Meenzer

Also, if you want something a bit different without leaving the city, I stumbled across this place the last time I was in town. An actual beach bar on an actual beach where you can sit and watch the container ships roll up and down the Elbe river while nursing a beer - though it was a cold and misty day when I was there, so a mulled wine seemed wiser. Location is here. There's no underground station nearby, though it is on the 36 bus line direct from Reeperbahn, but it might be as easy to pile into a few cabs. Just ask for the Strandperle, or Övelgönne (the street it's on) if you fancy getting your tongue round some umlauts. Not a must-do, but like I say, something a bit different if you fancy it (and if the weather's not too rotten, obviously).

I've never been, but I've heard good things. That's about all I've got. Where's Parky when you need him? You asked about non-Reeperbahn places to drink pre-clubbing, particularly something a bit artier/trendier. I'm not sure I've ever been arty or trendy, but you've got plenty of quieter (but still cool-ish) drinking options in the neighbourhoods you mentioned right at the start of the thread. For example, Schanzenviertel has Bernsteinbar on Bernstoffstraße which is dark and a bit lounge-y and has DJs most nights, Sünde further up on the same street, Saal II on Schulterblatt which is more of a dive bar but with a decent crowd, and that also puts you also by Haus 73, which is a cultural centre that has all sorts of events going on, including those involving drink. (EDIT: Plus there's the Bedford that Parky mentioned upthread!) Just wander round that area and you'll see what's what. I imagine a stag group will have no trouble talking to locals to get recommendations too. If you want something proper at some point, have a cocktail at the (near-)rooftop bar at the Empire Riverside hotel, but you'll need to be smart casual for that so it rather depends on who's in your gang. Failing that, the (fairly) nearby Havanna is a well-known cocktail bar, and that's down in the Fischmarkt neighbourhood which you also mentioned previously and should definitely check out at some point.

James Perch's cast-iron balls.

Hoisin Duck Pizza@St. James' Park

In the centre.

Feeling a bit light-headed. Read on the internet that I need oxygen to the brain but breathing is such a hassle. Are there special gadgets you can buy for more efficient respiration?

That was always his plan wasn't it? Binge and purge, binge and purge. Just with a lot more binging than purging. ("Binging" looks weird. But so does "purgeing". Silly language.)

CT blatantly voting UKIP at the next election. Similar to Gloomy, in fact I rarely put the regular waste bin out more once a month (at this time of year anyway - leaving it that long doesn't really work in the summer ), whereas the recycling box (not bin, unfortunately) is always overflowing to the extent that I usually end up taking a few bags of stuff to the big recycling bins on the estate opposite. That might just be because we're a pair of alkies mind. But aye, separate recycling bin down by the side of the fridge. It's fairly straightforward.

He asked for anal, she heard Ansel. Tough break.

Speaking of which, I hadn't noticed just how popular that particular pile of shite has become. What the fuck is wrong with people?

You closed it with another [spoiler] instead of [/spoiler]. Duly fixed.

I was just about to say "pint before/after?", since the Maritime's in my neck of the woods, then I realised he said two tickets. (I'm assuming I'm not the beeatch. This time.)

Some might say he never has... all good news anyway.

Clarke might be though.

Flights to/from Copenhagen and accommodation in Malmö for Eurovision.

His overbite?

I probably haven't seen enough of him to judge, but I thought he was hopeless tonight.

Defoe for Welbeck I suppose, he's not a world-beater but he can get on the end of scraps and speculative balls, which is what we were starting to get reduced to.

They're the first European team to be mathematically eliminated from the qualifiers. Even Andorra and San Marino could theoretically still make it. Ouch.

Aye, I'm always paranoid about burning the pan or cooking it too fast or whatever, but the ultra-low-heat simmer approach is what makes that Madhur Jaffrey lentil rice recipe I've mentioned before work so well. Not having to wash up a sieve is a bonus.