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Meet ups/where are you?

Reading meet-up

(52 Posts)
Gorki Tue 08-Oct-13 13:42:10

Dustyangel is going to be around at the end of the month so it would be good to have a meet-up while she is in the country. Reading is very easy to get to by train (from Penzance to Glasgow !) so everyone is most welcome. Friday 25th October (before half term) would seem to be a suitable date and we thought we could meet at John Lewis for coffee and then go elsewhere for lunch for those able to stay. The Surrey Grans met at Bill's and as there is also one in Reading I believe, we could go there but we are open to suggestions. Please add your name if you are interested and able to meet up.If you can't manage that particular date we will probably have another one before Christmas.

Deedaa Mon 21-Oct-13 22:05:58

Rest assured we shall all deny all knowledge of you as security escort you out dustyangel smile
Yes I'll be lunching too Gorki Nothing moving on the baby front at the moment so it looks as if Thursday's C section will go to plan!

noodles Mon 21-Oct-13 22:13:09

Deeda Gorki dustyangel coastwalker smile

Gorki Tue 22-Oct-13 15:16:38

I have had second thoughts about Bill's. The Reading one has had some bad reviews and the menu seems a bit "fishy". I have heard good reports of Cosmo in Friar Street. It is buffet style ,a very varied menu and eat as much as you like for a set price. The maximum stay is for an hour and a half so if I book for 1.30 we could stay till 3 and then go our separate ways. Please let me know your thoughts on this and also whether we should book for earlier. See you all in John Lewis about 10.30. smile

dustyangel Tue 22-Oct-13 18:26:02

Looking forward to it and Cosmo sounds good to me. smile

Deedaa Tue 22-Oct-13 21:02:31

Possibly 1pm for lunch?

coastwallker Tue 22-Oct-13 22:13:31

Family half term plans are finally sorted and they are not coming until Sunday so we have Saturday to toddler proof the house and dig out the changing mat and high chair.

So I will join you for coffee then have a wander round the shops if that is ok with everyone.

Gorki Tue 22-Oct-13 22:58:34

OK Deedaa. I will book in the morning. I make it 4 of us for lunch.

Absolutely fine coastwallker. We will see you in JL about 10.30.

coastwallker Wed 23-Oct-13 08:59:40

I'm a little worried about how to find everyone. As I am very short sighted, I am likely to look an idiot wandering round JL's cafe. Do you think we could do something to mark us out. Scarf on the bag like someone suggested maybe?

Gorki Wed 23-Oct-13 10:10:58

Scarf on the bag is an excellent idea and worked well last time. Don't worry we will probably grab you as you come in the door if we are there first and I think dustyangel said she had met you before at the Guildford meetup so she will probably recognise you. See you on Friday

Gorki Wed 23-Oct-13 10:45:00

All booked at Cosmo for 1pm Friday -table for 4 (but I am sure we can change it if anyone else wants to join us ). We can have the table for an hour and three quarters and eat as much as we like so make sure you are hungry and not watching your weight on that day !
First time I've booked a restaurant on the Internet so am quite pleased with myself ! grin

dustyangel Wed 23-Oct-13 11:22:19

Well done Gorki. It hadn't occurred to me that you could book a restaurant on line. [bit dim]

Deedaa Wed 23-Oct-13 21:03:46

V.impressed Gorki I'm still trying to summon up the courage to try ordering repeat prescriptions on line! The trouble is it would be such a mess if I got it wrong!

Gorki Wed 23-Oct-13 21:10:40

Must make sure I bring my confirmation email with me. After my boasting it would be dreadful if they denied all knowledge of my booking or if I had booked at the wrong restaurant !Shows how confident I am in my own abilities thlgrin

Nana2TVJ Thu 24-Oct-13 19:46:19

Hello
My son has just started at Reading Uni and I am picking him up on 31st October for a family wedding. I plan to have at least a few hours in Reading. Any recommendations for lunch or things I should see. My son may only know the nightclubs at this stage!
Thanks smile

Gorki Thu 24-Oct-13 19:54:56

A pity you are not coming tomorrow or you could have come to our meetup. We are going to have lunch at Cosmo's which has only recently opened and has been highly recommended by my son. It is buffet style and eat as much as you like for £7.99. We will let you know if it lives up to expectations. smile

Nana2TVJ Thu 24-Oct-13 20:29:19

Thanks Gorki smile

coastwallker Fri 25-Oct-13 15:34:03

It was lovely to meet a few new faces today. Will be a struggle to remember real names and screen names though! I left Dustyangel, Gorki, Noodles and Deedaa heading for lunch and hit the shops.
Does anyone know where Early learning Centre has gone in Reading. I'm sure I left it near M&S but it has wandered off and I couldn't find it.

dustyangel Fri 25-Oct-13 19:23:47

Can't help you with ELC coastwalker. DD1 thinks it might be in The Oracle centre but wasn't sure.

We had a lovely lunch, it was very nice to slide past the queues to get in thanks to Gorki booking in advance. Very enjoyable to meet you all, I hope we can do it again next time I'm over here.

Gorki Fri 25-Oct-13 20:24:20

It was lovely to meet up today and to meet everyone, some again and some for the first time. It is surprising how much in common we have and how well everyone gets on, scarcely pausing for breath ! thlgrin.Have a good week-end everyone.

I think ELC is now in the Caversham branch of Mothercare: the one behind the back of the station. Not exactly an ideal situation !

Deedaa Fri 25-Oct-13 22:04:08

I know the Bracknell ELC closed and is now in Bentalls.

The baby is very sweet and seems tiny compared with the hulking 10month old I'm used to smile I was even entrusted with him while the parents went to buy chocolate!

Lovely to see everyone, it's a nice break to get out and talk to a different group of people once in a while (and to be reminded that the house won't fall down if I leave it for a day!)

Looking forward to doing it again before C-------s!

Has anyone noticed that the picture of Prince Charles on the front of Time magazine looks worryingly like Jeremy Paxman? Seperated at birth?

Gorki Fri 25-Oct-13 23:01:51

Glad you enjoyed your visit to young Barny Deedaa. Hope you got a bus back to the station OK.

Deedaa Sat 26-Oct-13 20:25:58

Bus was fine! The stop was right outside the door and a bus came along just as I came out smile and I remembered that I actually had a bus pass in my wallet that I've never used, so that was exciting (Must get out more!!!)

Gorki Sun 27-Oct-13 15:43:37

Nana2TVJ Cosmo's was fine on Friday if a little crowded. You may not want to go into the centre of town if you don't know where the car parks are and it can be a little confusing. If you do decide to go there you will need to book.

Nearer home there is a parade of shops to the right through the traffic lights as you come out of the University. The shops are on the left and there is parking and there is at least a Chinese restaurant there.
If you turn left out of the University and drive for a couple of miles you will come to Shinfield which has a pub (The Sportsman) on the left and a Chinese restaurant through the lights on the right.

Hope you find somewhere that suits smile.

nana58 Sun 27-Oct-13 18:37:00

Hi I have just discovered this site and would be interested meeting up. Can someone please let me know when and where the next one is.

Gorki Sun 27-Oct-13 21:40:56

Do you live in the Reading area nana58? We haven't planned another meetup here yet but it will probably be at the beginning of December. There are others planned in other areas I believe.