London After 7pm

It struck me the other week. I was at a friends house warming party, mid/late twenty somethings. All everyone wanted to do was get drunk as quickly as possible.

"Get the drinks"

"Where're the drinks?"

"I bought some..."

"Can I get some for you?"

My friend, quite our of character, said of me and my other friend "they don't drink". Really R?! I don't know what she was playing at, but I have never refused a drink!

Was she nervous or something? Why was she putting me together with our other friend B, because she doesn't, can't because she gets sick (yeah right), won't. I'm nothing like B personality wise. Why would she say that? Well, it made me look anti-social, and there's the point. I know this is stating the obvious, but it really is almost rude if you don't drink. I had no intention of getting pissed, and I could see, especially with the guys there, it was a crutch for them socially. They couldn't imagine having a good time without drink. Some people arrived already half way there with bottle in hand.

So I left after three drinks with B the teetotal. It was near midnight.

I've been looking for a late night cafe in London (24 hour really), but they don't seem to exist. I came across a thread on Allinlondon.co.uk asking this very question...

I went to Tallinn in Estonia for New Year with some friends a couple of years ago and one of the things that really struck me over there is how people are quite happy to go out and while away an evening in a cafe or coffeeshop - even until way after midnight... just drinking coffee or tea! They had plenty of late-night cafes over there and they were always packed and really lively.

It seems to be that if you're out past 7pm in the UK you've got to have a beer or a glass of wine in your hand and be well on your way to getting trollied. It's obviously just a different outlook engendered over there.

Anyway, I was wondering if there are any spots where you can do this in London or is there not as much call for it?

 And I thought I was the only one! Maybe I should make a trip to Estonia to see if this really is true. That would be my dream night-out.

It made me quite sad that some of the people I knew there, whenever I do see them (just a few times a years), all they ever are to me are people who just want to get drunk. We may have a start to an interesting conversation, but we never get to know each other better because they seem to be so insecure about themselves, all they want to do is hide behind the drink. I've 'known' some of these people for years, and I don't know a thing about them. I find it sad and frustrating, sometimes I think I should've stayed to see them deteriorate, maybe the mask will come off? Who the fuck knows...?? Maybe I should find some new friends.