Nat

We lunched with Nat at Borough Market.

Nat is the first person we have lunched with who had already read our blog before he came with us. I think he was a little bit scared.

If Nat had a piece of advice for us it was 'If you go to Borough, just browse. Don't go with any set objective. Just look around until you see something you like.'

He then decided that this was pretty good life advice and could be his own little mantra, if you take out the Borough bit. Browse until you see an opportunity. That's Nat's advice on how to live life.

And he's ended up in some pretty good places it seems; he was a DJ in Ibiza, he ended up directing some music videos and now he's got a pretty good job in advertising. I imagine he also has a lot of friends and a lot of fun.

When Nat got his music vid job his friend Jimmy (oh Jimmy) said 'You've fallen on your feet again, haven't you'. Nat does seem like the kind of bloke who always lands in a good place. I don't really think that this is because the universe is kind. I think it's Nat.

Nat is the kind of guy that makes you feel good when you chat to him. We found out he's only been at our work for 7 weeks. This surprised us. Because he talks to everyone like they're an old friend. I think it is this way of Nat's, that has got him to the places he has landed. He makes people feel at ease. He's he kind of guy people like to be around. So they give him a chance.

He's self depreciating and funny. If we can learn another thing from Nat it is that modesty gets you a long way. If you want to fall on your feet, land in good places and have fun along the way, be warm. Don't have an ego. Smile, be nice, tell a joke, treat people like old friends and they'll treat you like old friends in return.

This guy REALLY hates pigeons.

Honestly. Nice bloke but no compassion when it comes to the humble pigeon's plight for a bit of lunch too.

The whole conversation, any time a pigeon came close he would kick or hit out at it.

At one point he was chatting away and a pigeon was sat at least 3 feet behind him, in a totally non threatening manner. Without even looking round, he flailed his legs in a kick that nearly took the little guys beak off. And he didn't even stop chatting.

I know not many people like pigeons, but this was different: If Nat could get away with it he would swat pigeons, casually killing them the same way you or I might squash a fly. I know he would.

Lovely bloke though.

Nat's a man of contradictions. I would describe him as an open minded traditionalist. Here are a few Natisms;

'Gay marriage is like vegetarian bacon' (He's gay)

'If humans hadn't eaten meat, they wouldn't have developed sufficiently to make a conscious decision not to eat meat' (He was eating a lentil aubergine bake at the time)

'The world doesn't need more kids.' (he loves kids, he'd kind of like to have them)

"In this country you should get rid of the burka" (sounds a bit bigoted but it's only cos he likes to be able to read people's faces)

"Marriage is practical and worthwhile from a next of kin perspective" (he believes in love at first sight)

"It should be compulsory to do Geography and History" (he was a DJ at Pasha)

I know that the last one doesn't seem to be as obviously contradictory. I just have a certain image in my mind of an Ibiza DJ, and he is not the same guy I have in my mind who is outraged that school students these days only take one of these key subjects.

Musing on what might have been...

Nat's whole life he wanted to be a weatherman. He was going to study meteorology at Edinburgh university. He'd planned it his whole life. But he didn't get the grades.

If you ever go to a parallel universe and you want to find Nat, turn on the news and you might just see him.

Lovely loafers

He looks like he's on a sofa doesn't he? The kind of bloke who is at home anywhere.

Look, you can see his aura. And look how happy I am, basking in Nat's lovely aura.

Posh Anthony

Meet Anthony.

He is 18 and undoubtedly our poshest luncher so far.

Sophie (my fellow blogger) is a public schoolgirl from Chiswick and he made her look like a Kings Cross crackhead.

Just how posh is Anthony?

His first ever drunken night out was the opening night of Mahiki.

He's an Etonian.

His summer holiday this year? (or one of them) His friend's private island.

He's never in his life eaten ketchup. (!)

His Aunty is the high sheriff of Hertfordshire (a long standing family tradition)

These facts probably say enough. You get the idea. Anthony lives in another world.

If we can learn something about England's upper echelons from Anthony what are they?

If Anthony is anything to go by, the uber posh are incredibly grounded, down to earth, humble, decent folk, who happen to be incredibly privileged. In short; posh people are surprisingly normal.

Anthony has no pretention. He doesn't look down his nose at people. He doesn't think he's better that anyone. He's not a toff. He speaks casually about nights out at friends clubs in Mayfair, house masters at Eton and private islands, because he hasn't known anything else. He's not embarrassed and he's not showing off. These are just details of his life.

Other than that he's like any other teenager. He talks about his friends loads, loves going out, clothes, music and pretty much has the world at his feet nonchalance of any 18 year old. 

We asked him if he's pleased he went to Eton or if he would have preferred to go to a more 'normal' school. He loved Eton. He wouldn't have gone anywhere else. He worked at a school in Slough for violent kids and it was interesting, but he'd rather have his life. The difference between Eton and a rough school in Slough? The parents thinks Anthony.

Anthony talks about his parents a lot. He obviously loves and respects them. It is clear that Anthony has good sense; this comes from a laid back but supportive role models. His parents let him drink and smoke on his Mayfair jaunts and are open with him about sex and drugs. So he doesn't need to push boundaries (he doesn't take drugs because his parents wouldn't like it). His 'housemaster' at Eton left the doors open at night so they could go out and turned a blind eye to smoking. All in all Anthony has been guided in the right direction but given the freedom to make his own decisions. It seems like he normally makes the right ones. He's charming, polite, and open. And he makes sure he buys Sophie and me a cake to say thanks for lunch. I think I might marry up and send my kids to Eton if they are gonna turn out like Anthony!

The cake Anthony insisted on buying us. What a sweetie.

yums

I wouldn't have thought he would smoke...

A band left over from a festival (he's keeping it on until the next one)

He has an upper class gait don't you think?

Here we are politely chatting over fish wraps (tastier than they sound)

Ariel

Sophie and me started a placement today at an agency called work club.
We were slightly concerned that this was going to get in the way of our lunching.
Then we had a brainwave. We could take out people from our office every day.
We will have one rule. It can't be anyone we've talked to too much already, so that they are as 'stranger' as possible.
It's sad, but going out and stranger hunting for 2 hours a day when you've just started a job, might end up making a bad impression.





So number one is Ariel.
We picked her because she seems so smiley.
I was in the loo this morning putting on my make up. I'd forgotten to lock the door.
Ariel walks in. Oops sorry etc is said. But rather than shutting the door again and leaving me to it Ariel comes in and starts putting on her make up too.
This little incident made me think quite fondly of Ariel. So we invited her out with us.
A slightly difficult thing to explain on your first day at work.
'Hi, we have a blog where we take random people out every day. Seeing as we work now we can't do that, so we want to take random people from this office out. And write about it. Wanna come to lunch with us?'
This kind of shenanigans could get us a rep as a couple of weirdos.
Ariel took it in her stride though bless her.
Seeing as she's only been working there herself for a few weeks lunch breaks are a luxury she can't really afford.
Ariel did however let us walk to Pret with her.

Ariel working away while she eats. Lets hope this doesn't interfere with her digestion.

So Ariel, sweetie that she is comes over and says sorry that we couldn't have a proper lunch chat, but that if we want to e mail her over any questions she will answer them via virtual lunch chat.
What a brilliant idea. And a totally new way for us to lunch, which we are always up for.

So these were our questions.
And these were her answers.
Don't judge.

Why are you called Ariel?

Its from a play called the Tempest by Shakespeare, but the Little mermaid came out when I was about 5 years old and that's what everyone mostly thinks of first...but I don't mind being called a mermaid too much :-)

What's your favourite animal and why?

Hmmm, I would probably would have always said the elephant was my favourite. Then when I went on safari a few years a go in South Africa its a close second to the giraffe as its sooo elegant.

If you had to describe yourself, what would you say?

a positive, loyal, and lucky person who can be really indecisive at times.

What do you look for in a guy?

Some one who doesn't take themselves or me too seriously, patient and funny, and Definitely has to be taller than me lol!

Do you have any birth marks or scars?

No birth marks really. My bcg jab has given me the biggest scar out of everyone I know :-(

and I have lots of little chicken pox scars on my face from when I couldn't stop scratching as I got it when I was about 11.

What are you most proud of?

Riding an ostrich when I was 10.

What has made you the most sad?

The ending of the green mile. I can't watch that actor in anything else now.

What's your favourite song and why?

Shooting star by air traffic. It makes me feel contented, reflective and reminds me of a holiday in Rome.

What world problem would you solve and how?

I would solve the universal problem of wobbly tables. They follow me everywhere!

My favourite of these answers has to be ostrich riding. Every time I cast a glance over the office at Ariel, I will see her riding an ostrich.

Now this new virtual way of lunching isn't ideal. You can't read between sandwiches and really get a vibe for someone. Plus I think the lunchee has too much time to think of the answers. Maybe if it was via chat it would be better. But I think it's testament to Ariel's lovely shining personality that she felt bad she couldn't properly lunch with us, understood our weird request without a flinch, and figured out a way she could help us as best she can. So thanks for that Ariel. If we get to know you better maybe one day we'll buy you a giraffe.

Our little lunch. Ariel was only a few desks away, so it was like she was still there with us.

Walking back from Pret.
This should be an ad for Pret.
In fact this whole blog should be an ad for Pret.
If only we always used Pret sandwiches...

Canary Wharf Chris

Chris wouldn't have his picture taken, which is why Sophie did this beautiful drawing of him. As someone who was there, I can confirm that it is a pretty good likeness.

We lunched with Chris in Cafe Nerro in Canary Wharf. Panini, coffee and cake. Yum.

We hit Canary Wharf hoping to get a banker. So we were 2 girls jollying round canary wharf approaching men, asking if they were bankers and then asking them to lunch with us. We realised, after 2 rejections, that we looked like a couple of extremely unsubtle gold diggers.

Chris isn't a banker. He is an in house doctor for a bank. So there are no excuses for not coming into work. Chris' insight into bankers? If you are a banker you love stress. Otherwise you wouldn't do it.

So less about banking, more about Chris...

I would say our conversation could be divided into two halves. Polite. And Paranormal.

In the polite half we chatted about banking, hobbies, being a doctor and his kids and stuff.

The paranormal half was much more interesting. And came later, after he had loosened up a bit.

Beneath Chris's respectable, stuffyish, scientific exterior, lies a man who believes he has a guardian angel. He doesn't know who, but he believes it is a child who died young.

Chris is a man who has premonitions. He describes this as having 'a strong sense of something happening, which makes him feel unsettled, on edge or uncomfortable.' Then something happens, and the feeling goes away. He cannot predict exactly what will happen. An example he gave was one morning when he woke with a strong feeling that someone would die. Later that day a random person on the street collapsed in front of him. And he resuscitated them. He said this modestly; he had a premonition and saved a life. I think that this is wonderful.

Chris believes that most people have this ability. But that not everyone will give their psychic senses time or acknowledge them.

I think Chris enjoyed talking with us about his senses and feelings. I sense that he doesn't talk about this part of himself much. I think that the anonymity of canary wharf cafe nerro and two probing strangers revealed a side of him that few probably see. Which is likely the reason why he didn't want us to take a picture of him. Or give us his full name.



Chris did allow us to take a picture of his shoes!

And what lovely shoes they are.

Chris left us with some words of wisdom on how to have a happy marriage. So if you are married or thinking about it, maybe you can learn something from Chris here.

Never give up (if it's right). Marriage is hard because at the end of the day you are an individual. Trust to give each other freedom. Let each other be an individual. It's worth it to have a soul mate. There are different kinds of attraction. Marry someone you want to share things with. Too many people expect the 'he's fit' stage to last for more than 5 minutes. You don't know until you have experienced different relationships. Don't get married until you are 30. Like music you can love a song and 6 months later you think, why did I like that?
But there are some songs you never got bored of.
Like Bob Dylan's Sad Eyed Lady of the Lowlands.
If you've got a minute, why don't you Spottify this track and give a thought to Chris.
Amazing bloke found in the driest of places.


Can you see the light at the end of the tunnel?

Smokey Robinson

Our luncher today didn't want to tell us his name. We asked what he would like to be called? Smokey Robinson- His favourite musician.

We'd like it if you would spottify Smokey Robinson while you read the rest of this post. I like to think his taste in music reveals a romantic soul beneath his drunken exterior.

Smokey lives on the street, round Kings Cross and Euston. He drinks. He doesn't take drugs.

He proudly pointed out his church to us.

His beloved 'white ace'

We asked him if he wanted to have lunch with us and he seemed confused. He was pretty confused for most of the conversation. He'd go in and out of lucidity.

He didn't mind what kind of sandwich we bought him, so long as it wasn't ham. And his eyes lit up when we offered him crisps and orange juice and a bottle of water. "I like water" he said as if surprised by some old memory of drinking something that wasn't 'White Ace'. He asked us to buy him a 'drink'. A bit of a moral dilemma, but seeing as he was pretty shifty about having his photo taken we decided to trade in our consciences for a few photos.

A moment of animation introducing Sophie to Euston (COME ON SOPHIE!!!)

Walking along and chatting pre molestation.

I had a couple of uncomfortable moments with Smokey. Sat with him eating a sandwich and having our picture taken he put his hand on my leg and asked if would have sex with him. No I said. That's not what this is about. He seemed to get the hint and backed off quite quickly.

Later on, as we walked back from the shop, jaunty with the white ace inside him, he grabbed me and tried to kiss me to say 'Thankyou' for buying him his beloved drink.

As nice as this sentiment was, the act was not appreciated and has left one half of me smelling pretty musty. I can't blame Smokey though really. I did buy him a drink. And he was just trying his luck.

I wonder if Smokey ever gets to have sex. If he ever kisses someone. If anyone ever hugs him, or even strokes his arm lightly. If he ever has a proper conversation or a real interaction outside of his drunken haze.

Having our picture taken outside the British Library, by a slightly confused, but very nice laydee. Smokey asked us for a copy of the photo, and despite his photo resistance, was pretty pleased when we showed him this pic.

Smokey didn't know why he was on the street. He didn't know if he had ever been married. He didn't know when his parents died. He didn't know where he normally slept. He didn't know anything. Questions, particularly about his past seemed to trouble him. He most seemed to like to talk in the now.

He became his most lively when he walked us to his 'favourite shop' to buy his 'favourite drink'. Cider. Smokey likes cider, likes beer and loves vodka. But white ace is his favourite.

We managed to get a few things out of smokey. It was tough.But what we learned about Smokey was:

His parents were separated, one lived in London, one lived in Nottingham. he was always trying to track them down. Find their addresses.

His Mum went to church.

Smokey studied physics at university.

He still goes to church every day and says his prayers every night. Despite his penchant for the drink and the casual molestation of girls a third of his age Smokey has a faith and a belief in God.

He showed us his church. And went there after he said bye to us.

We asked Smokey of he had any advice for us. He didn't. I asked him if he would advise us to drink, or not to drink. Drink, he said, without hesitation.

Off to do whatever he will do next.


The overall feeling that Smokey has left with me, is that it's amazing the way that faith stays with people.I'm pleased that Smokey has God, and I hope that God looks after him.

Was it Smokey coming on the me, or was it me coming onto Smokey? Judging by this look of love, I was asking for it.

Alex- A Man of Many Talents

Hey, he looks a little bit like Ricky Gervais doesn't he!?

Eating some sushi (too good for the likes of our M and S Sandwich)

Alex is one of those people who has crammed a lot into life. A risk taker. Someone who has an idea and runs with it. He didn't say this. But that's the jist of him we think.

Here are some of the strings to Alex's bow. He makes social documentaries; his most recent film focused on charity workers on the front line in South Africa. He owns a giant sustainable living farm in South Devon. Kind of like a commune without the hippies. Teenagers can go to his farm to learn that potatoes don't grown in Tesco. In 1999 he set up the first internet TV channel for London. He started out in computing, where he wrote software for banks, making enough cash to support his other/ extra curricular ventures.

He also has a friend who's job is to research fun for a millionaire!!!

We learned all this in 20 minutes of sandwiches and sushi. I have a feeling that if we had spent another 20 minutes with Alex he would have reeled off another load of random jobs and ventures. A man who isn't short of stories.




I decided to note take with Alex. We don't note take with everyone. But he seemed like the kind of man who would appreciate this sort of conscientiousness.

Here he's giving us a couple of his websites.
If you wanna learn more about Alex go to
www.bigetc.tv
www.embercombe.co.uk

I would say in some ways that Alex is the epitome of a successful man. A man who eats sushi in Embankment park on his monthly business trips up to London from his farm in Devon. A man who has made films, worked in banks, helped teenagers and was there at the beginning of the Internet. If Alex is successful, what can we learn about success from him? Have an air of calm about you. Be open and friendly to girls doing experiments in parks (he was definitely our least resistant luncher). Be a little bit full of yourself, but not too much. If you are working a money job, that you don't really like, use the money to fund something that excites you. and if you have an idea, that you think will work, then just do it. Thanks Alex.

Lovely Indian couple

An Indian couple in Hyde Park. They were only in London for 2 days and we had the pleasure of spending one of their lunches with them. What did they eat? some largely chickpea based snacks. What did we eat? Sandwiches. Sticking to the cultural stereotypes.

Now these guys were literally some of the loveliest people in the world. They sat with us, offered us some of their chana dahl and even gave us their address in case we are ever in India. And you know what, I think if we were to follow up on this kind offer they would welcome us into their home with open arms. Not because we are especially nice, but because they are.

We offered them some of our sandwiches and cake in return. The man nibbled a bit of the corner of mine politely after checking if it was vegetarian. Yes 2 vegetarians in a row.

The man led the conversation, largely he wanted to talk to us about education. he was quite a philosophical type of a bloke and left us with this sage piece of advice:

Life is only 15000 days. Out of all these only a third are our own. Use it to make friendship.
I like to think that we made a friendship today. Maybe not a long lasting one. Maybe not a geographically sensible one. But a good solid hour of lunch friendship.

His advice to us was "Try and make peace". His wife's advice. The same. Indian women don't think for themselves, they think through their husband, he explained smiling. This guy was no chauvinist, just a gentle traditionalist. And they seemed happy to me. Happy in their clearly defined rolls.

So again, much was learned. These folk really warmed our souls.

The one that got away

This lady rejected our lunch offer. She'd already eaten lunch; the spinach in her teeth said that she was telling the truth. We wanted to take her for a second lunch, because she was such a twinkly eyed old smiler. But her sister makes her dinner every night and she hates to leave a dirty plate. Our loss.

Jesus aka Ralph

So today we met our first luncher.

Where?- Green Park

Who?- Jesus (AKA Ralph Thompson)

We choose this guy totally based on the fact he looked like Jesus.

Within 2 minutes of chatting to him we found out that he is hanging out in Green Park because his JESUS MODELLING JOB has been cancelled. Seriously. And if we hadn't asked him to lunch with us we would never have ever known...

That is why this lunch thing is good, because people walking around have cool stories and funny things inside them that you never hear unless you stop and ask them for a sandwich. Like this guy had just been on the phone to someone in Mansfield- my hometown. And if I hadn't stopped for lunch with him I would never have known this. I'm pretty sure that little coincidences are going on all over the place, but you only find them if you stop and take the time.

Anyway back to Ralphy boy.

He's a zoologist with a PHD in emotions.

He has written 2 thesis' on Great Tits. Genuinely. Great Tits.

He's a vegetarian (ate a houmous and roasted vegetable sandwich...very slowly).

His favorite bird is the secretary bird (the only member of the stork family that are land predators).

His favorite person is a pole dancer called Jessica Gacott. Why? "Because she's simple and bendy". Nuff said.

So what did we learn from Ralph Thomson?

We learnt that people who look like Jesus aren't always Jesus but they might b odels who can give a pretty good sandwich conversation in a park.  

Ralph chilling

Ralph's drawing of the infamous Jessica Gascott- we can't see why he fancies her. He was using her as his bookmark arrrr

Le sandwiche de Ralph

Ralph's sketches

Ralph was pretending to read this when we approached him. Classic trick- look sensitive while secretly perving on the naked girl bookmark.