Working in London
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[edit - split from the Hong Kong thread]
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
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@Kiwiwomble said in Hong Kong:
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
I bet there isn't! There maybe a law firm in a building that happens to have a McD;s in the same building but I bet it isn't there just for a law firm.
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@Hooroo my wife was a lawyer in london at the time and was told this was a selling point of this big american firm "you never have to leave", this was the late 90's though so even if true at the time its probably a Kombucha bar now
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@Kiwiwomble said in Hong Kong:
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
Clifford Chance. Sleeping pods, 24hr restaurant where you can get a steak cooked. That was the deal in 2006/7 anyway.
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All the major London law firms have sleeping pods (they're just basement hotel-style ensuite rooms), and have had them long before coronavirus.
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@Kiwiwomble said in Hong Kong:
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
In the early noughties Lehman Brothers had a Birleys sandwich on the trading floor. Thats the only chain sandwich / food supplier that I had seen. Every large bank had their own restaurants with various hours & generally their own chain coffee supplier.
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@MajorRage said in Hong Kong:
@Kiwiwomble said in Hong Kong:
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
In the early noughties Lehman Brothers had a Birleys sandwich on the trading floor. Thats the only chain sandwich / food supplier that I had seen. Every large bank had their own restaurants with various hours & generally their own chain coffee supplier.
That’s still the case. We had a McDonalds and a Starbucks on-site. Limited menu selections though, but they were free.
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@MajorRage said in Hong Kong:
@Kiwiwomble said in Hong Kong:
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
In the early noughties Lehman Brothers had a Birleys sandwich on the trading floor. Thats the only chain sandwich / food supplier that I had seen. Every large bank had their own restaurants with various hours & generally their own chain coffee supplier.
That’s still the case. We had a McDonalds and a Starbucks on-site. Limited menu selections though, but they were free.
Were they only for your company employees?
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@MajorRage said in Hong Kong:
@Kiwiwomble said in Hong Kong:
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
In the early noughties Lehman Brothers had a Birleys sandwich on the trading floor. Thats the only chain sandwich / food supplier that I had seen. Every large bank had their own restaurants with various hours & generally their own chain coffee supplier.
That’s still the case. We had a McDonalds and a Starbucks on-site. Limited menu selections though, but they were free.
Were they only for your company employees?
Yep. There was also a restaurant and sandwich bar, but they weren't franchises. TBH the intention was to keep people out of the pub at lunchtime. It didn't work of course. The two things the American head office people could never get their heads around was the amount of drinking the Brits did during the working day and after work, and "the profanity" which I adopted as a badge of honour and encouraged at all times. We had a memorable time when one of my dealers told a visiting exec that he'd made a loss due to error because he'd been a "dumb fluffybunny". The rest of the room pitched in with helpful support on how much of a dumb fluffybunny he'd been.
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@MajorRage said in Hong Kong:
@Kiwiwomble said in Hong Kong:
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
In the early noughties Lehman Brothers had a Birleys sandwich on the trading floor. Thats the only chain sandwich / food supplier that I had seen. Every large bank had their own restaurants with various hours & generally their own chain coffee supplier.
That’s still the case. We had a McDonalds and a Starbucks on-site. Limited menu selections though, but they were free.
The Starbucks would have to be free.
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@antipodean said in Hong Kong:
@MajorRage said in Hong Kong:
@Kiwiwomble said in Hong Kong:
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
In the early noughties Lehman Brothers had a Birleys sandwich on the trading floor. Thats the only chain sandwich / food supplier that I had seen. Every large bank had their own restaurants with various hours & generally their own chain coffee supplier.
That’s still the case. We had a McDonalds and a Starbucks on-site. Limited menu selections though, but they were free.
The Starbucks would have to be free.
I hear you. Unfortunately decent coffee is harder to come by in the UK than it is over in NZ.
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@MajorRage Is Birleys still a thing? Back in the 80's the catering co I ran supplied Birleys with cooked bacon, beef and Turkey. Birley himself was a strange coot.
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I hear you. Unfortunately decent coffee is harder to come by in the UK than it is over in NZ.
goddamn preach that fella. Amongst many things, NZ nails it for coffee and craft beer, two things that make life worth living.
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I hear you. Unfortunately decent coffee is harder to come by in the UK than it is over in NZ.
goddamn preach that fella. Amongst many things, NZ nails it for coffee and craft beer, two things that make life worth living.
Yeah there was only about 3 places I could go in London that reliably had coffee better than any old Wild Bean here in NZ. The guy with the little cart in Columbia Rd market was head and shoulders above the rest. There was a place by Borough Market that used to make a good brew too.
Normally the alternative was we would have half a dozen or more cups of dodgy Starbucks a day. When its free you just get anybody heading down there to pick you one up.
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I hear you. Unfortunately decent coffee is harder to come by in the UK than it is over in NZ.
goddamn preach that fella. Amongst many things, NZ nails it for coffee and craft beer, two things that make life worth living.
Yeah there are still a couple in Canary Wharf at least (or there were at the end of last year).
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I hear you. Unfortunately decent coffee is harder to come by in the UK than it is over in NZ.
goddamn preach that fella. Amongst many things, NZ nails it for coffee and craft beer, two things that make life worth living.
Yeah there was only about 3 places I could go in London that reliably had coffee better than any old Wild Bean here in NZ. The guy with the little cart in Columbia Rd market was head and shoulders above the rest. There was a place by Borough Market that used to make a good brew too.
Normally the alternative was we would have half a dozen or more cups of dodgy Starbucks a day. When its free you just get anybody heading down there to pick you one up.
Columbia rd market? did you live around there? we lived in on the bethanl green/bricklane border for a few years, the Royal Oak on Columbia Rd was our local...good times
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@Duluth ...should i be proud to have derailed a thread so much it had to be split off?
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@JC said in Working in London:
I hear you. Unfortunately decent coffee is harder to come by in the UK than it is over in NZ.
goddamn preach that fella. Amongst many things, NZ nails it for coffee and craft beer, two things that make life worth living.
Yeah there was only about 3 places I could go in London that reliably had coffee better than any old Wild Bean here in NZ. The guy with the little cart in Columbia Rd market was head and shoulders above the rest. There was a place by Borough Market that used to make a good brew too.
Normally the alternative was we would have half a dozen or more cups of dodgy Starbucks a day. When its free you just get anybody heading down there to pick you one up.
It’s a bit better now but you do have to hunt them out.
Monmouths is probably the line you are thinking of by Borough Market. That was my go to if I had a meeting at The Shard.
Any Allpress place is a good bet as they only supply places that have been through their training and regularly check on them.
If you find yourself near the hellhole that is Trafalger Sq there is a place called Borough just off Haymarket that is good. Across the road in the arcade beneath NZ House is a small craft beer bar that is a good change from a pub.
Workshop Coffee on Mortimer St (off Regent up by BBC) is very good.
Apart from a few others I would usually make my own at work way better than what was available elsewhere.
BTW if you think Starbucks is bad you haven’t had Costa. -
@Crucial said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
I hear you. Unfortunately decent coffee is harder to come by in the UK than it is over in NZ.
goddamn preach that fella. Amongst many things, NZ nails it for coffee and craft beer, two things that make life worth living.
Yeah there was only about 3 places I could go in London that reliably had coffee better than any old Wild Bean here in NZ. The guy with the little cart in Columbia Rd market was head and shoulders above the rest. There was a place by Borough Market that used to make a good brew too.
Normally the alternative was we would have half a dozen or more cups of dodgy Starbucks a day. When its free you just get anybody heading down there to pick you one up.
It’s a bit better now but you do have to hunt them out.
Monmouths is probably the line you are thinking of by Borough Market. That was my go to if I had a meeting at The Shard.
Any Allpress place is a good bet as they only supply places that have been through their training and regularly check on them.
If you find yourself near the hellhole that is Trafalger Sq there is a place called Borough just off Haymarket that is good. Across the road in the arcade beneath NZ House is a small craft beer bar that is a good change from a pub.
Workshop Coffee on Mortimer St (off Regent up by BBC) is very good.
Apart from a few others I would usually make my own at work way better than what was available elsewhere.
BTW if you think Starbucks is bad you haven’t had Costa.In terms of coffee chains, I never used to mind Nero's and even when back there last year I had a black coffee from there and it was OK
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@Crucial The Costa at Stansted airport was where I got the second worst cup of coffee I can remember. Tarry and acrid. I recall I didn't actually swallow any of it, I just spit it back into the cup. Then in typical UK fashion I refrained from complaining and bottled up my bitterness to vent online years later.
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@JC said in Working in London:
@Crucial The Costa at Stansted airport was where I got the second worst cup of coffee I can remember. Tarry and acrid. I recall I didn't actually swallow any of it, I just spit it back into the cup. Then in typical UK fashion I refrained from complaining and bottled up my bitterness to vent online years later.
What was the worst?
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@Kiwiwomble No I lived in Wanstead, a bit further out. We used to go down to Columbia Rd about once a month I guess. I also had a place by Canary Wharf which went last year.
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So you weren't a Colombian drug lord, but have a bit of an obsession with coffee...I'm suspicious.
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@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
@Crucial The Costa at Stansted airport was where I got the second worst cup of coffee I can remember. Tarry and acrid. I recall I didn't actually swallow any of it, I just spit it back into the cup. Then in typical UK fashion I refrained from complaining and bottled up my bitterness to vent online years later.
What was the worst?
About 2 years ago, driving back to Hawkes Bay we needed to stop for Mrs JC to use the loo at Tarawera. I thought a coffee might be nice but since I was already several cups deep I thought I'd risk a decaf (which I never usually drink). I paid my $4.50 and wasn't expecting much but I was still surprised when the "barista" pulled out a can of Nescafe decaf and spooned it into the cup then dumped some superheated hot water into it. It was fucking disgusting.
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Well you bought that on yourself - decaf - and you admit that you were wrong. Lesson learnt and never to be repeated I hope.
It's like 0% beer - just why? Remove the stimulant and these beverages are truly worthless.
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@JC said in Working in London:
@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
@Crucial The Costa at Stansted airport was where I got the second worst cup of coffee I can remember. Tarry and acrid. I recall I didn't actually swallow any of it, I just spit it back into the cup. Then in typical UK fashion I refrained from complaining and bottled up my bitterness to vent online years later.
What was the worst?
About 2 years ago, driving back to Hawkes Bay we needed to stop for Mrs JC to use the loo at Tarawera. I thought a coffee might be nice but since I was already several cups deep I thought I'd risk a decaf (which I never usually drink). I paid my $4.50 and wasn't expecting much but I was still surprised when the "barista" pulled out a can of Nescafe decaf and spooned it into the cup then dumped some superheated hot water into it. It was fucking disgusting.
I have a fat lip at the moment and I'm stopping myself from smiling as it hurts.
My lip hurt a lot after reading that. Nothing quite like low expectations being smashed through the floor.
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@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
@Crucial The Costa at Stansted airport was where I got the second worst cup of coffee I can remember. Tarry and acrid. I recall I didn't actually swallow any of it, I just spit it back into the cup. Then in typical UK fashion I refrained from complaining and bottled up my bitterness to vent online years later.
What was the worst?
About 2 years ago, driving back to Hawkes Bay we needed to stop for Mrs JC to use the loo at Tarawera. I thought a coffee might be nice but since I was already several cups deep I thought I'd risk a decaf (which I never usually drink). I paid my $4.50 and wasn't expecting much but I was still surprised when the "barista" pulled out a can of Nescafe decaf and spooned it into the cup then dumped some superheated hot water into it. It was fucking disgusting.
I have a fat lip at the moment and I'm stopping myself from smiling as it hurts.
My lip hurt a lot after reading that. Nothing quite like low expectations being smashed through the floor.
You can't not elaborate on the fat lip mate
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@voodoo said in Working in London:
@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
@Crucial The Costa at Stansted airport was where I got the second worst cup of coffee I can remember. Tarry and acrid. I recall I didn't actually swallow any of it, I just spit it back into the cup. Then in typical UK fashion I refrained from complaining and bottled up my bitterness to vent online years later.
What was the worst?
About 2 years ago, driving back to Hawkes Bay we needed to stop for Mrs JC to use the loo at Tarawera. I thought a coffee might be nice but since I was already several cups deep I thought I'd risk a decaf (which I never usually drink). I paid my $4.50 and wasn't expecting much but I was still surprised when the "barista" pulled out a can of Nescafe decaf and spooned it into the cup then dumped some superheated hot water into it. It was fucking disgusting.
I have a fat lip at the moment and I'm stopping myself from smiling as it hurts.
My lip hurt a lot after reading that. Nothing quite like low expectations being smashed through the floor.
You can't not elaborate on the fat lip mate
Giving my favourite horse a cuddle and scratch and had my forehead rested against her and the neighboring horse came to the fence which vexed her and she reared her head which clouted me in the moosh!
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@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@voodoo said in Working in London:
@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
@Crucial The Costa at Stansted airport was where I got the second worst cup of coffee I can remember. Tarry and acrid. I recall I didn't actually swallow any of it, I just spit it back into the cup. Then in typical UK fashion I refrained from complaining and bottled up my bitterness to vent online years later.
What was the worst?
About 2 years ago, driving back to Hawkes Bay we needed to stop for Mrs JC to use the loo at Tarawera. I thought a coffee might be nice but since I was already several cups deep I thought I'd risk a decaf (which I never usually drink). I paid my $4.50 and wasn't expecting much but I was still surprised when the "barista" pulled out a can of Nescafe decaf and spooned it into the cup then dumped some superheated hot water into it. It was fucking disgusting.
I have a fat lip at the moment and I'm stopping myself from smiling as it hurts.
My lip hurt a lot after reading that. Nothing quite like low expectations being smashed through the floor.
You can't not elaborate on the fat lip mate
Giving my favourite horse a cuddle and scratch and had my forehead rested against her and the neighboring horse came to the fence which vexed her and she reared her head which clouted me in the moosh!
Excellent
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So pashing a horse and she bit you, was the way I read that. You need consent.
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@Snowy said in Working in London:
So pashing a horse and she bit you, was the way I read that. You need consent.
I always thought the wink was consent?
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@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@Snowy said in Working in London:
So pashing a horse and she bit you, was the way I read that. You need consent.
I always thought the wink was consent?
And if she lets you place the stepladder behind her?
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@JC said in Working in London:
@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@JC said in Working in London:
@Crucial The Costa at Stansted airport was where I got the second worst cup of coffee I can remember. Tarry and acrid. I recall I didn't actually swallow any of it, I just spit it back into the cup. Then in typical UK fashion I refrained from complaining and bottled up my bitterness to vent online years later.
What was the worst?
About 2 years ago, driving back to Hawkes Bay we needed to stop for Mrs JC to use the loo at Tarawera. I thought a coffee might be nice but since I was already several cups deep I thought I'd risk a decaf (which I never usually drink). I paid my $4.50 and wasn't expecting much but I was still surprised when the "barista" pulled out a can of Nescafe decaf and spooned it into the cup then dumped some superheated hot water into it. It was fucking disgusting.
Still better than most coffee you can find in Asia, especially Japan.
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Fine Grind in Twells is the best coffee I've had in the UK, by a country mile.
Turns out the guy that runs the place learnt his trade in CHCH.
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@Hooroo said in Working in London:
@Snowy said in Working in London:
So pashing a horse and she bit you, was the way I read that. You need consent.
I always thought the wink was consent?
Doesn’t it depend what she winks?
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@Kiwiwomble said in Working in London:
[edit - split from the Hong Kong thread]
@dogmeat apparently there is a law firm in london with a central core of sleeping pods and its own Mcdonalds (free) so people never have to leave
I know at least one of the Magic Circle firms has an in-house laundromat and gym so you don't even have to go home to do your washing or exercise...
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@dogmeat not as much. There is one near my work and I think the canary wharf one may still be there.
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The lunchtime drinking at my work is excellent. It’s endemic from the bottom to the very top. At least once a month we don’t go back to the office. The Dutch guys always expect it when they come over.
Not really a coffee guy, a nice cup is good but it’s not worth seeking out. I just have the machine crap at work which does me well.
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@MajorRage said in Working in London:
The lunchtime drinking at my work is excellent. It’s endemic from the bottom to the very top.
You work from home.
