Quality

So, another weekend another city.

Friday morning I woke up feeling really knackered from the road trip on Thursday and the virus that has been dogging me for the last 3 weeks, but there was no time for a lie-in as I had to haul ass up to Cardiff for a weekend at Jongleurs.

I dunno what it is about getting older, but it takes me a good two hours to get my shit together in the mornings these days. Ok I spend 30 minutes meditating, but gawd knows what happens to the other 90 minutes.

Anyways I got myself to Paddington in time to catch the 1.45 train. I was sitting in the quiet coach (all trains seem to be plagued with assholes who are still amazed that they can make phone calls from places other than their homes, so they spend the journeys talking very loudly about bugger all! If the gossip was salacious, I wouldn't mind!)

I just got settled when my brother from another mother Andre Vincent got on, along with his lovely partner. What a treat I got a free slapstick show from him and a chance for a girlie chat too! He was doing The Glee Club down on the Bay, so we arranged to meet for lunch on Saturday.

At Cardiff, Andre sailed off the the swanky new hotel that The Glee use, while I trundled off to the Big Sleep Hotel. I dunno if you know about this place, it consistently features in style magazines as being the hippest hotel to stay in when you visit Cardiff, not sure why this is, I guess the fact that John Malcovich has a share of the ownership has something to do with it.

It sure as hell isn't because of the building or the way it's furnished! I guess IKEA must be Mr Malcovich's favourite furnishing store, cos every thing in the room that isn't MDF, comes from there. They're so proud of it, they even leave the IKEA price stickers on! All the rooms are smoking, but they don't provide ashtrays, instead they tell you to use the glass dish that they keep the sugar in as an ashtray. Classy.

Down at Jongleurs I was MC'ing a bill that was pretty cool, my old mate Nick Wilty, newer comic Chris Corcoran and new-to-me Andy Askins. I'd heard good things about him, just never worked with him before.

Chris and Wilty did the business both nights, but it was Andy that blew me away! As you'll recall from my last blog I am not a big fan of musical comedy, guess what, that's what Andy does! The difference being he does it funny! Apart from the gags which made me laugh loads, he has this stillness about him, and a like-ability I haven't seen for a long time. If you haven't seen Andy yet, make it you mission to check him out asap.

Saturday lunch was a fabulous affair, myself and Andre along with the gorgeous Jason Wood who as also doing The Glee, went to this Turkish place right on the Bay. The food was great and the conversation both witty and evil. I used to spend my weekends away blowing all the money I earned on rubbish in the shops, but since I began to take control of my finances I've found myself doing the 'lunch thing' more and more, its a great way of connnecting with people you know and like, but rarely get to spend quality time with.