Friday night was the first one of the (hopefully) many nights I will spend out in the London nightlife. I met up with an old friend at the Green Park tube station. Our plan was to join a few other people at a members only Mayfair nightclub, but things didn't quite go according to plan.
After failing to find this elusive VIP club, we entered a place called Babble just off the Berkeley Square to wait for our friends to catch up with us. Already at 9.30pm, the two floor bar was packed with people and the music was blasting so loud that my poor (old-fart) ears were ringing. The guests were all dressed in a smart, eye-pleasing manner. Yes, there were a few tacky tank tops and some smudgy mascara on few girls' cheeks, but overall, people were well dressed.
And men... Yes, there were a few potential candidates ;-) I ended up talking to two handsome Russians, dressed in fancy suit jackets and smart clothes. They were nice and funny, and we got along nicely. Their English was surprisingly good and they seemed to be genuinely interested in chatting, not just hooking up and pulling a girl for a one night stand. Unfortunately we left without exchanging numbers, but I have to say. This encounter filled me with hope again. London is full of cute guys, so why did it take so long for me to realise that? :-)
Next up was a Nobu chain restaurant, which was just around the corner from Babble. As soon as we entered, I felt a bit embarrassed and uncomfortable to be there, for I felt I looked like a chav. My black MANGO polo shirt was OK, and the dangling white/gold earrings I had were cute, but as for the bottom half of my body... Woolly grey shorts, black tights on the verge of falling to pieces and golden brown boots that just didn't go with anything I was wearing. I felt really out of place and hid behind the glamorous booth hoping that no one would notice my awful choice of clothing.
As a place, Nobu was very enjoyable. The ambient, modern mood of the place was very appealing, and not too over-the-top either. Between the four of us, we shared a bottle of dry white wine (which cost about £40, so not too bad), and I have to say, it felt pretty fantastic to have our own waiter who kept refilling our glasses and served us so considerately. It was a lovely place to hang out with girlfriends and I'd like to go back soon. However, in clothing I feel comfortable with ;-)
After we finished our wine, we decided to change places again. After a quick stop at McDonald's (from a high end sushi restaurant to the infamous fast food chain, what a change, hahaa!), we ventured into a little place called Troy, located close to the Tattenham Court Road tube station. Situated on one of the little alleys off the big road, Troy's entrance was barely noticeable. Just a little sign saying "Troy 22" over a doorway, no opening times, no bouncer, no nothing. We cracked a few jokes about it, and judged the place before really giving it a chance. With Troy, the statement "never judge a book by its cover" turned out to be true, though.
We entered and found a cosy, dark little room with a small bar, a fireplace and about 5 tables. The bar was empty, but after ordering our drinks (which were quite reasonably priced, too), the place had started to fill up. By the time we had sat down and had a sip of our drinks, the place was almost full. 1950's rockabilly rock filled the room and people were dancing straight away. With classic rock tunes from Chuck Berry, Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley, everyone seemed genuinely happy and uninhibited. The atmosphere was very welcoming and warm, and lacked the pretense you get in the high end nightclubs. People were just who they were, there was no faking about it. It seemed to be the kind of place where you go and have fun with your friends, no matter what you wear, who you are or what you do for living.
Unfortunately my evening was cut quite short as I had to catch a train back here at 11.45pm. I would have loved to have stayed, but unfortunately, I had no other alternative. I have to say that Friday night was a lovely beginning for my London nightlife experiences. I cannot wait to go back and have new experiences. Weekend, come quickly again!
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