11 Goals in 2011: A Choose Your Own Adventure Tale: October Blesses The Rains Down In... Fitzroy?!?!

Another month, another last Friday to plan and execute. For those that haven't picked up on the not-so-subtle Toto reference in the title, the month of October saw us venture out and touch on a continent we were yet to explore - AFRICA!

So it was 10 brave dinner clubbers that ventured to Nyala African Restaurant on a VERY wet Friday night in October.

More specifically, Nyala is focused on Ethiopian cuisine. Now, call me ignorant, but most of the time when I think of Ethiopia, I think of this guy...

South Park's Starvin' Marvin - perpetuating the stereotype of Ethiopia since 1999...

So it was with simply this knowledge that we braved Nyala. What we were greeted with was not a sparse plate of World Vision ration bags (as I'm sure some dinner clubbers may have expected), but instead a menu bursting with goodies to taste and try!!!

The banquet! I love the suspicious "main courses" listed. Any more details? NOPE!

So with 10 banquets ordered to sample the best Ethiopian cuisine had to offer, the conversations flowed as easily between dinner clubbers (E. Haynes, S. Haughey, K. Williams, M. Read, J. Coleman, L. Read, C. Mutter, B. Goodall, C. Ireland and a return of R. Salha) as the Ethiopian beers, Harar.

Hello Harar Beer, my name is Eloise!

I think the general consensus of the night was the food was plentiful and delicious but DAMN WAS IT HOT!!! Deceively so at times, the most devious of the spicy little devils can be seen below...

Note to Leyton: avoid red foods. Usually mean lots of CHILLIES!!! Most dinner clubbers resorted to mixing the red and white dips together to cool down the pallette!

As the menu continued on, our stomachs started to disdend, not from hunger but from the pure amount of carbohydrates we continued to shovel down!!! We talked of travel (as C. Ireland divulged to the mayor of her latest jealousy-inducing travels to Papua New Guinea for some volunteer work), work and life in general. Inevitably, the conversation turned to the competition that is heating up as we near the end of this goal. Who shall be crowned the winner of the ultimate dinner clubber?

Following the rules of Survivior (Outwit, Outplay, Outlast), the mayor is concerned that as we get to the finish line, this competition may turn nasty. Competitors L. Read and S. Haughey, play nice!!!

At present, the following dinner clubbers are STILL IN THE RUNNING:

1. J. Coleman

2. K. Williams

3. L. Read

4. S. Haughey (she thinks she already has it won...) *Note she is the 4th just for fun...*

Special consideration has been granted to the following participant for overseas travelling duties...

5. V. Dennis

Her attendance can be witnessed below:

Name tag that was posted to the UK the day after and is currently being carried around the world by V. Dennis

Unfortunately, the charter does state that participant V. Dennis can only win in the event of no other dinner clubber attending all 12. With just one to go, it looks like the prize will be going to one of the lucky four! This is also because the mayor actually fears for her own safety should she give the prize to V. Dennis - I feel a lynch mob a comin'!!!

With that, I leave you with highlights of October's dinner club at Nyala African Restaurant:

Stop pretending not to look S. Haughey... BOOBS!!!

The thematic lampshades - tacky or hilarious?

L. Read excited to be there and get started. J. Coleman waits for beer...

The mayor and S. Haughey - sucking up won't win you the prize lady!!! ;)

J. Coleman has resorted to humiliation of other participants in a bid to secure the prize. You ain't cool unless you wear a beer label on your forehead.