Huge thanks (for the second year running) to my lovely boss Monica for another wonderful day at Wimbledon yesterday.
We had tickets for Court One and two of the quarter finals; plus food and drink(lots of) at the Gatsby Club, one of the rather smart establishments (and the one that Clare Balding was filming her tv highlights show from during the first week). So, sit back and enjoy..
L-R Rob, Kirsty, Monica, Des. Darren soon joined us..
the rather lunch menu. I had the scallops, the beef and the chocolate (oh my word!!) just you wait..
Menu designed by Albert Roux (who later came round to talk to us, making sure we were enjoying the food)
Vodka cocktails at 11 am.. oh well, if we must!
(forgot to photograph that menu!)
We had time between the starter (which I forgot to photograph!) and the main course, to have a look round the Gatsby Club..
the seafood bar (doubled up later on for dessert bar)
you can sit and watch tennis here all day if you want, in rather enjoyable surroundings
so we had a bit of a photo shoot!
Monica... without shades..
or with?
Rob, me, Monica, Darren (just a small G&T!)
you'll notice I'm not drinking
the ladies in the beautiful Ted Baker dresses (cue in joke) were the table attendees..
back up to our mezzanine floor for ... oh, more cocktails..
then it was time for lunch... Darren ended up with two main courses as they forgot to cancel his seafood platter when he swapped to the beef..
this was my main course..the most succulent beef I've ever had (and I know it won't appeal to Sam!!)
Cheers... Kirsty and Des
this was my dessert... absolutely gorgeous - rich, but not sweet, and to absolutely die for!
one of the other options, the lemon posset, which was apparently also gorgeous
So, only a few minutes after 1pm we headed for the entrance to the Wimbledon grounds themselves (the Gatsby Club is situated just over the road, in a large car park full of chauffeurs waiting for their patrons at the end of the day...
bag searches in progress..
Darren posing outside Centre Court..
don't like the look of those clouds...
waiting for the change of ends, to take our seats... as we got in, Roger Federer was 3 games up but....
no sooner had we sat down, than we had the first of the 2 rain delays of the day...
a smart operation though by the ground staff
yikes!
luckily it didn't take too long before the sun came out...
Mrs Fdererer (4th from the right) not looking too interested in the game.. Kirsty and I checked, and the first time she looked up and clapped, was one point from the end of the match!)
Gilles Simon, serving
crowd watching is great fun!
oh-oh.... here comes the rain again!
back in play...
she's a bit more interested here..
Match won!!
hail Roger!
off they go, and so do we, it's time for afternoon tea!!
back to the Gatsby...
where the afternoon Gin Cocktail menu had arrived.. and tea would soon be served...
no, I didn't!!
but it wouldn't be Wimbledon without ..... strawberries and cream!
then tea came... Des checking out the sandwiches
see, I'm drinking tea!!
yummy cakes...
I want that one... and that one..
more G&T....
back outside to let the tea go down...
but we're missing the second quarter final, so Darren and I left the others to it, and headed back..
match already under way... Stan Wawrinka against Richard Gasquet
at least the sun's out...
shadows lengthening on court no 1!
it was a great match, and we were all thrilled to see it go into a final 5th set..
ooh, who'll crack first?? didn't want it to end, with every game that passed, we cheered first Stan, then Richard..
match point...
YAY!!! Gasquet's won...the crowd leap to their feet..
wow! the cheering went on and on..
11-9 in the final set.. 3 hours 28 fun filled action packed minutes.
play over for the day, the crowds pile out
past score boards...
centre court...
and past the queue for taxis, walked up the hill back to Wimbledon Village...
and then, as if we hadn't had enough to eat and drink all day, already, we went for a curry... where I borrowed Monica's hat - she says there are never enough photos of me..
I'm not at all sorry this is such a photo heavy post, hope you've enjoyed seeing them (there were over 200 altogether, so you've got off lightly) as much as I did taking them..
a MILLION thanks, most especially to Monica,but also Kirsty, Darren, Rob and Des for a great day out.
