Royal Mail is to release a set of stunning London 2012 stamps to celebrate the games opening in July – they're going to revolutionize stamp publishing by publishing the stamps right after the medals are awarded. As an Anglophile and a stamp collector I'm really excited about this!

Royal Mail’s Gold Medal stamps, which will recognise the achievements of every Team GB win at the London 2012 Olympic Games, being held from 27th July to 12th August, have been officially launched by Sally Gunnell OBE today, with the iconic design revealed for the first time. 

Register your interest now

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London 2012: Royal Mail Releases Gold Medallists Stamps - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

This summer promises to be one of the biggest ever in the UK capital, with London not only hosting the 30th Olympic Games, but Elizabeth II celebrating 60 years on the throne with her Diamond Jubilee.

Even those who do not have an interest in sport can allow themselves to be swept up in the atmosphere of the Jubilee, which will see a number of events take place across the capital to pay tribute to Her Majesty’s reign, many of which she will be attending.

Her first engagement of the central Diamond Jubilee Weekend will be her attendance at the Epsom Derby on its second day on Saturday June 2nd, when she will join race-goers in cheering her favourite steed to victory.

On Sunday June 3rd the River Thames will stage the Diamond Jubilee Pageant, which will see more than 1,000 private boats from Commonwealth countries escort the Queen on a specially designed royal barge down the river.

In what will be one of the largest flotillas ever to grace the waters, the UK’s maritime heritage will be celebrated as it travels from Putney to Tower Bridge, accompanied by vessels ranging from historic boats to canoes as one million people line the riverbanks.

Monday June 4th will see the eagerly-anticipated Diamond Jubilee Concert take place at Buckingham Palace, when some of the biggest names in music will be showing their appreciation for her majesty.

Acts ranging from Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones and Elton John to Paul McCartney, Cliff Richard and Jools Holland will take to the stage as Gary Barlow brings together the worlds of music, dance and musical theatre in a magnificent showcase of talent, while 2,000 beacons are lit across the UK and Commonwealth to mark Her Majesty’s 60 years on the throne.

On Tuesday June 5th, the final day of the extended Jubilee Weekend, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will attend a national service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, where there will be a special prayer for the Diamond Jubilee.

Following this, there will be a one-off reception at Mansion House for the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, followed by a Diamond Jubilee lunch at Westminster Hall organised by the Livery.

Crowds will then line the streets to show their appreciation as the Royal Family make their way from Westminster to Buckingham Palace in a formal carriage procession for the culmination of the proceedings.

This will comprise a 60-gun salute at Buckingham Palace, where Her Majesty will appear on the balcony and watch an RAF flypast and a Feu de Joie – the symbolic cascade of rifle fire by The Queen’s Guard to conclude the celebrations.

The Diamond Jubilee Weekend will be an amazing experience for all concerned, and thousands of people from outside the capital have already made plans to travel down and take part in the celebrations.

Anyone hoping to be a part of the festivities should ensure they have travel insurance in place to cover many eventualities.

People visiting www.travelinsurancemedical.co.uk can take out single trip travel insurance, which covers those with pre-existing medical conditions and serious medical conditions including cancer, circulation problems and heart conditions via medical screening.

With a wide range of benefits to choose from, including cancellation and curtailment, baggage loss and loss of money, people can enjoy the fabulous range of events taking place to celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee with added peace of mind.

Guest Post: Celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

One of our favorite books about London is S*it London – Portrait of a City on the Edge by Patrick Dalton. It’s a fun an irreverent look at the realities of modern life in London.

And we love a good laugh here in Londontopia HQ.

So, we were very excited to get a review copy of Rude London – Snapshots of a City With Its Pants Down, the rousing follow up to Patrick’s last book. Rude London puts everything on the table on the cover, where it features a naked man rollerblading over a London bridge, with a conveniently places ‘More Inside’ Icon.

I love a good rude joke and this book is filled with them. It features over 130 pictures of funny pictures taken all over London from the nicest areas to the not so nice areas.

Now this book is not for the faint of heart – there are many rude images in the book – including the aforementioned picture of a man’s gentleman sausage. But that doesn’t make the book not funny.

If you want a good laugh at London’s expense, this book is for you. The book is for sales in the UK and the USA (where it was just released).

You can keep up with Patrick’s latest pictures of the humorous side of London on his website. http://shitlondon.co.uk/.

London Books: Rude London – Snapshots of a City with its Pants Down by Patrick Dalton - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

BP is running a sweepstakes giving away 8 trips to the London 2012 Games this July. It’s a fantastic opportunity.

Here are the prize details:

Pack your bags and prepare for the trip of a lifetime! Eight lucky Grand Prize winners, each with a guest, will be jetting off to London, England. Then the real adventure begins. You’ll be cheering on Team USA as they Go for the Gold™! Attend 3 Olympic Game sporting events with premium tickets at Olympic Park & Horse Guards Parade. Plus, receive 2 passes to the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, which is the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movements. And what trip is complete without spending money? You and your guest will each receive a Pre-paid Visa Card for the total amount of £150 to spend on your trip however you like.

This contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and D.C. (excluding MD, NJ and VA), 18 years of age or older.

There are multiple drawings for the grand prizes. You have until June 5th to enter – so enter fast!

Londontopia Contest Disclaimer – PLEASE READ – before you email us and complain about the contest please understand that we are NOT running this contest NOR are we affiliated with it in anyway. We are merely providing the information that this contest exists.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO ENTER!

London Alert: Win a Trip to London 2012 from BP - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Image by daveograve via Flickr

Posh day out in the Park

If you didn’t get a chance to snag Wimbledon or Olympic tickets, there’s still time to book for a spot of Polo in the Park. Held in Fulham’s Hurlingham Park, the event is perfect for a family day out with plenty of places to purchase food throughout the premises including a kid-friendly zone for the little ones to potter around in. The event takes place 8-10 June, and entry costs £22 for adults and £11 for children. Visit www.hotels4u.com for places to stay nearby.

Catch a Movie

Watch your favourite films while overlooking the city’s skyline at the Rooftop Film Club. With screenings at venues from the east to west including Queen of Hoxton’s rooftop garden and Kensington Roof Gardens, there’s no excuse to skip a session at one of the outdoor cinemas, regardless of where your hotel is in London. There’s up to five screenings of mainstream classics each week, so you should be able to squeeze a sneaky flick into your schedule. Screenings start at 9pm with tickets at £10 each. Be sure to check the weather and programme before you go, both are regularly updated on the site. Tickets sell out fast, so be sure to bag yourself one quickly!

Get Creative with the Family

If you’re looking for a low cost activity that the whole family can enjoy, consider going to one of the free family workshops at the Somerset House. From crafts like painting and drawing to games and storytelling, there are plenty of events to choose from. The workshops are held every Saturday from 2- 3:30pm and are offered to children aged 6-12 with their parents. Tickets are available at 1pm the day of and are offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Hop on a Bike

If you’re looking for an active way to explore the capital, then hire a Boris bike, and cycle around like a local. If you’re worried about traffic, consider sticking to a more rural route, and ride around one of London’s nine royal parks. Charges vary from £1 to £50 depending on how long you use it for, so check the TFL website before you start pedalling.

Non-Olympic Events in London this Summer - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

One of my favorite past-times is to look at maps of London. I have a drawer full of them and can spend hours studying London’s spaghetti junctions.

So, I was pleased to receive a copy of London Unfurled by Matteo Pericoli – a book and map hybrid view of London. The most prominent feature of this book is that it’s a sketch of both sites of the Thames river that fold out into a 37 foot map.

Yes, it’s a book that expands to 37 feet. It’s amazing. The drawing of the Thames is amazing. It’s an exploration of the varied architecture on both sides of the river and Matteo does a great job of capturing each major building.

It’s a great way to study the culture that exists between North and South London.

According to the author: “Unlike rivers that encompass Manhattan, the Thames is a gap: a uniter and a divider. Like two magnets, the riverbanks have been reheating and attracting each other forever. And the resulting energy flows between them.”

The book comes with a handy book where Ian Sinclair and Will Self (two very famous London writers) talk about the content of the map and what it represents. Helpfully, there’s also a miniaturized version of the map the labels each building for easy identification.

My only real complaint about the book is that the map is just so huge – it’s hard to find a good way to investigate it and admire the art. You need a lot of floor space just to look at each section. And it’s not really something you can hang on the wall – you’d need a huge wall and two copies of the book because the paper is double sided (with a side of the river on each side). So, in that regard, it’s not a very practical book.

That doesn’t mean it’s not awesome. It is and will become a cherished part of our London book library.

London Unfurled is available in the USA from this month.

London Books and Maps: London Unfurled by Matteo Reicoli – Amazing Map of the Thames - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Iconic London department store Harrods has gotten all decked out for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and they marked the occasion today by singing a chorus of Land of Hope and Glory and the National Anthem.

Check out a video of the event:

Harrods Gets Decked out for the Diamond Jubilee - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

I’m continually amazed by the variety of books that we get sent and the latest one is no exception. Black Cab Wisdom is a fun little project taken on by London Black Cab Driver Mark Soloman.

Over a period of years, he randomly asked his fare paying passengers their most favorite quotes – whether it was their own quote or the quotes of others.

He wrote down his favorites and culled them together in this fun look at modern London.

Simply, it’s a book of quotes. Some are original – some were said by others. The book helpfully identifies which is which in case you get interested in further research. It has a fun, accessible design that leads to scanning the page pretty easily. There are no long passages and no photography – it’s just quotes and doesn’t pretend to be anything else.

What the book is, really, is an interesting look at the thoughts and culture of modern day London. You can an insight into what Londoners and visitors think – how they see the world and it’s rather voyeuristic to get a peak at the thoughts that mean the most to people.

It definitely provides a snapshot in time of early 21st century London. There’s a mix of quotes from celebrities and regular people as well as well known personalities so there’s a wide range of people quoted.

Here are my favorite quotes:

• “You only get out of life what you put into it.” Cilla Black
• “You could be sad that roses have thorns, or rejoice that thorns have roses.” Alaa, Student
• “You do not have to be great to get started, but you have to start off to be great.” Minesh, Student
• “The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up.” Paul Valery
• “Success does not make you happy, but happiness makes you successful.” Anita, Doctor

Black Cab Wisdom was published in the UK late last year and was just released for sale in the USA this month.

The Author, Mark Soloman, also runs a blog where he posts the latest quotes direct from his cab.

London Books: Black Cab Wisdom by Mark Soloman - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Swim with the Sharks at London Aqaurium - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

London 2012: New Orbit Tower in the Olympic Park Unveiled - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

[Photo by the Prime Minister’s office]

Have you ever noticed how regularly certain London buildings appear on the news? The buildings listed below must permanently have camera crews parked outside them.

1. 10 Downing Street

Few front doors are as instantly recognisable as the one at 10 Downing Street in London; what dramas have been played out in front and behind this shiny black landmark over the years!

Downing Street provided the backdrop as Prime Minister Tony Blair, morning coffee mug in hand, announced the birth of his son Leo to a gaggle of news reporters and camera crews.

It is also the place Margaret Thatcher tearfully left late at night when she was deposed as Tory leader. She described Number 10 as “one of the most precious jewels in the national heritage” – no wonder she was so reluctant to leave.

2. Buckingham Palace

Built in 1705, Buckingham Palace first became the official royal palace of a British monarch when Queen Victoria ascended to the throne in 1837.

Despite currently being the weekday home of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, the Duke of York and Countess of Wessex, the palace is not owned by the British monarch; it is the property of the state.

So the 50,000 people who attend garden parties hosted by the Queen each year should feel at home – Buckingham Palace is really the property of the nation.

3. New Scotland Yard

It’s easy to spot New Scotland Yard whenever it appears in news reports – it’s the dreary glass building behind the big rotating sign which says ‘New Scotland Yard’.

New Scotland Yard is the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police and was built in 1888. During construction, builders found the dismembered torso of a female. The case, which is now referred to as The Whitehall Mystery, has never been solved.

Just think of that when next you see the revolving sign.

4. BBC Television Centre

Opened in June 1960 and located in a distinctly un-leafy part of Wood Green in Shepherd’s Bush, it’s the type of building that Prince Charles would refer to as “a ghastly carbuncle”.

However, BBC TV Television Centre is as British an institution as… well, the BBC.

Then-government architecture minister Barbara Follett summed up the appeal of this architectural folly when she said: “It has been a torture chamber for politicians and an endless source of first-class entertainment for the nation.”

Some of the first-class entertainment which has been filmed there includes Fawlty Towers, Blue Peter, Later with Jools Holland, Match of the Day and even ITV’s Harry Hill’s TV Burp.
Enjoy the sight of it while you can – from 2013 the BBC will cease broadcasting from there due to the ridiculous re-location to Manchester.

5. The House of Commons

The House of Commons often provides the backdrop for TV reports about parliamentary matters. Its manicured lawn is a well-known sight during daytime broadcasts and the lights inside the building serve as a reminder of just how late parliament sits.

It is strange to think that the House of Commons used to be far less powerful than the House of Lords. The roles have now been reversed and the Commons looks set to feature on the news for many years to come.

James Christie writes for Thomson Local Business Directory. Use Thomson to help you find building services near you.

The 5 London buildings you see the most on the news - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Did you know that Air New Zealand flies to London direct from Los Angeles?

I didn’t either!

To promote their new route, they’re running a sweepstakes on their Facebook page where the prize is two free premium economy tickets to London from Los Angeles on their plane.

Here are the prize details:

The winner will win (Grand Prize): roundtrip Premium Economy Spaceseat™ flights for two (2) persons from Los Angeles to London on Air New Zealand. The Grand Prize winner (and his/her companion) are responsible for paying all additional costs associated with the Grand Prize that are not specifically included (as stated in these terms and conditions), including (where applicable) transport to and from the respective airports, and any other transport (other than the flights awarded as part of the Grand Prize), accommodation, meal costs, spending money, insurance and all other incidentals.

So, all you get is plane tickets – which is a huge cost itself. You’ll need to be able to foot the bill for your own travel expenses. You also have to be able to get to and fly from Los Angeles on your own.

The contest is open to is open to any individual who is a legal resident of the 48 contiguous United States, excluding Rhode Island, New York and Florida; and is twenty-one (21) years of age or older as of April 30, 2012.

You have until May 31st to enter.

You have to use Facebook to enter this contest – you cannot enter without Facebook. Please direct your concerns about this to Air New Zealand, not us.

Londontopia Contest Disclaimer – PLEASE READ – before you email us and complain about the contest please understand that we are NOT running this contest NOR are we affiliated with it in anyway. We are merely providing the information that this contest exists.

London Alert: Win a Trip to London from Air New Zealand from the USA - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

In fact, London’s buoyant housing market has been skewing the figures for some time, and the make-up of the sector has changed significantly in the last few years. The UK housing market did not crash because the type of property available changed – it crashed because the banks cut back on lending and there was not enough money available for people to buy. Into this breach has stepped the international investor, taking advantage of reduced prices – particularly in the prime London market – and driving them back up again.

Research from London-based estate agents Savills indicates just what an impact the international investor has had in the prime sector. Even as recently as 2009, UK buyers accounted for three-quarters of the prime London new-build market; but in 2011, 63 per cent of the buyers came from overseas. The effect was even more pronounced at the very top of the market, with 88 per cent of all new-build purchases in the prime central area coming from overseas investors.

As a result of this extra interest, prime London properties have continued to buck the trend experienced in the wider market, and forged their own path. By March 2012, properties in this sector had gone 13 per cent beyond their 2007 peak. The first three months of this year have seen sales worth in excess of £5 million increase 20 per cent over the same period last year. Fulham in particular has seen the make-up of property buyers become more international, and annual price growth for properties worth over £2 million is more than 15 per cent.

But with more buyers coming into London from abroad, and mortgage lending relatively difficult to obtain compared to the 2007 peak, the rental market is looking very strong. If you’re an accidental landlord who is still holding on to a property, or have enough free capital to invest in the buy-to-let sector, there are real opportunities for renting out London homes.

The Savills and Rightmove Rental Britain report highlights the current strength of the UK rental market, driven as it is by tenant demand. It notes that there are 4.8 million privately rented homes in the UK, and is expecting these numbers to rise sharply in the future. The £48 billion paid in rent to landlords is expected to rise to £70 billion within five years.

“Meeting the growing demand for private renting and the changing profile of tenant demand are perhaps the greatest challenges facing both the housing industry and policy makers,” says Lucian Cook, director of Savills residential research.

“The dynamics of supply and demand make a great case for investment in this sector, and rising rents and lower capital values have begun to attract private investors back into the market.”

Looking at the way London compares to other areas of the country, it is easy to see why the city is so attractive to buy-to-let investors. In the capital, average rents for a two-bed property are 53 per cent of earnings at local authority level. The nearest challenger to this figure is the south east, where it stands at 35 per cent of income.

Image source: Savills/Rightmove Rental Britain Special Report

You might think that with rental prices already this high in London, that there is nowhere else for them to go, but Savills disagrees. The Rental Britain report expects London to produce the best total returns to landlords over the next ten years. And if you’re looking to expand a rental portfolio, there are seven London boroughs – Newham, Greenwich, Tower Hamlets, Islington, City of London, Southwark and Hackney – which are expected to deliver net returns in excess of 8.5 per cent in that period.

Even the buoyant London prime market can’t compete with this level of growth. While Savills does not expect the recent changes made to stamp duty to unsettle the market, it is predicting that house prices here will remain fairly level over the next year or so. The London rental market, meanwhile, looks set to continue making giant strides.

Guest Post: London powers on as king of the rental market - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Summer is fast approaching, and being land-locked, London can get pretty hot. Living and working in London is stressful at the best of times, but factor in high levels of heat and you’re brewing a recipe for disaster! Not only does the heat give us headaches, but it severely affects our productivity and motivation to keep active.

If you’re out and about and starting to feel the heat, there are a number of places in London you can escape to if you want to cool down and relax. Feel your stresses wash away and clear your head at any of these attractions, whether the temperature is lowered through air conditioning, ventilation or something a little more natural:

Hyde Park

This is the biggest park in London, and is a great place to escape to when you want to feel out of the city. If you venture into the middle of the park you can easily forget that you’re in a city at all. There are a lot of areas in the shade, where you can relax under a tree and even have a picnic! Relaxing in the park is a great way to chill out, and with no admission fee it’s a great activity for any London local or tourist.

Queensway Ice & Bowl 

Now this is the real way to cool down! When it’s hot just escape to Queensway Ice Rink which is located on the north side of Hyde Park, next to the Queensway underground station on the Central Line. The rink is real ice, and the chillers used to create this leave the whole venue amazing cool. Air conditioning isn’t needed here as when you’re flying around the ice you will certainly get a bit chilly. Just make sure you don’t fall over or you’ll have some unpleasant contact with the ice!

London Westfield Shopping Centre

Westfield is becoming a shopping institution and its indoor environment gets you out of the elements. Whether it’s raining outside (a likely possibility in London) or sweltering hot, you can leave the air con system in the mall to cool you down. Explore all the shops in the largest shopping centre in Europe and sample the cuisine from any of the restaurants around. Go with deep pockets though, as the temptation to spend money is ever-present!

Your Local Supermarket!

Visiting a supermarket for pleasure might seem like a wild idea for many people, but they are one of the best places to escape the heat. The chilled sections in supermarkets will take you to another place, in terms of your comfort. Do some food shopping whilst you’re there and stock up on ice cubes, frozen peas and ice cream. You’re never further than 5 minutes from a supermarket in central London either.

The London Aquarium

The cooling waters and sounds of the environment will get you out of the sun, and back to a nicer environment. Although it can be busy and noisy in peak periods, the aquarium has plenty of fish and cooling water around you which will bring a sense of tranquillity to your day. Look out for cheap tickets too as it can be quite expensive.

The Cinema

When you’re looking to kill some time and get into a more comfortable environment then the cinema will come to the rescue. Spending a couple of hours in an air conditioned room with a cold drink and some celebrities on screen is a great summer past time and there are a number of blockbusters due for release to keep you entertained if you only visit the cinema once a year, or once a week. Cinemas can be found all over London, especially in the west end.

Steve writes for www.aircondition.co.uk, a company specialising in commercial air conditioning installation, repair and maintenance in London.

Guest Post: Feeling the Heat? – Top Places to Cool Down in London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Primrose Hill (via marcs-album on Flickr)

Bishop’s Park

Not only does this secluded spot of greenery by Putney Bridge offer endless views of the Thames, but you can dabble in a bit of history as well as Fulham Palace is just next to the grounds. The historic home of London’s bishops, the property and its surrounding gardens are now open for the public to tour free of charge. If it’s a hot day, and you’re craving ice cream, the on-site café has got it covered, offering a wide selection of refreshments to keep you cool.

Postman’s Park

Go to this peaceful patch in the heart of Central London for a quiet bite to eat away from the capital’s bustling streets. This shady spot is the original site of The General Post Office headquarters, and offers a nice view of Paul’s Cathedral, which is just around the corner.

Richmond Park

Situated in South West London, this 2,360-acre stretch of green space is London’s largest park and ideal for a leisurely lunch. Not only does it have plenty of walking, horseriding and cycling trails, but it’s also a good place for animal watching. As you nibble on your sandwiches, you can spot a range of wildlife on the grounds from deer and foxes to woodpeckers and rabbits.

Russell Square

Head up to Russell Square in Bloomsbury for a tranquil sit-down just north of Central London. If you haven’t packed a picnic, there are plenty of shops surrounding the square where you can grab something such as the Brunswick Shopping Centre just down the road.  It’s also next to the 18th-century British Museum and the University of London’s main campus, so there are plenty of post-picnic activities to take in while you’re in the area.

Primrose Hill

Arguably one of the best views of the city, this grassy mound nestled in North London is every local’s go-to when it comes to basking in the heat on sunny days. Better yet, the hill’s proximity to Camden Town means there are plenty of places to grab some food before you head up there. If you’re feeling especially lazy, you can save some cash and feed everyone by using the MyVoucherCodes website, where there are plenty of Pizza Hut discount codes available to feed hungry mouths. Bring on the summer – just don’t forget the sun cream!

The 5 Best Picnic Spots in London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

When visiting London, everyone has different ideas of what they want to get out of their trip. From visiting historical landmarks to meandering through Kensington Gardens, there is so much to do in this vibrant city. And that includes making the most out of the London nightlife. From West End shows to alternative comedy performances, London has entertainment that will suit anyone’s taste. The trick is to make sure you pick the right form of entertainment before you start your trip so you don’t end up wasting your time and money. Here are a few different ideas and tips to help you decide what you want to see in London.

As you can imagine, when it comes to the nightlife in London there is a vast array of places to visit. There are plenty of pubs around, no matter what area of London you’re in, so it is not as necessary to plan exactly where to go unless you are looking for a specific type of venue. In areas such as Covent Garden there are many pubs that have a historic British feel to them, which are perfect to visit if you want a more traditional experience. The pubs usually shut at around 11pm but some of the bigger franchises may stay open later on weekends.

However if you’re looking for more upmarket and sophisticated bars, places like Chelsea are worth investigating. This might require a little forward planning depending on where you are staying, so it would be worth your while to research further into the area. Make sure you make allowances in your budget as you could be spending up to £20 a drink. But it does mean you get to experience some of the best wine and cocktail bars on offer.

The club scene in London is one of the best in the world. From dubstep to R’n’B, there are clubs in London to suit every musical preference. When you are planning what clubs to visit, make sure you always check if there is a dress code. There would be nothing worse than getting to the club whilst you are having an amazing night and then find out your not wearing the correct attire to get in. Different clubs have different closing times, so if you are visiting somewhere that is quite a way from where you are staying, it’s a given that you will obviously have to check out the best transport methods to get you home at 3am.

Depending on your budget and preferences, you will be able to find some live entertainment to suit you. If it is possible, seeing a West End show would be well worth your time as the performances are second to none. However if there is nothing there that appeals to your taste or budget, there is still lots to see. For example there are plenty of burlesque and cabaret shows you can go to if you are looking for live performances with a difference.

Or of course you could check out what music gigs are playing at the bigger venues such as the Hammersmith Apollo or the Brixton Academy. Tickets will sell out quickly for the bigger places, so ordering them before you go is recommended. There are also lots of different comedy shows available, ranging from stand up comedians to improvisation groups. You can see these performances at different venues from comedy clubs, to bars and pubs which host comedy nights. You can then get the opportunity to see up and coming new talent alongside comedy veterans, depending where you go.

Whether you are spending two weeks in London, or three days, everyone has an idea of what they want to get out of their break away. Even you are not usually a night owl, the London nightlife is completely worth experiencing. Whether you go to a pub for a pint or go the whole hog and party till 3 in the morning, it’s definitely worth fitting it in to your busy schedule. Make sure you do your research beforehand, and you will definitely have a fantastic time.

Guest Post: How to Make the Most out of the London Nightlife - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

The so called ‘Boris bikes’ are now a ubiquitous sight around the nation’s capital, offering Londoner’s easy, affordable temporary access to transport. The scheme seems to have bolstered the popularity of cycling amongst those who hadn’t previously been keen on peddling between destinations, which looks set to benefit the general health of the city, as well as the environment. Many are now even using cycle hire as their go to method of transport. But does this make financial sense?

There’s certainly no denying they offer good value when compared with other forms of public transport. Anyone can make use of the scheme (as long as they have a credit or debit card to hand) and, for just £1 can enjoy a full 24 hours of access to the bikes. If you’re a member of the scheme the economics seem even more attractive, as you can gain a year’s access for a paltry £45. Put into context, that’s significantly less than half of what you’d pay for a single month’s pass for zones one and two on an Oyster card.

Despite this apparent affordability, the ever present blue bikes have attracted criticism from various quarters. Notably ex-mayor, Ken Livingston, branded the scheme an “elitist rip off”. That he has his own agenda for making such a statement should go without saying, but it’s worth asking the question, other than casual users and tourists, aren’t we better off simply buying a bike?

The ‘Boris bikes’ are definitely easy on the eye, with their stylish blue colour scheme, but at 23kg they’re not exactly light. Add to this the fact that they’ve only got three gears and the prospect of a steep incline becomes a pretty daunting one. Considering that you can buy a fairly light weight mountain bike with a full compliment of 18 gears online for less than a hundred pounds, it does seem that, if you’re planning on cycling everyday, you’d be better off with an easier ride.

Aside from the cost and difficulty of riding the bikes, there are other factors to consider. For example, the fact that you can dock a bike in one location then pick up another somewhere else, may at first seem like a wonderful advantage. It means that you’re never too far from a bike, without the inconvenience of having to have it constantly in tow. However, if you want to use the bikes day in day out for the same journeys, to go to work and back for example, this extra flexibility isn’t of much use. If you want to start at point A and finish at point B, you’re just as well locking up your own bike.

On top of this there’s the fact that, as the scheme gets more popular, it becomes harder to use. You may find that the dock you want to pick a bike up from is always empty when you need to set off, or, more annoyingly, that when you get to your finishing point, the dock is full, meaning you need to cycle somewhere else to put it away, and then walk back home.

Whilst cycling is a great way to save money, stay in shape and cut down on CO2 emissions, if you’re going to commit to it as a mode of transport, it makes sense to go the whole hog and purchase your own set of wheels.

Steve Waller writes about a wide range environmental issues on his personal blog www.greensteve.com, where you can find a host of tips on greener living. 

Guest Posts: Cycle Hire – Are You Being Taken For a Ride? - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

The city of London is one that is full of life and action. However, that action doesn’t come to a complete stand-still at night-time. There are many people in London who work throughout the night, helping to keep the city safe and preparing for the frantic rush of the following day. If it wasn’t for them, the London of regular waking hours would not run nearly as smoothly as it does.

Here I’ll go over just some of the wide variety of night jobs that happen in and around the capital on a daily basis.

Getting From A to B Throughout the Night

With five major airports in London (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and City) there is much action throughout the night. Not only is it necessary for those from the airline companies to be working, but most of the cleaning is done at night-time since there are fewer people travelling at that time.

Although some of the airport shops and restaurants close, others remain open throughout the darkness. Security officers work shifts, and those who do the night shift perform an equally important role as those in the day. Since some people choose to sleep at airports rather than book into a hotel for an early morning flight, it is essential that such security is available.

The tube network remains open until about 1am and is then up and running again by about 6am (it varies on the different lines). However, even during the night-time hours when it is closed, all is not silent deep down underground. Throughout the night, the tracks and the tube stations are cleaned and much of the necessary maintenance is carried out.

Although they’re not all that frequent, there are night buses available in London and these obviously require drivers. Taxis are obviously far more frequent, with the famous London black cabs also available for those who need to travel at that time.

Crime Doesn’t Sleep

The emergency services work 24/7 throughout the capital. Paramedics and the Fire Services are available and ready to respond to emergency calls. The Metropolitan Police are both on call in case of emergencies and are also touring the capital and surrounding areas to keep them safe even when some people have had a bit too much merriment in the bars, pubs and clubs.

Night Nurse

More than 100 hospitals are listed in the London area. In each of these hospitals doctors and nurses are on hand throughout the night, both in the casualty departments and on the wards. However, there is also a need for security personnel at that time and for receptionists. The casualty departments can often be extremely busy at this time, particularly on the weekends when alcohol gets the better of people.

Food, Booze and Hotel Moves

Much of the packaged food that will be consumed in London the following day needs to prepared at night. Hence, many people will work from dusk til dawn preparing the sandwiches and ready made pasta pots that we all love for our lunches.

Bars and nightclubs are also kept busy with many remaining open into the small hours of the morning. Some fast food outlets also remain open throughout the night providing sustenance to those that are working, travelling or who just have the munchies.

Receptionists are also needed to work the night shift in many London hotels. With so many guests choosing to arrive and leave at different times, it’s sure to be a busy shift.

Shop Until You Drop

An increasing number of supermarkets in the London area remain open throughout the night meaning cashiers are needed even at that time. Even those supermarkets that are closed to the public will often have people busy at work, sorting through the stock and stacking the shelves ready for the next day.

Many clothes shops and department stores also employ people to work through the night, especially on those days when new stock will be arriving. Setting up a high quality retail display takes planning and military-like execution if it is to be ready for customers the following day.

This is just a taste of the wonderful world of night-time work in London. Tens of thousands of people miss out on the rays of the daylight sun so that the city can run like clockwork no matter where the hour hand lies.

This post has been submitted by David Spelman, a recruitment expert who assists people in their job hunt by maintaining a search engine listing many of the vacancies on the big job boards. You can benefit from this too by visiting www.job-centre-vacancies.co.uk and running a search of your own.

Guest Post: The Nocturnal World Of London Night Workers - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

I have only recently returned from a two week trip to Japan, a holiday on which the food was certainly a highlight. Not that I’d play down the fun we had at the tourist spots of the country’s western half (away from the typical Tokyo visit), but the range of food was so exciting that we couldn’t help but look forward to each evening with particular enthusiasm. From the quintessential raw-fish dishes of Sushi and Sashimi, to grilled meat dishes like Yakiniku and Yakitori, to quick snacks like Ramen and Takoyaki, we didn’t put a culinary foot wrong in the entire fortnight.

So of course, the question was posed by one of my holiday companions: if we were taking a Japanese friend out in the UK, most likely out in London, for a fortnight of specifically British food, what dishes would we have them eat? It’s by no means an easy question to answer, given that the main choice that the British restaurant-goer seems to make before a meal out is “how am I going to not  eat British food this evening”. And even in the home, Italian and Indian food at most mealtimes frequently elbows out more traditionally ‘British’ food.

It’s something of a false premise anyway: much of the food we ate in Japan was influenced or imported wholesale from Korea, China or elsewhere in Asia. And Italian, Chinese and Indian restaurants are just as widespread in Japan as they are in the UK (though they’re about as unlike the genuine article as our own examples are).

Sunday Roast

When the less palatable British dishes are quietly removed from the premises (this list will include no Fish and Chips or Bangers and Mash), the Sunday Roast is unquestionably head of the table. Our national dish and one of the main reasons we’re accused of being unadventurous, the dish is nonetheless like having an only-slightly miniaturised Christmas dinner whenever you can afford to have it. I’m partial to a lamb roast and a good dollop of mint-source, but we all have our favourites. And you can walk into pretty much any pub or restaurant on a Sunday and enjoy a good one.

Chicken Balti

Chicken Tikka Masala is the popular face of Anglo-Indian cuisine and considered in some quarters ‘a true British national dish’. But whilst I’ve got nothing against the dish itself, (and I insist I’m not merely looking for the next most obvious choice with everything), I just don’t think Chicken Tikka Masala epitomises the British-Indian food experience. Whether from a take-away or one of London’ many great Indian restaurants, Chicken Balti is a less gentle dish and almost certainly an invention of British cooks: it’s filling, spicy (but not unreasonably so) and best consumed with a good lager to take the edge off.

Cottage Pie

British cuisine tends to evoke hot dishes on farmhouse wooden tables and Cottage Pie is well-named to service that image. Whacking mashed potato on any old meat may seem to account for about half of all British food, but a good Cottage Pie, with a perfect crispy top and hearty mix of beef mince, Worcestershire sauce, herbs and stock (no tomatoes please) is a hearty, rustic classic. A good meal to cook at home or experience in a good pub.

Oyster Dishes

When it comes to seafood, the British seem legendarily unadventurous, selecting from a small pool of species an unwitting subject for a quick battering and little else (though a fortunate fish may end up in a pie if it’s fortunate). And whilst I should probably throw myself to the mercy of the court and just stick ‘Cod and Chips’ on the list and have done with it, the British do at least appreciate a good Oyster dish and London is full of fantastic seafood restaurants. J Sheekey’s in Covent Garden is a great place little place with a 19th Century feel (hidden down a narrow alley, no-less) or Bentley’s Oyster Bar and Grill in Mayfair is just another great option in a city full of good Oyster bars.

Toad in the Hole

Revisiting Yorkshire pie and narrowly dodging the cliché of ‘Bangers and Mash’, Toad in the Hole is a British favourite that can taste great even in the hands of a mediocre chef with access to great sausages and a decent onion gravy. More great pub-food, but look out for its occasional appearances in more sophisticated restaurants looking to create a spin on British classics.

Hotpot

Typically of the Lancashire variety, it’s possible to treat your visitor to a little taste of Northern England in many restaurants in the capital. However, Rules restaurant (in Covent Garden, purported to be the oldest restaurant in the city) has a particularly interesting Venison Hotpot on its menu at the moment, served with pickled red cabbage and an ambience that will impress your visitor with its sheer Britishness.

Trifle

Good British Food isn’t just about main courses. In fact, I’ve probably missed a trick by pointing out that this challenge would have been a hell of a lot easier if we were talking about desserts (the British save the best till last I guess, whereas in my entire time in Japan I never saw anyone touch the dessert menu). And when it comes to great-tasting, anything goes Dessert options, the single most British option available to you is surely a Trifle. You may need to track down an Aunt to make one for your visitor though.

This article by Steph Wood was written for Urban Bite Takeaway – remember, that staying in and getting food delivered is as much a part of the London Experience as eating out!

Guest Post: A Week of Dishes for Life in London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

10 Top Tips for traveling around London

• Look at the Tube map before you travel, particularly the city centre, known as zone 1
• Invest in an Oyster travel card for Tube, bus & tram – you can buy it in advance, even from abroad
• The Tube runs from around 5am till midnight, buses run all night
• Tubes can run as often as every 1-2 minutes, buses every 5-20 minutes
• Under 11s travel free on all services at all times
• Some Tube lines fork so check the map, the platform indicator and the front of the train
• Use Transport for London’s journey planner or ring the 24-hr number 00 44 843 222 1234
• Transport for London has audio guides, step-free station guides & large-print maps
• If you have the address of where you’re going, the postcode (zipcode) indicates  location e.g. N1 is north, W14 is west. Very central postcodes usually start WC1 or WC2.
• King’s Cross, Euston, Victoria, Paddington, Waterloo and Liverpool Street are major railway stations as well as Tube stations. Head for the Tube logo, a red roundel with a blue line through it

New to London?

We thought we’d give you a whistle-stop Tube and bus guide by describing how to get from Barossa Cafe, one of our favourite cafes in west London to one of our favourite east London cafes, aptly named Loafing. Both are featured in our London thru Cafés City Guide App which features over a hundred independent London cafes and 350+ things to do, plus offline maps for iPhone, iPad and iPod an area summary and survival guide to London. A cross platform App for Android and Windows will be available very soon.

Journey Planner

Firstly, invest in an Oyster Card which will be your key to getting on the Tube, the buses and the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) and south London trams. It’ll also get you discounts on the Riverboats and let you on suburban trains from zones 1-9 – but it does not cover services like the Heathrow Express. A card for zones 1-2 should suffice – however if you’re going further out, you can also ‘top up’ your Oyster pass at the Tube station ticket counter. Day travel cards are available but if you’re in London for more than say, five days, an Oyster Card is definitely best– it’s a plastic card that you can keep and revive on future trips.

Next, we’re going to work out our route using the Journey Planner on Transport for London’s website which lets you search by Tube station, address or postcode. The Journey Planner also shows you what zone a place is in, the estimated journey length and where you have to change. You can also work out a step-free route, or a walking route or a cycling route. If you’re not online, you can plan your journey on Transport for London’s 24-hour telephone number 0843 222 1234, which is also the number for Oyster card enquiries and lost property.

Westbound or eastbound, north or south?

So, you’re at Australian-run Barossa in west London and you’ve had one of their kangaroo steaks for lunch, washed down with one of their fantastic Caravan coffees. Now you want to head to east London and you’re going to take the Tube and catch a bus (as Loafing cafe isn’t near a Tube station).

Once you’ve got your route worked out on the Journey Planner, look at a map of the London Underground (the Tube). The maps are also widely available from stations. The journey from Barossa to Loafing includes a tube journey on the District Line from Parson’s Green Station, changing at Notting Hill Gate onto the Central Line, then getting off at Mile End station and taking the 277 bus to Loafing Cafe in Lauriston Road.

Tube lines explained

The main choice you’ll need to make when you travel on the Tube is if you need to go west or east, north or south. The District Line’s a pretty easy line to use in terms of the westbound/eastbound principle, as it clearly runs west to east. Note that the District Line is the green line on the map, but Tube lines are not referred to by colour. They are referred to by their name e.g. the Piccadilly Line, the Northern Line and the Victoria Line etc.

Platform indicators and the fronts of trains

The electronic platform indicators show the train’s final destination and therefore also confirm the direction. When a train pulls in, it will also have this destination written on the front. If you’re in any doubt, automated announcers on the Tube train also state the train’s destination and what the next station is – useful for when it’s crowded and you can’t see out.

Lines that fork

If you study your Tube map, you will see that some lines fork and the District Line is one of them. If you look at the Tube map, you’ll see some trains go to Upminster, but some branch off towards Edgware Road. As the Edgware Road branch goes through Notting Hill Gate, this is the branch you want.

Once at Notting Hill Gate, you’re going to change, taking the Central Line east bound to Mile End. At Mile End you’re going to head for the bus stop and take the 277 bus north bound, getting off at Lauriston Road.

Buses – a key to seeing London

Sound easy? It is, but chances are there’ll be many other bus stops in the area too and finding the right one can sometimes take time. When you looked at Journey Planner, you’ll have noticed that it said you needed bus stop ‘G’. So look out for a bus stop with the letter ‘G’ on top. Within the bus shelter, there’ll be a map of the bus-stops in the vicinity, all labeled by letter, so you can always find the one you need.

Another quick glance at the bus stop will show the 277’s timetable and a break down of the route. Many bus stops also have electronic ‘countdown’ indicators which show you when a bus is due. We want the northbound direction that says ‘Highbury and Islington.’

Remember Oyster covers all buses but you can buy tickets with cash on most. However, if your bus number is displayed with a yellow background at the bus stop, you’ll need to buy a ticket from the machine at the stop – the driver on such a route won’t take cash, only pre-bought tickets or Oyster.

If you’re not sure when to get off, ask a passenger or the bus driver (if it’s not busy). They’ll give you a shout when your stop is coming up. Alternatively, look out for landmarks or follow the route on a map.

You can buy bus-only passes from Oyster Ticket Shops (as well as ordinary Oyster cards too of course). Look out for the blue Oyster signage in shop windows, usually newsagents, garages, off-licences or small convenience stores.

And finally, some tea and cake

Loafing, a lovely shabby chic artisan café, is right by the roundabout on Lauriston Road. Enjoy a perfect lemon drizzle cake in this relaxing friendly place with a hot chocolate.

Rush hour and frequency

Rush hour for Tubes and buses is roughly 8am-9.30am and 5pm-7pm. Tubes run very frequently during rush hour, sometimes as often as one a minute. Frequency will reduce on less busy lines and at off-peak times including weekends. Buses can run as often as every five-ten minutes and night buses have an ‘N’ before the number. Special bus lanes mean that buses don’t get so snarled up in traffic jams – in theory.

Tube Travel Apps

Why not also download one of the Tube travel Apps – Tube Deluxe by Malcolm Barclay is very popular.

An A-Z street guide will help

And as well as an App, you could buy a pocket A-Z street guide, which you can buy in newsagents such as WHSmith which are all over London. It’ll make you look like one of the locals and free you from unfolding paper maps.

A little bit of fun

Click here for designer Mark Noad’s take on the Tube map. Unlike the official version, it shows stations laid out in a geographically accurate way.

Barossa and Loafing

Australian-run Barossa Café is at 277 New King’s Road, London SW6 4RD, Tel 00 44 20 7751 9711. Parson’s Green tube. Open Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm. Wifi and gluten free. Access: There is one step into the café and a step down into the courtyard outside.

Loafing Cafe is at 79 Lauriston Road, London E9 7HJ, 00 44 20 8986 0777. Monday-Friday 7.30am-6pm, Saturday 8am-6pm, Sunday 9am-6pm. Gluten free items. Access: There is one large step into the cafe and once inside, there are two steps into the room at the back.

Check out tons of great London Cafes with the London Thru Cafes App.

Guest Article: From café to café on London public transport – A Guide - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Riding in a helicopter over the historic sites of London allows you to get a truly fresh perspective on the capital and experience something you will be talking about for many years to come.

It is not just the rush and thrill of being in a helicopter itself that makes this such a fantastic experience. Nor is it simply the fact you can pack in a couple of days of ordinary sightseeing into one short but fabulously intense trip. It is not even the strange serenity you get when you fly aloofly over the gridlocked streets, busy pavements and crowded tube entrances below.

There is something refreshingly unique and indescribably wonderful about a helicopter trip over London – taking in all the familiar landmarks from a new vantage point and seeing afresh the shapes of the roads, contours of the river and profiles of the landmarks that help give London its identity.

A helicopter ride over London is no longer solely the preserve of the wealthy. Companies such as ExperienceMad that specialise in providing experience days can now lay on luxury helicopter rides that follow the course of the Thames for under £100 – making it an affordable gift for all that will be remembered long after other presents have been forgotten.

Taking off in a state-of-the-art Eurocopter, and tracing the path the Thames cuts through the historic capital, you will feel you are literally gaining a new perspective on iconic buildings and structures such as Big Ben, the Tower of London, Westminster, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, the Millennium Dome, the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.

As a recent thrill-seeker enthused on return from his experience of a lifetime:

“I’ve been to the capital many times and thought I’d seen it all before. Yet from the moment I climbed into the helicopter, it was an experience that blew me away. Seeing the capital from above, away from the crowds, noise and traffic was an incredible experience. You get a totally different appreciation of the city up there, the scale and grandeur of it just blew me away.”

A helicopter ride over London could be blowing you away too.

Editor’s Note: I’m happy to report that our London correspondent Laura Porter will be taking a Helicopter tour of London and will be reporting on the experience. Stay tuned!

A Guide to Helicopter Tours Over London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Thousands of people relocate to London every year to set up businesses, take up new jobs or follow a partner as they move to a new office. Whether you’re moving from overseas or within the UK, there are plenty of things to plan and consider before making the big move, from sorting our taxes and finance to finding the right schools for your children.

Get Your Finances in Order

You’ll need to sort out your finances and online banking is ideal for this, as you won’t need to spend time going to branches to make transactions. Most moves are very time consuming and the fewer administrative demands you place on your time, the better. Look for online banking providers that provide additional services such as telephone banking and apps to make use of online banking via a smartphone.

Inform the Right People of Your Move

Tell HMRC when you’ll be coming back to London and check your tax liability and status upon your return to the UK if you’re relocating from abroad. If returning from overseas, you should also check with your country of departure in case you owe tax there. Also contact the HMRC’s national insurance contributions office to re-register and get in touch with the DWP (Department of Work and Pensions) to check your status as regards benefits and your pension. You’ll need to provide your contact details and information about your move.

Get Registered

You’ll need to register with a local GP and a dentist when you’re back in the UK to take advantage of NHS services. It’s also wise to notify any travel-insurance and medical-insurance companies you may have policies with of your change in circumstances as soon as possible. If you have children you’ll need to tell the school authorities in your country of departure and get in touch with the local council in the area that you plan to live in when back in London. They can advise on available local school places and set the registration wheels in motion.

Decide What to Do with Your Home

Some people sell up when they move back to the UK, others lease out their properties and organise storage or removals as appropriate. It very much depends on your individual circumstances and your longer-term plans. You’ll need to contact the council in your area when you move to London so the electoral-register team and council-tax department can update their records as necessary. Provide your utility company with a forwarding address for final bills and arrange for mail forwarding to be set up.

The best way to manage all the administration and organisation is to ask advice from others who have been through the same experience. Go on to ex-pat forums, read books and ask around. Then you can make lists and approach everything systematically. A move is always stressful, so try to remain calm and don’t fall into the trap of doing everything at once. Finally, delegate jobs to your partner and family wherever possible to make the job more manageable.

Guest Post: Moving To London For Work? Read This First for some Tips! - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Video: Lloyds building in London – Dreamspaces – BBC - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

I consider myself a London travel veteran these days. Having traveled there 10 times in the last decade or so, I’ve learned a lot about London, learned to love it, learned to hate it, learned to enjoy it despite its problems.

The problem is that I usually only get to go once a year and there’s a lot of pressure to fit in everything I want to do in the time allotted. Almost always I’m never able to get done everything I wanted to do – even if I spend the whole trip running around.

That said, I’ve spent a colossal amount of time in London that’s been completely wasted. I’ve also made some poor decisions that have led to some trips not being so great. So, in an effort to spread our London knowledge, I thought I’d share some of my biggest regrets and mistakes learned from previous London trips.

As we count down the days to our next trip (in London from June 1st – June 7th), here’s a few things we hope to not repeat.

Hotel Room Internet Saga

Circa 2004, hotel room wifi was not as common as it is now and if you did get it, it did not work very well. Back in 2004 I was still a student and Anglotopia wasn’t even a twinkle in my eye. I was just your average internet junkie. It was our first trip with a laptop and I was very happy about this so I could keep a trip diary but also keep up with the internet.

Our room in a shitty hotel (which will not be named as it’s probably changed since then) included free Ethernet in the room. I was quite excited about this fact. I plugged it in and assumed it would just work.

It didn’t.

What followed was hours spent trying to get the damn free internet to work.

I never did.

And rather than spend one more night on the streets of London before we left, instead I spent it in a crappy hotel room trying to get the internet to work.

Lesson learned, the internet will not die without me and I can live with it the other 360 days of the year I’m not in London.

Skipping watching the boat race

The Oxford vs Cambridge boat race is one of the biggest sporting events on the London Calendar and thousands turn up on the banks of the Thames to watch the race. The year I first heard about it, I was actually in London during the race.

Despite the fact it’s free to go down to the Thames to watch the race, I decided better to watch it in the hotel on the tiny little TV.

Since, I’ve become a big fan of the Boat Race and watch it every year. Ever since, I’ve wished I’d gotten off my butt and gone a few blocks down the street to the Thames to watch the race in person as I haven’t had the same opportunity again.

Taking the Tube EVERYWHERE

I get it – the Tube is amazing. Most Americans come from cities with little to no public transport and if there is public transport – it’s certainly no fun to ride. Riding the Tube for the first time is so much fun – it’s intoxication. It goes everywhere, it has its own rhythms, its own smell, its own culture and life.

You’ll love it so much that if you’re not careful, you’ll end up taking it everywhere and your entire geography of London will be built around it.

This is a big shame because there’s so much more to London than just where the Tube goes. Most of central London is actually pretty close together – so close you can walk to most of the major sites. If you just take the Tube everywhere, you miss the chance to explore London’s streets. You miss the chance to get lost. You miss the chance to discover something not in the guidebooks.

So, while it’s smart to rely on the Tube – don’t rely on it to take you everywhere.

Not Budgeting Enough Money for the Trip

I made this mistake not once, but twice. Back when I was in college, we used to use our grant money that we had leftover to fund our first trips to London. While this was not the best use of the money (we worked full-time so we thought of it as bonus money) this led to sloppy budgeting.

We literally ran out of money in London twice. With several days left to go in the trips.

It was pretty scary – we were in one of the most expensive cities in the world and we literally had no money, our credit cards were maxed out and we were counting our change to buy Burger King.

Thankfully, desperate phone calls back home resolved the situation (Thanks Mom & Dad). When we got home, we were even more broke.

But after making the same mistake twice, we resolved for that to never happen again. It’s so important to budget enough money to enjoy yourself in London. While it’s easy to do London through the gutter with no money, it’s certainly not fun (unless you’re a masochist). So, we always make sure we save enough money for our trips. What is enough?

We budget £100 a day in spending money. This does not include hotel, transport, etc. This is pocket money for food, souvenirs and whatever else comes up.

Not Taking More Day Trips out of London

Our geography of Britain is very London centric. I’ll be the first to admit that. We’ve only really been to Dorset, which is a shame (well Dorset’s great though!). I really wish we’d taken more day trips in the past and it’s certainly something we’ve built into our itineraries nowadays.

Day trips don’t have to cost a fortune, it can be a matter of buying a train ticket and exploring a town at the end of the line. I’ve been to England 10 times now and I haven’t been to Oxford, Bath, Cambridge, Stratford, York, Bristol, Brighton, Canterbury, Birmingham, Manchester… I could go on.

As a card-carrying Anglophile, this is criminal and something we’re rectifying on future trips.

The problem is that once you get into London, you get comfortable being there, it’s hard to pull yourself away and take the risk in exploring somewhere else.

Sticking to Chain Restaurants Because they’re Familiar

I have strange eating habits, I’ll be the first to admit that. So, when I’m in London I generally just stick to what’s familiar and usually just default to getting a burger and chips.

There’s sich a variety of food in London, this is just as criminal as never leaving London. I wish I was a little more adventurous and tried a different variety of foods. I wish I tried hole in the wall restaurants rather than sticking to chain restaurants where everything is familiar.

Not Making Many Friends

This is a hard point to make because we’ve made lots of friends in Britain through our travels, I just wish we had more. That said, the friendships we have made will last a lifetime and I suppose it should be about quality over quantity.

Never Going For More than a Week

On 10 trips, the longest I’ve been in London has been just 1 week and as few as 4 days. This is almost always never enough time, which is why we haven’t taken many day trips outside of London. There’s never enough time to do what we want to do.

Our next trip to Britain is 17 days – while it’s not possible for most people to take a trip that long – it seems like a good amount of time and I hope we can see and do everything we want to do. We probably won’t.

Go for as long as you possibly can. If you can miss a full week of work – cram in both weekends and make it a 10 day trip. You won’t regret spending MORE time there.

Thinking it will be like the Movies

Our picture of London is very much built-in our heads by movies and TV shows. It’s so much more than that. The fictional place you build in your head does not reflect reality much – just try going to Notting Hill these days, nothing like the movie and overrun with tourists and Americans who moved there because of the movie (driving up property prices).

I actually hated London the first time I went because it was nothing like I expected to be.

So, the biggest lesson we can pass on here is that you need to understand London will not be what you think it is. It will be something completely different from what you imagine.

But it will be awesome, better and REAL.

Missing London 2012

When London was chosen to host the London 2012 games in 2005, I resolved to be there for them. Back in 2005, when I was still in college, my line of thinking was that by 2012 I’d be well established professionally and I could make it happen.

Well 7 years went by a hell of a lot faster than I thought they would and we had a few life hiccups along the way (one in which prevented us from visiting Britain for nearly 3 years). Generally Anglotopia and Londontopia can make these things happen (and they still might). But after we weren’t chosen for any tickets last year, we decided there’s not really much point in going.

I wish we hadn’t been so defeatist. There’s going to be so much going on in London during the time. It will be an atmosphere filled with excitement and anticipation. London will put on its best show. London will be the most alive it could possibly be.

And we won’t be there.

I will forever regret that. There won’t be another London Olympic, at least not in our lifetimes and we won’t be there to see her at her best.

What’s your biggest London trip regret? Let us know in the comments!

London Dreams: My Top 10 London Trip Regrets and Mistakes – Learn from our Blunders! - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

The British Hand Crafts store called Pob Shop is offering custom made London street sign replicas for sale.

From their product description:

Handcrafted and hand painted London street sign with your choice of street name, postcode and borough. Your sign will be constructed from hardwood ply board. We apply antique white for the topcoat and fade this through to reveal the wood beneath. We use charcoal black and bright red for the lettering and then apply multiple coats of glazes to create a beautiful patina. All of these elements combine to give your sign a genuine vintage look and feel. Your sign will be sealed with a minimum of three coats of finest quality polyacrylic topcoat. These signs look great propped on a shelf or mantle.

They cost a pretty reasonable £45 (plus shipping).

Check out the website here for more info.

Get Your Own Custom London Street Sign - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

America’s master of Pop Art silk-screen technique is to be showcased in an exhibition at England’s oldest gallery this summer.

Andy Warhol: The Portfolios, opening in June at the Dulwich Picture Gallery, will be the first European showing of Warhol works from the Bank of America Collection. It will include 80 works from 13 portfolios from the early 1960s through to the mid-1980s.

Visitors will be able to see some of Warhol’s most famous images alongside some that are less familiar. Iconic portraits of Muhammad Ali and Marilyn Monroe will hang amongst his 1981 Myths and 1979 Space Fruit: Still Lifes.

The Dulwich Picture Gallery in south London became England’s first public art gallery in 1811 when Sir Francis Bourgeois bequeathed his collection of old masters ‘for the inspection of the public’.

Rena De Sisto, Global Arts and Culture executive at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, says: ‘We are thrilled that Andy Warhol: The Portfolios will have its first European display in one of London’s best-loved and most beautiful spaces.’

The Dulwich Picture Gallery is open Tue–Suns and Bank Holiday Mons, 11am–5pm, admission £5 adults, £4 seniors, free for unemployed, disabled, students and under-18s. Andy Warhol: The Portfolios runs from 20 June to 16 September, tickets £10 adults, £8 seniors, £5 unemployed, disabled and students, free for children and Friends of the Gallery.

Dulwich Picture Gallery, Gallery Road, Dulwich, London SE21 7AD
Tel: +44 20 8693 5254
Website: www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk
Facebook: Dulwich Picture Gallery
Twitter: @DulwichGallery
YouTube: Dulwich Picture Gallery

Warhol comes to south London at the Dulwich Gallery - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Brixton Village

Brixton Village

Those looking for a bite to eat in South London will find food to suit every taste at the newly regenerated Brixton Village. A project in 2010 saw the empty and rundown shops of this historic arcade get transformed into thriving, busy independent restaurants, cafes and community projects. Nowadays, it’s the go-to place for hungry Londoners seeking anything from Honest Burgers to an authentic Thai or Italian meal, or Pakistani street food (and more), as well as innovative ideas such as a wheat and gluten free bakery. Give it a try, but be prepared to wait as there aren’t usually reservations, and most places are B.Y.O booze.

Pop-up restaurants

London’s pop-up restaurant scene has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years.  From bloggers’ favourite The Breakfast Club in Brixton, to the Disappearing Dining Club in, err, who knows, these foodie events cater for people who like their dinner (or brunch) served in a sociable atmosphere free of pretention,  and often “pop up” in some of London’s most unusual spaces. Recently, even the giants of pop-up cinema gave it a go when Secret Restaurant launched last year with their theatrical food experience. Perfect for those who are prepared to pay in advance, and be in the dark about the venue until the last moment, but want something different to talk about at the dinner table.

Eat East

When it comes to a variety of good, cheap food without a chain restaurant in sight, East London is where it’s at. Head to Kingsland Road in Dalston for some of the best Vietnamese cuisine in town, or meander further up the road for a wealth of Turkish restaurants, and more meze than you’d imagine possible on one road. Likewise, those going further east towards Brick Lane will find no end of curry houses, all open until late and armed with persuasive waiters who are sent to the streets to draw you in with their best deals. Take your pick, or for a less spicy (and pricey) option, you can always grab a bagel from one of the many shops around the corner.

If all this talk of food has got your stomach grumbling, click here to have a little look at the cheap deals on London hotels, then get eating.

Three Must-Visit Places to Eat in London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

So looking for a house but don’t have the time?  Things have changed so much over the last 20 years or so that only the most foolhardy would attempt to find one without utilising the vast resources available to you online.

Firstly, you are able to view data from a number of difference sources in one sitting. Whilst once upon a time, you would traipse up and down the local streets, looking into each estate agents window, now you can view these through a computer window from the comfort of your own home.

Even just to get an idea of asking prices, you can search for properties in a certain area using tools such as Adzuna’s London Property Pages  or Zoopla and get a quick bird’s eye view of the neighbourhood. Filter the properties by your price range and go through those that look similar to your requirements, clicking through the links and make a note of the details including the price per square foot.

Judging the value of a property is more of an art than a science so get an idea of the range of prices per square foot/ metre. Remember that these are asking prices and not the selling price and when making a judgement of the value, remember some things that will push the property to the upper end of that value (and the opposite obviously towards the lower end):

• Anything above the first floor for apartments(lower ground is the last valuable)
• Anything with a lift for apartments (if above the ground floor)
• Outdoor space
• Parking space
• Quality of the fixtures and fittings
• Quietness of the road
• Transport links
• Ceiling height
• Immediate neighbourhood: Very easy on the Adzuna Property Map sections. Look at the location map and drag the yellow man to the location to view what the road is like.
• Access to sunlight. South facing kitchens having the most value

Get a good range of samples. Anywhere upwards of 10 or so and take look at the agents who are selling any you are interested in.  Also take a look at the value and number of sold properties in the neighbourhood. Including the one which you wish to buy. Use a service such as http://www.nethouseprices.com.

Finally you must make an appointment or two to see the few you do like to get a flavour. If you don’t know the area it may be a good idea to keep this list concise so you can get a feel.

Find out how long it has been on the market for. If a good market if it has been on the market for longer than 3 months then you should make sure you take your time to check it thoroughly. 6 months and some alarm bells should ring. There may a valid reason. It may be a quirky property that doesn’t appeal to all people but you should bear this in mind for the resale.

You can’t get all of the information you need online but you can do a lot of prep work. Things such as the quality of build and the nature of the neighbourhood can only usually be found out in person. You can’t do it all from the armchair!

Guest Post: Tips on Searching for a House in London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

With Londoners heading to the polls this week to elect the next mayor, voters will be making their decision on a whole range of different factors; but one subject will always be a major talking point from generation to generation: crime.

The impression that some people – mostly those who rarely visit the city – have of London is that it is a dangerous place. But while the capital has its share of problems with crime like any town or city, the idea that crime is proportionately higher than anywhere else is not necessarily true. Sure, there are more incidents than there are in any other UK city, but there are also a lot more people.

When you compare London’s crime figures to those from other major cities around the world, you’ll find that they are actually quite low. In 2009, the United Nations compared the murder rates per 100,000 of the population of 112 major cities across the world, and London came out 21^st from the bottom of that list. London councils have brought together a range of publications to try and bust some of the myths regarding crime in the city and their response to it, but the personal safety and the protection of private property remains a key issue in the upcoming election.

Both the major mayoral candidates, current incumbent Boris Johnson and former mayor Ken Livingstone, have addressed the subject of crime in the run-up to the ballot. Both have highlighted the steady downward trend in the crime data; Mr Livingstone focussing on the fact that while crime is still falling, it is at a lower rate than that experienced during his time in office, and Mr Johnson pointing out that a 4.6 per cent fall in instances of criminality over his four years in office is very positive, considering this coincided with a significant economic downturn.

The economic situation in wider society will always have an impact on crime statistics, as it has throughout history; while London’s overall crime rate has dropped in the last four years, instances of burglary and theft have risen slightly, as criminals target items that can be resold quickly and easily such as flat-screen TVs, games consoles and laptops. But this is not just a London thing – data from a home insurance provider Castle Cover indicates that this increase in burglary and theft is reflected across the UK. Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that this link is apparent elsewhere; this USA Today article highlights how half of US police agencies reported spikes in crime linked to the economic downturn in 2009.

So while London may not be the crime hotbed that some people assume it to be, the slight increase in burglary rates should keep you on your toes when it comes to securing your property. With the cost of living rising – particularly in reference to utility bills – some homeowners may be thinking of making cutbacks in their monthly outgoings, with home insurance being identified as an area where savings can be made.

While it is valuable to shop around a see what is on offer from the various providers, there are steps you can take to make your home more secure. Not only will this reduce the chances of you being burgled, it may help you achieve lower premiums with your provider.

Although it goes without saying that windows should be kept shut, many people still do not invest in adequate locks for them. Thieves would rather force a window than attract attention by trying to smash the pane, so don’t give them that chance. Yet a strong window lock means nothing if the frame that houses it is weak, so make sure you replace any rotting wood – and the same principle goes for doors.

If you’re lucky enough to have a garden or yard, you need to think about how this can be an access point for thieves. Large trees and bushes can provide cover for burglars and make your home a more attractive option, so trim foliage back where possible. Security lights and burglar alarms are also relatively inexpensive home additions that can be made to act as a deterrent to thieves. And never leave gardening implements or ladders lying around near the rear of the house – these easily turn into tools to help a thief gain access to your property.

If you have outbuildings, you may be surprised about the value of the items you have in there. You should take care to protect sheds and garages anyway, but make an extra effort to beef up security if you use them to store things such as bicycles and lawnmowers.

Overall, London is safer than it was, and much safer than it is often perceived to be. But while politicians continue to spout statistics from their soapboxes, it pays to take a responsible approach to your own property and do your bit to help bring the crime rate down.

Guest Post: Busting the London crime myth - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

If you’re planning on being in London during the London 2012 festivities – here’s a few ways you can save a few bob while you’re in town.

Visit a Live Site

There will be 22 official Live Sites around Britain during the Games, featuring all the latest Olympic news and action. In London, ‘London Live 2012’ will be the biggest free celebration during the Olympics, at three of the city’s most iconic locations: Hyde Park, Victoria Park and Trafalgar Square. Other live sites include Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Leeds, Derry, Swansea and more. Find out if there is a Live Site in the city you’re visiting: www.london2012.com/live-sites

Be a part of the London 2012 Festival

The most exciting festival the UK has ever seen will offer more than 10 million free tickets to see over 1000 performances and events. Leading artists from all over the world will come together for this unique event to celebrate London 2012. Whether you love dance, music, theatre, fashion, food, art or film, you’ll find something you can get involved in. www.festival.london2012.com

Buy before you fly

Check out VisitBritain’s online shop where you can buy BritRail passes to save money on rail travel around Britain and other money saving passes like The London Pass, which can save you up to £500 on entrance fees and gives you priority access to busy attractions! www.visitbritainshop.us

Rent a car to get out of London

London is going to be crazy crowded and may actually be unpleasant while you’re in town. So, we recommend renting a car for a day or two and going on some day trips outside of London to get away from it all. We recommend renting the car from Heathrow so you don’t have to worry about driving in central London. It might also be a good idea to think about your car insurance renewal when you rent your car and consider getting the extra coverage (but check with your car insurance, you may not need to).

Don’t forget about the Paralympics

Get into the spirit at one of the world’s most inspirational sporting events. There are still tickets available and many London hotels with great rates available. The period in between the Olympics and the Paralympics will also be a great time to see the city dressed for the celebrations and experience the London 2012 Festival with less of a crowd.

Eat on the cheap

Ask your hotel if your rate includes breakfast (many do), look out for delicious fixed-price pub lunches and take advantage of London’s amazing parks, by packing a picnic for some people watching! Hint: The food halls at Harrods and Fortnam & Mason are great choices for something gourmet, while Britain staple, Marks & Spencer offers equally delicious food that is a bit more wallet friendly.

London 2012: 6 Tips to Save Money During the Olympics - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

We wanted to let everyone know that today we’ve launched our latest guidebook called 101 London Travel Tips.

It’s the perfect sequel to our first guidebook 101 Budget Britain Travel Tips.

Many people commented that there was a lack of London information in our previous book – that’s because we were saving it all for the new book.

101 London Travel Tips features 101 tips we’ve learned over 10 years of travel in London. You can learn from our mistakes and our successes to plan the best trip to London.

Here’s a sample tip:

London Alert: New London Guidebook – 101 London Travel Tips - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

In the nation’s capital, there’s so much to do on a night out. Whether it involves a few drinks with friends at a real ale pub, taking advantage of free bets being offered at casinos or even taking in a show at a West End Theatre, you’ll never be short of anything to do in London. Here are just a few things to see and do in the city on a night out:

Visiting a casino:

Much like going to an online casino, a night out playing roulette or slot machines can be exhilarating. You get to meet all sorts of people at a casino, and even have the chance to win some money to spend on souvenirs and gifts.

A night at the theatre:

London’s famed West End district is packed with theatres showing plays, musicals and even stand-up comedy gigs featuring some big stars from the world of stage and screen. Whether you want to see an all-singing, all-dancing production like Billy Elliot or a more highbrow show like The Woman In Black, there’s something on for everyone.

Rock out at a gig

There are many music venues which span the length and breadth of London, showcasing unknown local acts and some of the world’s most famous bands and solo artists alike. Some of the best places to visit include the 100 Club on Oxford Street and the Roundhouse in Camden.

Have a proper East End knees-up

The East End of London is renowned for its array of authentic, lively pubs where you can get a taste of what the capital’s people are really like. The Palm Tree in Mile End is one such bar, while the Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club offers a range of local delights including retro rock ‘n’ roll and, rather surprisingly, burlesque parties. This part of the capital has many more pubs worth visiting, many of which serving beer from local breweries.

Guest Post: Fun Night Out – London’s Casinos - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Cutty Sark: The Queen Officialy Re-opens the Clipper Ship - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Photo by TGIGreeny

1. Watch a play at the Globe Theatre

The Globe in Southwark is a chance to experience an authentic Shakespearean production in an open-air theatre. The Globe also offers educational events and tours to offer an insight into the world of Shakespeare and the city as it would have been in his time, as well as information on the theatre’s reconstruction and continuing development.

2. Go mudlarking down the Thames

Mudlarking was popular during the 18th and 19th centuries amongst the poor of the city looking for small treasures to sell. They would wander along the riverbank sifting through the muds and sands for any trinkets that may have fallen off boats, with iron, coal and rope considered excellent finds. Because Thames mud is anaerobic it preserves objects well. Today mudlarking is no longer the recognised profession it was but more of an amateur hobby. That doesn’t stop many people taking it very seriously, and indeed if you want to go digging for items to keep you will need a licence. The Museum of London should be informed of any items of archaeological interest. Take sensible precautions and go in a group.

3. Take a tour at the Royal Opera House

The Royal Opera House offer a range of tours to help you gain an appreciation and understanding of this iconic Covent Garden institution. You may have the chance to watch ballet dancers in rehearsal, get to grips with backstage technology or view authentic costumes worn by famous performers.

4. Learn circus skills

Ever wanted to fly on the trapeze or throw knives? At Circus Space in Shoreditch it is possible to learn traditional circus skills including trapeze, tightwire walking, juggling and acrobatic balancing, or Western skills such as lassoing and knife throwing.

5. Go bird spotting

It may not be the first thing you think of doing when you think of London, but the WWT London Wetland Centre in Barnes is a wonderful and unique oasis for bird spotting. It has several different habitats offering the chance to see wading birds, including the rare bittern, and a variety of other wildlife.

If you are flying into London for a city break be sure to check out BookFHR for deals on travel services including hotels near Heathrow airport.

Guest post: 5 unusual things to do in London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Check it out below:

London aerial 1 from JasonHawkes on Vimeo.

Source.

Jason also has a new book coming out called Britain from Above Month by Month – an aerial journey over Britain during the year. I can’t wait to buy it! Details here.

Video: Stunning Aerial Video of London by Jason Hawkes - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

The folks over at Samsung have launched a new Facebook sweepstakes where one of the prizes is a free trip to London.

Here are the prize details:

There are two prizes -

1 Winner: A 6-day all-expenses-paid travel package to London and a Samsung SMART Camera.
1 Winner: A 6-day all-expenses-paid travel package to New York and a Samsung SMART Camera.

Required Travel Dates:

New York : May 14 – May 19, 2012
London : May 25 – May 30, 2012

The contest will take a little bit of work to enter. First, it’s a Facebook only contest which will not interest a lot of people. But to those that it does – the prize may be worth dealing with Facebook.

To participate in this event, you have to Like Samsung Camera Facebook page, click on the app titled Samsung Smart Camera, check-in as you can see in the first image of this post, and click “Apply.” Then you need to submit a great picture, which will then be voted on. The winners wil be selected from that.

You have until April 30th to enter – so you need to enter NOW!

Londontopia Contest Disclaimer – PLEASE READ – before you email us and complain about the contest please understand that we are NOT running this contest NOR are we affiliated with it in anyway. We are merely providing the information that this contest exists.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO ENTER!

London Alert: Win a Trip to London from Samsung - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Video: The London Marathon – Most bizarre costumes - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

A London based photographer has artfully captured every station on the Northern Line on the London Underground.

From his website:

Life on the Northern Line is my life, in several senses of the words. I literally live on the Northern Line: the trains pass underneath my apartment 20 hours a day, only discernible by a faint rumble in the quiet of the early morning. The Northern Line is also my artery into the city: it connects my home to my work and to my friends. And also to the wealth of experience London has to offer. Cut off the Northern Line, and I am dead: it supplies my lifeblood, life would be lacking vitality without it.

The Northern Line encompasses 50 Underground stations, from Morden in the far south of London to Edgware and High Barnet in the north. It takes about 75 minutes to travel from one end to the other, passing through 8 payment zones. There are several crucial interchanges on the line: Kennington, which splits the Northern Line into two branches, one via Charing Cross and one via Bank; Waterloo, which intersects two other lines and is a large mainline overground station; Bank, which joins the Northern Line to the Docklands Light Railway, as well as three other underground lines; and towards the north, two large mainline stations, Euston and King’s Cross St. Pancras, which allow travel to the rest of the UK. The Northern Line is the backbone of London, lying north-south on the map, spanning 25 miles as the crow flies.

Click here to see the whole series!

The Tube: Photographer Captures Every Station on the Northern Line - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Here’s what they said:

Video: Thomas Cook Asks 8 London Bloggers for their London 2012 Tips - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Tate Britain is to hold an exhibition of classic 20th-century photographs of London, all taken by photographers from overseas.

Another London: International Photographers 1930–1980 will feature work from some of the world’s best-known photographers including Henri Cartier-Bresson and Eve Arnold. Visitors will be able to look at bygone London and its communities as seen by photographers for whom it was a foreign city.

They came from East and West Europe, the Soviet Union, Latin America, Africa and the Caribbean. They all had different relationships with London: some came to live here, some arrived as refugees, and others passed through as tourists

Their pictures show a richly diverse city and dynamic metropolis with iconic emblems such as pearly kings, red buses, punks and bowler hats. The exhibition also explores the urban poor surviving life in the city as pavement artists, beggars and buskers.

Tate Britain is open daily 10am–6pm (10pm Fridays) admission free. Another London: International Photographers 1930–1980 is in the Tate’s Linbury Galleries from 27 July to 16 September, admission £10, concessions £8.50.

Tate Britain, Millbank, London SW1P 4RG
Tel: +44 20 7887 8888
Website: www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-britain
Facebook: Tate
Twitter: @Tate
YouTube: Tate 
Podcasts: Tate podcast directory

Seeing London from the outside – The Foreign Photographer’s View of London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Chocolate Making

As well as being one of the many great gift ideas for friends and family, a chocolate making workshop is also an enjoyable way to spend a morning or afternoon. Everyone loves chocolate and families will have loads of fun creating and eating their very own masterpieces. The best thing about the workshop is the amount of chocolate guests can taste throughout their session and they’ll even be able to take home some of their creations – so the pleasure can continue that little bit longer!

Family Friendly Activities in London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

In this week’s edition of the London review, we’re going to talk about the hosepipe ban and it’s effect on London, the crazy guys who illegally scaled the Shard, Herb Lester’s Beautiful Maps, a new Budget hotel for Leicester Square and a plan to re-open an abandoned Tube station.

Hosepipe Ban Hits Trafalgar Square Fountains

Southern England is officially under a drought. Strangely, rainy old England is under drought conditions right now and the water companies in the southeast have instituted bans on using hoses and other unnecessary uses of water.

This means that the beautiful fountains in Trafaglar Square will be switched off – maybe for most of the summer if the rains don’t come.

According to London’s Evening Standard Newspaper, other area affected include: “Venus in Sloane Square and those in Hanover Square, Bessborough Gardens and St John’s, Horseferry Road. The Italian Gardens fountains in Kensington Gardens could run dry as they are fed by the Westbourne River, which drops in dry periods. The Diana Memorial Fountain will not be affected as it has its own borehole supply.”

I hope they can turn the fountains on for major events like the Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics!

Crazy Guys Scale the Shard

Urban Exploring is a hot new trend amongst adventurous city dwellers and London has quite a few of them. A couple of weeks ago, an intrepid band of explorers managed to break into one of London’s most secure building sites and climb London’s newest skyscraper, The Shard.

One cannot press how incredibly dangerous this was. They climbed all the way to the top without safety gear.

And they took plenty of pictures and video while they were at it.

While the results are cool – we certainly don’t endorse ever doing something like this. We’d rather wait until the public viewing gallery opens later this year.

More on their website.

Here’s a video report about it:

Beautiful London Maps from Herb Lester

London based design firm Herb Lester Associates make beautiful maps and we bought their London map package a few months ago. We thought they were worth sharing. Their London maps are maps with a twist, focusing on cool topics.

For example:

You Are Here
May We Help You
An Uncle’s Guide to London
Untamed London
Clandestine London
The Map of Spitalfields Life

You can buy all of their London Maps in once package for £18 (about $25). We cannot wait to use them on our next trip to London.

Check out their website for more information.

Premier Inn to Open Leicester Square Location

According to Travel Daily, Premier Inn – a budget hotel chain in Britain – has acquired a property in Leicester square that they intend to turn into one of their budget hotels. This is great news for accommodation in London!

From the news release: “Premier Inn has announced it will open its most central London hotel next month after securing a site at Leicester Square. The 83-room hotel is one of 20 London properties opening for the chain in the next two years and is located at 1 Leicester Place.”

Great news for London travelers – this is the latest in a string of new budget hotels coming to central London.

Abandoned Tube Station May Re-Open to the Public

The big news last week was that an Old Tube Station that’s long been abandoned and closed off to the public may get a new lease on life. The Old London Underground Company has announced that they’ve got plans submitted to turn the Brompton Road Tube Station into a tourist attraction.

Brompton Road Tube Station has been closed since the 1930′s and is a time capsule of the era. Winston Churchill and his wartime government dodged German bombs during the War.

According to the BBC:

Now Mr Chambers has announced the abandoned Tube station in south-west London is the first he plans to develop into a tourist attraction.

“Proceedings began this morning to purchase our first abandoned Underground station,” Mr Chambers said.

“This site is perfect for what we want to use it for,” said the man who owns The Old London Underground Company.

“We would like to have a rooftop restaurant, and use the deep drop shafts for climbing walls,” he said. ”The visit down to Brompton Road will be comparable to the London Eye and Madame Tussauds.”

Ajit Chambers has been in discussion with TfL to transform the stations Mr Chambers is working with the Ministry of Defence (MoD), which owns many of the stations, to lease the sites, he calls “ghost stations”.

Source.

This is fantastic news and a really cool project. We’ll be first in line when it opens!

The London Review: Drought Hits Trafalgar Square, Crazy Guys Scale the Shard, Herb Lester Maps, Abandoned Tube Station to Re-open and More! - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

In Part I of this series, I discussed the efforts involved in finding a London job and getting your UK visa. Once that stage is surpassed, the next major obstacle to moving to London is finding a place to live. This aspect trips up expats every time. Sticker-shock is one inevitability of a high-demand city that enables landlords to keep their rent prices high no matter how the economy and property values are otherwise faring. Compromise in space can be another blow to expectations, especially relative to the abovementioned rent prices. Needless to say, managing your outlook on what you can realistically expect in a new and different environment is critical to a successful international relocation.

But perhaps the biggest challenge for UK expats to wrap their minds around—particularly Americans—is the fact that there is no MLS (multiple listing service) in London. Whereas realtors in other property markets like that in North America collaborate through such a system to offer prospective tenants all available properties meeting their criteria, flat-searching in London entails pounding the pavement to lettings agency after lettings agency. This can take weeks. You see, London lettings agents only hold private stock in their immediate vicinity, and even that stock isn’t exhaustive—for any given area, flats are divvied up across a number of separate agencies. Which leaves you to pop into each and every one if you want to see all your options. This not only requires a lot of time, but also much research into what particular neighborhood you want; these agencies are localized, so you’ll need to target them accordingly.

Such is the primary reason why working with a London relocation agent is desirable. Relocation agencies can cover a broader area and will work for you, whereas the lettings agency works for the landlord. The award-winning, American-owned London Relocation agency, for instance, serves as your personal MLS (showing 18 to 25 flats in one day) and negotiates rent and lease terms on your behalf. They will also educate you on specific neighbourhoods and the local property market, set you up with a UK bank account, and hold your hand through any other London-related questions you may have, from how to set up your utilities to where to buy your groceries.

And whereas many relocation agencies are compensated on a daily basis—which can incentivize them to draw out the flat-search process in their best interest—London Relocation specializes in one-day flat placement to best suit your needs. Placing 100% of its clients (98% of which in one day), it’s no wonder London Relocation won Re:locate Magazine’s “Rising Star in Relocation” award last year and has just been shortlisted for TWO of its top award categories in 2012: “Relocation Service Provider or Team of the Year” and “Best Property Provider or Solution.”

The choices are ultimately yours. If you want to move to London, you must choose to do so—commit to making it happen by proactively lining up employment or overseas studies to secure your UK visa. And when you do move to London, you can choose whether to use a relocation agency or not—it depends on how much you prioritize your time, money, and peace of mind.

Either way, the flat you then choose to move into should meet both your budget and lifestyle needs. So be thorough, be selective, and, most importantly, be realistic: do your research and consult those with expertise. Relocation agencies will be happy to answer your questions regardless of whether you hire their services—and London Relocation’s staff is full of expats who have been-there-done-that themselves. They relocated to London the hard way, so their personal experience will ensure you won’t have to!

Moving to London, Part II: Why You Need a Relocation Agent in General…and London Relocation in Particular! - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Check it out below.

Click to view a larger version!

Amazing!

Awesome Picture: London at Night taken from the International Space Station - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

But when it comes to a product that can impact something as essential to your well-being as sleep, should you settle for an inferior item? Definitely not. A quality mattress is crucial for good body support and quality sleep. As health advocates remind the public, a comfortable bed will not only enhance your rest but will also allow you to maintain good body alignment while sleeping. Neck and back problems can be aggravated by sleeping in mattresses which don’t provide support in strategic pressure points.

Fortunately, not all good mattresses are steeply-priced. One of our offerings, the London Style Mattress, strikes the perfect balance between price and quality. This mattress is available in all standard sizes from the Small Single measuring 2 feet and 6 inches, all the way up to Kingsize. The London Style Mattress has an Open Coil construction for good support and yield, and it has a firmness rating of 6/10. The open coil construction is filled with a combination of fiber and felt, and the finish features a plain, quilted design. As with all the products offered at MattressNextDay.co.uk, the London Style Mattress comes with a 1-year warranty and free next day delivery.

The London Style Mattress comes in the following price range:

• The Small Single mattress which measures 2ft, 6in: £49.99
• The Single mattress which measures 3ft: £49.99
• The Small Double mattress which measures 4ft: £69.99
• The Double mattress which measures 4ft 6in: £69.99 and
• The Kingsize mattress which measures 5ft: £89.99

The London Style mattress also comes in a slightly more luxurious version—the London Supreme mattress. It also has an open coil construction and fiber/felt fillings but features a luxury damask cover which makes it more resistant to spills and stains, and more impervious to dust mites than plain cotton.  The London Supreme mattress costs £10 more than its non-Supreme counterpart, and is only available up to the Double mattress size. Again, ordering through the MattressNextDay site gives you free next day delivery and one year warranty.

All in all, this product represents the best of what discriminating Londoners look for—cheap prices for a quality product, and the utmost convenience during purchase.

Author Bio: Sunny Popli is a Global Brand Manager at Mattress-next-day.co.uk/ -The uk’s no 1 mattress brand and the best suppliers of beds and mattresses. Mattressnextday include well known names such as: Sealy mattress, Silentnight mattress, Sleepeezee, Dream Works, Serene, Sprungland, and Joseph International, just to name a few.

The London Style Mattress: Good Value for your Money - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Make Seven Dials and neighbouring St Martin’s Courtyard your ultimate shopping destinations this spring with an exclusive 20% off shopping evening on Thursday 26^th April, presented by MasterCard’s Priceless London and in association with the London Evening Standard.

For one night only in Covent Garden, between 5 and 9pm, Seven Dials, a haven for independent style and modern British Heritage, will be offering shoppers of discerning taste the chance to refresh their spring wardrobe for less. Covent Garden’s newest shopping destination, St Martin’s Courtyard, will also be tempting shoppers with this exclusive seasonal offer throughout its unique mix of fashion, beauty and lifestyle boutiques, flagships and restaurants. If you’re in London for a cheap holiday – then definitely check out this deal!

Over 120 stores including beauty and grooming salons, cafes, restaurants and bars will be offering an exclusive 20% off their collections, services and menus. Additionally many of the participating stores and venues will be hosting in-store activities such as DJs, live music, makeovers, gifts plus complimentary food and drinks to make it a truly memorable shopping experience.

As part of Seven Dials’ new partnership with MasterCard’s Priceless London, the first 200 shoppers to spend over £100 on their MasterCard card will receive a free luxury goodie bag to be collected on the night. Also during the evening St Martin’s Courtyard will be hosting a pop-up bar serving complimentary drinks for shoppers with a voucher, and 100 shoppers selected at random will be presented with a golden ticket entitling them to a gift worth £5 to £150 from stores within Seven Dials and St Martin’s Courtyard.

The Seven Dials and St Martin’s Courtyard 20% Shopping Evening takes place on Thursday 26^th April 2012 between 5 and 9pm. To qualify for the discount, shoppers need a ‘Seven Dials and St Martin’s Courtyard Shopping Voucher’ which can be downloaded for free one month in advance of the event at Sevendials.co.uk along with a list of participating stores and venues. You can also get updates on the event at Twitter @7dialsWC2 & @smccoventgarden, and Facebook facebook.com/sevendials & facebook.com/StMartinsCourtyard.

London Alert: Save 20% at a Special Sale in Seven Dials Thursday 26th April 2012 - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

Life in a big city can be stressful. You’re never more than an hour away from work; surrounded by traffic and noise, and the need to get away from it all is overwhelming. This is often the case for people who live in London, and to go on holiday, they feel that they need to make a long journey, but camping and caravan holidays within easy reach of the M25 can be had.

Hampshire is a great place to have a camping holiday. One of the best campsites in Hampshire is the Two Hoots Campsite near the historic city of Winchester. An eco-friendly site, it’s a short drive from London, and is both gay-friendly and welcomes disabled visitors. However, if you want to camp here, you need to be quick, as there are only a few pitches here.

Quex Caravan Park in Birchington, Kent is a much larger site, but is only suitable for caravans. For people who visit, there’s an on-site restaurant, play area for kids, and a shop selling all the essentials. Meanwhile, if you want to explore, the seaside resorts of Margate and Ramsgate are all close by, while Sandwich and Broadstairs are also near and ready to explore.

For people who want to stay in tents and motorhomes and caravans, Shamba Holidays in the New Forest town of Ringwood near Southampton is perfect. A family-friendly site, there are plenty of activities and amenities on offer, such as the indoor and outdoor swimming pools, game room, the bar, play area, and if you’re hungry, there’s a clubhouse on site serving hot meals as well as a shop selling local produce. Nearby, there are a number of places which are great for walking.

Guest Post: Campsites near London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

The 5-star luxury Berkeley hotel in Knightsbridge is celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee by offering visitors a Prêt-à-Portea – The Royal Collection afternoon tea.

The Berkeley’s fashion-inspired afternoon tea Prêt-à-Portea showcases the season’s fashions in pastries and biscuits. The designs normally change twice a year to coincide with the Spring Summer and Autumn Winter fashion collections.

To mark The Queen’s 60th anniversary on the throne, from 29 May to 9 June the hotel’s special afternoon tea will include biscuits, fancy cakes and choux buns made to resemble the most memorable hats worn by the Royal Family.

The fashionable edibles will include a praline profiterole inspired by the much-talked-about Philip Treacy fascinator worn by Princess Beatrice at last year’s Royal Wedding and a vanilla biscuit with icing and sugar diamonds resembling the crown Queen Elizabeth wore for her coronation in 1953.

There will also be a strawberry pannacotta macaroon made to look like the Canadian maple leaf hat designed by Angela Kelly and worn by Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge when she visited Canada.

It is believed that Elizabeth II has worn more than 5,000 hats since she became Queen in 1952.

Klaus Kabelitz, General Manager at the Berkeley says: ‘It is most definitely an exciting year for London and we had to think of a unique way to pay tribute to the Queens’s Diamond Jubilee. Our fashion-inspired afternoon tea has always been a favourite with visitors and Londoners alike and we felt this was the perfect way to join in the nationwide celebration in June. The Berkeley is only a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace and I will personally be making a celebratory afternoon tea delivery to mark this special occasion.’

The teas will be served in the Berkeley’s Caramel Room and will cost £36.50 per person, or £46.50 with a glass of Laurent Perrier champagne and £53 with a glass of couture champagne.

The Berkeley, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7RL
Tel: +44 20 7235 6000
Website: www.the-berkeley.co.uk
Facebook: The Berkeley
Twitter: @TheBerkeley

Afternoon tea with royal hats – Luxury Afternoon Tea at The Berkeley for the Diamond Jubilee - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

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What Happens in 1 Hour in the Life of London? - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London

I love the train journey into London!

Remake of the classic 1962 ‘Let’s go to London’ Chiltern Mainline journey featuring Orchestra of the Swan performing Perpetuum Mobile, composed by Johann Strauss II.

Fun Video: Let’s Go to London - Londontopia - The Website for People Who Love London