys chuck a huge cape over your head which has padded gloves on strings hanging through the arms – just like your first day at Primary School (well okay then – my  first day at Primary School).  Once inside, the price of entry includes a free cocktail which gets served in a shot glass made or er, ice, natch.  It looks like this...
Nice drinky, don't hurt me...

So what could possibly go wrong?  Nothing – as long as you follow these rules:-

  1. When booked into the Ice Bar for a certain time, do not turn up an hour early.  They are sneaky down the Ice Bar and charge around a tenner for a bottle of wine early doors and then double the price (for the same Chateau Vinaigre) after about 7.30.  This means you will feel obliged to order massive quantities of Rosé which you then slug back on an empty stomach.  It was just about mild enough to sit outside although “drinking to keep warm” was also a popular option.  Mind you, I don’t know why the temperature worried us – most of us have our hormones to keep us warm.
  2. If you are eating at the Ice Bar afterwards (and the food was actually very good) do not feel the need to demolish ALL the Rosé before you go in.  They will take it to your table for you.  But they don’t tell you that until you have demolished ALL the Rosé – sneaky on two counts – one that you have to then order more Rosé at double the cost because, by the time you emerge it’s gone past the witching hour and two, you are so, ahem, tipsy by the time you go in, you think ordering a second cocktail is a fantastic idea.
  3. Once in the Ice Bar, do not a)lose your shot glass b)drop it on the floor and watch it shatter into a thousand pieces c)lick it so that your tongue sticks to it or d)put it down on a wet patch and watch it freeze solid to that surface.  If you do, and you then want a second cocktail, they will charge you a fiver for the second shot glass.  That is £5 for some frozen water.
  4. On emerging from the Ice Bar and entering the Restaurant, do not order another ocean of wine which you then consume rapidly, via a series of toasts – each one more hysterically funny than the last.  What is also funny is that I can’t recall a single one of them.
  5. When you live 5 minutes’ walk from the station do not arrive home so plastered that you friend’s husband has to come out and rescue you all and drive you home.  This is especially true when he has to be up at 4.30a.m. for a shift at the airport.  He was amazingly good natured about it.  I think.
  6. Do not arrive home arsey drunk and then pick a fight with your husband  over why he has not washed up the cat’s bowl.


The famous Moose-Zebra
And the equally famous Moose-Dog
 It was a fantastic night – one of those that will live on in the memory despite the shocking hangover the next day...more of which later.

16 comments:

  1. £5 for frozen water??? Bwahahahahaha hee hee hee
    I'm having a good time here already!

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  2. I can understand why you weren't best pleased with your husband - you had to go out and get lashed at the Ice Bar, but he got to stay at home and wash the cat bowl.

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  3. Macy - you said it!

    HFBS - I detect a note of sarcasm here. Believe me, there have been many, many, MANY occasions when I have got to stay at home with cat bowls and far worse, so you won't get any remorse from me, I'm afraid!

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  4. AND it was £6 to refill said ice glass!!! But what a FANTASTIC night!! Michelle x

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  5. Hi Michelle - I'd forgotten that bit! Jeez!

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  6. I'm having a good laugh here. You may have been completely plastered but you still remember the cost of the drinks, replacement shot glass and the fact that the food was good. Sounds a blast!

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  7. Trish - I am quite surprised by how much I remember actually - and I'm not exaggerating the level of inebriation either!

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  8. That sounds great fun and some very interesting tips there if I ever decide to book a slot.

    I wonder how they stop it melting!

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  9. Did you have your thermals on? or did the booze warm you internally? sounds like a smashing night.

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  10. Sarah - it was fun and I recommend it - the trouble is, you end up freezing to the floor after a while!

    Libby - No thermals, just the voluminous cape that the nice lads chuck over you - and there was definitely enough booze to keep us all warm!

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  11. You could have come to our village Siberian Supper and frozen your arse off for half the price!

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  12. Hah! You could have come to my house - it's bloody freezing all the time.

    I like the term 'arsey drunk' too. I may well try that sub-genre out over Christmas.

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  13. Aaah I remember work piss up's with a hazy glow of Thank god I don't have to do that anymore, the nights are always a blast it but its that one person who for month's after like to remind everyone how drunk they were. What happens on tour stays on tour no? LOL
    Sounds like lots of fun though hon ;) But if you fancy cheaper version your welcome to come hang out in my freezing cold garden.

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  14. How incredibly cool! I have never heard of that bar. When we lived in London and worked for ES an ice guy made us a chair to do a story with ("Cool down in Summer") but have never held an ice glass. (I am definitely the arsy er, drunk and will forever be so...)

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  15. Ah ~WG, you have a way with words y'know!

    Andy - I can highly recommend being arsey drunk. the other half may not be quite so keen though ;-)

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  16. Taz - might give your freezing cold garden a miss if that's okay?!

    Jody - Welcome to the Arsey Drunk Club! Not sure how long the Ice Bar has been around but it's worth a visit if you're ever back over here...

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Oh go on - say something for God's sake...