2007 Graduate Apprentice Blog

Friday evening saw the first LMM social event to take place while I have been with the company.  I had heard various stories of random evenings or Go-Karting, which all sounded like fun, but I had yet to be part of the infamous evenings!

The plan was to head for a quick drink at Bluu… a trendy new bar just off Summer Row, and then head to Pizza Express at Brindleyplace for some food.  After that, the evening was less planned… but in-fact, we might as well have made no plans at all! Bluu was really nice, nothing too fancy, but kind of understated and impressive at the same time (I do realise that makes no sense, but take a visit and see what I mean) and full of young professionals all doing what they do best on a Friday night.  Those who know me well know that I only drink on very special occasions, but that didn’t stop me admiring the impressive range of spirits behind the bar.  The bartender knew he stuff, made a cosmopolitan in a new but interesting way, and the atmosphere made it easy to sit back and contemplate a long week.

This was the point where it started to go a little wrong… the half past six reservation at Pizza Express soon became seven, then seven thirty, and then it was cancelled.  The menu at Bluu (not to mention the two bottles of wine needing drinking) meant that we moved to the restaurant for food.  Again, the staff were excellent, and added to a fantastic evening.  The food was great, again in keeping with the understated simplicity of the venue.  The steaks looked like a steak should, with plenty of garnish and giant real potato chips on the side.  Each was cooked exactly as ordered, and all the food arrived at the same time, which at a table of 13, can be a challenge.

More wine, sambucca, cocktails and in places water followed the food, all complemented by waiting staff always willing to take a few minutes to see how we were and to have a chat.  As the evening drew to a close (for some not all) I made my excuses and headed off home. 

Turning up on Monday morning there were still a few sore heads from a weekend spent recovering, and some great stories relating to various journeys home.  In all, my first social with LMM was a great one, and I hope its not my last.  Being the Apprentice does mean that I have to move on every sixteen weeks, and while that provides the exact challenge that I need to bring out my best, it also means that I leave some great colleagues behind at each employer. 

In all the evening was made by a great venue, great staff, great food and fantastic colleagues… cant get much better than that.