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lupestripeLONDON FURMEET - 13TH OCTOBER 2007
First of all my apologies in the tardiness of this post - I've switched jobs this week and things have been more hectic than I had anticipated. So here it is - like the latest Alan Titchmarsh novel - an account of something that no one particularly wants but which is foisted on the populace anyway...
Saturday saw me head darn sarf for my second London Furmeet. Before travelling I had been debating whether or not to take the fursuit as it is rather cumbersome to transport - particularly when you have to get on two trains and the Underground. By the by after much umming and ahhing I decided to stop having sex and just pack the thing anyway. I'm glad I did.
Wolfie and I were forced to pay £61.25 to sit in vestibule class on the train on the way down (and indeed floor class on the way up - at least as far as Doncaster). There were no spaces to put the suit so we decided we would be better off blocking the doorway by sitting on the box which contained it. This went quite well until Peterborough when some inconsiderate sod wanted to be let on the train. Grr grr geschnargle. And I don't know who designed the London Underground but that's one system that's definitely not been thought out with fursuit transportation in mind. The bastards.
Sitting in vestibule class on the Tube is fun - about as fun as being knocked by the legs of arrogant communters as they walk past you. Either way with bruises painted all over us we finally arrived at the Theodore Bullfrog with its traditional surly welcome from the staff. The furs meanwhile were far friendlier and I had a great afternoon mingling and meeting as many of them as I could. And getting progressively more drunk. But that's by the by too.
Sadly I arrived at the pub shortly after 1.30pm and after a four hour journey I really couldn't be bothered with the Fursuit Walk. It was my own fault I missed it as I insisted that we stopped off for a fresh smooth creamy bagel from the local bagel place beforehand and although the bagel hole was purt and something to die for it did mean that we were late for some fursuiting fun. Still there is always next time and I promise I will show you all my suit when I'm down there again. I'll skip the bagel. I promise.
Confidence also played a small part as I felt I did not know that many London Furs particularly well so I didn't think suiting would be that appropriate. That was easily rectified on Saturday however as I met loads of cool furs with whom I think I connected. For those I have just added to my LJ Friends list may I say a big hello and welcome to the den - you helped make Saturday a particularly good day!
Added to the above was that I was so busy meeting people that I completely forgot that I had the suit with me - which is why I only managed to show a few furs it in its box at the Meet rather than actually wear it *shy*. It was also good to meet up with some of the furs I had met back in July - particularly Spargue who I have gotten to know quite well through LJ. It was a pleasure catching up.
With talk of food becoming high on the agenda Wolfie, Matt_Squ, Hawks and I decided to descend into Soho and pick up some Japanese cuisine. We dragged the fursuit box along with us in a scene resembling Tony Hawks' (assumedly no relation to Hawks but you just don't know) escapades Around Ireland With A Fridge and we managed to use it as a novelty door prop in replacement of a fire extinguisher. I'm sure it breached several Health and Safety Regulations as throwing a fursuit on an inferno is probably not going to do much to alleviate it but thankfully there was to be no fire. The duck was crispy enough.
I always thought that Japanese food was predominantly fish but the vegetarian stuff that came in its own little box (not dissimilar to those you see in the pencil draw in modern offices) was delicious and vary varied too. A wide array of tastes - both noodles and vegetables - was only offset by the small portions and the slightly large price. It was still good nonetheless though and the traditional Chinese tea (that tasted a little like beef stock if I was being honest) was to die for.
Afterwards Wolfie and I had a prior arrangement which was, don't laugh, a "Fur Party" organised by my ex-girlfriend. This was to take place in a swanky members-only bar - the sort of place that it's probably best to avoid taking certain people in case you get your membership revoked. Furthermore as my ex had no idea what a "Fur Party" was likely to entail I was starting to get worried about whatever kind of orgy she had going on in her own mind. After all she had labelled this an "Erotic Party" on Facebook. Either way as we descended into the bowels of this unadvertised members-only club in the heart of Soho I couldn't help but wish that I wanted to be with all the other furs we had just bumped into randomly again on Poland Street. But alas we could not.
To be honest admitting to my ex-Uni friends that I am a fur wasn't as hard as you may think - largely because I didn't use the word "fur". They've known I've had an affinity for animals and fursuits for a while so the fact that I have my own suit hardly surprised them. This is why my ex held the party - for me to debut my suit in front of them. Sad thing was that she booked a venue where dog suits weren't in the dress code. Shame that. I think they're missing out on a niche market there.
Still after a little gentle persuasion the waiter said I could don the suit as long as I kept it away from everyone else and in our own little corner of the club only. Wrong move. Whenever I'm suiting my fursona takes over and when random strangers spy me changing in the bathroom and want a piece of the furry action my fursona cannot but oblige. So our own little corner became the whole basement floor of the club. I was invited over to other people's tables for huggings - it was as if seeing a six foot pink husky in a basement bar was something like a rare occurance. Still everyone seemed to enjoy the hugs and although I found out that a candlelit ambience does very little for vision in a fursuit, I generally had a blast. Still the £87 bill wracked up on drinks and light nibbles was somewhat extortionate but there you go.
Sunday came with a hideous hangover but we were determined to make the most of a sunny southern day. We went to Hamleys to buy some gifts for some furiends before descending on Selfidge's - where the Syren call of the picture books hypnotised me in. I wrote about it all earlier in the week.
After this we went back to my ex's flat and she persuaded me to don the suit one more time. I said fine on the provision that we could walk by the banks of the Thames, which we proceed to do.
As is so often the case with fursuiting a myriad of strange things happened. Firstly I probably shouldn't have walked past one of the major Intelligent Services buildings in a fursuit but I didn't think how dodgily this could be perceived until after the event. I did however manage to shake paws with the security guards which is no mean feat. They weren't having any hugs though - perhaps they thought I was going to pickpocket them or something :(
I love the reactions of the unsuspecting public to fursuits particularly when you do all you can to get that reaction. So jogging past a lovey-dovey couple and hearing the words "oh shit" when they realise that they have just been overtaken by a giant pink husky was a particular highlight. However this backfired as I suddenly found myself the star attraction of an amphibious vehicle boat tour with fifty random stangers staring at me. I froze, my fuzzy head masking the horror on my face. Then I started to dance. Well what else could I do? With confidence I got closer and closer until I heard the tour lady talk about the wolf on the side of the boat. I waved at them, pretended to smoke a cigarette and skipped off with aplomb. It was scary but great fun.
Wolfie and I were forced to pay £61.25 to sit in vestibule class on the train on the way down (and indeed floor class on the way up - at least as far as Doncaster). There were no spaces to put the suit so we decided we would be better off blocking the doorway by sitting on the box which contained it. This went quite well until Peterborough when some inconsiderate sod wanted to be let on the train. Grr grr geschnargle. And I don't know who designed the London Underground but that's one system that's definitely not been thought out with fursuit transportation in mind. The bastards.
Sitting in vestibule class on the Tube is fun - about as fun as being knocked by the legs of arrogant communters as they walk past you. Either way with bruises painted all over us we finally arrived at the Theodore Bullfrog with its traditional surly welcome from the staff. The furs meanwhile were far friendlier and I had a great afternoon mingling and meeting as many of them as I could. And getting progressively more drunk. But that's by the by too.
Sadly I arrived at the pub shortly after 1.30pm and after a four hour journey I really couldn't be bothered with the Fursuit Walk. It was my own fault I missed it as I insisted that we stopped off for a fresh smooth creamy bagel from the local bagel place beforehand and although the bagel hole was purt and something to die for it did mean that we were late for some fursuiting fun. Still there is always next time and I promise I will show you all my suit when I'm down there again. I'll skip the bagel. I promise.
Confidence also played a small part as I felt I did not know that many London Furs particularly well so I didn't think suiting would be that appropriate. That was easily rectified on Saturday however as I met loads of cool furs with whom I think I connected. For those I have just added to my LJ Friends list may I say a big hello and welcome to the den - you helped make Saturday a particularly good day!
Added to the above was that I was so busy meeting people that I completely forgot that I had the suit with me - which is why I only managed to show a few furs it in its box at the Meet rather than actually wear it *shy*. It was also good to meet up with some of the furs I had met back in July - particularly Spargue who I have gotten to know quite well through LJ. It was a pleasure catching up.
With talk of food becoming high on the agenda Wolfie, Matt_Squ, Hawks and I decided to descend into Soho and pick up some Japanese cuisine. We dragged the fursuit box along with us in a scene resembling Tony Hawks' (assumedly no relation to Hawks but you just don't know) escapades Around Ireland With A Fridge and we managed to use it as a novelty door prop in replacement of a fire extinguisher. I'm sure it breached several Health and Safety Regulations as throwing a fursuit on an inferno is probably not going to do much to alleviate it but thankfully there was to be no fire. The duck was crispy enough.
I always thought that Japanese food was predominantly fish but the vegetarian stuff that came in its own little box (not dissimilar to those you see in the pencil draw in modern offices) was delicious and vary varied too. A wide array of tastes - both noodles and vegetables - was only offset by the small portions and the slightly large price. It was still good nonetheless though and the traditional Chinese tea (that tasted a little like beef stock if I was being honest) was to die for.
Afterwards Wolfie and I had a prior arrangement which was, don't laugh, a "Fur Party" organised by my ex-girlfriend. This was to take place in a swanky members-only bar - the sort of place that it's probably best to avoid taking certain people in case you get your membership revoked. Furthermore as my ex had no idea what a "Fur Party" was likely to entail I was starting to get worried about whatever kind of orgy she had going on in her own mind. After all she had labelled this an "Erotic Party" on Facebook. Either way as we descended into the bowels of this unadvertised members-only club in the heart of Soho I couldn't help but wish that I wanted to be with all the other furs we had just bumped into randomly again on Poland Street. But alas we could not.
To be honest admitting to my ex-Uni friends that I am a fur wasn't as hard as you may think - largely because I didn't use the word "fur". They've known I've had an affinity for animals and fursuits for a while so the fact that I have my own suit hardly surprised them. This is why my ex held the party - for me to debut my suit in front of them. Sad thing was that she booked a venue where dog suits weren't in the dress code. Shame that. I think they're missing out on a niche market there.
Still after a little gentle persuasion the waiter said I could don the suit as long as I kept it away from everyone else and in our own little corner of the club only. Wrong move. Whenever I'm suiting my fursona takes over and when random strangers spy me changing in the bathroom and want a piece of the furry action my fursona cannot but oblige. So our own little corner became the whole basement floor of the club. I was invited over to other people's tables for huggings - it was as if seeing a six foot pink husky in a basement bar was something like a rare occurance. Still everyone seemed to enjoy the hugs and although I found out that a candlelit ambience does very little for vision in a fursuit, I generally had a blast. Still the £87 bill wracked up on drinks and light nibbles was somewhat extortionate but there you go.
Sunday came with a hideous hangover but we were determined to make the most of a sunny southern day. We went to Hamleys to buy some gifts for some furiends before descending on Selfidge's - where the Syren call of the picture books hypnotised me in. I wrote about it all earlier in the week.
After this we went back to my ex's flat and she persuaded me to don the suit one more time. I said fine on the provision that we could walk by the banks of the Thames, which we proceed to do.
As is so often the case with fursuiting a myriad of strange things happened. Firstly I probably shouldn't have walked past one of the major Intelligent Services buildings in a fursuit but I didn't think how dodgily this could be perceived until after the event. I did however manage to shake paws with the security guards which is no mean feat. They weren't having any hugs though - perhaps they thought I was going to pickpocket them or something :(
I love the reactions of the unsuspecting public to fursuits particularly when you do all you can to get that reaction. So jogging past a lovey-dovey couple and hearing the words "oh shit" when they realise that they have just been overtaken by a giant pink husky was a particular highlight. However this backfired as I suddenly found myself the star attraction of an amphibious vehicle boat tour with fifty random stangers staring at me. I froze, my fuzzy head masking the horror on my face. Then I started to dance. Well what else could I do? With confidence I got closer and closer until I heard the tour lady talk about the wolf on the side of the boat. I waved at them, pretended to smoke a cigarette and skipped off with aplomb. It was scary but great fun.
And that was that. I very much hope to make another London Meet soon and this time I will suit up. It was a very good weekend indeed.
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no subject
Date: 2007-10-20 01:44 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-20 06:45 pm (UTC)It does fit into a sports car and I've been able to fit it into most standard cars too. It's not as big as you think - it's only 70cm across and although it did have to go into the bulky luggage section when I took it by plane to EF it isn't too hard to transport. It would be amazing to turn up to a meet just in suit but a lot of people would stare and I'd feel very self-conscious. I did that to the York Meet and although it was fun - it took me a hell of a long time to get anywhere. It was still great fun though.
I will be at the Leeds Meet and I may bring the suit. On that one I am undecided - see how I feel later in the week. It'd be great to see you down there!
no subject
Date: 2007-10-20 07:33 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-21 09:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-21 11:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-22 08:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-22 08:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-22 08:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-22 08:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-22 08:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-22 08:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-22 08:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-10-23 08:53 pm (UTC)Psychologically I can understand why people don't want to grow up but there is a difference between that and acting appropriately, partiuclarly in public. I don't necessarily think you're being arrogant as I can see where you're coming from.