From an uptown apartment to a knife on the a train It's not that far From the sharks in the penthouse to the rats in the basement It's not that far (Walking Down Madison - Kirsty MacColl)

I think the lyrics say so much in this song.  I guess London is like this. If I did not work, I could not pay my rent and I guess there for the grace of God go I. There is a very thin line between those who have and those who have not. Listen to the words and enjoy.

Saturday: No lie in for me this morning! Up, out and off to the suburbs. This morning I went for a 'reading'. No big surprises. Not going to rich; or poor. Might have to move flat and could buy something (that is not going to happen for so many reasons), will do more travelling (alone), no romance on the horizon (sigh).

What can I say.  It has taken me five years to say it, but there are some really lovely men out there and tonight’s date was one of them.  I was meeting the guy I met back in May, I think I called him Grayson as he runs a gallery in the East End.  He has been away for most of the summer in Greece, then Portugal and finally New York.  I did say to him my heart was bleeding for him as it must be such a drag!  Coupled with the fact that he was so tanned and I looked rather pale in comparison.

We met at the pub we went to last time and you know you are on to a winner when he remembered what I drunk and had a gin and tonic ready for me.  We sat and chatted away and just fell back in getting along so well.  We decided to go for a walk and see if we could find another bar. However, we stumbled upon a gallery called Rivington Place – Autograph and could see a people in there looking at photographs. That was it Grayson was there like a shot. I said they won’t let us in we are not on the list and he just grabbed my hand and rocked up and in we went.  This is what he does; this is his job. So there I am in a gallery with photographers and people walking around looking at the prints. We grabbed a couple of rum punches (which were free much to our amusement after or last date when we drunk all of Sophie’s proseco) and sat talking.  In fact, that is what we did most of the evening. We looked at the photographs and some of them were stunning. Mostly black and white and the exhibition was showing the work of Raphael Albert who was a cultural promoter and entrepreneur who organised beauty pageants in the late 1960s to the early 1990s whilst building up a portfolio of aspiring models. It really was interesting.

http://autograph-abp.co.uk/exhibitions/miss-black-and-beautiful

Grayson (I really do not like this name for him now but it will have to do) asked if I was hungry as he was so off we went to a restaurant in Shoreditch called Hoi Polloi. It was such a lovely venue.  We managed (I do not know how) to get a table and we were talking about technology and it was so sweet as he really does not do technology and we were talking about how people are always on their phone and he said that he would not do that as he wanted to give me the attention I deserved when I was with him.  Yes, I know, I as speechless. He had a burger and I had some wonderful cauliflower.  Now I know that does not sound exciting but it was so lovely and really, really flavoured and tasty.  It was all washed down with a £36 bottle of red, which I know nothing about as I drink white.  Fortunately, he drinks red and this one for those of who do was a Malbec.  We sat and chatted and chatted and laughed and realised the restaurant was closed and we were the last to leave. They had even locked the door lol. 

We left and got enticed into a bar (which is not difficult for us) and had a cocktail and got talking to two girls sitting on the table next to us.  Both were studying Fine Art so Grayson was so happy chatting to them.  We even had our photo taken with them, it was so funny.

As we caught the night bus back to his flat we both could not believe the time; it was 2.30am.  We had lost a couple of hours just engrossed in chatting and laughing.  That was very much the theme for the rest of the weekend. Chatting, laughing and in a time warp.  We both feel so relaxed and comfortable with each other and eventually it was suggested that I stayed Sunday night too and I would get up early when he gets up to go and collect his daughter he cares for.  So the rest of the weekend was spent drinking red wine, snuggled up on a bean bag in the lounge watching the Soprano’s (will have to watch more of this) and match of the day (yes you did read that right).  He supports Arsenal (of course he does he is a Londoner) and thank goodness they beat Chelsea 3-0.

Substitute yellow dress for red suede pointy shoes and you get the picture!

I had a wonderful afternoon and told Grayson that he had restored my faith in men, even though it had taken five years.   He is the one who has shown me that there are some lovely men out there and I did tell him this and it was so good to feel so comfortable with someone again.  We said our goodbyes at the end of his road and he caught the bus to go and collect his daughter; and I did the walk of shame to the Overground.  To say I was slightly overdressed for a Monday morning was a slight understatement and i really do not think my red suede shoes helped the situation. I did not care.  I caught the Overground to Liverpool Street just as London was on its way to work then the bus home. Thank goodness I was working from home today.So here I am in the smug zone.  I am sure we shall, at some point, see each other again and if for some strange reason we don’t I have, after five years, learnt a valuable lesson. I do not know where this journey is going, but I will just enjoy the moment.

As always, with my love x