GREENWICH MARITIME MUSEUM
www.nmm.ac.uk
Set in the Royal Park of Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum contains unrivalled collections relating to seafaring, navigation, and the maritime arts. A wander through its grounds and you’ll happen across one of London’s most stunning cityscape views as well as the world-famous Greenwich Meridian Line, otherwise known as longitude 0º and GMT!
SOUTH BANK CENTRE
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
One of London’s cultural hotspots, the South Bank Centre hosts a vast array of events throughout the year. From cafes and restaurants, to shops, markets and iconic venues such as the Royal Festival Hall and Hayward Gallery, you are sure to find something to tickle your fancy.
RIB TOURS
www.londonribvoyages.com
Ever considered a speed boat tour down the Thames? London RIB Voyages offer exhilarating rides up and down the river, where you can take in the capital’s famous landmarks from a totally different angle. Tours are lead by award-winning comedians who provide sparkling, informative commentary along the way. A double whammy – culture AND a giggle all in one! A truly memorable experience.
THAMES CLIPPERS
www.thamesclippers.com
These commuter water buses cover the entire length of the Thames in London. There are lots of places to hop on or off and it’s far more enjoyable than using the Tube. What’s more, starting November ‘09, you’ll even be able to use your Oyster card onboard.
GEORGE INN
www.visitlondon.com
Once Charles Dickens’ local, the George Inn, aka the George, belongs to the National Trust and offers an insight into London’s historic past. It is the only surviving galleried coaching inn in London and thanks to its feeling of yesteryear certainly makes for an atmospheric watering hole.
YE OLD MITRE
www.visitlondon.com
Consistently voted one of the best pubs in London, Ye Olde Mitre is a small, cosy Elizabethan alehouse dating back to the mid-1500s. It’s got all sorts of beers, real ales and traditional pub grub on offer (even pickled eggs!), and it’s made all the more endearing by the pub’s invisibility. It’s tucked away down a side-street so is particularly tough to find, even for locals. In fact, you’re likely to walk right past and never even know it’s there. It’s a secret London hideout, well worth tracking down.
THE EAST END
Too often overlooked by visitors, the East End is one of London’s most vibrant areas. It’s home to edgy artists, large immigrant communities and the London stereotype: the Cockney. Here are some of the Eastern delights we featured in the show:
WESTMINSTER ABBEY
www.westminster-abbey.org
1000+ yr old Westminster Abbey is a living, working testament to Britain’s past. It’s a treasure trove of paintings, stained glass windows, ceramics, textiles and all sorts of other goodies for the eyes to feast on. Perhaps best known as the place where all Britain’s Kings and Queens are crowned, it is also the resting place of some of the country’s most illustrious personalities. It is opening daily for prayer and/or services.
PALACE OF WESTMINSTER – SUMMER OPENING
www.parliament.uk
The Houses of Parliament are two of the oldest representative assemblies in the world. Located at the Palace of Westminster, a royal palace and former residence of kings, it opens its doors to visitors during the summer months (while Parliament is in recess). You’ll get to explore both Houses, the Queen’s dressing room and various other awesome rooms of State. But the BEST bit has to be the wink-wink-nudge-nudge anecdotes that the lively Blue Badge visitor guides regale you with throughout the tour.
THE ROYAL PARKS
www.royalparks.org.uk
London is one of the greenest cities in the world. There are dozens if not hundreds of green spaces dotted around the city as well as 8 official Royal Parks, including the world-famous Hyde Park. It’s smack-bang in the middle of the city, so it’s a great place for a spot of lunch, an afternoon stroll, or even a horseback ride!
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
www.royal.gov.uk
The Changing of the Guard is one of Britain’s most iconic images. It takes place outside Buckingham Palace and usually lasts about 40 minutes. It’s a favourite with visitors so gets very busy. For a good view, it’s worth getting there early. |
BUGBUGS
www.bugbugs.com
If the tube gets you down and the cabs are too hard on your purse; if walking is tiresome or the bus network an undecipherable maze… then why not hop aboard a Bugbugs pedicab? These fun, state-of-the-art rickshaws have become a colourful part of the capital’s streetscape. First introduced in London in 1998, Bugbugs are helping London become calmer and greener, and all you have to do is sit back and enjoy the ride!
PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT @ THE PLACE THEATRE
www.priscillathemusical.com
Priscilla Queen of the Desert is feel-good, musical theatre at its best. Based on the Oscar® winning film, it tells the story of three drag queens who hit the Aussie outback in dazzling costumes and a flamboyant bus named Priscilla. It is a heart-warming adventure about love and friendship and features a score of dance-floor classics.It’s wildly fresh and very funny, and overall a sensational journey to the heart of fabulous.
THIS MONTH we have 3 pairs of tickets to giveaway, visit
THE EAST END
Too often overlooked by visitors, the East End is one of London’s most vibrant areas. It’s home to edgy artists, large immigrant communities and the London stereotype: the Cockney. Here are some of the Eastern2delights we featured in the show:
ART in the East End:
WHITE CUBE GALLERY
www.whitecube.com
This great gallery space on Hoxton Square was born in April 2000. It’s housed in a 1920s building that was originally used for light-industry. Today it is one of London’s signature galleries.
WHITE CUBICLE @ the George and Dragon Pub
www.whitecubicle.org
Although from the outside it looks like a typical English pub, its loos are anything but bog-standard… The White Cubicle is a toilet gallery set up to display new and experimental artists’ work. The exhibition space first opened in 2005, when the George and Dragon’s owner decided to convert one of the women’s cubicles into a gallery. Well worth a nose.
TRUMAN BREWERY
www.trumanbrewery.com
This place is unique. It started life as a brewery in 1666, and pumped out beer until the late 20thC when it was reborn as the eclectic London hub of hundreds of creative businesses. There are fashion designers, artists, DJs, graphic designers, architects, photographers… to name but a few. It makes for a heady mix and a buzzy atmosphere, especially on weekends when the street vendors and food stalls join in. Check it out, you’ll have a blast.
VANDALOG’S LONDON STREET ART TOUR
http://blog.vandalog.com/
If you’re looking for an alternative cultural experience, then why not take to the streets with RJ Rushmore, who’ll show you the best street art / graffiti London has to offer. Street art, by its very nature, tends to have a high turnover so it’s a good idea to see it with someone who’s au-fait with the scene. Email him to set up a tour around Old Street and Liverpool Street. rj@vandalog.com
CARGO
www.cargo-london.com
For a great Saturday night out surrounded by Banksys and Obeys, check out Cargo. As the pioneers of the multi-tasking MDF concept (that's Music-Dance-Food, not cheap fibreboard – their words, not ours!) Cargo boasts one of the most imaginative live music line-ups in the capital, as well as film screenings and art.
G KELLY PIE SHOP
www.gkellypieandmash.co.uk
As food critiques all over London agree, G Kelly’s Pie Shop is fantastically “good value” and a genuine “piece of living history”. Located in the heart of the East End, the Kelly family has been selling jellied eels and pies since the early 1900s. Well worth checking out their website even if it’s just to see some great eel and pie photos of way back when!
BRICK LANE
www.visitlondon.com
Brick Lane in the East End, has seen various waves of immigration since the 17thC. The first lot to call the area home were the silk-weaving Huguenot refugees; they were followed by the Irish, Ashkenazi Jews and finally Bangladeshis, who still call it home today. It’s got a mean curry mile, which is a must-see, as curry is today a veritable English institution –it’s as English as a traditional cream tea! |
