I?m starting to think that Rehana and I are choosing the wrong nights and wrong times to visit these supposed R&B venues. Admittedly the 5.30-10.30 time frame we seemed to be choosing was not going to be party central but surely that shouldn?t stop the venues playing good music!

We arrived at Fuel at about 5.30 (me after my travel writing and photography class and Rehana after a hard day?s study). Fuel is located in the heart of Covent Garden and like many bars was extremely cosy. We were one of the first to arrive and we settled down with our jug of Sex on the Beach and I settled down to a very nice pesto chicken fetucinni dish (which by the way was massive and just what my grumbling stomach was after.) At that early stage of the night the bar was playing a slightly funkier version of elevator music. Okay ? not the most flattering descriptions but the music really was blah. Having said that, Fuel does have a certain ambience to it with plenty of areas for up close and personal encounters balanced by some open spaces for larger groups. The upstairs area has all these small balcony areas ? seemingly popular with the crowd even though it was absolutely freezing out ? that I would imagine give a view out onto Covent Garden itself. By 9.30 Fuel was getting busier, with most of the clients being the late 20s-30s professional, but the music wasn?t getting any better and so we left.

We ended up going on an extra long walk around Covent Garden, Leicester Square and up Regent Street to see the Christmas lights. Interestingly, they were themed on Disney?s The Incredibles (you know,

the

animation of the Christmas season.) Rehana says there is always a theme but I guess I was just surprised to see such blatent marketing. I?m looking forward to see what else the Christmas season has to offer here in London. I just hope I don?t find myself at Oxford Street any time in the next 5 weeks ?