That's How It Happened

I was at an all boys school from aged 5 until 16. In boys schools social rank is determined principally by size. Rather like gorillas, the alpha male is always the largest most aggressive youth. At age 16 a small number of girls joined the year, causing a Kuhnian revolution in our understanding of the pecking order. Immense stress was inevitable as we struggled with the new determinants of social status: polite charming conversation, the rudiments of fashionability and grooming, and to a certain extent ready access to and familiarity with illicit drugs and alcohol. At age 17 having battled for a year in co-education I found myself again by chance in an all boys physics class. Out of sight of our girlish tormentors we all reverted to type. We relished an opportunity to resume a culture of wedgies, bullying, and incessant farting. It was much the most enjoyable class I took all year.
Anyway the vague point of this anecdote, is that I spent a fantastic Saturday night at Giles Thomas's 30th birthday dinner. I sat at a table surrounded by male friends, all somehow having slipped away from their girlfriends/spouses for the evening. It was an unconstrained riot of geeky male conversation. Top topic of the night was the admirably masculine characteristics of honey badgers: reckless, aggressive and with great sexual stamina. Philip Penn of frosties.com declared them to be his favourite animal, before regaling us with tales of how Kellogs have stalked him for his domain name.
We dined at the Manor in Westbourne Grove. I enjoyed excellent gurnard washed down with Cucumber Mojitos. This is almost a modern classic, made exactly as a mojito, but with Polstar Cucumber Vodka instead of rum, and extra sliced cucumber.
I worked as a bartender at the London launch of Polstar in 1998. I recall getting a little flustered when serving Melanie Sykes and accidently spilling vodka over her. Certainly not "cool as a cucumber".