LaurabelleMeet 1.0

London
21 April 2001

Following up on her promise of a London meet, Arwen organized this shindig in her preferred pub, Wetherspoons. Despite my general dislike of pubs and persistent cough (see picture 11), I enjoyed myself very much.

As far as I can tell, it was a more or less standard pub meet, characterized by good moods, chocolate, and geeking on all sides. Bjorn and Gideon crashed the party with the third volume of Stephen Baxter's Mammoth trilogy, Ice Bones (the review was subsequently posted to AFP). Arwen had brought along various Dutch delicacies, which were delightedly savored by many (though the double-salted licorice found a very select following). The chocolate ape was sacrificed, and sweets were balanced in precarious positions (as if that would stop us!).

In spite of my horrendous use of passive in that last sentence, I hereby proclaim the first LaurabelleMeet a success.

Attendees:

Arwen Luné
Barry R.B.F.
MegaMole
Gideon Hallett
Bjorn Bjornsson
Eric Jarvis
Rand
Corinne Pritchard
Quantum Moth
Aquarion
Nick Caulfield
Kevin Golding
Laurabelle

Plus four of whose names I am unsure.
Please help!

My Photos

Click on the thumbnails for larger (and in some cases wider) views.

	The Venue: Wetherspoons, at Elephant and Castle		Arwen gingerly holding Ice Bones
	MegaMole with a candy duck on his head		Me and Kevin
	Gideon actually <shudder> reading the Book		Me with a very strange look on my face.
	LtR: Kevin, MegaMole, Corinne (behind MegaMole), Eric, Rand, Barry, Moth, Arwen, Nick		Barry and Arwen reading the Book
	Gideon savoring the double-salted licorice		Kevin and Barry (what's that expression on Kevin's face?)
	Me coughing my lungs out under the table. (This was supposed to be an incriminating photo.)		The decapitation of the chocolate orang-utan.
	The ape with nothing but the top of its head left.		Gideon extracting candy from the box.
	Corinne, Moth, and Aquarion (out of view) cracking up		??, Nick, Arwen, and ?? having a chat