Celebrity spotting

The other night saw me with good friend R in a pub in Camden, not far from Chalk Farm tube station. I was early, so decided to wander up from Camden tube, a grim depressing sojourn that I have no intention of repeating any time soon. God – what happened to Camden?

Ok, the area near Camden tube itself – the self-proclaimed ‘Camden Market’, Inverness Street and all the way to the drug sellers on the bridge, well that has always been grotty. I knew that back in the day, so no surprises there. But what with the recent coincidental fire (funny how the powers that be wanted to refurb the market and were met with local resistance, and now a fire which eventually forces a refurb – yes, very strange), and the horrible, awful slaying of the Stables market – it just hasn’t got any soul left for me. Row upon row of stalls selling tat – I am sure some gems are left, but where? I haven’t the heart to look.

So I left that behind, vowing not to return, and made my way to the pub. It was early, so me and R got a table just behind three guys, one of whom was name dropping about his night at the Brits faster than you can say Alan Carr with his pal Chris Moyles.

Yes, it was them, with Alan Carr fresh from whatever ding dong thing he presents on Channel 4, banging on in the loudest voice possible about hanging out with Mischa Barton, and the red carpet, and Brit this, Brit that… At this point R leaned over and said who they were, as until then I thought perhaps it was some bod in advertisings first corporate night out at the Brits, or something. I did exactly the same thing when I first went to the Brits – you all go out the day after and gossip like hell about who you saw doing what, and it’s almost like a badge of honour if you can manage a drink of anything alcoholic after the free-for-all shenanigans that happen at the Brits after party. It was quite reassuring to think celebrities do this sort of thing as well. I wonder if it was Alan Carr's first time there, as Chris Moyles seemed a lot more relaxed about the whole thing. Or perhaps he just is not so loud.

But the best thing? The pub served Pear Cider. Mmm.