Valentines Day Lunch

Sunday 14 February - Valentines Day Lunch

Aquarius has held this event for the last few years sometimes in-house, sometimes in local restaurants. This time the ladies, by popular consensus, had indicated that they would prefer the Valentines Day lunch to be held in the clubhouse.

After some discussion a local catering company called 'A bit of a Do' was contacted in Hampton. The company is run by Alison and together with Tony Hopkins they put together a suitable menu.

Email and Snail-mail information was then sent out to the membership while advertising matter was placed on the Aquarius website and in the clubhouse.

The lunch was restricted to 40 persons and Tony took on the job of handling the bookings and orders. In the event only twenty-three bookings were received by the prior weekend which was a little disappointing.The lay up for the lunch was done on Wednesday 10 February and included cleaning up the main club room and scrubbing the galley from top to bottom and ensuring the bar was well stocked.

By the evening the clubhouse was looking 'pretty average' (that's very good in Over Easy speak) and ready for the main event on Sunday.

Tony was on hand at 11:30am on Sunday morning to let Alison in and ensure she had everything she needed.

By 12:45 ish people started arriving and were greeted with an aperitif and a long stem red rose for each of the Ladies.

The bar ran flat out for a while with the gentlemen ordering wine to accompany lunch. While everybody enjoyed a pre-lunch drink Alison served a Thai canapé Hors d’oeuvre which included Spring Rolls, Thai dipping prawns and Chicken Saté. Shortly after everyone was invited to be seated and the main course of Beouf Bourguignon (Allison's spelling), Green Thai Chicken Curry, Red Vegetable Curry, Rice, Vegetable Medley or Green Salad was served.

Normally, over food, things go a little quiet. Not so at this lunch and if anything the conversation and laughter got louder as the meal went on. Everyone seemed to be having a great time.

Deserts of Chocolate Fudge Cake & Almond Cheese Cake were then served, after which some folks were looking decidedly 'stuffed'.

Once the dishes were cleared away the Aquarius 'gentlemen' (and I use that title advisedly) served coffee and mints to round off the meal.

I do know that a meal that our better halves don't have to cook or wash-up afterwards is always welcome, and perhaps, even more so on Valentine's Day. So girls … we hoped you enjoyed your lunch, the company and surroundings. Same time next year?

Mike (Over Easy) Baker

Valentine lunch, picture by Roger Wheeler