March events list from Social Buddies

EVENTS COMING UP IN THE NEXT MONTH OR SO For more details about Social Buddies, have a look at our website http://www.socialbuddies.co.uk/ Monday 2nd March 7.15pm Pub meal and Quiz £7-£10 / £1 Come and join us in a meal at this Golden Triangle pub, as our semi-triumphant team spends our Quiz winnings (a meal voucher). Food is nice here, mains from £7-£10 approx. Then we'll see if we can win something else when the quiz starts at 8.30pm. £1pp, teams of 7 max. Strict quizmaster but well run. Tuesday 3rd March 7.30pm for 8pm Live acoustic/electric music £3 Acoustic meets electric in an evening here, featuring local performers such as Mat Riviere, Cakes and Ale (a Social Buddies favourite) and more. Meet in the bar from 7.30pm – we’ll try for a seat upstairs, music starts around 8pm. Tickets £3 or £2.50 in advance. Saturday 7th March 7.30pm (TBA) Film: Gran Torino around £6 “Clint Eastwood’s performance as Walt (a crusty, trigger-happy Korean-war vet stranded in a Detroit neighbourhood filling up with immigrants) is said to be his best work as an actor in years, a return to all of the things that made him great as a younger man. He’s brilliant and imposing, shocking and so over the top he’s often funny. It’s Eastwood that makes Gran Torino so compelling, and he has hinted this may be his last big acting role. “Reviews say that Gran Torino is a movie you must see. The PC police will almost certainly lambast it but Gran Torino is smarter than it seems and it’s broader, funnier, and more straightforward than you’d expect. This is the Clint Eastwood we all remember in a perfect final performance. He’s riding off into the sunset scowling, snarling, and spitting blood.” Times and location to be confirmed nearer the time, plus pre-film drink nearby. Sunday 8th March 12.00 Art Exhibition: China! China! China! £TBA China China China!!! brings together the work of 18 contemporary artists from China, selected by three innovative curators from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The work on show is radical, critical and often playful. Wang Yuyang‘s gigantic Artificial Moon dominates the Upper Gallery, illuminating it with a thousand low-energy bulbs; Wu Ershan’s futuristic Nomadic Plan for Outer Space also look back at the life of Ghengis Khan; Duan Jian Yu’s Art Chickens sit in front of watercolours of Chinese landscapes; China Tracey explores the lonely on-line world of Second Life in her film I-Mirror and Chu Yun’s photographic work Career documents government officials in their private time. Each artist featured in China, China, China makes work that is rooted in their local context and yet participates in an international art arena. The result is a collection of fascinating and uncompromising works that give new depth to our understanding of what it means to live in a society which finds itself in the process of immense change. Sunday 8th March 1.30pm for 2pm Chinese Film Free As part of the China! China! China! season, they are showing films from China. Meet in the cafe at 1.30pm, film start in the Education Centre at 2pm. Free. (If coming to the art beforehand, we can get lunch at the cafe). This spring enjoy films from the last 25 years of Chinese cinema. During this period film has exploded as an art form in China. Discover the remarkable breadth in style and subject matter explored by Chinese filmmakers. Films range from lush period dramas to more edgy documentary-style films produced since the 1990s. Tuesday 10th March 8pm-9pm Open Pub Meet Free Our regular Open Meeting, at which members and non members are welcome. This month we'll be meeting at Eighteen Bedford Street, an upmarket bar, between 8pm and 9pm. Look out for the Social Buddies sign. Wednesday 11th March 7.30pm Book Buddies Free Hosted by group member Wendy. We are reading 'Salmon Fishing in the Yemen’ by Paul Torday. Please bring a copy to the meeting. (It can be borrowed from the Library or Reading Group copies from the library available at January's meeting.) Thursday 12th March 8pm for 8.45pm Live Blues/Rock Free Tucked away in the very centre of town, this characterful pub has an emphasis on music and music memorabilia. Egypt, a popular band, are playing tonight, and it's an interesting place to sit and chat in any case. Arrive from 8pm to get a table, music starts around 8.45/9pm. Free. Egypt is a Norwich/Gibraltar based 3 piece band, with members from well known bands such as The Groundhogs and Budgie. Best to expect something on similar lines tonight! Saturday 14th March 6.45pm for 7.00pm Bowling (& pool?) Night £9 Bowling really comes into its own on a Saturday night, so let's see if we can get a couple of Buddies teams signed up. I have a couple of lanes booked, so plenty of space for us to have some fun. 2 games cost around £9. Meet by reception at 6.45pm, ready to bowl at 7pm. We have our lanes for a couple of hours before the next booking arrives. Afterwards, we can have a drink in the bar or possibly try our hand at pool if a table is free. Sunday 15th March 10.45am for 11am Practical Self Defence Skills Drop In Class £7.50 By popular demand, I have arranged another class on Practical Self Defence Skills especially for our group. Led by Dan Kean-Cockburn, who has been practising Martial Arts for 20 years and teaching them for 12 years. Dan has trained with world class trainers and competed at all levels. He holds a 3rd degree black belt in karate (plus awards in other martial arts as well, including Gracie Jujitsu). Dan is also a member of the British Psychological Society with considerable experience of working with difficult and violent clients.This is a one hour drop-in class suitable for both previous participants and people new to it, which could lead onto further classes if we wish – we are making plans for a 6 week course starting after Easter, so watch this space. Arrive at 10.45 ready to start at 11am. Last time we found it incredible fun! In this class Dan will recap some of the techniques from the first session, teach us Action and Reaction techniques, plus some thoughts on the Psychology of the Aggressor. There will also be a chance to try some of the techniques in a safe, simulated situation. Wear comfortable non-restrictive clothes which you don't mind getting dirty when we practice the moves.Cost is £7.50 and we need a minimum of 6 people to run it. Sunday 15th March 12.30pm Sunday Lunch £6.95 This is a friendly local pub with a delicious looking Sunday menu. Roasts £6.95, bumper roasts £7.95, 2 courses £9.75, specials £6.95-£9.95, loads of veggie choices. I've booked us a table so let's make the most of it. Tuesday 17th March 7.15pm for 8pm Quiz and Curry £6/£1 On our last visit to this friendly local pub, we were just one question away from being joint winners. Can we do better this time? But, being St Patricks Day, maybe the leprechauns will come to our aid tonight. At least the parking should be easier, as no football is planned for tonight! Teams of 6, £1pp, cash prize. Curry (optional) around £6, arrive around 7.15pm to order it in time. Quiz starts around 8ish. Thursday 19th March 6.45pm for 7pm Salsa for Beginners! £6 Bring one (or two) left feet to a beginners’ salsa class at this central Norwich venue. Group member Diane has volunteered to be our host. Meet her in the bar at 6.45pm, beginners/improvers class starts upstairs soon after (class times roughly 7pm-8pm). Diane is only proposing to do the first class, but those with better behaved feet and more experience may possibly decide to stay on for the Intermediate class 8pm-9pm. Costs -1 class £6, 2 classes £10. Wear comfortable layers of clothing as it can get very warm in there and comfortable shoes preferably with flexibility and a little slide to them. Saturday 21st March 2.30pm – 3.30pm Open Cafe Meet Free Our monthly Open Cafe meet, at which members and non-members are welcome. Meet in the Theatre Royal cafe between 2.30 and 3.30pm and look for the Social Buddies sign. Saturday 21st March 7.30pm (TBA) Film: The Young Victoria Around £6 French-Canadian director Jean-Marc Vallée helms this lavish film adaptation of a script by Oscar-winning Brit writer Julian Fellowes about the early life of Queen Victoria, here played by up-and-coming actress, Emily Blunt. Following her early life as a cloistered teen surrounded by a retinue of servants and advisors all looking to influence and subvert her, the film then traces her development into the longest reigning British monarch.Excellent reviews on this film. I'll publish showing times a few days ahead, when they're released. But we'll meet in this upmarket bar around the corner for a pre-film drink. Monday 23rd March 7.30pm for 8pm Monday Night Alternative £5 The Monday Night Alternative is a national spoken word and performance poetry club that aims to bring the very best poets and performers on the UK scene.Hosted this month by founder Tim Clare, and featuring Salena Godden plus support. Salena's fiction and poems have been widely published and she regularly appears on Radio 3 and Radio 4. “Evoking Cassandra Wilson and Ian Dury...this is sharp literate Brit pop for disillusioned romantics and incorrigable sensualists.” The Word Magazine. Meet in the bar from 7.30pm, performance starts at 8pm. Tickets £5. Thursday 26th March 7.30pm for 8.15pm Acoustic and Eclectic (Live Music) £1 A small cafe is the friendly venue for this new musical club night, which aims at featuring some of Norfolk's most talented, original and innovative live musicians. As the space is small, I suggest arriving at 7.30pm to get a seat. Music starts at 8.15pm, entry £1. Saturday 28th March 10am-1.30pm Textiles Workshop: Fabric Postcards £17.50 Group member Tina is hoping to get at least 4 people together to arrange a half day textiles class at this venue south of Norwich. The tutor makes some beautiful textiles works and is offering a workshop in making fabric postcards. Cost £17.50, all materials provided, the time could be changed to pm if needed. We need a minimum of 4 people. Saturday 28th March 8pm Saturday Drink and Chat Free A Saturday gathering at this friendly Golden Triangle pub - pleasant company and conversation. Sunday 29th March 1pm Green Gym: Willow Coppicing Free We’ll be taking part today in a 'Green Gym' programme, alternating between a woodland and a wetland project, where volunteers can get fit and help conserve the local environment at the same time. This week's task is to coppice some willow. Runs from 1pm to 4pm. Free. Sunday 29th March 8pm Flamenco Party Free Sip something refreshing as we watch flamenco dancers of varying expertise (learners through to teachers) strut their stuff to some rather good live flamenco music. A lively atmosphere, and fine to chat or just watch. Meet upstairs at this central Norwich venue from 8pm, proceedings carry on till 10.30pm. Monday 30th March 7.15pm for 8pm Musical Tapas Free ‘Chilled acoustic music in the cellar bar’, is how the barmaid described it. Likely to be pretty busy tonight as two well-known local bands are playing - Cakes and Ale (a very individual folk/world music band), plus Horses Brawl (who play what I would call contemporary folk). Free, best to get there from 7.15pm to get a seat (only room for 50-60 people), music starts around 8ish. Tuesday 31st March 7.30pm for 8pm Quiz Night £1 A pub quiz that is new to us in Norwich. Max 5 to a team, £1pp. Arrive from 7.30pm, quiz starts around 8pm.