March London Meetup?

Hello UK Viragoites ... as many of you know my daughter Kate is studying at University of Exeter this year. My younger daughter Julia and I are paying her a visit in March, and the three of us will be in London for a few days. There are some things we want to do together, but also areas where our interests diverge (e.g.; how many Topshops can one visit in a day?!)

Would anyone be interested in meeting up on either Saturday 22 March or Sunday 23 March? This doesn't have to be a big event -- even a quick coffee would be delightful, if it provided an opportunity to meet some of you face to face.

This is such happy news knowing you and your girls will all be here - I would love to come down to London and join in - maybe somewhere near the V and A, British Museum, National Gallery or wherever!!! Personally I would prefer the Saturday.

It would be so lovely to meet in person - we seem to have 'known' one another quite a while!

What a lovely idea! I will try hard to come along (health of various relatives permitting!) The Saturday wold be better if there is to be any book shopping..... (and round the BM and Charing X Road there are plenty of places!!)

Yes, I would love to come, too - the Saturday would be better for me, too. BM / Charing Cross Road suits me but I am flexible!

I'd love to come but I won't commit myself at this stage as I've already got some rather fraught arrangements around that time.

I think I could come for part of Saturday - I have something on later in the day but would love to meet up with you all even if briefly.

This is wonderful -- looks like Saturday is the best day.

We will be staying at the Millennium Bailey's Hotel on Gloucester Road just across from the Tube station and close to the Slightly Foxed bookshop. But of course I can meet up anywhere and the opportunity to explore London bookshops is oh so tempting!

I'm excited about finally meeting people I've come to know through this group!

I could probably come too - I can only do Saturday or Sunday - I would love to come to another meet up - and it wouod be wonderful to meet you Laura.

How exciting! A chance to get to meet you face to face, Laura - and your girls too!

Either the Saturday or the Sunday would be fine for me - if you've settled on Saturday, that's no problem.

'Staying... close to the Slightly Foxed bookshop' Often people in the UK give directions according to the nearest pub. In this group, however, the nearest good bookshop is the obvious navigational aid! Would be happy to revisit Slightly Foxed - but there are also other lovely places like the Persephone Bookshop - and many more waiting to be discovered too.

Yay! How exciting! Saturday would be fine for me. (Just to clarify - we're going to be doing bookshops rather than Topshops, right?)

#9 "Often people in the UK give directions according to the nearest pub. In this group, however, the nearest good bookshop is the obvious navigational aid!"

Genny, that's so true!

Ooh, so wish I could be there, Laura, but don't know if I can be. Will attempt to do some moving of heaven and earth and let you know the outcome!

Dee, it would be wonderful if you could make it Get those heavenly removal men working!

This will be fun. Heather I can definitely confirm bookshops trump Topshops!

Don't forget to post photos here for the rest of us who can't make it :(

Dee, I would love to meet you. I look forward to meeting/seeing again anyone else who can make it too, of course.

Thanks all for a fun day today.

Unfortunately, it looks like I won't be able to make this one - we've been having a look at the calendar and there are too many other commitments to fit in. It's a shame, but we have people we do need to see and house things we need to do. I'm looking forward to hearing how it all goes.

That's a shame - I've also realised that I have a clash but will see who can make it before I make up my mind what I'm going to do. It's our NCT sale and I was thinking of actually trying to sell at this one, but I normally volunteer. Laura, if I don't make it, I may contact you about meeting later or on Sunday (I actually live in London).

Liz, I was a little surprised when you said you could be there -- isn't the date just a few weeks before your wedding?

Luci, of course it would be lovely to see you but I understand the need to juggle other commitments.

>18 lauralkeet: oh, the wedding isn't going to have much of an impact on the weeks before it, it's v simple and dull. All sorted out now! But we just seem to have a lot of other commitments to juggle all at the same time!

I don't think I am going to make it ): I just hope I'm not missing my one and only chance to meet Laura and that there will be further visits.

One positive thing though, I have discovered that doing London in a day is entirely possible, so will try and join in with any future London meet-ups.

Liz, you must be the most low-key bride in the world! What's the opposite of bridezilla??

"Bridechilla" is a term which would seem to fit our LyzzyBee's take on her wedding plans, etc. You are pretty laid back about the whole affair Liz. You must be very organized.

I am still coming in March having roped in a friend Meg to come. She is a book lover and bookcrosser who is better at finding her way around London than I am.

Sorry you're not able to make it Dee, I would still love to meet you and I would have brought you some books, I'm sure.

>24 elkiedee:: Thank you, Luci. I'm really rather sad to be missing this one but the trying to plan it, has made me realise that Hull to London in a day is doable (there are a few through trains). I very much hope to meet you and other Southern UK LTers in London before too long!

We're getting closer to the meetup date of March 22, so I thought this would be a good time to get more specific about our plans. Let's start with participants. I created a list based on responses above. Please comment with any additions or corrections, and I'll keep this up-to-date.

Planning to attend:
Laura (lauralkeet)
Julie (juliette07)
Karen (kaggsy)
Claire (Sakerfalcon)
Ali (Heaven-Ali)
Ali's friend Meg
Genny (gennyt)
Heather (souloftherose)
Rhian (SandDune)
Kerry (CDVicarage)
Caroline (Caroline_McElwee) - not active in this group but a friend from elsewhere on LT
Simon (Stuck-in-a-Book)

Might attend:
Luci (elkiedee) - leaning towards "yes" as of 26 Feb
Claire (bunnyb)

Unable to attend:
Dee (Soupdragon)
Liz (LyzzyBee)
Helen (miss_read)

We also need to agree on when & where we will meet. Some of you are traveling to London by train, so that may determine our meetup time. I would also appreciate suggestions from local experts on the best place to convene.

So excited !!!

Laura, I've just come across this thread. Can I join in too?

I definitely intend to attend - only thing that will stop me is if OH gets one of his sudden illnesses... However, assume I'm coming! I'm coming by train but it only takes just over an hour if the trains are running properly. We could meet at a bookshop somewhere...... :)

**weeps copiously & runs from the room**

>28 SandDune:: of course! Yay!! I've added you to the list, Rhian.
>29 kaggsy:: A bookshop? How unusual!
>30 rainpebble:: *hands Belva a box of tissues*

I shall be coming (barring unforseen disasters!) The train journey to Victoria takes about half an hour so, unless you want to meet at the crack of dawn, I can be there for whatever time you decide.

Unable. Sorry. :(

I too only have a 20 - 30 minute train journey and can arrive at several different stations. If we were to meet in a bookstore, I'd suggest one like Foyles or Waterstones Piccadilly, where there is space and seating if we need to be there for a while waiting for people to arrive. We could pick a floor on which to rendezvous then head to the more fun shops once all are assembled. But I'm happy to go along with any suggestions.

My train journey is longer (approx 2 hours), but there are frequent trains so plenty of choice. If I can get myself to catch an earlyish one eg 8.15am (which is also a relatively cheap ticket) I would be in London Marylebone station at 10.20. Earlier than that is possible but would be an effort to achieve! I don't know how early Ali and her friend might be able to travel and whether we would try to catch the same train?

It takes me about an hour door to door into Central London and I have lots of trains so I'm fairly flexible as to timings.

#35 I was speaking to Meg about this yesterday. I am sure we could come by a nice early train Genny maybe we could get the same train as you.

I think meeting at a bookshop is an inspired and slightly terrifying idea :)
Can't wait.

I'd love to meet at Foyles - basically because I love Foyles!!

**I love Foyle's War.....not the same, I suppose....**snivel, snivel**
Thank you for the tissues Laura.
I really am so happy for you all. This should be a lovely meet-up for you all.

Laura - excellent ideas here but it is your trip! Do you have preferences?

After Foyles or Waterstones ..... how about the British Museum or Library, Persephone, Covent Garden ...... and what about lunch?

Belva - keep helping yourself to the tissues ..... here is the link to Foyles in Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foyles

and their site is here - warning .... it shows locations in London!

http://www.foyles.co.uk/book-shops-in-london

The nice thing about Foyles is that it's sort of equidistant between the Bloomsbury Oxfam shop, and Henry Pordes/Any Amount of Books in Charing Cross Road!!

I am so jealous of this, but I look forward to pictures

Thank you dear Julie for the lovely links. Now we can spend time there along with you. (sort of)
♥

My head is a-spinning with all the bookshop possibilities in London. The last time I was in the UK, I had young children so bookshop browsing was limited to our small local shop. So I've never been to the big name shops in London and no doubt would enjoy Foyles. It would also be fun to experience a second-hand shop, especially since Karen seems to have such a knack for fabulous finds and I'm sure this would rub off on the rest of us!

Perhaps we should plan to meet up at Foyle's? It looks like the Birmingham Viragoites could arrive by about 10:30. Those located closer could meet earlier for coffee if desired.

And as for lunch: yes! Perhaps between Foyles and a second bookish destination?

If you have the time and want a tea break, there is a neat little restaurant in Russell Square (it started off as a kiosk and eventually got enclosed). There is even a Virago connection...84 Charing Cross Lane is a Virago and in its sequel The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street Helen Hanff falls in love with Russell Square.

Plus it is sort of half way between the Bloomsbury St Oxfam store and the Persephone shop.

Yay! I can get to London in an hour so could meet at Foyle's at 10:30 or a bit earlier for tea/coffee. Foyle's Charing Cross branch?

We have to go to the Persephone bookshop. There was another lovely bookshop opposite the Persephone shop but sadly it seems to have closed now :-(

I had a little idea which I wanted to get opinions on (borrowed from something elkiedee has previously offered to do). The Persephone bookshop sells the lovely bookmarks that accompany their books (and are included if you buy the books direct from them) for 50p each. As I'm sure there will be lots of people in the group who would love to join us on the 22nd but won't be able to and I wondered if some of us would like to offer to buy and send them a bookmark or two for any Persephones they've bought second-hand and so don't have the matching bookmarks? Everyone's financial and life circumstances are different so there is to be no guilt for anyone who for whatever reason doesn't want to do this. We could maybe limit bookmark requests to 2 per person so we don't get overwhelmed....?

Thoughts? (And please feel free to say nay)

That's such a lovely idea! Happy to do this and we really *should* visit the Persephone shop - most definitely (always with the proviso that this is Laura's day and she must decide!).

Foyles Charing Cross Road at 10.30 is fine for me! I may even make it a bit earlier for tea!

An excellent idea, Heather. I'd very much like to visit the Persephone bookshop, anyway, since I'm missing a few bookmarks and have never yet been there, and I'd love to send some bookmarks around the world, too.

I hadn't mentioned a choice before as I could visit London easily and often but it's a bit more of an effort and expense for Laura!

#47 "always with the proviso that this is Laura's day and she must decide!" Oops, yes, of course!

I would love to visit the Persephone bookshop!!!! And honestly don't worry about the "Laura's day" thing -- I am very much deferring to those with local knowledge to help shape our plans.

It looks like it might make sense to set an early meetup time of 9:30 (when Foyle's opens), and we would gather over the course of the next hour depending on everyone's travel schedules.

Also, I love the bookmark idea and if any requested bookmarks are destined for the US I can smuggle them home with me, and send them to recipients via US mail.

So sad I'm missing this, but I can't come down to London infinite times and M'Best Friend is having Works done on her house so we're just having a midweek day together as that suits her best. I'll think of you all though and look forward to hearing all about it.

This all sounds fantastic I'm happy with all/any of the above. It looks like the cheapest train for Meg and I is either the 8.30 or the 8.50 to Euston or the 8.15 to London Marylebone that Genny mentioned above - I will discuss with Meg and let you all where we are coming in to.

I can get to Foyles by about 10 without too much difficulty so I'll definitely be there.

It's good to see a plan coming together ... it all sounds like a potentially lovely day! I will be able to get to Foyles at any time after 9.30. Looking forward to seeing everyone. LyzzyBee, you will be missed!

I'm happy to buy a few bookmarks but am terrible at posting things - I won't purchase an unlimited number but will gladly buy some if someone else takes them and makes sure they go in the post!

I think I'm going to come. I would volunteer to help on Friday night set up at the NCT sale to assuage my conscience, but I don't think Mike will be able to come home early enough that day.

I am the interloper to this group, but will be joining the gathering with Laura on 22 March (a delight to get a chance to meet up).

Just some suggestions:

Meeting at Foyles cafe

Then we could go to the London Review of Books Bookshop, en route to lunch.

http://www.londonreviewbookshop.co.uk/

A suggestion for lunch (involving a group of 11+) perhaps the Dutch Pancake House about 3 minutes from LRBB - we'd need to book a few days before just to allow them to put tables together.

http://www.myolddutch.com/Contact/Holborn.aspx

I think the Bloomsbury Oxfam isn't far from the restaurant, here :

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=oxfam+books+bloomsbury&source=lnms&tbm...

And then it is maybe a 10 minute walk down to Persephone.

http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/

Lambs Conduit Street where the bookshop is, is an interesting little place, also had a discount bookshop last time I was there, but several one-off individual old fashioned taylors and the likes.

Sounds good to me, Caroline. Although I live fairly near, I hardly ever go to London and will need to be led around!

>56 Caroline_McElwee:: That is certainly a good plan, a nice mix of books and refreshments, with nothing too far from anything else. I've always enjoyed the food at the Dutch Pancake House.

Sounds lovely - and I didn't realise the London Review of Books bookshop was so central! Tho I definitely suggest building in a visit to Henry Pordes if we want Viragos because there were quite a few downstairs when I popped in earlier in the month!!

Pordes of course, straight out of Foyles as they are within spitting distance. Passing the building that once housed Helen Hanff's 84 Charing Cross Road, its marked by a tiny plaque now. Sadly had already gone by the time I started frequenting CXR.

Otherwise a loop, as you might want to see if the Oxfam shop has Viragos possibly cheaper!

I hereby appoint Caroline our designated travel agent. Nice plan, Caro!!

The Oxfam will *definitely* be cheaper than Pordes, though they don't have so many of course!

:) We'll have to send you a group photo, Belva!

I'm just sobbing and turning green with Belva. You ladies are going to have the best time!

I've just been alerted to this thread, sorry to have been absent from the group for ages - can I be a maybe? I've agreed to do something for my friend's birthday, but that might be evening, in which case I'd join for morning and afternoon :)

>65 laytonwoman3rd: You ladies are going to have the best time! AND Simon!

Yay! You're on the list Simon!!

Simon will definitely have THE best time. All of these awesome ladies to himself.
Enjoy..........all of you. Linda, myself and the rest will be waiting patiently for the masses of photos you all will be posting. Simon is a master of photos. ♥

Hey, nobody told me there was a sex shop next to Foyles! See photo 12:
London then and now: Hybrid images show changing face of capital's landmarks

I will just discreetly avert my eyes.

! Oddly enough, OH spotted that yesterday and showed me! Bear in mind you're very near Soho!

But Laura, the signage says it's *lascivious'd* so it must be okay.............

Oh there's always been a couple of sex book shops there as long as I can remember. I'm sure Foyles will have similar fair should you wish to be more discrete - they are a business after all :-)

Like Simon I have been alerted to the thread after a long absence from the group (apologies). Which reminds me that I shamelessly forgot to post about the wonderful secret santa gift that Helen sent me :( Some of you did see my stunning bonanza via social media but I never did get to grips with how to post a photograph on LT...

Could I be a maybe at the moment? I have lunch and evening plans on 22nd but they are in London so I could go in early and join you in Foyles for an hour; I'd love the opportunity to meet Laura and to see some other familiar and new to me faces.

It would be wonderful to meet you too Claire -- I've added you to the "maybe" list.

I'll keep an eye on the list re numbers, and book the restaurant a few days before.

Thank you, Caroline!

Any Amount of Books is practically next door to Henry Pordes, has more Viragos and more unusual ones and is generally cheaper than the Oxfam shop. HP is worth a look - I did once find a novel by Fiona Kidman there - she's a New Zealander and not well-known here, and most of her books are fairly hard to find and quite expensive.

Can I just say how much I am looking forward to this day?! So many good ideas and such a nice group of people coming - old friends and some I've yet to meet!

So am I !!

I am so looking forward to it too :)

Meg and I are going to be getting the 8.50 from Birmingham New Street which Will bring us into Euston.

Also looking forward to it!

I've started a thread for people to list their Persephone bookmark requests and will bring the list with me on the day for anyone who wants to participate (strictly no pressure/no guilt).

I'm a definite now, for morning and afternoon activities - I'll have to leave about 4ish, I think, possibly earlier...

>83 Stuck-in-a-Book: squeeeee!

This is all very exciting!!

Yay getting closer now.
Btw
Meg and I will be catching the 17.45 train home to Brum.

For people coming to this (if I remember) - I have the latest VMC editions (just published, I think) of Muriel Spark's Territorial Rights and The Public Image going spare, if anybody wants them?

I shall also be bringing my Virago duplicates with me. I thought that if no-one wants them I could donate them to the Oxfam shop.

>87 Stuck-in-a-Book: I have neither but would feel greedy demanding both - so might I have Territorial Rights if no-one else wants it? I shall bring some dupes too and also Simon that book on wartime English buidlings that Elaine (I think!) sent me many moons ago and I promised to you when I'd read it!

Yes please, I would love The Public Image, Simon.

Sorted! (and thanks Karen!)

I've invited 1, possibly 2 people from the 75 group (Darryl "kidzdoc" and Fliss) to come and see us for a bit, probably at the beginning in Foyles as that fits in very well with other plans.

I have a spare copy of The Tortoise and the Hare which is still on Ali's wishlist, so I'll do my best to bring that. There might even be another copy, but I may offer my mum it on Wednesday. I bought #2 secondhand when I knew I had #1 but wasn't sure where I'd put it, and then found #3 last week in good condition and bought it anyway. I've had some excellent charity shop finds in the last couple of weeks and plan to bring some of them with me.

>92 elkiedee: Luci that's wonderful! I met Darryl at a Philadelphia meetup and knew he'd be in London at the same time as me, but wasn't sure if I'd be able to catch up with him there. I'm sure he is quite happy to visit Foyles!

Oh Luci that would be lovely :)

I have a couple of Virago dupes I will bring but also a couple of non-Viragos which might be of interest - I will only bring them if someone says they want them as they are heavy! :)

Journey by Moonlight - Antal Szerb
Twenty thousand Streets Under the Sky - Patrick Hamilton

Speaking as someone with no sense of direction and, despite living so close, no familiarity with London, could we swap mobile phone numbers, please? Otherwise I have visions of myself wandering the streets of London desperately looking for bookshops and fellow Viragoites. I didn't manage very well when we met in Oxford and that was much smaller. Knowing that I could ring someone and ask 'Where are you?' would keep me feeling happier!

That's a very good idea, Kerry. I've purchased a very limited international roaming package for my phone intended more for emergency purposes. I'm probably not the best person to rely on for "where are you?" queries, but am happy to provide my number: +1.610.203.5928.

Is there a better way/place to collect and share these?

Maybe nominate one person who knows where they're going to hold all the numbers and be the contact? Then we could all PM our numbers to them and that would avoid them all going public.

>98 kaggsy:: I like that, and would feel better knowing there was someone "local" I could call if I got lost or something came up.

How will those of us not in London see/hear about your charming exploits?

>100 Marensr: Hearing might be difficult (although I can imagine a group this size getting rather boisterous!), but I'm sure we will post full reports, with photos, after the event.

And there is also the Meet Up Thread here:

https://www.librarything.com/groups/librarythinggatherin

I'm willing to be the contact person for Saturday as I am based in London and quite good at giving directions. If people want to PM me their contact info I will reply with mine, unless we can think of a more efficient way of exchanging the info.

>103 Sakerfalcon: Thanks Claire, have sent you a PM with my mobile no.

So have I.

Me too!

And me!

As have I :)

Do we have a finalised meeting time/place, btw?

Simon, and everyone ... >56 Caroline_McElwee: outlined a general itinerary. Foyles opens at 9:30. Plan to meet in the cafe between 9:30-10:30. Those traveling by train from Brum will arrive around 10:30; I hope to be there at 9:30, jet lag permitting.

Thanks! (oh, and Laura - leave space in your bag for a book I'm bringing you... you don't have it, but you do have lots of others by this author, so I hope you'll want it. But I'll keep it a surprise! I'm afraid it's quite tatty, hope that's not a no-no?)

OMG Simon whatever it is I will treasure it. I just did some packing and so far am allowing room for a few acquisitions ...

>112 lauralkeet: I'm very jealous, Laura. Have fun! :)

~110 Foyles opens at 9:30. Please would some dear friend confirm the address for Foyles?

~103 Just about to PM you with my details - thanks for taking this on.

I aim to be there around 10am.

>114 juliette07: Foyles is at the top of Charing Cross Road (113-119) - nearest Tube Tottenham Court Road!

I hope to be there promptly!

I'll try to get there for 9.30-10ish (I'm going there tonight as well!)

I haven't been to the cafe, but my brother said when he was there a year ago it was quite small, I aim to get there for 9.30 so will try and colonise as much space as I can! (it may have been expanded, as Foyles is undergoing a make-over at the moment. The cafe is apparently on the first floor.

ETA: the scheme at 56 above was just a suggestion, if other ideas arise I am sure they can be accommodated.

Just a warning that there is major construction work taking place at and around Tottenham Court Road tube station at the moment, which makes it a bit confusing to navigate. If you decide to brave it, you will need to take the exit for St Giles' High Street, turn right at the top of the steps, turn right again under the Centre Point building, and then make a third right on Denmark Street, which will bring you out onto Charing Cross Road. Cross over and turn left for Foyles!

I'll try and arrive by 10, if not earlier. Also, if anyone was planning to buy books at Foyles, you can go onto their website the night before and order them using their Reserve and Collect service which means you pay the web price which is usually a bit cheaper. The interface is a bit clunky; you can only do one book at a time, but you can save 10% or more on most titles.

Simon, I'll see you tonight too then, I assume you're at Foyles for the Penguin bloggers' party. Any books I can tempt you with?

A little advice, particularly if you're coming into London to a station which isn't on the West End branch of the Northern line (Kings Cross is the other bit), or the Central Line, for Tottenham Court Road.

If you're coming from Kings Cross or Euston, I think it's easier to come out of Leicester Square tube - it's about the same distance, or only slightly further, and it's an easier journey from KX, no changes needed from the Piccadilly line. I think the signs talk about east and west of Charing Cross Road, in which case you want the west side for Foyles, but if you find yourself outside (or inside) Any Amount of Books on the east side of the road, you just tear yourself away, cross the road and walk uphill (north).

ETA: Leicester Square has several exits, you need Exit 2: Leicester Square (place, not tube station) and Chinatown. My favourite secondhand bookshop is Exit 3/4 - Cambridge Circus etc

From Paddington, you could just get the Bakerloo Line to Piccadilly Circus and walk along Shaftesbury Avenue to Charing Cross Road (lots of exits but one must say Shaftesbury Avenue, surely), it's only slightly further to walk overground, bearing in mind that if you have to change lines on your journey, you may well end up walking as far/further underground. I'm always horrified to see people get the tube from Leicester Square to Covent Garden. Or alternatively, I think the Bakerloo also stops at Charing Cross and again, that's only a little further from Foyles.

I agree with Luci - Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Charing Cross are all excellent alternatives to Tottenham Court Road when coming to Foyles by Tube.

>119 Sakerfalcon: & >121 elkiedee: Thank you for the advice about tube stations! I'm aiming to get there between 9:45-10:00.

Feeling rather sad that I can't be there 😢

I am just preparing for a week long out-of-town training course for work, but will be taking regular peeps at LT, so please report back and take lots of photos.

>124 Soupdragon: I wish you could come too, Dee :(

On a side note, it's my second Thingaversary next week (I missed the first last year) - so how many books does that mean I can buy in London? ;))))))))

>125 kaggsy: It's one for each year and one for the next so that's three!

Yay!!!!

127: Plus the two you missed last year.

>127 kaggsy: Thanks Dee! That's even better....... :))))))

Watching on the sidelines here too so please post pics! Have a wonderful time everyone - this is so exciting!

125: Surely at a special event such as a meet up you get a separate allowance, and then you can celebrate your Thingaversary next weeK?

>131 elkiedee: - Yeah - I think I can live with that rather wonderful idea..... :))))))))

I am so excited for all of you, especially you, Laura. Getting to meet all of the awesome 'across the pond' Virago pals. Enjoy and have merry hearts all of you. Praying safe journey for you all.
hugs,
belva

I only arrive at Marylebone station at 10.20, so it will probably take me another 30 mins or so to join you all at Foyles. If you are ready to move on from there before I arrive, please just text me your new destination. Thanks for the advice on Tube stations.
Looking forward so much to seeing you all. ..

Have a super time, everyone!

Thanks Liz - had to miss choir tonight as I am exhausted but am determined to make it!

>135 LyzzyBee: - Wish you were able to join us, Liz :(

Hello, this is Ali's friend, Meg, dropping in. I am looking forward to meeting you all tomorrow and going to some places I haven't tried before.

Ali and I will be on the 8:50 from New Street to Euston. Judging from the last time I went to Foyle's straight from Euston, we should be there around 10:45 (definitely by 11).

Waves from train. We're on our way.

>139 Heaven-Ali: Me too. Your train will have overtaken mine by now...

Have a lovely time one and all. I saw my husband off on the train this morning to the big city, it's the eliminators for the 12 bell striking contest (bell ringing competition) but your plan looks like you'll be clear of the racket and hoards of drunken bellringers (they do know how to put the beer away). And the weather looks like it's going to behave itself for a change as well.

How wonderful! How wonderful!! The day is here, and I hope that you're together or soon will be. Pictures, please! And enjoy for all of us who are there only in spirit!

Can't wait for reports and pictures!

Ditto that & GOOD TIMES ALL!~!
♥

Laura has posted a few photos on Facebook already. I took quite a few but will have to wait till I'm home to post them here, as I can't do it from my phone. (Currently on train, only just leaving London).

At the maximum count we were 14 in the group - the biggest meet-up so far that I have been to.

Duplicate post. Silly phone.

Back home after a lovely, lovely day - looking forward to seeing the photos here (as I am not on FB). It was really great to meet everyone - thanks for a wonderful day, folks! :)

Yes great day - so nice to meet everyone

Fantastic day!!! I am so very happy to have met people I feel I've known for years. I will try to get some photos up soon, probably tomorrow. I'm on an iPad which is more challenging, but maybe I can wrestle a laptop away from one of my daughters.

I have posted some comments on Laura's FB photos; then it occurred to me that my whole real name may not be familiar to some who only know me as Linda/laytonwoman3rd. So for those Viragoites, that 3-name Linda posting on Laura's pictures is me.

What a very fun day it was! Lovely to meet some people for the first time, and meet up again with new friends.

I came away with a modest number of books, after buying 20 at the Bookbarn on Tuesday, but I did my best to persuade everyone else to buy ;)

>151 Stuck-in-a-Book: - You were *definitely* a bad influence, Simon....... !

I had the loveliest day! So great to meet those of you I hadn't met before and meeting up again with others. I was useless with my camera I only took pictures of books and my lunch. Three of my haul came from Luci the rest I bought.

Oooo...Rebecca West..Willa Cather...Daphne DuMaurier.... Elizabeth Taylor....what a trove!

The first bookshop - before I went inside to join everyone...

The second bookshop, this time with people:



Virago group members and some from elsewhere on LT: Left to right (half of them with backs to the camera or faces semi-obscured)

Caroline_McElwee, Darryl (kidzdoc), Ali (Heaven-Ali), Heather (souloftherose), Rhian (SandDune), Kerry (CDVicarage), Laura (lauralkeet), Simon (Stuck-in-a-Book), Claire (Sakerfalcon), Karen (kaggsy).

Not visible in this photo but present at this point: Meg (Megmac1987) and Julie (juliette07). Joining us shortly after this photo was taken: Luci (elkiedee). With me that makes 14 in total!

(I bought three books at Henry Pordes: West with the Night (Virago Traveller), Mr Fortune's Maggot and the distinctly non Viragoish Feet of Clay).

The third bookshop: the bargain bin at Any Amount of Books, next door to Henry Pordes.



I bought my first two books of the day from this bin: Curse of the Pogo Stick and Vinland, for £1 each - bargain!

Luci has arrived, and Darryl is about to leave to meet up with another group of LT friends...

Lunch at 'My Old Dutch'.



Some of the day's trophies (so far) being held up for inspection (sorry they are a bit hard to make out!) while waiting for our Dutch pancakes to arrive. Many of these were courtesy of Luci who (as usual on these occasions) arrived with bags full of duplicates and unwanted copies of all sorts of interesting books to pass on to any who were interested.

The pancakes have arrived...





Left to right: Meg, Ali, Laura, Kerry, Julie, Simon, Luci.



Left to right: Karen, Claire, Heather, Rhian, Caroline (hidden).

The fourth bookshop: Oxfam Bookshop, Bloomsbury.



I didn't manage a proper group shot outside: people were in too much of a hurry to get in and start browsing!

Browsing in progress:





I bought just one book here: The Sugar House - to complete my set of Antonia White's quartet.

The fifth bookshop:



Left to right: Karen, Luci, Heather, Laura, Meg, Ali, Rhian, Kerry, Simon, Julie (by this point Caroline and Claire had had to leave us for other appointments).

I bought NO books in this one (plenty of lovely books but they were all new and full price!).

The sixth and final bookshop:





We needed no further encouragement...



Hunting for bookmarks and the occasional book...

I bought just one book here (William: an Englishman), and a couple of missing bookmarks for ones I already own.

After this, several people departed for their trains, and a few of us collapsed into a tea-shop opposite the Persephone Bookshop for a much needed refreshment and rest of the weary legs. Sorry, no photo - by this point my phone/camera battery was as depleted as my own energy.

My personal book haul by the end of the day - seven purchases and three kindly donated by Luci:

Wonderful pictures, Genny and thanks! You and Ali certainly came away with stacks of excellent books. What fun! Can't wait for the others to show their fab finds!

What a wonderful day it sounds....I loved West With the Night, and Wild Starwberries is very near the top of my TBR pile.

Oh, thank you for posting all of these lovely comments & photos. Sounds as if you all had a most wonderful day and the weather looks fine. So fun to see all of you.
Love the book pics! I found myself perusing the titles as closely as possible to see which I have & do not have. lol~! Cate & Linda are both so right. Markham is a marvelous author and one cannot go wrong with a Thirkell.
Love all of the shops. The Persephone shop looks like a very classy bookshop. The setup is just lovely.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thank you for including us. So nice to see you all. ♥

Genny, you win the Photography Prize! Thank you for chronicling our wonderful day.
Two more from me:

Group Photo outside Persephone Books (the aforementioned sixth and final bookshop)


Julie and Simon being, well, Julie and Simon:

Laura, I wish I could have been there but am so pleased you had a suitably bookish day with so many LibraryThing friends. I love those photos and the ones I've seen on Facebook.

Gratitude and the greenery of envy in nearly equal proportions studying all those photos and imagining all those books. Own personal favourite is the big cheesy grin on Heather's face in >163 gennyt:

But where was Simon's Love Child? Sorry, couldn't resist! Lovely to see people in some of my old haunts and friends old and not met yet. I did have my day in London the other week, however I didn't buy any books!! Sorry, people, I did buy shoes, a cardigan, tights and some mascara, and have lunch, tea and giggles with a dear friend, so surely that counts ...

What lovely, lovely pictures and thanks to the camera-people for taking and posting. I had a lovely time and will post pix of my books eventually - this was my first LT meet-up but definitely won't be the last!

It was lovely to meet with you all, and to put some faces to LT handles whose threads or messages I have been reading. Many of my photos would repeat better ones posted, but here are a couple to add to the picture of the day.



Darryl and Heather – our criticism of the scone was that it didn’t have proper clotted cream (shame on you Foyles Cafe!)



Ali, Genny and Meg

I had a book token to spend and bought Kirsty Wark's first novel The Legacy of Elizabeth Pringle, and adopted a memoir amongst Luci's generous haul of offerings, a memoir by Lisa Appignanesi Losing the Dead, so thanks for that Luci - I often read your entries.

I hope both Laura and Darryl enjoy the rest of the stay in the UK.

Genny, it was lovely to see you again, and no doubt over time we will bump into each other at the Gladstone's Library.

I have been travelling along vicariously, feeling that I too have been visiting with old friends. What a super meet-up this one was! I can just picture all of you crowded into Persephone, babbling away and getting gobs of those bookmarks. You all look so happy in the pics, which made me happy.

I have blogged about our lovely day here

http://heavenali.wordpress.com/2014/03/23/a-meeting-of-book-lovers/

I can use all those bookstore names for my visit to London in two weeks. Very helpful.

I love to seen the faces of you all.

What a fabulous day you must have had. And I spot an increasing number of bulging bags, which is all to the good.

>178 Helenliz: We daren't talk about the bulging bags.... Or at least, I don't dare. Pictures of my finds will be up on my blog tomorrow, when I get organised!

It was a really, really lovely day - such fun and I was really pleased to meet those LTers (and non LTers) I hadn't met before and catch up with old friends.

Thank you to the photographers for doing the hard work of posting all the photos on this thread.

My very lovely book haul:



From the bottom:

Persephone bookshop:
The Two Mrs Abbotts by D. E. Stevenson
The Hopkins Manuscript by R. C. Sherriff
High Wages by Dorothy Whipple

Oxfam bookshop:
A Woman's Place: 1910 - 1975 by Ruth Adams (with matching bookmark!)

Henry Pordes:
Love Letters Between a Nobleman and His Sister by Aphra Behn
The Fruit of the Tree by Edith Wharton
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather

Any Amount of Books
The Reef by Edith Wharton
The Lost Traveller by Antonia White

From Foyles:
China Court by Rumer Godden

And some free books from Luci/Simon? (I lost track but thank you to whoever brought these along with them)

On the Run by Nina Bawden
Odd Girl Out by Elizabeth Jane Howard
And a beautiful hardback edition of Palladian by Elizabeth Taylor. I already have a Virago edition but I fell in love with the cover.

Good find on A Woman's Place - it's non fiction but I thought it was a really good read. I brought the books you mention at the bottom, and you're very welcome to all of them - I found a better condition more recent edition of Odd Girl Out in Any Amount of Books on Wednesday, along with her collection of short stories Mr Wrong, which I didn't have before.

I left the house with at least 22 books to give away, it might have been slightly more, I came home with 26 books and 6 bookmarks - after we all went our separate ways I went to Bookmarks over the road from Oxfam (which actually mainly sells books but all I bought was bookmarks!):

VMCs:

Muriel Spark, The Public Image - thanks Simon
Barbara Comyns, The Vet's Daughter - AAOB, newest reprint with introduction by Jane Gardam (another favourite author) - I have an earlier green copy with a different introduction
Rebecca West, The Return of the Soldier - thanks Heather - I think I have this but I'm not sure where my copy is
Rebecca West, The Fountain Overflows - Fopp - another I already have, but a different introduction, this one is Amanda Craig, older one (not green) is Victoria Glendinning
Sylvia Townsend Warner, Lolly Willowes - AAOB - another I already had but this is the one with an intro by Sarah Waters, I'm not sure my other one has an intro, if not I'll bring it to another meetup
Nina Bawden, Devil by the Sea - I have an old library discard hardback, but this was a VMC - Oxfam

Other Virago:

Marina Tsvetaeva, A Captive Spirit: Selected Prose - Oxfam

Children's books

Helen Cresswell, Bagthorpes Haunted - AAOB
H F Brinsmead, Pastures of the Blue Crane - AAOB
duplicates of Leon Garfield, Devil in the Fog and Mr Corbett's Ghost - AAOB - bookseller was impressed by me buying Leon Garfield and having read some of his other books
duplicate Gillian Avery, The Italian Spring - Oxfam

Novels

Willy Vlautin, The Free - AAOB
Katherine Hill, The Violet Hour - AAOB
Simone Schwarz-Bart, The Bridge of Beyond - NYRB - AAOB
Jo Verity, Left and Leaving - AAOB
Fatima Bhutto, The Shadow of the Crescent Moon - Baileys longlist - AAOB
Deborah Moggach, The Ex-Wives - AAOB
Edward St Aubyn, Bad News and Some Hope - I believe I already have 2 others in this series on Kindle - Fopp

Poetry

Carol Anne Duffy, The Bees - Fopp

Non fiction

Adam Hothschild, To End All Wars - Fopp
Peter Doggett, The Man Who Sold the World: David Bowie and the 1970s - Fopp
Samantha Ellis, How to be a Heroine - AAOB
Lyndall Gordon, Lives Like Loaded Guns: Emily Dickinson and her Family's Feuds - Fopp
Patricia and Robert Malcolmson, Women at the Ready - AAOB

Oh my! It appears that some of you may have needed wagons or carts in which to carry home your lovely new finds. Thank you all so much for sharing your wonderful day and allowing us to be a wee part of it.
(((♥)))

I have not commented on this thread before because I was not going to be part of the meet up, and my computer is down because of the workers in my house (I am in the library at the moment), but what a great day and what a great haul and what a great set of photos. Well done ladies!

>182 rainpebble: - I think we certainly could have done with wagons - I forgot how heavy a backpack full of books could be!

And thank you Luci for your generosity!

>182 rainpebble: I have spent today hobbling about the house because of my aches and pains but I think it was worth it. I've just finished scanning in the covers for my 14 new additions...

>185 CDVicarage:: We did a lot of walking, didn't we Kerry??? :)

(and those are some lovely books!)

Many apologies but I am having trouble uploading to here - I will try again tomorrow. Meanwhile my album is on FB at Julie Hudson ... thank you to everyone who has got their photos here.

>185 CDVicarage: Yes, I too have been very stiff and achy today from all the walking (and standing). According to my pedometer, I walked 15154 steps yesterday, which is the most I've walked in one day probably since the last London meetup I went on; my daily average is about a third of that. But actually I think it's the prolonged standing (while book browsing and waiting for each other to finish browsing) which causes most of those aches and pains, especially when coupled with the awkward neck bends to read book titles on shines, and the bending and crouching to view low-down shelves... How we suffer for our art obsession books!

>185 CDVicarage: >189 gennyt: - It's the crouching to see the bottom shelves that gets me, and also the fact that my middle vision is rubbish so I'm either trying to make the titles out from a distance or squinting close up. I obviously need new glasses......

Anyway, my post of the day plus pix of my haul are here:
http://kaggsysbookishramblings.wordpress.com/2014/03/24/a-very-virago-day-out/

Thanks to all who took pix of the day - my camera is on its last legs and my phone primitive so it's nice to have a record of the day!

Just to echo what everyone has already said: it was indeed a wonderful day. Many thanks to Caroline for working out a route that took in many bookshops and the Dutch Pancake House, and to Luci for generously bringing bags of books for us to choose from. It was wonderful to meet new friends and to see more familiar faces again - thank you everyone for your company!

My camera battery has died so I can't post a pic of my haul, but I came away with:
The first fifth form by Evelyn Smith (Foyles)
Janet Frame : the complete autobiography (thank you Luci!)
Heat lightning by Helen Hull (also from Luci)
The anatomy of ghosts by Andrew Taylor (Luci again!)
A game of hide and seek by Elizabeth Taylor (I think this was from Heather - thank you!)
Exmoor Lass and other pony stories by Allen Seaby (Oxfam)
and a couple of SF titles, also from Oxfam.

Looking forward to the next meetup ...

Kerry/Genny I know where you are coming from. With pins and plates in one ankle and leg, I too have to pace myself.

Glad everyone enjoyed the day though. And the blue sky in evidence always makes life more pleasurable. I'm sure all the bookshops might hope it were a weekly thing!

>181 elkiedee: Thank you Luci!

>191 Sakerfalcon: You're welcome, Claire

My (briefish) report also now up! http://stuck-in-a-book.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/a-couple-of-meet-ups.html (I've included another event from earlier in the week).

The meet-up pics are fabulous. Thanks for sharing them!

*sigh*

I'm flying back to the US tomorrow with such fond memories!!!

>197 lauralkeet: As we also have Laura! Have you managed to pack all the books in your suitcase?

>198 souloftherose:: yes! It helps that I had brought some food items over for Kate which I'm leaving behind, creating room for my acquisitions.

>197 lauralkeet: It was lovely to meet you Laura - safe journey home and come back again!

Lovely meeting you Laura, so glad you will take fond memories back with you. Have a safe trip back home, and enjoy your lovely acquisitions.

It's not nearly as good as being there, but I have thoroughly enjoyed the pics and comments and blogs about your wonderful day. I'd gladly have an ache and pain or 10 or 20 for a day like that! Glad you all improved those shining hours to the max!

Thank you all of the London Meet-Up for sharing photos and stories of your day with each other. I am so happy that you all had this opportunity to spend time in the company of one another. I have enjoyed all of the pictures & comments.
hugs,

Ladies (and Simon!) - did I dream it, or was there discussion of Elsa Triolet and her book A Fine of Two Hundred Francs? Was someone looking for a copy?

>204 kaggsy: Yes Karen. I have no idea of specifics but remember overhearing someone trying to remember the full title. I think we were either in Henry Pordes or All About Books at the time.

I think I mentioned that I had never seen a copy "in the flesh" as it were, so you could be thinking of that.

Ah! Well I have a spare copy in the flesh if you'd like it, Claire!

Karen - I was talking about my copy being in France!

I remember someone recommended it as a good World War book, then realised that it is WWII not WWI! But it sounds very worth reading.

>207 kaggsy: I would love it! I'll send you a PM :)

>209 Sakerfalcon: Excellent! I wanted it to go to a good home! Yes, PM me and I'll send it off on Tuesday!

"...The sixth and final bookshop..."

It all sounds and looks heavenly. Thanks for sharing!

I saw some photos from a few of you I know on Facebook, but it is delightful to see these as well. I can even stifle pangs of jealousy because it is so fun to see you all in photos.

It was a very special day Maren x

And I received 50 beautiful Persephone bookmarks with massive thanks to Laura and Julie and Heather for gathering them together! xxx

You are so welcome dear friend x