Fine dining

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Last night I got a great night’s sleep. The sangria helped.

Dave and I grabbed a small breakfast with a ham and cheese croissant while scheming on our possible Everest Base Camp trek sometime this spring.

He took off to do some more work at the business school while I went for a five mile training run around Oxford. The run went well although I’m still well below where I should be for pace.

Dave had left his keys for me to get back in his flat and clean up. He had warned me that the one key is stubborn. He wasn’t kidding. I tried to open the door for 10-15 minutes and couldn’t do it. His next door neighbor came out to go somewhere and noticed my struggle. She walked me through her house and around back to see if I could get in the back door but it was locked. I was shocked how trusting this older woman was. A few more tries once I got back outside finally did the trick.

After cleaning up, I started to read American Creation, a nonfictional account of the United States’ founders and creation from just before the Revolutionary War through the Louisiana Purchase. I had read a book by the same author, Joseph Ellis, on George Washington over a year ago and really enjoyed it. It was actually a birthday gift from Dave. This one is also from Dave as I swapped him Catch-22 for it. He will love Catch-22.

Later in the morning I strolled around the town as I slowly made my way up to meet Dave and Ellie for lunch at 2:00. The 2:00 lunch idea sounded great until I got my metabolism revved on my run and I came upon the Pieminster at the covered market later in the morning. The Pieminster serves traditional British meat pies. I love traditional British meat pies. They are irresistible. A few minutes later I was busy stuffing my face full of lamb, mint, crust, mashed potatoes, peas and gravy. It was magical.

After the Pieminster, I walked around the market and the town some more, including High Street, where tons of people congregate by numerous retail shops.

I made my way back up to The Mission and Al Andalus, both places we ate yesterday, to take pictures since I didn’t have my camera the night before. Then it was time to head to Said.

I’ve now been to Oxford three times and I’ve been all over the city. So far I’ve had no issues working my way around. Until today. I knew which direction the business school was and I knew how to get there. But I thought I’d try and take a shortcut. Big mistake. I kept running into dead end after dead end - buildings, fences, walls… I finally made my way back to the main road and showed up late to meet Dave and Ellie.

There we grabbed a small lunch and headed up to the business school’s library for a few hours. Before we left, I went to the train station across the street and bought my ticket for tomorrow. It was £5. It’s crazy how I can get from Oxford to London for £5 but it will cost £5.60 for a day pass on the London tube.

After walking back to Dave’s flat, he and I got ready for our big formal dinner at Pembroke College. I had to borrow some khakis, a shirt, socks and shoes (my own underwear) off him since I’m packed like a backpacker. We caught a cab to Pembroke and got our robes from the MCR. Yes, I got to wear scholarly garb. Sweet.

The formal Hall is much like a scene out of Harry Potter (actually the real scene is from a different college at Oxford). We arrived early and were able to see the settings before anyone else took their seats. The tables were lined across the room rather than down it, so the tables were not as long as they would be for a very formal affair. At the front of the room, below a series of old portraits, was the high table where professors and fellows sit, along with any students they invite. One of Dave’s friends was invited.

Once some others arrived, we proceeded to the MCR table - for masters students - and were the first to sit. We ended up being the only ones at that table. Undergrads poured in and filled the bulk of the room, as is customary. Finally, the high table folks arrived in a line of pomp and circumstance. Dave’s friend gave us the wink-and-gun as he saw us with the hoi polloi. But we did get to steal the bread and butter from the other placements. I call that an even trade.

Once those at the high table were at their seats, we stood as a student said Grace. In Latin. From there we were seated and started our meal.

The first course was a shrimp salad. It was at this point that Dave had to show me the proper way to eat at formal hall. The fork is held in the left hand, tines down and index finger along middle of the handle with the base in the palm, and the knife in the right. The knife was then used to push food onto the fork. Even foods that would ordinarily be stabbed were pushed onto the tines. Then it was consumed by using the left hand in sort of a reverse scooping motion. Not surprisingly, I ended up with a small spot on Dave’s shirt. But he had one, too.

For our main course we had standard British fare - a meat (beef in a sauce), potatoes (mashed) and basic vegetables (peas, carrots, corn and lima beans). Dessert followed with a gut busting custard and strawberry dessert that I should not have finished.

After our meal, we headed to the nearby Pembroke Bar called Len’s, which is within the college. There we had our first beers of the night - a Bass for him and a Guinness for me.

Once we finished that round, we got changed at the college and went out to the Turf Tavern, a pub with a lot of history.

The Turf Tavern is most notably known as the place where Bill Clinton allegedly “didn’t inhale”. While we were there, Dave showed me around and there’s actually a spot denoting where exactly this took place. Tonight, the area was filled with students playing bar trivia.

We had three pints (well, actually two and a half) of delicious cask ales outside in the beer garden. Of course our discussions turned to politics, the differences between American and British cultures and schools of thought, history, books we’ve read or intend to read, social customs, travel and women.

Our third round was a part of last call, around 11:00. A few minutes after ordering them, everyone was told to clear out since the place was closing. This was strange since we just had last call. And I made the mistake of getting a higher alcohol beer that really wasn’t that great. So we let the last half of those there and walked home.

Tomorrow I’ll be with Dave in the morning and then head down to London in the afternoon to meet up with Brian and Robin.

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Photos

Minty lamb pie
I had to get one last pie at the Pieminster in the covered market, especially when I showed up hungry after my run.

Pembroke formal hall
The tables are set for candlelight dining below the dark wood walls and old portraits.

Dave and I
The two of us waiting to dominate a formal hall dinner.

Me at Len's
Knocking down a Guinness at the college's bar.

Turf Tavern
One of the most popular pubs in Oxford, this is the place where Bill Clinton allegedly "didn't inhale".

Nobby's Nuts
Someone left this wrapper on the table. We both got a kick out of the name.