NIGHTY NIGHT LONDON!

Erica Lancaster was an intern at the Travel Channel from July to August 2006. She lived and worked in London for a year post graduation from the University of Virginia with a double major in History and African American Studies. She is currently living in her native Houston, Texas and is actively pursuing a career in television production.

When I arrived in London one year ago I stepped off the plane, met my four new roommates and headed to Fabric - not a walk in the park when it comes to London clubs - the party gets started late and goes on until early morning. But that's the nature of this fabulous city. It sweeps you up and you're just along for the ride.

I actually lived in London previous to my year-long stint. I studied abroad as an undergrad for 3 months the Fall of 2003. As newbies to the city and only 20 we didn't venture too far from Piccadilly Circus and Soho. Many nights were spent at Cheers, O Bar and Sports Café. But this time, having a year and bit more knowledge of London, I explored more nightlife options. And a couple of months in, I had moved from an amateur party-goer to a real dance party aficionado.

In all honesty working a 9 to 5 day and club-hopping at night is no easy feat. My friends and I definitely picked up on some offensive strategies to optimize our going out experiences. I believe there are three important factors to take into consideration-- Foot Patrol, Door Staff and Timing.

Always remember to take care of your feet. In London you can spend A LOT of time on those puppies, and unfortunately you usually only notice the throbbing pain when the DJ plays your favorite song. So one trick that I now swear by, and so do my feet, is packing flip-flops in the purse. Yes, it may not sound like the classiest of strategies but it saved me and my partner-in-crime-roommate from many painstaking walks home. We would just chuck our shoes in larger but stylish bags and check them at the door. What's a pound when it's your feet we're talking about?

Always be sure to be polite to the door staff. Smile politely, be honest - if you're not on the guest list just say so, most door staff appreciate that you aren't trying to be super pushy and will let you enter in a few minutes. Just remember the golden rule - treat others as you would want to be treated.then go dance!

Timing is simple. 11:30-12:30 the doors are hot. This is when most people will be cueing to get in. A real simple solution is to get to places early - especially if you are with a bigger group. It actually can be a lot of fun. My friends and I often get there at 11 and pick a fun little nook to people watch and get ready to get on the dance floor.

My favorite club in London is Chinawhite. They have a great atmosphere, especially during the week. It's a small venue and they play hip-hop, house and throw in some Bowie, Eurythmics and MJ for good measure. The first time I went I was definitely surprised by the beautiful people in the club but everyone is there to have a good time and that is what makes it such a fun place. You can also get away with dancing on the couches and tables, which is only really half-way acceptable when you are 6 and 23 so you might as well take advantage. I visited Chinawhite once every 2-3 weeks. It was fun going so frequently (and expensive) because you get to know the staff and it's more like you're going to your own party.

For something a little different try the Kensington Roof Gardens. My friends and I spent New Year's and my July birthday here. It's located on the 6th floor of a building overlooking Kensington High St. The gardens are a labyrinth of nooks and crannies where you can frolic with friends or you can head inside to the club. It's definitely not a place for every weekend but it truly is like no other venue in London and is definitely great for a fun celebration.

One of my favorite places to do a little pre-club socializing in is Escape in Soho. The bar is by definition a gay bar, but by my definition DIVINE! Honestly, if I were to close my eyes and envision a bar of my own creation it would be pretty darn close to Escape - Spice Girls, fun/carefree people, drink specials out the kazoo and great bar staff. I say if you are a boy who likes boys, this place is great. If you are a girl who likes to dance with boys that like boys, then this place is FANTASTIC.

A fun place to go with big rowdy groups when you don't want to worry about everyone not getting in past the bouncers is Crazy Larry's on the King's Road. I went here for the first time for a friend's leaving drinks and had a blast. I would describe it as an adult British frat party. They play just the right amount of MC Hammer not to be too cheesy and everyone is there to have a good time.

London is such an eclectic city and its nightlife truly reflects that. Here are just a few places that stand out in my mind as offering something different for a night out on the town.

Tantra has an amazing dance floor, allthough my peers are a little wary of the clientele who are 19 going on 40 (that's counting Daddy's credit card). Whatever your opinions on cradle-snatching may be, one must admit that the dance floor is HOTT. It appears to be straight out of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean video, with iridescent neon-pitched tiles that light up from under your toes. It makes even the shyest of dancers want to get out there shake a tail feather.

The Queen Mary is a great after-work spot. It's located on the Thames on a boat turned bar/dance club. The scene is eclectic, young and fun.

And if you are looking for a bathroom experience from another galaxy go to Sketch in Mayfair. It's like nothing I have ever laid my eyes on before. The bathrooms are a disorienting shade of white and everyone has their own personal spaceship-like pod to call their own. The atmosphere is so laid back you can kick off your shoes and head for the Persian rug dance floor.

Celeb spotting becomes pretty frequent in a city like London, but it's always fun to claim a few on a night out on the town - especially for the folks back home. When I had a couple of friends in town we headed to Chinawhite where we spotted 50 Cent. They loved this and I played it off as nonchalantly as possible - although on the inside I was just as excited as they.

And don't forget Ministry of Sound. This is a London stalwart. I actually went on a Friday which is hip/hop night. DJ Jazzy Jeff was DJing - a legend for a child of the early 90s. He was fabulous and the venue is huge. You can literally get lost in the place and I think I did a couple of times. But even better, Fat Joe showed up just to do a cameo 40 min set. Surprises are around every corner in this city!

This past year has been a heck of a ride - the characters I met while out on the town, the music I was introduced to by some of the best DJs in the world, and just the adventure of being in a city so large - London is packed with possibilities by day but especially at night.

For more info on the London club scene visit

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What do you think of London's nightlife? I'd love to hear any advice you may have DROP ME A LINE

October 2006