London Fun with Covent Garden Punch and Judy Festival

Punch and Judy have been a bit of a mystery to me, but I have to admit that there is something about silly voices and puppets hitting each other that is appealing. So Kiddos and grown-ups alike may enjoy heading down to the Covent Garden Punch and Judy Festival, which is celebrating a special anniversary this year.

Taking place on October 3rd, this free event is marking the 30th anniversary of the Punch and Judy Fellowship, which is the largest and oldest organisation solely focused on keeping those two famous children’s characters alive.

There are plenty of members of this peculiar institution, which counts as its patron legendary comedian Ken Dodd OBE.

If this sounds like your kind of comedy then travel down to Covent Garden Piazza after 11:00 BST on the day to see a variety of performances of the tale until 16:30.

Guests at London hotels may not be aware of the history of Punch and Judy, a topic which they can no doubt investigate at the festival.

It is widely thought that Punch and Judy originates from 15th-century street theatre, but the first mention of it came in a diary entry by Samuel Pepys from 1662, when he noted that it was being performed in Covent Garden - making the show’s location all the more poignant.

Since then, Punch and Judy has become one of the most stereotypical seaside entertainment shows in the UK and has made millions of youngsters laugh.

Once commonplace at every seaside resort throughout the country, Punch & Judy shows have been entertaining audiences for many generations.

For more information on this London event visit the Website of Punch and Judy or contact the venue on +44 (0)20 7395 3765.

London's Old Operating Theatre

The Old Operating Theatre Museum is one of the most unusual museums in London. The Operating Theatre is the oldest in Europe, and the Herb Garret is a unique chance to explore the Roof space of a Church. The Theatre and Garret have recently been restored with its original Georgian plaster free of support frames for the first time since the late 1990's!-The Old Operating Theatre

Ah those crazy Victorians. Back in the good old days medicine was more an art than a science. A bit of herbal mixture and maybe a quick, or not so quick, pass with a saw. I have always had a soft spot for Herbalists and the Herb Garret here seems to be an interesting place for the medicinal plant lover.

The Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret is one of London's specialist museums, offering a fascinating lookt into the medical profession of the past. Hidden in the roof of St Thomas’ Church near London Bridge Underground, this 300-year old herb garret houses Britain’s only surviving operating theatre-complete with wooden operating table and observation stands, from which spectators witnessed surgery performed with no anaesthesia or antiseptics.

The Museum has objects relating to: Obstetrics, Midwifery, Surgical Instruments, Cupping and Bleeding, Nursing and Patient Care, Anaesthesia, Antiseptic surgery, Apothecaries and Herbal Medicine, St. Thomas's, Guy's and the Evelina Children's Hospital. The odds and ends taken from patients bodies include bullets and stones of one sort or another.

The more disturbing items for me are the Scarificator and Brass Cupping Lamp sets used for bleeding patients which are made as if they were actual scientific instruments instead of the worst sort of quack medicine. On the other hand, many of the surgical tools bare at least a passing resemblance to surgical tools of today and some appear completely unchanged. Of course, many also look as if they would be right at home in The Tower's torture chamber.

The Old Operating Theatre, Museum and Herb Garret, 9a St Thomas's St, London SE1

Phone: 020 7188 2679
Daily: 10.30-17.00
Cost:£5.25; concessions £4.25; under 16s £3
Closed: 15 December - 5 January Telephone the Museum for details and dates of special presentations.

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Royal Academy Summer Exhibition

The Royal Academy's annual Summer Exhibition is the world’s largest open submission contemporary art exhibition. Now in its 242nd year, the exhibition continues the tradition of showcasing work by both emerging and established artists in all media including painting, sculpture, photography, printmaking, architecture and film.
-Royal Academy

Not too long ago I saw a little documentary about Mary Cane-Honeysett, a London artist who makes realistic paintings of the rapidly disappearing London that she grew up with. It was an interesting show, which featured Mary making one of her paintings and submitting it to the Royal Academy, only to have it turned down. She then goes to the Exhibition and sees all these odd works of art that she doesn't understand as well as works similar to her own-and she doesn't understand why her paintings are always turned away.

Just as it can be argued that there has not been any real work done in Physics since about 1910, it can be argued that there has been no real art since about 1910 either. Mary's art is old style art, real world, representational reality art, not a random group of rocks or paint spilled onto a raw canvas. So at least part of the charm of the Summer Exhibition is the old saw-Yes, but is it Art?

Being an artist means always facing rejection, until you are accepted, and then you can pretty much do anything. It's that whole getting accepted bit that seems to elude most people. So the whole idea of an Open Exhibition is wonderful, even if it does require a fee and there is still a ton of reject involved. I've always been one of those people who walk around and wonder what the point of most modern art is. I tend to like Modern works of art long after they have ceased to be modern. I'm a big fan of Roy Lichtenstein, now that he has been quietly dead these past few years.

Things You Never Knew About The Summer Exhibition-

Over £70,000 prize money, including the £25,000 Charles Wollaston Award, is awarded each year at the Summer Exhibition.

The Summer Exhibition was first held in a warehouse on Pall Mall from 1769 to 1779.

The hanging of one Gallery by one Academician was first tried in 1976 when Peter Blake filled Gallery II with work by leading contemporary artists of the day, such as Patrick Caulfield, David Hockney, RB Kitaj, Joe Tilson, Ivor Abrahams and Norman Adams. All later became Royal Academicians.

There is something fun about being overwhelmed by walls filled with works of art. It's an old world kind of feeling, but then, London is a bit old world, isn't it? Is it art? Well, if The Royal Academy says it is, then it must be.

London 10 Quirky Places

London has a lot of quirky spots and quirky tours and quirky people. I found this video on YouTube and it made me smile. I love the feel of it and the silliness of the sped up sections remind me what London feels like at normal speed. The people are always in a hurry, aren't they? And the city is a big place, which comes across nicely here.

London Gazetteer

There comes a time when my London Thoughts are no longer satisfied with tour books and picture books of all the common stuff that tourist like to look at. I like the occasional book that takes me a little farther afield, and I hope that next time I in London, I will go a little farther a field myself.

With this thought in mind, I found Chambers London Gazetteer. Here is a nice thick book which has over 1,300 entries covering all manner of places that I would have never known of otherwise. Oh I suppose I could chat up some other London blogger and arrange to met and get a proper tour of the city-but the odds of that happening are pretty slim. Besides, I can enjoy the company of the book at anytime, not just when I am in that grand old city of London.

The London Gazetteer has a couple of sections of photos, mostly of places I have never heard of, but which look very interesting. For example, Ash Tree Cottage and Old Keeper's Cottage have that nice thatched look I associate with Standford Upon Avon. While places like BedZED and the Halls of residence for the University of East London remind that London never stops growing and changing.

The entries are seldom very long, but still long enough to give their subjects a good going over. In addition to the text of the articles, there are also web page addresses when applicable, postal district, bus and underground routes, riverboat piers, populations, and books to look up for further reading. They also help on pronunciations such as Euston-pronounced yoostan.

Right, reading the London Gazetteer is not going to let me pass as a local, but it might help me figure out what the people on Masterpiece Theater are on about.

The Middle Temple, London

Legal history: The Middle Temple Gardens, London, has had lawyers rushing around its beautiful buildings for centuries.

Middle Temple is one of the four Inns of Court which have the exclusive right to Call men and women to the Bar, ie to admit those who have fulfilled the necessary qualifications to the degree of Barrister-at-Law, which entitles them, after a period of pupillage (vocational training) either to practise as independent advocates in the Courts of England and Wales or to take employment in government or local government service, industry, commerce or finance.-Middle Temple

Lots of dark woods and white plaster ceiling and portraits of important people. In short, another one of those wonderful places that takes you back in time to the London that was. The Middle Temple Hall was built during the reign of Elizabeth I, in 1576, as a dining and assembly hall. The Middle Temple Garden is a lovely spot as well, with all those windows and all that fine brickwork as a backdrop.

Being a bit of a bibliophile I was interest to find out that The Middle Temple has a Rare Book and Manuscript Collection with over 7000 early printed books, and approximately 200 Manuscripts. Access to the Collection is by appointment only, but if you are interested legal documents this is worth seeing. The regular library holds about 150,000 books of one sort or another, again mostly legal in nature.

Library Opening Times:

Monday to Thursday - 9.00 am to 8.00 pm
Friday - 9.00 am to 7.00 pm
Saturday - 10.00 am to 5.00 pm (every 4th Saturday)
Monday to Friday - 9.00 am to 5.30 pm
The Library also opens every fourth Saturday on a rota with the other Inn libraries from 10.00 am to 5.00 pm

As with most places in London these days there is a Virtual Tour of The Middle Temple which lets you see the site without the bother of actually going there.

Among the good things the Middle Temple does is help to provide for the next generation of London barristers by offering Scholarships and Prizes. Well, if there's one thing the world needs, it's more lawyers, right?

Middle Temple Lane

London

EC4Y 9AT

Open: 10am-11.30am and 3pm-4pm Mon-Fri

London's Blue Plaques

The blue plaques scheme has been running for over 140 years and is one of the oldest of its kind in the world. The idea of erecting ‘memorial tablets’ in London was first proposed by William Ewart MP in the House of Commons in 1863. It had an immediate impact on the public imagination, and in 1866 the Society of Arts (later Royal Society of Arts) founded an official plaques scheme for the capital. The Society erected its first plaque – to the poet Lord Byron – in 1867. In all, the Society of Arts erected 35 plaques; today, less than half of them survive, the earliest of which commemorates Napoleon III (1867).-English Heritage

Blue plaques seem to be everywhere in London, and with about 800 blue plaques floating around it's no wonder. The London Blue Plaques are sort of like The Hollywood Walk of Fame-except they are a tad more prestigious. There are a couple of books on London's Blue Plaques and there is a website where you can go and make your own Blue Plaque. There's also a pretty nice blog dedicated to the topic of Blue Plaques, called Blue Plaques of London. Like a lot of Blogger taking on a large topic he seems to have slowed down a bit.

There is also a nice little Blue Plaque Map of Central London where you can click on the shadows and pull up buildings that have Blue Plaques. Clearly a work in progress, but I like what they have done so far. This is a fun way to while away the odd moment. In real life the Blue Plaques are a little on the subtle side and it is easy enough to walk past them all without noticing them. That's when those handy people with umbrellas called Tour Guides come in handy, they point out the little Blue Plaques and tell you who they are for.

Blue plaques are placed on buildings - occasionally grand, often ordinary - where famous people lived and worked. Sigmund Freud lived and worked in fashionable Hampstead; Charles Darwin in central London’s university campus; Isaac Newton in Soho; Charles Dickens in private street of Camden; Mozart composed his first symphony in the elegant neighbourhood of Chelsea. As with all fame, of course, many of the Blue Plaques of London commemorate people the average person don't know. British Heritage has kindly composed a list of the many names and a brief bio for those interested.

So be sure to look up for a bit of blue once in a while in London, you might see a Blue Plaque telling you that someone important once lived there.

London Designers

London is one of the world's great fashion Meccas, and it is marked by it's creativity and eccentric flares. I am not much of a fashionista myself, but I do like to look at the new styles once in a while and see how far behind the time I really am.

All of these London Designers are fun and interesting and most are far beyond my meager means to afford. That doesn't mean that a bit of window shopping would not be worth while when in London, and who knows, maybe I could buy some tiny little thing and get a nice designer label shopping bag.

Burberry

The famous Burberry check may have become a chav favourite, but the high-end Prorsum range has retained its exclusivity. Christopher Bailey has won British Designer of the Year for his work on the label.

Cath Kidston

Cath Kidston Ltd was founded in 1993 when designer Cath Kidston opened a tiny shop in London’s Holland Park. She began by selling the vintage fabrics, wallpapers and brightly-painted junk furniture she remembered fondly from her childhood. Her clever, witty re-working of traditional English country house style meant that her shop soon became a cult success.

Jasper Conran

A bit of an institution these days, Jasper Conran offers beautifully classic garments as well as homewares, jewellery, scents and a more affordable range of designs for Debenhams. This label provides fantastic smart casual wear.

Joseph

Joseph's signature look is smart, tailored and modern. Shop here for beautifully made classic items that you just can't do without. The Fulham Road flagship store carries ranges of other top European designers as well.

Paul Smith

The king of British men's fashion is Sir Paul Smith and his label celebrates classic British tailoring injected with a twist. The trademark bright patterned shirts and loud cufflinks, wallets and accessories are instantly recognisable. Pop into Paul's for fun shopping and great men's gifts.

Pringle of Scotland

This traditional clothing label has worked hard in recent years to become one of Britain's hottest fashion brands. The Scottish company has shaken off its old golfers' image and Pringle now offers colourful and creative ranges of knitwear and cashmere.

Stella McCartney

Since leaving French fashion house Chloé, Stella McCartney has gone from strength to strength. She is now Britain's hottest celebrity designer and owner of one of the UK's most envied labels. Her high street range made exclusively for Hennes sold out across the country within hours of hitting shop rails. However for classic Stella chic and a more relaxed browsing experience, visit the Bruton Street flagship store.

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood has been revolutionising the British fashion industry since the label's early days in the 1970s. She continues to lead the market with her bold designs today. Peruse the rails of her flagship store to take in her Red, Gold, Man and Anglomania labels.

The London Pass Top Ten London Attractions

Top 10 Attractions

The Tower of London

The ancient stones reverberate with dark secrets, priceless jewels glint in fortified vaults and pampered ravens strut the grounds. The Tower of London is one of the world's most famous fortresses and has seen service as royal palace, prison, armoury and even zoo! It is still home to the Crown Jewels and Beefeaters.

To celebrate the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the Throne, a stunning exhibition of the famous monarch's personal arms and armour ever shown in the UK is included in your admission to the Tower. Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill includes original artefacts never previously displayed in the UK and is included in admission until 17 January 2010.
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £17.00
Normal Entry Price: Child: £9.50

Thames River Boat Cruise

A Thames river cruise is without doubt one of the best ways to see London, weaving through the heart of the city and past so many of its most famous attractions. See and experience the sights and splendour of this great city from the relaxed comfort of a City Cruises modern, all-weather boats with open upper decks and spacious lower saloons with panoramic windows.
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £11.50
Normal Entry Price: Child: £5.75

St Paul's Cathedral

Come and experience the majesty and glory of St. Paul's Cathedral, it's iconic dome dominates the London skyline. Built between 1675 and 1710, St Paul's Cathedral is widely considered to be crowning achievement of the glittering career of Sir Christopher Wren.

The Whispering Gallery at this London cathedral is famous for its acoustics and is 30 metres above the cathedral floor, while below, in the elegant and spacious crypt, are the tombs and memorials of such historical luminaries as Admiral Lord Nelson and the Duke Of Wellington
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £11.00
Normal Entry Price: Child: £3.50

Windsor Castle

A must see for London visitors, Windsor Castle is the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world and official residence her majesty the Queen. The magnificent State Apartments are lavishly furnished with treasures from the Royal Collection, including masterpieces by Rubens, Holbein, Brueghel and Van Dyck. You can get there from London Paddington in around 30 minutes
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £15.50
Normal Entry Price: Child: £9.00

Tower Bridge Exhibition

One the most impressive structures and sites in the capital, Tower Bridge in London has stood over the River Thames since 1894 and is one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world.

Learn about the history of the Bridge and how it was built. Interactive displays and videos provide an entertaining and informative guide to Tower Bridge in London and its place in the history of the River Thames.
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £7.00
Normal Entry Price: Child: £3.00

Kensington Palace and The Orangery

Generations of royal women have shaped this stylish palace and elegant gardens from Queen Mary to Victoria and, more recently Diana, Princess of Wales.

Today a unique collection of dresses worn by Princess Diana, including some never before displayed at Kensington Palace are shown in Diana Fashion and Style, an exhibition that charts the early days from the 1983 silk evening dress by Donald Campbell to the full blown style icon, demonstrated by the sleek black Gianni Versace cocktail dress, worn in 1995.
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £12.50
Normal Entry Price: Child: £6.25

Hampton Court Palace

The flamboyant Henry VIII is most associated with this majestic palace, which he extended and developed after acquiring it in the 1520s. Its many royal occupants have ensured the palace has fabulous furnishings, tapestries and paintings. It is set in 60 acres of formal gardens, which include the famous maze and the Great Vine.
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £14.00
Normal Entry Price: Child: £7.00

London Bridge Experience and The London Tombs

The London Bridge Experience is a two-part tourist attraction situated within the arches of London Bridge.

Firstly enjoy a fascinating trip back in time as the London Bridge Experience delves through the history of the bridge, from Druids through to Victorians, meeting Vikings, Romans, and some creepy medieval characters along the way. Featuring real life actors, stunning special effects and animations, this is unique interactive adventure really does takes you back in time.
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £21.95
Normal Entry Price: Child: £16.95

Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms

The Churchill Museum & Cabinet War Rooms are dedicated to the life of the ?greatest Briton', Sir Winston Churchill, and the secret underground headquarters that were the nerve centre of Britain's war effort.

The first London museum of its kind, the Churchill Museum covers all ninety years of Winston Churchill's life, divided into five chapters: his early year's as British Prime Minister starting May 1940; his later years; his childhood; his early political career and the period famously known as the ‘Gathering Storm’.
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £12.95

Shakespeare's Globe Theatre Tour and Exhibition

London sightseeing visitors can enjoy a trip back in time with a visit to the spectacular Shakespeare's Globe Theatre. Situated on London's Bankside, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre reconstruction the original building that housed Shakespeare's theatre in London, an open-air playhouse where the playwright penned many of his greatest plays.
Normal Entry Price: Adult: £10.50
Normal Entry Price: Child: £6.50

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The Best Barbecue in London

To a native Texan the idea of the Best Barbecue in London is sort of like looking for the best Pub in Dallas-you might find one, but even the best might not be that great. But the world is smaller than it once was, and London welcomes all kinds of diverse people and foods. So why not The Best BBQ in London?

Rather than do the actual research of wandering around London and eating bbq myself, I decided to just take the Top Ten according to Google. If they care enough to get top rank in Google, they must be good at something.

All the Barbecue Places in London look good to me, but then, I never met a plate of barbecue I didn't like. As always, these London thoughts are a means of narrowing down the vast and impenetrable city of London to places I'd like to go-or in this case, eat.

Top Ten Barbecue Restaurants in London-

10. The Vibe Bar finds itself at number ten. When you click on the Food tab, it tells you they have some tasty Jerk Chicken and BBQ Grills. One of Brick Lane's finest and most interesting destinations, The Vibe Bar packs in a trendy indie crowd of musicians and fashionistas keen to enjoy cheap drinks and pounding hip hop and house music. Maybe the food is not why you go to The Vibe Bar-but I'm sticking with my Google plan.

9. The Chicago Rib Shack-Now this sounds more like what I had in mind. Ribs and Brisket and Whole Piglets and Steaks and even stuff for that poor vegetarian you dragged along. These are people that set out to create London's Best Barbecue place and judging from the website-they may have done it. Seems some people think it's not as good as the original, but then, what in life ever is?

8. Big Easy-The best Cajun restaurant in London? Could be. Over 15 years ago, Paul Corrett, our founder, opened Big Easy’s doors in London. And right from the beginning, it’s been the food, family, friends and music that have exhilarated guests and kept them coming year after year. BBQ Ribs and Chicken seems to be the barbecue of choice at Big Easy-with an all you can eat Barbecue Pig Gig every Monday. Looks like my kind of place.

7. The Ship-The Ship has been supplying fine ales, wines and food to its surrounding residents since 1786 when it was founded as a Thameside Waterman’s Inn. The BBQ Menu has burgers, pork belly, and steaks. There's also the intriguing sounding Smoked Bacon and Red Onion Marmalade Sandwich. Crispy pig tails and ears with Aioli sounds just odd enough to whet my appetite. The Ship in Wandsworth has a beautiful outdoor dinning area, making it one of the best places in London to spend an afternoon.

6. Goodman Restaurant-This is a steak house, with such standbys as Irish Black Angus, UK Grass Fed, USDA Beef 120 Days Grain Fed, and Australian Grass Fed-these are some top quality steaks. Goodman might be the Best New York Steakhouse in London. Or maybe that should be the best Moscow Steakhouse in London. In either case, this seems to be the best steak to be had in London.

5. Cargo-Seems to be club that serves food, not that there's anything wrong with that. The menu has a few grilled items and the usual suspects of a free range jerk chicken sandwich. A couple of burritos mingle freely with the pasta dishes-nothing seems out of place here. Seems they have a barbecue in the beer garden. I'm sure Cargo is far too hip for the likes of me, but then, I never was all that trendy.

4. Bodean's BBQ-Back in 2002 Andre Blais had a dream - to bring the taste, the style, the soul of his beloved Kansas City barbecue to London town. Now this is what I had in mind-great KC BBQ in London. I wonder if I could get a work permit and work at Bodean's BBQ? I always wanted to be a Pit Boss when I grew up. Bodean's menu is straight out of any barbecue joint in America-burgers and hot dogs, ribs and pulled pork, and even burnt ends. Things like cole slaw, fries, corn bread, and BBQ beans round out that whole real barbecue feeling. The Best Ribs This Side of The Atlantic-so says Time Out.

3. City Inn-Barbecue seems means grilling to a lot of people in London, so I am guessing that the City Inn has a grill somewhere where they heat up some veg and cook the odd burger. But my idea of BBQ is Bodean's.

2. The Rising Sun, Epsom-Also has a grill where they do a nice barbecue, though I didn't much info on it. Maybe Google isn't always right after all.

1. Best Mangal-I have to admit that I like a bit of Turkish BBQ now and then as well. Mangal is the Turkish term for an open charcoal fire for cooking food on (a kind of brazier), and little brother to the ocakbasi, which is a long trough full of glowing coals with an extraction canopy overhead. The menu is long and filled with the usual suspects of a Turkish restaurant. Kabobs and hummus and salads and meats of all kinds on sticks.

London's Top Ten Fun Museums

London is full of museums, some famous and on everyone's must see list, some not so well known but still a bit of fun to stop by for a visit. I tend to like all London attractions, even the ones that may not fit on a tight schedule of things to see in a week. My London travels my London travels have not taken me to the small and out of the way museums, but now that I have the major sites out of the way, maybe I can work in a few of the these little gems.

London's Top Ten Fun Museums

Cartoon Museum

This highly entertaining London tourist attraction covers the history and development of British cartoons from the 18th Century to the present day. The Cartoon Museum is dedicated to preserving the best of British cartoons, caricatures, comics and animation, and to establishing a museum with a gallery, archives and innovative exhibitions to make the creativity of cartoon art past and present, accessible to all for the purposes of education, research and enjoyment
Usually: Adult £4.00

Firepower Royal Artillery Museum

Firepower, the Royal Artillery Museum in Woolwich tells the powerful and dramatic story of artillery, scientific discoveries made through warfare and human stories of courage and endeavour. The ‘ground shaking' Field of Fire audio-visual show puts you in the midst of battle as shells whiz overhead and guns roar.This engaging weapons museum shows every gun up close and details in which conflicts it was used in and with which ammunition. You can also watch videos demonstrating the pieces in use and see how each works. It's a fascinating London attraction that looks at how military personnel use armoury today - even in peacekeeping missions.
Usually: Adult £5.00
Usually: Child £2.50

Florence Nightingale Museum

From Florence’s slate she used as a child, her pet owl Athena, to the Turkish lantern used in the Crimean War, the collection spans the life of Florence Nightingale, the Crimean War and Florence’s nursing legacy up to the present day.As one of the most famous women in British history it is not surprising that Florence Nightingale should have a museum dedicated to her memory. The Florence Nightingale Museum celebrates the woman who almost single-handedly created the modern nursing profession in Britain following her experiences during the Crimean War.
Usually: Adult £5.80
Usually: Child £4.80

Guards Museum

If you're in London on the 24th of September then don't miss the opportunity to attend a unique London event. The Coldstream Guards Band (who have just signed a £1million pound record deal!) will be putting on a concert at the Guards Chapel to raise money for this unique museum. The concert will be held on Thursday 24th September at 19.00 and tickets cost just £10 for London Pass holders (normal price £15) - saving you £5 per ticket! The price also includes a complimentary glass of wine before the concert starts. It is sure to be a great event and a great way to help support a fantastic cause! The London Guards Museum is a fascinating insight into the history of the military in the capital and is unique among London museums as it was not originally intended for public view.
Usually: Adult £3.00

Handel House Museum

The Handel House Museum was home to the baroque composer George Frideric Handel from 1723 until his death in 1759. This landmark address is where Handel composed some of the greatest music in history including Messiah, Zadok the Priest and Music for the Royal Fireworks, and died on 14 April 1759. One of the many specialist London museums, Handel House Museum celebrates Handel's life and works, as well as his contemporaries in what many consider the golden age of classical music. The beautifully restored interiors give a sense of what life must have been like for this hugely influential composer at the peak of his power.
Usually: Adult £5.00
Usually: Child £2.00

Household Cavalry Museum

The Household Cavalry Museum is a living museum about real people doing a real job in a real place. The Household Cavalry Museum is unlike any other military museum because it offers a unique 'behind-the-scenes' look at the work that goes into the ceremonial duties and operational role of The Household Cavalry. From a glazed screen inside the Museum, visitors can view into the working stables of The Queen's Life Guard.
Usually: Adult £6.00
Usually: Child £4.00

London Canal Museum

At the London Canal Museum you can see inside a narrowboat cabin, learn about the history of London's canals, about the cargoes carried, the people who lived and worked on the waterways, and the horses that pulled their boats.During your London sightseeing visit you can see inside a narrowboat cabin, learn about the people who lived and worked on the waterways and the horses that pulled their boats. This is the only London museum of inland waterways and one of the best canal museums in the UK.
Usually: Adult £3.00
Usually: Child £1.50

Twickenham World Rugby Museum & Stadium Tours

The World Rugby Museum is the ultimate visitor experience for the world rugby enthusiast. Twickenham is the home of England rugby and also the World Rugby Museum - home to the finest collection of rugby memorabilia in the world. The Museum opened in 1996 and takes visitors through the history of the sport from its origins to the present day.
Usually: Adult £14.00
Usually: Child £8.00

Pollock's Toy Museum

Pollocks Toy Museum takes its name from Benjamin Pollock, the last of the Victorian Toy Theatre printers. Set up by Marguerite Fawdry who bought up the stock of Benjamin Pollock Ltd., after trying to buy one small item for her son’s toy theatre. Originally at Monmouth Street, near Covent Garden, the present museum has been at Scala Street since 1969. Nearly every kind of toy imaginable turns up here from all over the world and from all different time perods.
Usually: Adult £5.00
Usually: Child £2.00

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum

Thanks to the wonders of modern technology, London visitors to the Wimbledon museum can experience the atmosphere in the 1980's Gentleman's Dressing Room and watch John McEnroe guide you through normally off-limits areas and reminisce about how he first met Jimmy Connors and how he prepared himself for matches. The museum is open throughout the year, daily: 10.00am - 5pm. Last admission is 4.30pm.
Usually: Adult £10.00
Usually: Child £5.50


London Tourist Information - How to Save Money on London Attractions

Kensington Palace and Queen Victoria's Bloomers

The underwear — which has a 56-inch (142-centimeter) waist — has been added to Britain's Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection at Kensington Palace. The undergarments have a matching chemise, are embroidered with a "VR" and are believed to date from the 1890s.

The Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection is one of the must sees at Kensington Palace. Though I am not really sure that the Queen's underwear falls exactly under the heading of Ceremonial Dress.

The collection purchased the bloomers for 600 pounds ($993) earlier this summer. It's likely they were handed down to a servant after the monarch's death.

There are about 12,000 items in the collection-including photographs, prints, sketches, diaries — and famous outfits. A 12 million pound ($19.8 million) project, to be completed by 2012, is intended to allow more of the collection, including the underwear, to be displayed at Kensington Palace.

Kensinton Palace has a lot of history as well as a lot of clothes.

1605 Completion of the first house on the site of Kensington Palace. It was built for Sir Walter Cope, a businessman and politician

July 1689 William III and Mary II bought Nottingham House from the Earl of Nottingham for £20,000. This house would be transformed into Kensington Palace

8 March 1702 William III dies at Kensington Palace following a riding accident at Hampton Court

February 1722 The artist, William Kent submits his estimate for the decoration of George I’s new set of state rooms. He gazumped the King’s Serjeant Painter, Sir James Thornhill and won the contract.

Summer 1734 A delegation of Cherokee Indians visit George II and Queen Caroline.

24 May 1819 Queen Victoria born at Kensington Palace

20 June 1837 Queen Victoria receives the news from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Chamberlain that her uncle William IV had died and she was now queen.

24 May 1899 The state apartments at Kensington Palace opened to the public for the first time

October 1940 Incendiary bombs damage the Queen’s apartments at Kensington Palace

7 September 1997 The funeral cortege of Diana, Princess of Wales leaves Kensington Palace for her funeral at Westminster Abbey.

London Tourist Information - How to Save Money on London Attractions

The Quirky London Tour

Streetlamps fuelled by sewage, men chopping off their penises in public... London often defies logic in the most surprising way. Come with us as we tell you some of the most bizarre stories from London past and present, although we can’t always tell you the reasons for the randomness...
-Quirky London Tours

There are a seemingly endless array of London tours. I liked the bus tours that let you hop on and hop off, but they are not as personal as a private quirky walking tour of London. Highlights of this quirky London Tour include:The London ballroom turned into a Venetian canal, Britain's only street where cars drive on the right, The twistiest bridge in London, The corpses of left luggage, and Britain's smallest police station.

We did see London's smallest Police Station while there, it's over in a corner of Trafalgar Square and is really not much to look at. They must have had pretty small Bobbies back in the good old days.

How much: Places cost £20 and £16 for concessions, and come with a money-back guarantee.

Where: The Quirky London tour meets at Covent Garden station by Marks and Spencer), and finish around two hours later in Trafalgar Square.

Among the many odd and quirky things to do in London you'll find such items as The Camden Catacombs and The Hanging Gardens of Paddington. There is a great list of the unusual side of London at Top Quirky Sights in London. They also have Monty Python Tours of London and The London Rockstar Death Trail. You gotta love tours with names like that. Being a great fan of the BritCom I would likely take The TV Comedy Location Tour as well-most of them are a bit quirky, aren't they? Or at least, a bit silly.

Of course, to the average Tourist all of London can seem a bit quirky. Where else do you see things like a McDonald's that seats 250 people or double decker buses or an ice bar? The great thing about the quirky side of London is that these may be sights you haven't seen before, or that your friends haven't seen before. Everyone does the Changing of the Guard, but how many people do The Ubiquitous Undead Walk?

Traveling To London? Check How to Save Money on London Sightseeing

London Duck Tours

General Motors Corporation built more than 21,000 amphibious DUKWs (pronounced ducks) during World War II. An original six-wheel-drive DUKW ran on water at 6.4 mph and tooled across land at 55mph.The craft hauled troops and supplies ashore during the D-Day landings in France.

I missed this one when I was in London, so I don't have any firsthand experience of a Duck Tour in London. But I have ridden Ducks elsewhere, namely Hot Springs, Arkansas. These are tall, rough riding, windy vehicles. It's traditional for the drivers of these amphibious tour buses to crack stale jokes, often in a delivery that is well worn and deadpan. They are still pretty funny, but may not be to everyone's taste.

The London Duck Amphibious Vehicle Tour starts from Chicheley Street located behind the London Eye. The tour then passes by London hotspots Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, and the Houses of Parliament before being launched into the River Thames. Some other places that you can admire while on a Duck Tour include the London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, and the Lambeth Palace. Sounds like fun to me.

My own experience with Duck Tours has been exciting and a good way to see things from a different prescriptive. You really need to see London from the Thames to get a good feel of the city. So taking a London Duck tour sounds like a good way to see to bits of London that you might not see otherwise.

London Duck Tours have created an exciting adventure for visitors to London taking in the sights by road and river. The tour lasts approximately 75 minutes. 45 on the road and 30 on the river However passengers are advised to arrive 15 minutes prior to departure as they can make no allowances for missed departures as tickets are non transferable and non refundable.

Adult £20
Children £14
Concession £16
Family £58

London's Best Spas

I like the idea of a London Day Spa, take a couple of hours and relax-get a massage, have some hot rocks put on your back, sit in a sauna until a good sweat builds up. London Spas are a good place to get your nails done and have your pores cleaned. Spend an hour at a London Spa getting a manicure? How about an hour getting a Indian Head Massage?

Well, I'd like a bit of time in a London Spa in a steam room and than a quick dip in a cold pool. I've always liked that whole Roman Bath kind of spa experience. Tepidarium Warm room - Caldarium Hot room - Laconium Hottest room. A series of hot, dry air rooms, which vary from moderate to intense heats. Designed to relax the muscles and relieve the pain of rheumatics.

I really like the sauna-a 'dry' heat treatment in a wood-lined room with a temperature reaching 90 C, designed to bring about perspiration to cleanse the body of impurities. I am not an expert on spas, but I have enjoyed the occasional sauna and massage.

I've always been a fan of aroma therapy as well. Some London spas aroma steam rooms giving 'wet' heat, generating temperatures of 65-70 C. The climate has a very high humidity and the steam is enriched with essence. Designed to soften the skin, cleanse the pores, calm the nervous system and relieve tension.

Spa London has something I have never tried-an ice fountain. The Ice Fountain creates ice flakes to rub all over the body, stimulating the circulation and cooling the body. Well, I guess that would do it. I think it might be fun, as long as one of those hot pools is somewhere nearby.

Acupuncture originated in China more than 2,000 years ago and is offered at Dao today in London. I have never tried acupuncture, but I like the idea that the body can be healed with a few taps of a needle on the right spot. I think I'm more likely to stick with the hot rocks. Hot stone therapy uses smooth water-heated basalt stones and carefully applied to key points on the body. This direct heat relaxes the muscles, which means that the massage itself is more effective and intense than it would be otherwise

A trip to a London Spa would be a good way to relax after a hard day of sightseeing, or maybe before a hard day of sightseeing.

Below is a list of some of London's Best Spas, in no particular order.

Spa London
York Hall Leisure Centre, Old Ford Road, Bethnal Green, E2 9PJ

Beauty Works West
Lambton Place, Notting Hill London W11 2SH

Dao
41 Parkway London, NW1 7AH

The Sanctuary
12 Floral Street, Covent Garden, WC2E 9DH

Agua at the Sanderson
50 Berners Street London, England W1T 3NG

Mandarin Oriental
66 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LA

Spa Illuminata
63 South Audley Street . London . W1K 2QS

The CityPoint Spa at the City Point Club
1 Ropemaker Street EC2Y 9AW

Incredible You
40 Moreton Street London SW1V 2PB

Berkeley Spa
Wilton Place Knightsbridge London SW1X 7RL

Elemis Day Spa
2-3 Lancashire Court Mayfair London W1S 1EX

Pacifica Day Spa
1 Courtnell Street, Notting Hill, London W2 5BU

Bloww Salon and Spa
4 Regent Place, London, W1B 5EA

Urban Retreat
5th floor, Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL

Mind The Gap

Mind the Gap is a book about magic and murder and thievery. But really, it's about the world under the city of London. The Tube Tunnels and the misplaced fallout shelters and the deep shelters for hiding away from the Blitz. We all want to be Indian Jones and who wouldn't want to find a whole hidden world right under their feet?

Like all stories that feature children as the heroes, Mind the Gap opens with out hero's mother being killed by the mysterious Uncles in their BMWs. Jazz, the girl who has a heightened sense paranoia, is chased by the bad guys. She hides the best place she can think to hide-in the tubes of The Underground.

She soon enough runs into Mr. F and his gang of children pick pockets. The Artful Dodger would have felt right at home in the London Underground. One thing leads to another. Jazz becomes a good thief. Ghosts are hanging out in the many tunnels and forgotten passages of London. Jazz has special powers she doesn't understand. All kinds of strange and wonderful things happen.

The ending is a bit quick and dirty and everything is wrapped up in one fell swoop. For a while there I was dreading those three little words I hate to find at the end of a book-To Be Continued. But that didn't happen. The villi ans were all sorted out and the good guys, such as they are, carry on.

Larry Niven wrote a series of short stories about a world where The Magic Goes Away. In this reality there was a lot of magic in the good old days, and some of it is still around in certain objects of power. There is a lot of that here, with the magic of London residing in the lost tunnels of the forgotten subway lines and storage rooms.

Mind the Gap was a quick and easy read and the ending was not quite what I expected. The running around and under London was what made it a fun book.

London's Best Night Clubs

I'm not much into night clubs myself, but I am big on surfing the web. So I have done a bit of surfing and found a few of the best London night clubs that have good websites and look like fun places to spend the odd night out.

Cafe de Paris-Dress appropriately, have fun, and if your good looking, maybe you'll end up on their website. I like the Cafe de Paris website-this looks like a very interesting night club. Very posh.
Cafe de Paris, 3 - 4 Coventry Street, London. W1D 6BL

Mahiki-Right, what says London more than a Hawaiian style Tiki Club? The website is a lot of fun with tons of Tropical Themed Pin Up Girls and a list of drinks such as a Zombie, Jolly Roger, or Dark and Stormy.
1 Dover Street Mayfair London W1S 4LD

Ronnie Scott's-A Jazz Club in London. Jazz is one of those art forms that seems to forever be on the way out or on the way back in. I grew up with cartoons filled with jazz music, from the Peanuts specials to a ton of Looney Tunes. Ronnie Scott's has been around since 1959 and shows no signs of slowing down. The website has a nice list of Jazz links and offers a jazz Podcast.
47 Firth St, London W1D 4HT

seOne London-London's largest night club-30,000 square feet and a capacity of 3,000. Sounds like a nice intimate place. Another website with photos of club visitors having a good time, mostly young and on the wild and crazy side.
Weston st, London Bridge SE1 3QX

Egg London-A night club that has a swimming pool in the warmer months has to a fun place to visit. Three areas hold 800 people. Playing the best in House, Techno, Minimal, Electro music.
196-200 York Way, London, N7

For more of the Best Nightclubs in London check out TruGroovez and first4London.

Absolut IceBar London

ABSOLUT ICEBAR LONDON is the first permanent bar made of ice in the UK located in the heart of Mayfair in London. Experience the extreme - ABSOLUT ICEBAR LONDON is kept at minus 5 degrees all year round and everything inside is made out of crystal clear ice transported especially from the Torne River in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. -Absolut Icebar London

I've always been a big fan of odd little dodads that can be found on the web. One such bit of silliness allows you to put whatever you want-well, the spaces are limited- on an Absolut Vodka bottle. London Thoughts fit nicely, don't you think? Which got me to think about London and Absolut Vodka, so-

Absolut IceBar London

Consisting of a single chamber, guests are allocated 45 minute slots inside the Icebar, which is entered through an air locked entrance specially designed to maintain the –5 degree centigrade environment.

The Atmosphere
Inside the chamber everything is constructed of ice imported from northern Sweden. Guests mingle, protected against the chill thanks to the silver capes, gloves (and even warm shoes, if requested) which are provided at the cloakroom. The other worldly atmosphere of the Icebar is complemented with chill out music piped through speakers which are set into the walls of ice.

The Pub
Absolut vodka cocktails are served in an oversized ice cube of a glass by ski-suited barmen from behind a visually stunning ice bar. Capable of inspiring a sense of wonder in even the most hardened of cynics, part of the Icebar’s appeal lies in quality drinks served up in dramatic surroundings. Guests relax on ice stools dotted around tables made of ice whilst enjoying artwork nade, of course, from frozen water.

The Drinks
Appropriately named cocktails include Absolut Icy River, Absolut Aurora Borealis and signature cocktail Absolut Below Zero, although non-alcoholic cocktails are also available. The only deterrant to trying the entire list is the price. Entry costs £15.00 per person and includes one free drink but after that, shots priced at £6.00 (£3.00, non-alcoholic) can quickly mount up to a sizeable bar tab-but hey, how often do you get to be in a bar made of ice?

ABSOLUT ICEBAR LONDON
Mon - Weds 3:30 pm - 11:00 pm,
Thurs 3.30pm - 11.45pm,
Fri 3.30pm - 12.30am,
Sat 12:30 pm - 12:30 am,
Sun 3.30pm - 10.15pm

LOCATION
31-33 Heddon Street
London W1B 4BN
Heddon Street is located just off Regent Street and is a 5 minute walk from either Piccadilly Circus or Oxford Circus tube stations.

Bates Gentlemen's Hatter London

Edward Bates Ltd have supplied stylish hats and caps to discerning gentlemen from their enchanting Jermyn Street shop in London since the turn of the century.
-Bates Hats


There was a scene in Are You Being Served where Captain Peacock showed up to work wearing a Homburg Hat and he was only allowed to wear a Bowler. This bit of silliness went on throughout the show, until the ancient Young Mr Grace wandered by and told Peacock he shouldn't wear a Bowler-he should wear a Homburg.

Bates Hats is the kind of London shop that Captain Peacock would have gone to get either a Bowler Hat or a Homburg Hat. Hats, of course, just aren't what they once were. All we have to do is look at old photos or watch a film from the 1950s and we can see that wearing a hat used to be required. Indian Jones is about the only hat wearing hero still around-and he is supposed to be a throwback to those glory days anyway.

I've heard that JFK killed the hat, as he didn't like to wear them and everyone wanted to be like him. Of course, The Beatles didn't wear a lot of hats either. Though John Lennon was found of a number of hats, they were not exactly formal hats. The 1960s changed everything-hats were just one more casualty along the way.

My own love affair with hats has followed a winding path from Cowboy hats to Greek Fisherman caps to my latest-a sort of Sandown cap. Mine is a Stetson Cuffley Cap Made in England. The kind of thing you might see in an old John Wayne movie. Bill Cosby wore one in a short lived Sit-Com based on One Foot in The Grave. Cosby was way too nice for the part.


At any rate, Bates Hats is one of the London spots that you can wander by and feel as if you have fallen through yet one more time warp. Hats-expensive quality hats-are what you'll find at Bates. So go in and have look-you never know when a hat might be just the thing you need.

Edward Bates Ltd, 21a Jermyn Street, St. James's, London, SW1Y 6HP
Opening Times - Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9.30am - 4pm
Closed between 1pm and 2pm, Sat only.

London Halloween

Between 2001 and 2006, consumer spending in the UK for Halloween rose tenfold from £12 m to £120 m, according to Bryan Roberts from industry analysts Planet Retail, making Halloween the third most profitable holiday for supermarkets-Wikipedia

Halloween is one of those holidays that I always loved. Just the idea of getting all kinds of candy and getting to dress up-well, who could ask for more? Why, being in London for Halloween, of course, would be a bit better.

There are a lot of Halloween Events going on in London. Here's a short list of the ones that sound interesting to me-

Halloween Hide'n'Freak at the London Zoo-Halloween Hide'n' Freak 25 Oct-2 Nov Learn all about animal disguise and camouflage, meet creepy seven foot high beetles and bugs, join the interactive Halloween storytelling in the giant tipi and see the Halloween themed Animals in Action shows.

Halloween at The London Eye-London's noble guardian - the eminent Wizard Belvedere - is normally on hand to watch over and protect the city, but has had one too many drinks. So the Wizard could use your help-book a London Eye Secret Spell Flight and cast your magic spell on top of the London Eye.

Halloween at London Dungeon- On October 31st, faces won’t get any uglier than during the London Dungeon's world record breaking attempt to paint the most faces in an hour. From 12 noon to 1 o’clock, the public are invited to take part and receive a disgusting Dungeon make over before they head into the darkness of the Dungeon tour.

Halloween Ghost Walk-what better way to spend the odd Halloween than walking around the old courtyards and silent graveyards of London’s oldest and spookiest quarter? I've always like walking tours and having that personal touch of a guide to point out all the cool and creepy stuff.

For a list of other Halloween in London activities check out LondonTown and View.