Went to Mal Maison in Newcastle last night for food and drinks with one of the project teams, paid for by our client. That makes my job sound glamorous, doesn't it? Not when you take into account it's only the second time it's happened in 2 years and the first time resulted in our boss argueing with the client and then driving back to the hotel while very drunk. Basically, I avoid these like the plague but I got ambushed at work and couldn't think of an excuse quickly enough.

Anyway back to Mal Maison. We were supposed to be eating at 8pm but we didn't get seated until 8.30 but no big deal. By 9.30 we'd only just finished our starter as it had taken ages to arrive. By 11pm we were just finishing dessert. Well, what I actually mean is everyone else was finishing their dessert I was still waiting as the kitchen hadn't made enough. Well by that point I wasn't hungry and I'd been at work since 8.15am so I left before it came. I have to say I was thoroughly unimpressed especially for the prices. Glad I wasn't paying.

Also a colleague who shall be known as Mr. Strange made a complete prat of himself in front of senior management. This involved throwing food at the girl next to me and pretending to be a pirate by putting himknife between his teeth. Lets see what happens at the Christmas party...