Where That Ben Went

Up at the O2

2012-11-03T07:01:00.001-07:00

Category: Attraction, Outdoor and Activities

Location: SE10

Price: £22 Mon-Fri, £28 Sat & Sun

Having only opened in June, ‘Up at the O2’ is set to be one of London’s premium adrenaline attractions. The 90 minute experience involves ‘climbers’ journeying from ‘Base Camp’, at ground level, up and over the roof of the O2 arena via the 52m summit.

Once briefed, strapped into a harness and with the disclaimer signed (“we faithfully promise not to sue if we fall off..”), you are led to the start of a suspended tarpaulin walkway. Clicking in your climbing device to a metal guide rope you ascend the bouncy pathway to the summit of the famous London landmark and former white elephant. The initial slope is a steep 28 degrees, before levelling out in sections towards the top.

At the top of the world’s largest single roofed domed structure (that’s right, fact fans!) you are given panoramic views of London, with what must be the best views of Canary Wharf from anywhere in the city.

The final part of the descent is, at 30 degrees, even steeper than the first climb; and with changing weather when we visited, the conditions were turning the walk into a slippery and seemingly dangerous adventure. The risk of slipping is real, and whist the climbing equipment will definitely keep you safe, imagining the worst – falling, quickly gathering speed as you slide down the curved roof of the dome and smashing into the floor! – is more than enough to encourage you to keep those footsteps steady!

Music: Broken Bells (The High Road)

Emirates Air Line

2012-10-30T14:40:00.000-07:00

Category: Attraction, Outdoor and Activities
Location: North Greenwich, SE10
Price: Single/Return £4:30/£8:60 cash, £3.20/£6.40 Oyster

I can picture the slightly bemused look on the tight-jeaned, thick rimmed-glasses-wearing marketing executive. Having produced and presented his exciting marketing campaign proclaiming the new Emirates Air Line, London's newest high line attraction with sweeping city views, TfL have tossed out his idea and and insisted that the Air Line is not a tourist attraction - rather it is a serious transport solution. So out with the funky ad campaign and up with the TfL adverts proclaiming that in just 10 minutes you can travel from the O2 to Excel...
This is apparently why the sky line was built. To facilitate a journey that, let's be honest, no one wants to make. Unless of course by some stroke of luck you're attending a Star Trek conference during the day and watching Girls Aloud by night. In which case you have saved yourself 20 minutes. 20 whole minutes.

Of course this is, in real life, tosh. The reality (and at some point TfL and Boris will admit it) is that the Air Line is not an effective extension to our transport network. Instead it is London's newest attraction with sweeping views of the city.

And if this is how you take the Air Line, then it is absolutely wonderful. Novel and exciting, it is a brilliant tourist attraction and well worth taking the family.

But be warned, for those scared of heights this might be one trip you will want to miss (and after all it doesn't actually take you anywhere!). Fliss was full of the joys at 'take off', but hanging in a metal carriage 90 metres above the River Thames in high winds is not something that can be fully enjoyed by all!

UK Rock Paper Scissor Championships

2012-10-22T05:01:00.001-07:00

Category: Nights Out

Location: Holborn (WC1)

Price: £10

2012 has not been short of memorable sporting moments.

Wiggins winning the Tour de France; Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis, Ellie Simmonds and many others’ triumphant success at the Olympics and Paralympics. Then there was Murray's momentous victory at the US Open, and the European fight back to win the Ryder cup. And who could forget Amy Rowe winning the 6th UK Rock Paper Scissors Championship last Saturday night!

Ok, maybe Amy didn't make your list, but her 'sporting' achievement is one of my highlights of 2012, and (if for only one night) Amy was the sporting princess of the cellar bar of a Holborn Wetherspoons.

And this is exactly where I found myself last weekend, along with half a dozen friends, entered into this ancient form of hand combat. 128 competitors; seven rounds; one winner – and an absolutely brilliant evening out.

The bar is jam-packed as everyone is given a number, then called up to battle another hand warrior. The atmosphere is electric, with the crowd chanting the names of friends and competitors. As you step up to duel your heart quickens with a sporting excitement I haven’t felt for years.

The rules are simple. On a count of three throw a hand gesture of paper, rock or scissors. Rock blunts scissors, paper smothers rock and scissors cuts paper. If both contestants throw the same, the crowd make suitable ohhhh sound and you go again. Best of three.

After some tense action I make it through to round 4 before being beaten by number 108 who throws a crafty rock, rock, paper combo. Outdone, I am unceremoniously stripped of my number, ripped from my shirt by the ref in his black and white stripes.

Losing always hurts but it's the taking part that counts here. Even a man dressed as Superman who is red-carded for a double 'mis-throw' sees the funny side. (Although to be fair the man was already dressed in head to toe lycra, so some sense of humour was pretty much guaranteed…)

So Amy took the glory on the night, beating Miranda 'Thunder and Lightning' Kane, but talking and challenging strangers at the bar, duelling on the way to the toilets, meeting people and making friends was as much a part of the event as the big shiny trophy.

There is no doubt I'll be back next year, looking to improve on this year’s performance – 2013 may be a glorious sporting year yet!

Vertical Chill Ice Climbing

2012-08-29T10:51:00.001-07:00

Category: Outdoors and Activities
Location: WC2

Price: £50/hr

Having read the title of today's blog, you would be forgiven for thinking I have absconded to the Alps, Scandinavia or a remote outpost of Canada. You would however be wrong. I am instead in Convent Garden, central London.

One of just three ice walls in the UK, tucked away at the back of (my favourite) outdoor shop Ellis Brigham, is the Vertical Chill Ice Climbing Wall.

Two storeys high and kept at -5°C, the wall is open to everyone: from complete beginners to seasoned professionals who want to practise their ice pick skills at little closer to home than the nearest chilled climes.

Kitted out in warm jacket, trousers, boots, ice axes, crampons and helmet, in I go to the Vertical Chill.

Tom, my instructor, goes through all the basic skills and techniques before sending me up the ice wall. It is tough, and physically demanding, but brilliant fun: a heady mix of adrenalin and excitement. You might be ten minutes from Trafalgar Square but it feels like you’re scaling a distant glacier.

It happens that I rock climb as a hobby, so the rope work and heights weren't an issue for me. But those with a spot of vertigo should think twice before parting with your £50 for the hour-long lesson – two storeys might be higher than you think! Overall though it is a great experience, and another one of London's unexpected attractions!

Dane's Yard Kitchen

2012-08-25T02:39:00.001-07:00

Category: Food and Drink
Location: E15

The popular saying goes 'you can't see the wood for the trees'. Perhaps in Stratford these days it would be better said that ‘you can't see the trees for the wood'. As the world's eyes focus on the Olympic Park how many of us are noticing the redevelopment and regeneration of Stratford beyond the gates of the Games?

On Thursday Fliss and I were invited to a Bloggers and Burgers night at the recently opened Dane’s Yard Kitchen (@DanesYardKitch_), Stratford's newest food offering. Between Stratford and Pudding Lane stations, it is easy to find, located as it is at the base of the Strand East Tower - a lace matrix structure with viewing platform that looks much like a 40 metre Olympic torch.

The restaurant is a modern conversion of an old ink factory, with a polished warehouse feel. Industrial pendant lampshades hang from high ceilings, and an open gallery kitchen completes a great look.

The food was good. It's not Michelin star, but it's not intended to be. The burgers were big, succulent and slightly pink, with large gherkins. The accompanying coleslaw was fresh, crunchy and created a stir amongst our fellow diners. The chips served in a metal 'cage' were delicious and the portion size was sensible - enough to fill you up, not so much that it tempts you to overeat until you’re left marooned in discomfort. The wider menu is contemporary British food with a twist.

Had Dane's Yard opened in central London, or hip Shoreditch, I expect there would have been little fanfare. But it isn’t. The reality is the place is great and worthy of a visit if you are local or passing by, but it is not necessarily a destination restaurant. If I happened to be in or around Stratford I would eat here. If I was in the centre of town I wouldn't travel out if I was hungry. But the feeling I get from new manager Tony is that tearing customers from Central London is not what this place is about. Don't get me wrong, I am sure he wouldn't turn people away, but this newest Stratford redevelopment is about creating a new place for Stratford residents - existing and prospective.

Tony the manager tells us that they are keen for Dane’s Yard to become part of that rather than just a place serving pints and burger. The sceptical would suggest this community ambition is part of a marketing ruse of a manager with a new bar to promote. Perhaps. But then you realise he has invited us to a bloggers and burger networking event. Some, like us, blog and in doing so will end up promoting the restaurant, true. But if that were the whole story then what's Gary doing here? Gary is the head of the local Sixth Form college expressive arts department. Another diner, Chris, works with migrants to teach them how to curate exhibitions that tell their own stories? Perhaps this new business is serious about their role in Stratford's redevelopment.

Whether Dane’s achieves its goal of being more than just a restaurant and bar is something that only time will tell. But for now the renovation of this old factory is a small part of Stratford’s wider development, and at the very least a great new neighbourhood restaurant.

Music: YardBird Suite (Charlie Parker)

LONDON 2012: Part 3

2012-08-14T13:24:00.000-07:00

My Best Olympic Moment

On Monday I went to Dublin for work, and there was only one thing my colleagues wanted to talk about - the Olympics. What was it like to be there, what was it like to be living in London during an Olympic Games and what was the best moment of my games experience?

Was it Mo winning his second gold? Was it the cycling? The first ever GB Women's rowing golds? The boxers? Surely it was Jessica Ennis! There are so many moments to choose from. Then I realised it was the night that the BNP trended on Twitter.

It didn't trend because it was a racist moment. It trended because London, Great Britain and the world said fuck you. Fuck you BNP, as we celebrated our multiculturalism in the splendour it deserves. It said Fuck you to racism as a man of Somalian descent who found refuge in London as a child created pride, and a burst of jubilation worth a hundred World Cups. It said Screw you as the British team, born of many different origins, performed under a flag that belonged to all of us, its many colours taken back from the right wingers who had stolen our red, white and blue.

It said Fuck you with every volunteer that spoke with an American, French, Nigerian, or Indian accent, and it said listen: London is the greatest city in the world, all are welcome, all cultures are embraced and represented. In London the world can be found, and inLondon the diversity of the world is celebrated.

So Fuck you BNP; and London, take a bow.

LONDON 2012: Part 2

2012-08-05T02:12:00.000-07:00

PARK LIVE

There is a natural hierarchy of things. It's better to watch sport than in colour than in black and white, it is better to watch it on a big screen than a small one, and it is always better to watch with friends. So where does watching it on a gigantic screen with thousands of others in the London 2012 Olympic Park figure in the sport-watching hierarchy?

This is British Airways' Park Live. Two enormous screens located back to back, 'floating' in the River Lea as it runs through the Olympic Park. Both the East and West grass banks of the river filled with people draped in their country colours, watching the best of the Olympics live, mixed in with the occasional athlete interview.

The atmosphere is fantastic, but when the coverage flicks to a member of Team GB the whole place lifts, the noise jumps and the excitement is electrifying. You can hear the cheers from the stadia around you as Olympic heroes are crowned and dreams are shattered. You might not be in the stadia, but you are here, you are a part of it and with all the cheering maybe - just maybe - the athletes can hear you after all!

To get to Park Live you need an Olympic Park ticket allowing you access into the park. Sadly even Park tickets are still exceptionally hard to get hold of, but there are some Paralympic tickets still available.

But if you can't get a ticket an amazing alternative are the big screens at Victoria and Hyde Parks which offer a similar fantastic experience.

London 2012: Part 1

2012-08-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

AN EXPLANATION

Just over a month ago a strange email popped up in my inbox. It wasn't an invite to profit from a distant relative’s death by transferring money to Nigeria, nor was it related to blue pills which could boost my manhood. It was from British Airways (@British_Airways), and the subject line said 'Olympics'!

Like most Londoners I am desperately proud that we are hosting the Games, even though like most I didn't have tickets. The Olympics, the 2012 Festival and the influx of visitors all mean that this summer London has somehow packed
in so much more to do than normal.

But now I had an email from British Airways, and they were asking if we wanted to be on their Influencer programme. I like to think I am influential; I like to think I could – might - possibly (ok, probably not) be important. The deal was this (and I want to clear and upfront): British Airways wanted to give us access to the Olympics and chances to win tickets. From us they would like us to tweet and blog about it. No contract, no obligation, no payment (other than tickets).

I might not be an Einstein, but this seemed like a pretty reasonable deal. Having blogged about getting through the best 101 London things before the Olympic opening ceremony, it seemed completely sensible to blog about the Games themselves; and now BA wanted to give us tickets. This can be best summarised by a single word: BLAG!

So, over the next couple of weeks we will be posting some blogs about our Olympic experience and what it is like to be at the London 2012 Games. I am likely to be positive about BA - they have after all given us tickets - but we are under no obligation and our opinions remain our own.

TRAVEL: DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE
I live close to Stockwell. On a normal day a trip to Stratford would take about 40 minutes, and would normally be relatively busy. I was mentally prepared, elbows sharpened for the sardine-packed tube ride. What I actually experienced, however, was an empty train both to and from Park, and the biggest issue was choosing which seat to sit in!

THE OLYMPIC PARK - BELIEVE THE HYPE

Arriving at Stratford on Monday there were people everywhere. Not unusual for London except everyone is smiling, beaming. These lucky few (thousand) know how lucky they are. I knew how lucky I was. I was like a kid after a Haribo-induced rampage. Heart pumping, a spring in my step, fighting desperately to retain every moment in my internal photo album.

If you have ever been to a big sporting event you'll know it is a brilliant and colourful experience, the two sides of supporters dressed up, throwing quips at each other and singing songs. But the Olympics is another league entirely, with 200 teams instead of two. There are flags you have never seen, languages that you have never heard, and everyone is here for the same reason.

Approaching the Park you are blown away by its scale: the Olympic stadium, the aquatic centre, hockey ground, water polo centre, and of course the world’s largest McDonalds! Even the car crash that is the Orbit is spectacular. These gigantic structures slowly reveal themselves as you walk around the Park, and you are left in no doubt: you are at the Olympics, the biggest show in the world!

#101 A Right Old East End Knees Up

2012-07-25T12:04:00.002-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 2

Activities Completed: 101/101 (WE MADE IT...JUST!)

This time last year I was living in a cultural black hole. Despite living in one of the greatest cities in the world I was managing to dodge anything that resembled a cultural experience. I’d been in London for two years and had yet to visit any of its major attractions, sampled the many cuisines or visited its green parks.

Then last June Time Out did something that changed our lives: they published a list of the top 101 London attractions, a compilation of museums, galleries, bars and restaurants that people travel from all over the world to see - and which I had never visited, despite them being just a short trip from my front door.

Along with Fliss (@Flissfontaine), my partner in crime, we hatched a plan to visit all 101 attractions on the list. But alone this was not enough. How many times have you promised yourself you would visit a museum, then forgotten or found an excuse not to go? No, for this to work we needed a deadline, a goal. So we decided there and then that we would "visit all 101 top London attractions in one year, before the Olympic Games opening ceremony on the 27 July 2012". We no longer had a list, we had the 101 challenge! In the year since we have documented our progress on this blog.

In the sober light of day it was clear we hadn't entirely thought it through. 101 of anything is a lot; 101 London attractions in 365 days is, as it turns out, quite a commitment. After all, we have full-time jobs, and occasionally have holidays, weddings and friends to see. To beat the 101 we needed to visit a London attraction every two or three days for a year!

But last Friday, a week before the Olympics, we gathered with friends at the Palm Tree pub in Mile End Park for number 101 on the list: an East End Knees- Up. This pub typifies what makes the challenge so great. Under any normal circumstances we wouldn't have travelled to Mile End to visit what looks very much like an ordinary pub. Walking past you wouldn’t necessarily stop in. But it is on the list so we had to go.

But like many 101s you wouldn't choose to frequent, once there we loved it. The Palm Tree is an old-school London pub, almost a relic amongst the sprawl of refurbished trendy bars. The bar stools are filled with locals who have probably been drinking here for 30 years. If anyone is visiting for the Olympics, then Friday night at the Palm Tree is the place to witness English pub culture at its best.

As the bar filled up with punters, a four piece old swinging band take to the stage and start to play the family favourites. They are brilliant, as are their mates who occasionally take the stage to belt out a jazz standard. There is nothing wild about the performance, it is excellent but steady. But there is a twinkle in their eyes that tells me these old boys have probably had some wild nights in the past, and could tell a few stories. But for now they clearly love just jamming with mates in front of a happy East End crowd.

So what have we learned? What have we discovered and what have we missed in the past year? I have definitely learnt it is ok to be a tourist in your own town; in fact it has the benefit of n0t having to negotiate Ryanair! But you have to commit to it. Don’t let little things be your excuse. People fly to Paris or Rome to see the sights, but how many things do we miss in our city? Embarking on a 101 challenge might be a little drastic, but it worked for us. We sacrificed lie-ins, spare time, and healthy bank balances, but we can say we did it. The challenge has come to an end, but we have by no means exhausted what London has to offer us. In fact, we recently got a TimeOut book called 1001 Things To Do In London... See you on the other side!

Music: We are the Champions

[If you want to get in touch with us about anything remotely London-related, or indeed anything else then our contact details can be found here. This is after all just the beginning of what London has to offer]

#100 Wine and Dine in a High Design Setting

2012-07-24T15:10:00.001-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 2 (and 22 hours)
Activities Completed: 100/101 (1 TO GO!)

At the start of the 101 Challenge we decided that the hundredth activity would be to Wine and Dine in a High Design Restaurant. It would be an opportunity for me and Fliss to have a personal celebration after all that we had done. Number 101 would then be an East End Knees-Up, and a very public celebration with friends. This early planning was either very clever, or over-confident. There have been times when, lacking in money, time and sleep (and all-too-often hungover), we didn't think we would make it. But we are at the end now, or so very nearly there.

So last week we found ourselves in Soho's English/Russian restaurant Bob Bob Ricard (BBR). Walking in, the customers are a mix of well-dressed gentlemen, funky Soho marketing executives and the sort of red-trouser-wearing people who, despite their constant presence in restaurants, are always stick thin...

But it is no wonder BBR attracts this fashionable clientèle as it is incredibly decorated in a glamorous 1920s Orient Express/Art Deco style that is rich in colour, lavish in execution and, as far as my dining experiences have gone, totally unique.

Once sat by the helpful and knowledgeable staff we were greeted with champagne and a congratulations from BBR for reaching our 100th London attraction. So far this place was faultless!

All the tables are booths and all are furnished with a very dangerous button telling diners to "Press Here for Champagne"! Terribly decadent; horribly tempting...

The food is refreshingly different. We started with the Zakuski Taster Plate (Russian Salad and Truffle, Foie Gras Parfait and Truffle, Jellied Ox Tongue, Quail Egg Mayonnaise and Russian Herring) with a chilled vodka shot. I cant say I liked it all, but some of it was amazing, and giving it all a try was very enjoyable. Deciding that caviare was perhaps a luxury too far at the wrong end of the payslip, we skipped on to the main course. The food was excellent, the meat succulent and tender, the accompaniments the perfect complements to the main dishes.

After dinner we relocated to Bobby's Bar in the basement below the restaurant. Equally opulently decorated, it was an amazing place to finish our drinks and let our stomachs rest.

Bob Bob Ricard would for most be a restaurant with food to be savoured on special occasions, rather than the sort of neighbourhood place visited casually. For us, with 100 of the 101 list completed, it was the perfect place to celebrate and will be remembered for a long time.

#61 Royal Vauxhall Tavern

2012-07-23T16:02:00.003-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 3
Activities Completed: 99/101

Soho might be London's best known gay scene, but it isn't the only one. Vauxhall has an impressive range of bars and clubs to suit most orientations, interests and tastes. At the centre of this lesser-known but well-frequented area is the Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT)

This impressive, curved, pub is one of the few pre-war buildings left standing in an area next to the station that could be described as lacking in architectural beauty.

The RVT is not a place for the shy and retiring. Regular nights include the Bingo Pub Night (including singalongs, spontaneous rants and surprise guests including a Cher doll), Bar Whatever ("an open stage for up and coming queer talents") and the Sunday chill out night - S.L.A.G.S.

We visited for comedy on a Wednesday night, starring Bob Downe, a singing 1970s parody comedian. Whilst we had a great night it is fair to say it wasn't my kind of humour. That is not to say others weren't rolling around in hysterical laughter.

I'll be honest, I have a few gay friends but have frequented few gay venues. As is always the case with the unknown I had felt a small amount of trepidation. But the RVT is a great venue with a varied programme of acts, music and events. Whilst much of it won't be to everyone's taste - this is not a place for the prudish or conservative- the RVT is a fantastic live venue.

The ampitheatre-shaped pub makes for a great gigging spot for music, comedy and other performance art. The clientele and staff are unassuming, non-judgemental, friendly and fun.

Overall, whilst Bob Downe was not my thing, the famous, long-standing RVT is an iconic venue which has a central place in the area and in the history of London's gay culture.

#43 Globe Theatre

2012-07-22T12:17:00.001-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 5

Activities Completed: 98

There is layer upon layer of human history in London, built up over two thousand years. Imperceptibly, over time, the ground level rises and evidence of those before us disappears beneath our feet.

Burial doesn't always mean disappearance, however (or what would #16 the Museum of London have to tell us?!), and the archaeology studies made during building developments can throw up evidence of past Londoners.

The Globe Theatre, rebuilt on the South Bank after archeologists discovered traces of its original predecessor, brings back part of London's past in a leaving, breathing way. #43 on the 101 list, Be a Groundling at the Globe Theatre, has you standing through Shakespeare's finest as many Elizabethans would have done in the past.

Even if you're not a theatre buff, or the type to laugh smugly at an incomprehensible Shakespearean joke, there's a lot to love about the Globe. Standing can be tiring-pity the foreign schoolkids, dragged there after a day of sightseeing-but feeling a part of the action as the characters charge through the audience to the stage-is totally worth it.

We went to see Henry V, and it was absolutely brilliant, even when we got slightly rained on! Be prepared for the weather, put down your fiver (surely the cheapest theatre in London) and go once more into the breach at The Globe!

#96 Chelsea Physic Garden

2012-07-21T05:38:00.001-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 6
Activities Completed: 97/101

London is a remarkably green place for such an enormous city. Flying over, look down and you'll see what I mean - the huge parks (including #75 Hyde Park, #77 Richmond Park, #95 Hampstead Heath and many others) show as swathes of green, joined by far more green squares, small parks, and avenues of trees than you might realise whilst going about your daily business.

Not all of the green spaces are as obvious as the large parks mentioned above. For the blog we already visited a secret garden (#59), but it turns out that there is another garden, behind high walls, that neither of us had visited before.

In amongst the refined houses of Chelsea is #96 on the 101 list - Chelsea Physic Garden. Established in 1673 by the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries as a training garden where their apprentices could learn to identify medicinal plants, the Garden is now filled with plants edible, medicinal or otherwise useful and is open to the public to admire.

With a beautiful area of edible plants (laid out by their main uses - check out the Alcohol bed!), an interesting history walk, a rather lovely cafe and a Victorian glass fernery hidden away at the end of the garden, the Chelsea Physic Garden is certainly worth venturing behind those tall walls

#31 Houses of Parliament

2012-07-17T12:48:00.002-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 9

Activities Completed: 96

Politics affects most parts of most of our lives, and yet it is very easy to feel far away from it, or not involved at all. Despite grumbling about travel costs, or the mayoral election, or the big news story of the day, it is easy for the majority of Londoners to go about our daily lives without necessarily thinking about the fact that our city is the major political centre of the country.

However, think of the skyline of London, and its likely that the Houses of Parliament will spring to mind, with Big Ben's clock tower (prior to the Jubilee the Clerk's Tower, now renamed Elizabeth Tower) soaring above.

Now, it happens I actually find myself in Parliament from time to time with my day job, so its not entirely unfamiliar. In fact its incredibly easy to get in, the public are allowed to enter (though you have to pass through airport security). In fact on one visit I got lost whilst trying to find a Select Committee room, and wondering (worrying unchallenged) I discovered the private dining rooms where MPs can host meals.

But although I visit regularly I do so for work, and I hadn't stopped to appreciated the building, I hadn't stopped to consider the history.

Public tours are available, but we were lucky enough to get shown around by Warren (thanks Warren), who works for an MP and has a keen interest in the history of the building. In fact it would be fair to say he has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the history of the Houses of Parliament.

Entering via a secret tunnel that connects Portcullis House and Parliament (with statues guarding the underground entrance which make the whole thing reek Harry Potter), you enter the enormous Westminster Hall. From here we are lead to a number of incredibly ornate and wonderful privates chapel, before entering the two chambers (which are far smaller than you might think). One of my favourites is the voting lobbies normally reserved only for MPs.

Warren is fantastic and historical snippets and tails of misbehaving MPs are fascinating and often humours. But for me what is incredible is the sense that the pages of history of London, of England and of the world have been written here. And that whilst beautiful, the Houses of Parliament are a place of work (somewhat nicer than my office mind you). So whilst history has been written here, it is within these walls that decisions are continued to be made, and they are decisions that impact my life and yours everyday.

p.s you can take pictures inside (except in Westminster Hall) so I have stolen a few from the web!

#34 London Aquarium

2012-07-16T14:10:00.004-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 10
Activities Completed: 95/101

What does an urban area need in order to be a city? A common misconception, in the UK at least, is that it must have a cathedral. Other popular criteria include population size, having a business district or shopping area, the number of hospitals, or perhaps having a mayor. In fact the answer in the UK is just that the Queen says so!

But what attractions would you expect to see in a city? Museums, castles, bars, restaurants, theatres, art galleries? All feature on the 101 list. Well then, how about an aquarium? Apparently there is a point at which a city becomes so big that is necessary to build large fish tanks. I used to live in Birmingham, which also has a Sea World, and which is the UK city furthest from the coast.

Now, I grant London is at least on the Thames, and the London Aquarium is based on the South Bank, but I couldn’t help feel that this alone doesn’t warrant an aquarium. My concerns were not helped after noticing that the building doesn’t seem anyway near big enough to house a world class aquarium, or certainty not one that costs £20 to get in. There is no doubt I entered with a deep sense of trepidation.

My question about size was almost instantly answered: as you enter you immediately descend below street level (well, immediately after tip-toeing across the glass floor over the shark tank!)

The Aquarium, barely visible above ground, is housed in a labyrinth of rooms and tunnels under the South Bank. There is no doubt it is impressive looking at the many varieties of fish. Some are fast, tiny and brightly coloured, others slow and cumbersome. There is a great walk-through tunnel where beautiful rays fly overhead, and sea turtles wander passed.

So perhaps my scepticism was unfounded. I did ultimately enjoy myself; it was after all fun and interesting. But what it is not, in my opinion, is world class. But then, other than it being a big city, why would anyone expect London to have a world class aquarium? I visited because it is on the 101 list. But the exhibits within are mostly global rather than local, and the people within seemed mostly to be foreign visitors rather than Londoners with an interest in oceanography.

Why would you travel to an area of London packed with unique and special attractions, and then visit a cramped underground aquarium that may have more species from your home locality than the British isles? If you have been to another world class aquarium then you might well be disappointed.

I can't help but feel that a London aquarium would be better relocated close to, or better within, London Zoo. As well as the added space it clearly needs, it would also cut down on the entrance costs (look up online for vouchers) which is pushing it even in London, and allow the marvels of land and sea to be seen together.

#88 Discover the Best Cabaret

2012-07-11T14:50:00.000-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 15

Activities Completed: 94/101

Most of us will have experienced that awkward teenage moment when, sitting with your parents, a sex scene appears on TV (normally during some seemingly innocent period drama). The well-rehearsed response: head down, eyes fixed forward, hoping that you can ride the whole thing out without making eye contact and without your dad making an embarrassing comment that would ultimately lead to you volunteering yourself for dish washing duties and an early night.

This is the sort of scene I expected might happen when Fliss and I made a trip to Madame JoJo's in Soho for some burlesque cabaret, #88 on the 101 list. As far as I knew burlesque was just stripping, and watching strippers isn’t something I tend to do in the normal run of things, let alone with my girlfriend!

Arriving just after the doors opened meant we were well back in the queue, even with pre-purchased tickets. By luck (!) we spotted that a table right by the stage was empty. If I didn’t know what burlesque was before, I was going to have a front row seat to it very soon.

And then the show began, and any vague nervousness of impropriety was quickly gone. The evening was hosted by the gorgeous, brilliantly funny and charismatic Laurie Hagen. Her introductions and playful interaction with the crowd were hilarious and worthy of the £10 ticket alone.

The main event however was burlesque dance troupe the Folly Mixtures (@follymixtures). Made up of five ladies who without doubt love what they do, and do it extremely well. There is no sense, as can often be associated with strippers, that these women are in any way forced to perform. They clearly love every bit: the clothes, the dancing and the camaraderie with each other.

Cakes on the tables (for the second birthday of the Follies) and a guest appearance by cabaret hostess Velma Celli, who towered over us all in both footwear and vocal talent, just added to the sweet, naughty and hilarious tone of the evening.

So, how best to describe burlesque cabaret? Perhaps to say it is almost like slapstick stripping, in that it is as much, if not more, about the comedy, about fun and about character than it is about simply staring at naked flesh. That isn’t to deflect from their clothes, their looks and the skill of their routines, all of which were fantastic.

Burlesque and cabaret is therefore high up on my favourites list. Ok, it’s not for kids – it is after all women taking virtually all their clothes off – but it’s a captivating, enjoyable and fun way to spend an evening.

#5 Dennis Severs House

2012-07-09T08:03:00.003-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 18
Activities Completed: 93/101

In the course of this challenge we have been to a number of different houses, all preserved as museums - #4 Charles Dickens' House, #27 Samuel Johnson's House, #11 The Handel House Museum - but none has been quite like Dennis Severs' House.

An artist who sadly died in 1999, Dennis Severs moved to Spitalfields long before the shiny, hip version of the place that exists now. He bought one of the beautiful Georgian houses of the area at a time when these were mainly broken down and the local authorities wanted to demolish them to make way for more modern housing.

Due to Dennis and other people in the area like him (including Gilbert and George, and the historian Dan Cruikshank, among many others) the houses were saved - and we owe him and those others a debt of gratitude for saving buildings of such beauty.

You can't take pictures inside the house, so the room images are those taken by Roelof Bakker

Many houses in the area are now expensive homes, and there is no doubt that should Dennis Severs' house be put onto the open market it would reach an enormous sum. However this house is priceless - Severs created a story in the house he lived in (and where another now lives - the idea is to keep the place alive as a home) that takes you on a journey through time, through a family, and through the history of this area of London.

It is hard to write much about the experience - it is a magical and atmospheric thing. The motto of Dennis Severs' House is "You either see it or you don't" - go visit, and see if you see.

#21 Tower of London

2012-07-08T10:26:00.000-07:00

Days to Olympics: 19

Activities Completed: 92/101

There are some places which are so familiar that you stop really thinking about what they mean. I think the Tower of London might be one of those places - thronged with tourists, sat serenely next to the river, you don't necessarily think about what it represents when you pass it in the course of an ordinary day.

But the Tower, number #21 on our list, as well as being a symbol of royal power, the home of the Crown Jewels, and a symbol of some of the darker side of our national history, is also a visible sign of the more than thousand years of unbroken history of London.

Towered (ahem) over by the buildings of the City behind it, the Tower may not seem too large; however, this is a trick of the eye. Once inside this place is massive, with many buildings and walkways to explore. We had two for one entry (there are plenty of vouchers knocking about) but even at full price there is enough to the attraction to make £20 per adult seem fair value - you could very easily spend the whole day there and just about see everything.

The Crown Jewels exhibit has been a part of the general Jubilee-Olympics spring clean of London, with enormous gems to gape at, and finding out about the development of the fortress and the old menagerie is interesting; but you can't think of the Tower of London without thinking of the torture, the prisoners and the beheadings, and the graffiti of the rooms that held enemies of those in power is one of the most interesting things to see.

The gore might have faded into history, but thank goodness the Tower and its stories remain.

#83 Ministry of Sound

2012-07-02T13:48:00.002-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 24
Activities completed: 91/101

There are few clubs in the world that are as famous as #83 in the 101 list : Ministry of Sound. And whilst I enjoy possible misconception that this is where civil servants skutter around sorting out affairs of state that are related solely to sound, it is not. The Ministry of Sound is a big time dance club for loud, late and large nights out.

Now I have to admit it has been some time since I last put down my glow sticks, and my raving days seem a long time ago, but I was excited to visit the mecca of dance music for the first time.

Waiting at home with my selection of my university-era dance music blasting out, I experienced that excited-nervous feeling you get before a big night somewhere that you don't know. High levels of expectation, little knowledge of what awaits, mixed with a healthy (!) dose of vodka.

From the moment you arrive there is no doubting this is a big club - not least as you're greeted by sizeable queues. But the staff are very friendly and professional, which is more than you can say for many clubs in London and elsewhere, and the queues pass quickly. For those easily spooked by horror stories there is airport style security but you shouldn't take that as a sign this place is dangerous. Far from it, the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed.

Inside the club there are a multitude of different rooms, all pumping out dance music. The lasers in the main room are spectacular and clearly everyone is up for a thumping night of hands-up-in-the-air dancing.

In simple terms the Ministry of Sound is a nightclub. It is right that London's legendary nightlife features on the 101, and the quality of Ministry of Sound means it is a worthy representative. But this is not an attraction for kids, for the easily startled or anyone seeking a peaceful, cultural solitude. The Ministry of Sound is an excellent dance music club, and will no doubt remain internationally renowned, but this 101 is for those who like to party loud and late into the night.

#43 The Royal Observatory

2012-07-01T23:55:00.001-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 25
Activities Completed: 90/101

As we get ever closer to the Olympic deadline of our 101 challenge, time is often on our minds. Finding the time to get to attractions still to be visited, and booking them in before the opening ceremony means diary coordination and a lot of planning. But, despite having time in mind, time itself isn't something we or most people think about for itself.

A trip to #43 on the 101 list, The Royal Observatory, can change all that. Not only can you find the Meridian line there (and people spending a lot of time queuing to have their photo taken standing over it) but museum galleries charting the history of time and our understanding of it, and the home of the original Astronomer Royal.

Although small, the octagonal house is beautiful, with a gorgeous room where King Charles II was received and shown the movement of the stars through the heavens.

The work that was begun at the Royal Observatory (and continues today) allowed for better navigation, making for more international travel and the smaller world that we know today. So, as the Olympics comes and the world travels to London, it seems that maybe time should be on our mind after all!

Music: Observatory (Amiee Mann)

#28 Explore Greenwich

2012-06-27T13:34:00.001-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 29

Activities Completed: 89/101

It would be an understandable mistake to assume there are 101 attractions on the 101 things to do in London list. But that would be just too easy. For example #8, the Museum Road challenge, actually includes three museums, each of which deserve an individual entry. #28, Explore Greenwich, is just the same!

In fact there are so many top quality attractions in Greenwich that it might better be described as a Historical and Cultural Theme Park, reflected by the fact it is a designated World Heritage site. We headed east and to the south bank of the river on a beautiful sunny Sunday. We clearly weren't the only ones to have decided this was a good idea and the village itself was packed. But Greenwich is so big, and there is so much to do, that the crowds are no problem.

You can stay in the village and potter around the shops, market and gorgeous pubs, slip off to the National Maritime Museum, the green lawns of the Naval College Gardens, or perhaps grab a pint at the Old Brewery Pub before boarding the newly refurbished Cutty Sark.

What is incredible is that I still haven't got anywhere close to listing all that there is to do in Greenwich. You could easily fill a frantic weekend of museums and exploration, but in the summer sun, a stroll led by your inquisitive nature into this building, over to that monument and slowly taking the whole place in, is far more relaxed and enjoyable.

Tip: If you're heading to Greenwich from the north try getting off at Island Gardens DLR tube stop and walking under the Thames through the Greenwich Foot Tunnel

Music: Greenwich

#36 London Wetland Centre

2012-06-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 31

Activities Completed: 88/101

The 101 has reinforced many of the London stereotypes: grand museums, great restaurants, royal parks and much, much more. But it has also, perhaps more enjoyably, helped us discover things about London which we might never have guessed.

Being that this is activity number 88 I shouldn't really have been surprised to find a 100 acre, world-class wetland conservation centre in zone three... Surely it is just so obvious - every city has em', right?! Well, apparently not, and we should be grateful to be so lucky.

The London Wetland Centre is located in Barnes, out west and sitting pretty on the south bank of the Thames. The Centre, part of a global network of wetland conservation sites, is protected by law and is designated a Special Site of Scientific Interest or SSSI.

What that means to you and I is that this vast wetland, criss-crossed by pathways, is a haven for all sorts of creepy crawlies, birds, fish, plants and other wildlife that are both individually and collectively rare, special, worthy of preserving and worthy of visiting.

Whilst the wetland centre is beautiful, it is not free and entry is £10. For some this will seem like a bargain, given it provides access to all kinds of animals and habitats. This place is a twitcher's paradise, with a number of hides providing shelter and camouflage for a spot of bird watching.

There is more here than just bird watching, however, with pleasant walks, interactive outdoor exhibits, otters, and pond dipping (for both adults and children).

If you are an outdoors-y nature lover this is a great find and could quickly become a regular haunt. However, if you're more of an urbanite, seeking fast paced human and cultural interaction, a trip to Barnes would be off the mark.

Music: Nice Weather for Ducks (Lemon Jelly)

#100 Evensong

2012-06-24T03:22:00.004-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 33
Activities Completed: 87/101

I'm not much of a churchgoer (nor mosque, temple or synagogue, come to that); I'm not really a believer. A few weddings, christenings and funerals aside, I've not been to more than three religious services in my life, so I wasn't really sure what to expect from #100 on the list, Listen to Choral Evensong in a Cathedral.

We tried going to Evensong several times, at Westminster (we were too late), Southwark (after Easter, the choir were on holiday), and St Paul's (we had huge bags and it just seemed too awkward). Finally, we managed to get to St Paul's again, and, after the sightseers were shepherded out, we were given a book of psalms and a handy list of instructions of when to stand and sit.

[St Paul's are very strict about taking photo's inside the cathedral so I have had to use stock photos from the internet]

Then, the slightly unexpected-from our normal seats under the dome we were ushered into beautiful wooden pews by the main altar, and the Cathedral began to ring with song as the choir sang as they processed up the nave.

With the choir sat next to us, opposite each other, we had the best seats in the house for some truly magical music. I'm no closer to believing but the music and pageantry, from our ringside seats, was close to magical.

Its also worth noting that St Paul's Cathedral is itself clearly worth a visit. Unbelievably however, St Paul's didn't make the 101 list, which given a telephone box did, is a little strange!

Music: Magnificent St Paul's

#3 Bruce Castle Museum

2012-06-23T03:22:00.000-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 34
Activities completed: 86/101

Located close to Tottenham, the Bruce Castle Museum is an odd sort of place. It has a feel of a small town museum, rather than one in the metropolis.

The old house, still grand despite historical modifications, is charming, whilst also in need of some TLC (which in this case might mean tonnes of lottery cash).

Inside the exhibitions are varied and interesting though perhaps a little worn around the edges. It seems as if all the historic items of interest and value stored by Haringey Council have been dumped here, and arranged wherever possible into some sort of coherent order.

The variety is interesting, but means in truth there is a lack of quality exhibits in any one genre. There are small exhibits on local sport, the history of the house (including ghost story), local life during World War Two, the growth of Tottenham, picture-filled corridors on the ground floor and a larger exhibition space upstairs.

The most interesting exhibit within the museum, and possibly the only one that would genuinely justify a visit is located on the ground floor. Where the rest of the museum is a hotch-potch of items the exhibit relating to Broadwater Farm Estate is excellent.

Based on a university research project, the large exhibit looks closely into the building and development of the infamous housing estate associated with the 1980s riots.

It is fascinating how badly conceived the estate was in the first place, then how poorly built. The levels of deprivation and crime, and the eventual riots are widely known, but what is excellently presented is the subsequent creation, development and success of a growing community unity.

The story of the Broadwater Farm Estate may be best known for the violence, but that would be wrong. The colourful, dedicated and determined community leaders that brought the estate back from the brink are modern heroes, and their story deserves to be more widely known.

Generally I would find it hard to recommend the Bruce Castle Museum to anyone who had not yet exhausted London's larger and grander offerings. But the permanent exhibition on the Broadwater Farm Estate is informative, thought-provoking and gives a sense of hope for the good nature of people, and a reminder of what communities can achieve when working together.

It would be fair to say the exhibit would benefit from an update, but for those with an interest in London's built and social evolution will find it fascinating and easily worth the visit.

Music: Bruce Springsteen (My Home Town)

#91 Jive at the Rivoli Ballroom

2012-06-20T08:19:00.000-07:00

Days to the Olympics: 37
Activities Completed: 85/101

Something you learn as you grow up is that things just ain't like they are in the movies. Or so I thought. This Sunday’s millionth tv re-run of the classic Dirty Dancing wasn't so far from the truth after all!

Ever since I have been going out ‘dancing’, the focus has been on drinking, flapping my hands around, and trying limply to move my hips like Ricky Martin. The closest thing to a ‘dance step’ is my robot dance.

But walking into the magnificent Rivoli Ballroom you feel you have been transported into a 1950s movie set. The dance hall is extravagant and opulent with red drapes on the walls, golden chandlers and ‘disco’ lights that look as if they could have been teleported from the hangouts of the Grease kids.

The dancefloor is full of people spinning, turning and swinging in time to the music, demonstrating actual dance steps with actual dance partners. It seems in many ways so strange, so old fashioned, but at the same time the romanticism of it, and the nostalgia for a time I never knew but have seen my whole life in pictures, is wonderful.

All around the large wooden sprung dance floor are small tables for couples to rest up before hitting the dance floor once more. Looking around there is a real mix of ages (how often, other than a wedding, does that happen on a night out dancing?!), as there are abilities. Some of the golden oldies are particularly good and move far better than you might have ever expected had you spotted them queuing in the post office for their pensions.

But it is not a place for the over 60s alone. There are lots of young people, some who know what they are doing better than others, but everyone seems to be having fun. Women outnumber the gentlemen, but not so much as to become an issue, and the slightly older gents are always happy to spin the younger ladies around for a dance or two.

The whole dance hall would provide a ready-made setting for any movie set in the 1950s. Those old enough to remember that decade still look great in their glad rags, whilst the younger folk seem to relish the opportunity to dress up in their Brick Lane vintage outfits which, here at least, are in keeping with the event and the surrounding.

The Jive Party is held once a month and for anyone in need of a night out with a difference it is a no brainer. The venue is incredible, the atmosphere friendly to both pro and newcomer and the experience is different, special and above all great fun.

Music: Jive Bunny