If music be the food …

Couldn’t think of a sensible snappy title linking food and music, so a slight distortion of Will’s words will have to do! One of our joint Christmas presents from Neil and Mary, cunningly timed to have us here to celebrate Himself’s birthday, was tickets for a lunchtime organ recital in the Usher Hall, followed by a meal in Baba, in George Street. This allowed us to have a wonderfully lazy start to the day, and a lift to the hall in time for recital.

The music on this occasion was French, none of it familiar to me. It’s a long time since I used to attend organ recitals in the Bute Hall at Glasgow University, and since then most of the organ music I hear is played by Himself. Maybe this was why I found myself wishing I could hear his Arabic Alleluia played on this massive instrument…(I’ll add the link when I’m home) I did, however, enjoy the whole unusual experience hugely - the organist was an entertaining speaker and we sat wherever we pleased, dotted round the auditorium in comfortably spaced seats.

The restaurant, where we’d never been, was excellent. We had been given the “Best of Baba” menu, so all we had to choose was our wine. You can see the dishes, served tapas-style but in two batches. That slow-cooked lamb …

We staggered out into the windy dusk and more or less straight onto the first bus we saw. The walk up the hill from the bus stop was a test - I felt I was about a stone heavier than before. We’ve not eaten since.

I’ve loved this fleeting visit. Alan asked for some advice about a poem, which was a joy, and we sat and chatted as they had dinner (and we didn’t!) Catriona texted the news that she’s been made a fourth unconditional offer for her university applications. Life is hurrying on.

Time for bed.