There are many fine houses, palaces and stately homes in and around London that you should make a point of visiting while you are here, too many in fact to be able to schedule them all in to the one visit to the city. But if you are looking for a place to spend a few hours, soaking up the history and the style of a bygone era, pay a visit to Chiswick House and Gardens. The house is not merely a house it is a classically designed neo-Palladian Villa…
Read MoreThe sun is finally out from behind the clouds, and rather than bundling inside the nearest cosy café to escape the rain, the city’s beer gardens are inviting you in to soak up the sun and take a break from your sightseeing for a while. The majority of pubs in the city have an outside space – some are very much family focussed while others just offer a shady and intimate setting for a glass or two of something cooling. To follow are some of the best beer gardens in…
Read MoreLondon has a broad spectrum of bars, pubs and clubs from the traditional East End pub to the top class environment of the elegant cocktail bar, as well as everything in between. Here we take a look at some of the best cocktail bars in the city, where you can either order a classic martini or dare to try the latest invention from the bar’s resident mixologist. Artesian at the Langham Hotel With an extensive and impressive champagne list Artesian at The Langham Hotel also boasts the largest and most…
Read MoreFrom neck ruffs that would look more at home in an episode of Blackadder II, to exquisitely embroidered lace cuffs, delicate chokers made from hundreds of pearls and fine jewels and sumptuous materials, the new exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery has it all and more, and goes to prove that even during the 16th and 17th centuries fashion statements were just as outlandish and attention grabbing as they are now. The style of Anne Boleyn encapsulated in the distinctive pearl choker she wore, to the fabulous lace and stiff neck…
Read MoreBurlesque is back and in a big way! The London Burlesque Week 2013 is carrying forward the torch ignited by previous London Burlesque Festivals which have always sold out year upon year. The week will be filled with a variety of live performances of both burlesque and cabaret acts, this feather waving and tassel shaking week is a celebration of the very best of burlesque talent from all over the globe. Events are being hosted in clubs right across the city so wherever you are you should be able to…
Read MoreThe area of Walthamstow Marshes, as well as Leyton Marsh and Coppermill Fields, is located in the Lea Bridge area, and is an award winning nature reserve and natural grasslands site. It is in fact one of the few remaining river valley grasslands that once covered most of what we call London. It is a part of the ancient natural environment that needs to be treasured and protected. Exploring the Marshes The marshes are the perfect place to explore on two wheels as there are a number of cycle pathways…
Read MoreIt’s time for the Sci-fi festival that everyone has been waiting for which is kicking off with a one of a kind Sci-fi costume parade on the 28th April 2013. The parade begins in the convention’s home of Stratford and if you turn up to take part you should find that there are people in costumes that cross the decades, from the early days of sci-fi through to the modern day special effects spectaculars. Following the party there is an amazing after parade party planned filled with music, plenty of…
Read MoreThere are times when you decide to go out for a meal, that you feel the need to do something different, go somewhere different and eat from a different menu. But where you go to find that ‘different’ element seems to be knowledge that only a few people are in possession of. If you are in need of a different kind of dining experience and are luckily enough to find yourself in London, well then, you are spoilt for choice. Here are just a few of the more unusual places…
Read MoreThe events that followed the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79 have captured the imaginations of millions of people all over the world. In a mere 24 hours all life in the Italian cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum ceased as ash rained down from the skies and suffocated everyone and everything. It has previously only been possible to appreciate the devastation that the eruption brought by visiting what remains of the towns and unfortunately a trip to Italy is not something that everyone can stretch to. This is why the…
Read MoreLondon’s Victoria & Albert Museum are hosting an extra ordinary exhibition relating to the life and work of pop music icon David Bowie. Having been given unparalleled access to the full Bowie archive they have pulled together images, artefacts and sounds and visual media that span the singers long career, charting not only his musical success but also his rise as a cultural icon and innovator in the world of musical media. There are in excess of three hundred individual items on display including original costumes, hand written lyrics and…
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