Greenwich, London, UK

[Sundae]

Semi-industrial setting. But very clean.

The Don. Note weirdy fries. Also I had a bottle of the real Budweiser - Budvar

[Sundae]

Waiter noticed me looking around and hurried up to the table.
"Do you have any hot sauce?"
Yes, they had hot sauce.

Burger in the process of being stripped bare.
I should have finished eating at this point. Anything else was pure greed.

[Sundae]

My attempt at taking a photo of the table, including Steven's burger.
As I said, beef-drunk.

What I left.
What a glutton.

[Sundae]

One of a series of photos of me in toilets.
This time I am holding the heart of the Tardis.

[Sundae]

Off we went to the Young Vic (as opposed to the Old Vic, where I went to see Mark Gatiss in All About My Mother.)

It didn't open its doors on time or start on time - of course.
But when it started I didn't think about that again. In fact I've only remembered it now in writing this up.

My Perfect Mind is a two-hander with Paul Hunter and Edward Petherbridge.
The premise is that Paul Hunter is a psycho-analyst dealing with a patient who believes he is Edward Petherbridge. The fourth wall is broken on many occasions, and it is seen Petherbridge has a King Lear complex. In fact he went to New Zealand to play Lear and had a stroke before he got onstage. In the play this is obviously eating away at him, but it must be cathartic in a way.

There are many references to his previous work, to Shakespeare and past and present events. It's a masterpiece. Hunter is wonderful but of course Teddy P steals the show. And not sneakily in the night; in a complete balls-out suave gentleman burglar kind of way. "Yes I'm stealing it, but you want me to really, don't you?"
He is generous too, no need to prove his acting chops.

We walked out and there was an usher with something like an old cigarette tray/ ice-cream tray. I hoiked Ste back and asked whether he wanted to buy Mr P's book for Mum - it was referenced in a wink-wink way in the show. Oh yes, he wanted. Bless him.

So we asked where we should wait for Teddy to come out (I was thinking Stage Door) and it turned out he left through the bar and often had a drink with friends and fans. So we waited there. Now me, with my extensive online stalking credentials, knew that if we were to ambush him without annoying him, we would have to have our tricks of the trade ready. Pen? Check. Camera ready to switch on and take photo immediately? Check. Book out and ready to sign? Check.

I have the eyes of frightened prey and therefore am always alert to my surroundings.
I spotted him as soon as he stepped into the bar and hissed at Steven "Go, Go, Go! Operation Teddy P!" Or something like that.

I heard him tell the lady in front of us (the only other person waiting) that he was meeting some very important people, so couldn't talk. Bugger. He is a working actor and no doubt it was about a job. She was obviously a long-term fan as he recognised her. Still reasonably undeterred, I approached him and immediately apologised, because I'm English.

He was lovely. He said he really didn't have any time to spare but I asked if he could just sign the book for my Mum, who wasn't able to come because she was ill. Just a signature. His demeanour didn't change - the appointment was obviously genuine and not an excuse, but he insisted on writing a proper message and telling me to give her his love. He then apologised for his writing which he admits has not come back completely since the stroke.

Kiss on both cheeks. Thanks from him for coming, for buying the book. Thanks from me for a sheer enormity of the show (haha, got it in!) and his talent.

And photo. Bless Stevo. All ready to go and done and dusted. We took up about 3 minutes of his time, probably less, and I think we were all the happier for it. Oh - just to note this was approx 10 minutes after he came off stage. Although it's a small theatre he is still wearing some stage make-up. I've seen him in many other settings, he's not a make-up kinda guy.

[Sundae]

Ste and I in the Young Vic.
That blazer is far too big for me now, but I wanted to look smart.
It looks better when I am standing up.

[Sundae]

Ste waiting for the Tube.
Jubilee Line, gotta love how new and sparkly it is, even now.

Almost obligatory shot of me on escalator.

[Sundae]

Modern chap on way home on late train.
Got a taxi back home.

Wonderful afternoon/ evening.
Very happy.

[limey]

Looks like you had a lovely time and extra props on getting the book, signed and all, for your ma! x

[glatt]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Free toilets! Huzzah! Saved me 30p anyway. Wish I could have gone twice to get more value out of it.

They would charge for breathing the air if they could. Actually, it's very civilized of the English to not pee on the sidewalk when they charge to use the toilets. They would do that around here. Actually, they do it anyway, and charging for toilets is a thing of the past here.

Originally Posted by Sundae

One of the entrances to Monument. The one closest to Stevo's work.
I've taken a photo of the actual Monument before (it's for the Great Fire of London in 1666.) Cellar post.

That's so cool! We went up to the top of the Monument when we were there last Spring.

Originally Posted by Sundae

Oh, okay, a replica of the Golden Hind...

And bro and London.

Very cool again! We didn't go on the Hind, but stood where you stood, and also by those church ruins where Steve is.

Originally Posted by Sundae

Wonderful afternoon/ evening.
Very happy.

Thank you so much for sharing it with us. It looked very fun.

[Perry Winkle]

Thanks for sharing. Looks like a wonderful time.

I love those skinny "weird" fries. A chain in the US called "Steak & Shake" serves them (among many other places, with varying success). It was a regular treat growing up. Now I go once every couple of years. Then as now, I dip the fries in a chocolate shake. Sweet and salty, and now I'm really hungry.

[xoxoxoBruce]

heh heh heh

[Sundae]

I'll forward that to Ste
He really is a lovely brother but I bet he can't help thinking that.

The only Get Out Jail Free card I have is that he is the photographer in his marriage. It's rare he appears in a photo. So I know he understands when I stop dead to take a pic and I'd like to think he sneakily appreciates me including him.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Saved me 30p anyway.

Don't you mean 30 pee?

Originally Posted by Sundae

And off to the Gourmet Burger Kitchen - GBK.

I will have to remember to post some pictures of In-N-Out Burger in Las Vegas. No offense to the Brits, but we Americans pretty much own the whole burger thing, from the mass produced McD to the more specialized chains like In-N-Out with a diehard fan base.

There are, however, additional named items not on the menu, but available at every In-N-Out. These variations reside on the chain's "secret menu," though the menu is accessible on the company's web site. These variations include 3x3 (which has three patties and three slices of cheese), 4x4 (four patties and four slices of cheese), Neapolitan shakes, grilled cheese sandwich (comes with the same ingredients as the burgers except the meat, plus two slices of melted cheese), Protein style (wrap with lettuce; comes with the same ingredients as the burgers except buns), and Animal Style. Both Protein and Animal Style are house specialties that the company has trademarked because of their association with the chain. An Animal Style fry comes with two slices of melted cheese, spread, and grilled onions on top; Animal style burgers are cooked in a thin layer of mustard, and in addition to the lettuce and tomato it also includes pickles, grilled onions, and extra spread. Hot peppers are also available by request.[32]
Until recently, it was a trademark of In-N-Out to accommodate burger orders of any size by adding patties at an additional cost. A particularly famous incident involving a 100x100 (100 patties, 100 slices of cheese) occurred in 2004.[33] Once word got out of the incredibly large sandwich, In-N-Out management disallowed anything larger than a 4x4.[34] However, one can order what is called a "Flying Dutchman" which consists of two meat patties and two slices of cheese by itself (no bun, condiments, or veggies).[35]

We won't pretend to own Fish and Chips, but burgers are all about the U.S.A. (insert burger smiley here)

[glatt]

Wasn't the hamburger invented in Hamburg, Germany? And the idea of putting it between two buns invented by the Earl of Sandwich in England?