Rocking social life

I went out this weekend. Yes, this is ground breaking. A big step forward. Because it is the first time that I’ve actually gone out to a pub/club… well, this year anyway. My grandmother has a more active social life.

We went to Pete ‘n Jerry’s in Strydom Park. It’s a random place in the middle of nowhere – literally. It’s decidedly dodgy from the outside, lack of secure parking, imposing bouncers checking for weapons… but once in the door, you’re bombarded by random fluorescent signs all over the walls. The patrons varied from an 8-year-old girl and her family, to a couple of bikers and back round to table of middle-aged women having a girl’s night out.

The idea of this place is No Rules, Anything Goes. Dance on the tables, on the chairs, pretend to be Tina Turner (like my brother) or Shakira (like my brother’s girlfriend).

I particularly liked the fact that they check everyone for weapons on arrival, but if you order a steak for dinner they supply the table with the meanest utensils I’ve ever seen. These knifes would definitely not be cleared for airline cutlery. If nothing else, in a No Rules bar, at least they make sure everyone has a fair start.
Anything goes, including the music – this too varied from the above-mentioned Tina and Shakira, to flashbacks of the 70s (as well as the Spice Girls) all the way through to the politically-questionable De La Rey song, which had a few of guests from Pretoria standing to attention, fists firmly clenched over their hearts, enthusiastically belting out the lyrics. I took pictures – I would share them, but the camera wasn’t actually mine…

As you walk in there is a big glass cupboard stacked with hats – cowboy hats, Mexican hats, beach hats, mafia style hats (if the mafia wore pink and baby blue), farmer hats, mining hats… all free, up for grabs for the evening. It gave the overall impression of a Village People convention and certainly adds a touch of je nay se qua. If you have issues with head hygiene this is probably not the place for you.

It was an awesome jam and definitely worth going back – and the food was even surprisingly good.

Another first for this weekend was that I played tennis. I haven’t played in a while, but about four times a year (around every Grand Slam tournament) I get inspired and decide to play tennis. I get on a court and go hell for leather and then have a very sore arm for a few days... after which I don’t play until the French Open or whichever tourno comes next. This time, I managed to develop a blister on hand, burst the blister and then develop another blister on top of the burst blister. Quick learner.