Going to London Need Info/Advice

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last minute trip to London march 6-13th. financially probably not the best decision i've made but oh well, right? i've lived in london for 9months back in 94/95 but i know things have changed since then. the info/advice i need centers (or centres!) around cheap lodging (hostels etc), good day trips or fun things to do in London that are not Tower of London and Trafalgar Square. I remember a nice park on a hill overlooking London. Nice and grassy, great view of the city, in a residential neighborhood. What's the name of that park? Is the Millenium Wheel worth the trip?

Best of London (March 06) Requested: Thanks in advance.

― biz, Monday, 20 February 2006 17:38 (nineteen years ago)

That was Primrose Hill, probably.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 20 February 2006 17:39 (nineteen years ago)

for cheap hotels, look on holly st, victoria, sw1

theres a whole bunch of hotels, which are linked, holly house is one of them, i forget the other names

― terry lennox. (gareth), Monday, 20 February 2006 17:44 (nineteen years ago)

The London Eye is well worth a trip, and you can pop to the Tate Modern just round the corner afterwards. The Saatchi gallery is interesting as well, but a little expensive (£10, I think).

The park you describe could also be Hampstead Heath.

― chap who would dare to be completely sober on the internet (chap), Monday, 20 February 2006 17:53 (nineteen years ago)

hampstead heath sounds more like the park than Primrose Hill. Though my St. Etienne fascination will be served by a trip to Primrose Hill. Is Hampstead Heath the "haunted" park?

will definitely check the London Eye. Museums are on the list. Tate Modern at the top.

Keep the ideas coming, please!

― biz, Monday, 20 February 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

TS: London Eye by day vs London Eye by night (soooo maaany liiiights)

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 20 February 2006 18:36 (nineteen years ago)

That sounds like Parliament Hill to me, which is in Hampstead Heath. That's always a nice park to ramble through.
Not sure if the giant table and chair are still there. They're rather amusing.

You could try a wander around the Shoreditch/Whitechapel/Brick Lane area.
Also, when you're on the South Bank going to the Tate Modern, keep going along (in the opposite direction to the London Eye) and exploring until you reach the Design Museum. That usually has some worthwhile stuff on.

I'd highly recommend you get the current issue of Time Out. There's a neverending supply of things to do in London, and that covers most of the bases.

― Magnakai (Magnakai), Monday, 20 February 2006 18:42 (nineteen years ago)

The chair and table have gone unfortunately. They were cool, here are some photos I took of them:

ihttp://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/joegood/DSCF1345.jpg

ihttp://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/joegood/DSCF1347.jpg

ihttp://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f223/joegood/DSCF1356.jpg

― chap who would dare to be completely sober on the internet (chap), Monday, 20 February 2006 19:22 (nineteen years ago)

Millennium wheel by day if you're fairly new to London; Millennium wheel by night if you know what you're looking for.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Monday, 20 February 2006 20:55 (nineteen years ago)

Do the wheel definitely, and take the Tate to Tate ferry from Tate Britain to Tate Modern for a splendid view of the wheel as well.

Hampstead Heath is well worth a visit - it is haunted by various spooks supposedly, it's got great views, and of course it's excellent for a bit of al fresco rumpy should the need arise.

While in that area (and if you're interested in spooks) there you should definitely go to Highgate cemetery and take the tour (which should be going in March but you'll have to check) which is great.

Go to Borough Market. Of course Londoners will complain that it's full of tourists these days but what the heck, it's ace and at the Brandisa stall you can get the best sandwich in London.

Oh, I could go on...

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Monday, 20 February 2006 23:12 (nineteen years ago)

yes! thanks Ned, thats exactly the kinda info i'm looking for. I will get the timeout but i doubt there's going to be an article telling me to take the Tate to Tate ferry in there. Will the South Bank have any good films/performances? Is the Peter Saville exhibit still showing?

Tips on a day or two trip to Amsterdam? Plane vs. Ferry/train. Money is a factor. Debating about an excursion to the Dam or up to Scotland. Have been to Edinburough and loved it immensely. Don't think i need 6 days in London. Will need at least 1 entire day for record shopping.

Anyone need a couple of honest folks to house sit/pet sit for them during that week? Will do light gardening for accomodations!

― biz, Monday, 20 February 2006 23:41 (nineteen years ago)

Advice: Don't metions to anyone that you think the Holocaust never happened ....

― pepektheassassin (pepektheassassin), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 00:12 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I'm biased as I spend a few weeks every year in Scotand but definitely take the trip to Scotland and go to Edinburgh again. Scottish Museum of Modern Art, great shops, some half decent record shops I am led to believe (although you'd have to ask someone else - I'm more of a foodie - which is why I'd also recommend Glasgow (esp. the West End - good delis and a Fopp record shop!) of course I don't know where you're coming from - if you're from NYC I'm afraid there's nothing we can show you to top your food shopping opportunities!

I'm afraid you've missed the Peter Saville Show. As for the South Bank, the Royal Festival Hall is still something of a mess while they improve it (or not -depending on you POV), Dan Flavin is on at the Haywood Gallery, Martin Kippenburger is at Tate Modern.

On a completely different note. I am a Londoner and I thought I'd seen everything there is to see there but I went to Westminister Abbey a couple of months ago having avoided it since childhood and associating it with school trips and tourist hell but it was amazing, there's nothing quite like it in London. Go just before it closes and it's a lot less crowded.

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 00:14 (nineteen years ago)

Scotland may be the better option. How long is the train from London? Appx cost? I did Westminster Abbey in 94 and it was a great experience. I'm from Seattle but i'm meeting my friend in NYC then flying to London. have heard lots of good things about Fopp and have to say, records are beating out dope at this point in my life. of course, if i could score some herb in London, that would kill 2 birds with 1 stone(d).

― biz, Tuesday, 21 February 2006 00:18 (nineteen years ago)

hey I want to see that Dan Flavin at the Hayward

if I go to London this Spring, I want to see the Jacob van Ruisdael exhibit at the Royal Academy of Arts, and maybe something at the Beckett festival at the Barbican.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 00:25 (nineteen years ago)

Whatever you do don't buy weed off the street in London.

― chap who would dare to be completely sober on the internet (chap), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 00:46 (nineteen years ago)

Train takes about 4 and a half hours from London to Edinburgh - plane takes an hour and a half. Train ticket price - not sure - a lot - £100 to £200 I think - you might be able to get a special deal but you'll need to book as far in advance as possible. Plane ticket's can be got for less (£70 or so) but again you'll need to book in advance to get the best deal.

And what he said... - at least get someone with local knowledge to score your dope - prices go up for tourists! And watch out - that stuff is stronger than it was 10 years ago!

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 00:57 (nineteen years ago)

Train ticket price - not sure - a lot - £100 to £200 I think

Book ahead (at www.thetrainline.com) and it will be a lot less than that. As little as £29. Bear in mind that with the plane, you'll also have to pay more than £20 at the London end on a train to get you to the airport. Unless you go from Heathrow, which you can get the tube to, but the flights from there tend to be more expensive.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 01:06 (nineteen years ago)

To be honest, if I was only flying to London for a week, I wouldn't bother making it all the way to Scotland.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 01:09 (nineteen years ago)

Not if you go from London City airport and it's cool taking off over London! ;-)

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 01:21 (nineteen years ago)

That should be that it doesn't cost £20 to get to London City Airport.

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 01:25 (nineteen years ago)

one for the icon-oriented

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 02:50 (nineteen years ago)

You can sometimes get quite cheap flights from Heathrow to Glasgow (and that's proper Glasgow Airport, not Glasgow Prestwick which is nowhere near Glasgow) with bmi.

Get the megabus! It's only £1!

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 08:24 (nineteen years ago)

The Saatchi gallery is interesting as well, but a little expensive (£10, I think).

isn't it also closed following legal action, and not reopening in chelsea until 2007?

― toby (tsg20), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 15:52 (nineteen years ago)

Magnakai, are you Jody?

― leigh (leigh), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

There's an overnight bus from London to Edinburgh, here http://www.nationalexpress.com/home/hp.cfm?t=own
and there might be others.
Bath and Canterbury make good day trips from London, depending on what you're interested in.
In London, I like the Hunterian Musuem at the Royal College of Surgeons, if you're into this kind of thing.
http://www.rcseng.ac.uk/museums.

― Donald Dasher, Tuesday, 21 February 2006 17:28 (nineteen years ago)

I have never been to Hampstead Heath despite living in London for 27 years.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 17:31 (nineteen years ago)

I'd never been on Blackheath OR been to Crystal Palace until a couple of years ago.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, there's tons of Sarf London parks I ain't been to.

― Under the paving stones, Paul Scholes (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 18:06 (nineteen years ago)

Postman's Park

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

That was in Closer

― Under the paving stones, Paul Scholes (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

go to the chelsea physick garden. ive not been but its small and walled and quiet and out of the way and nice and interesting. so sez my mum

― ambrose (ambrose), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 18:30 (nineteen years ago)

I really wouldn't recommend getting the bus to Scotland unless you are so skint you have no alternative to the £1 ticket. Actually, if you're only staying for a week, I wouldn't recommend coming to Scotland at all, not just because I'd be surprised if you run out of things to do in London, but also because a day or two won't give you enough time to see Scotland. If you really feel the need to get out of the capital, you'd be better off with a day trip or two to places nearby. If you didn't follow the trail to Oxford or Cambridge when you were last here, this is your chance. Neither city will be touristed out in March.

― Mädchen (Madchen), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 21:01 (nineteen years ago)

And, as discussed on someone else's thread ages ago, if you do go to Scotland, you should go to Inverness instead and look at proper scenery, rather than going to Glasgow and looking at another city (yes, I know there are nicer places than Inverness, but Inverness has an airport you can fly to from London). Depends what you are after I guess. History? Scenery? Record shops? Pubs?

However, you don't think you'll need six days in London? Even losing one whole day to go shopping? Every time I go to London, it's never long enough (but that may because I end up sitting in the pub and not doing anything).

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 21:09 (nineteen years ago)

Six days in London goes pretty damn fast, I find.

― Under the paving stones, Paul Scholes (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 21:31 (nineteen years ago)

Unless you, like, work there.

― Under the paving stones, Paul Scholes (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 21:32 (nineteen years ago)

i didn't get to go up the eye, back in december. : /

― hstencil (hstencil), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 21:33 (nineteen years ago)

how about 8 days? just right?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 22:04 (nineteen years ago)

I'd say so.

I have been for 10 day visits for each of the last three years, but of course I am seeing family and friends. That said, I always do a lot of sightseeing/going out to stave off the homesickness for another year. Anyway, I always leave having done only half the things I meant to do.

― Under the paving stones, Paul Scholes (nordicskilla), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 22:07 (nineteen years ago)

xpost - with all due respect Mädchen, but Oxford is always touristy! Not least because most of the students there are tourists ;-). I prefer Cambridge - it's quieter (esp. in March - when it is also cold and windy - the wind comes straight off the Fens...) and slightly less...damn it's hard to put it into words...slightly less like Oxford! Crap...you'd understand if you went there.

Having said that Oxford does have this...
http://www.prm.ox.ac.uk/
...which is worth a day trip any time (and it's free!)

― Ned T.Rifle (nedtrifle), Tuesday, 21 February 2006 23:01 (nineteen years ago)

have come to my senses. decided on the day trips. my friend has never been to Stonehenge so that's on the agenda. Bath, maybe..i've been twice already so don't really need to see it again. Oxford and Cambridge sound like fun. I've been to Torquay too, which i enjoyed but is there another coastal town that is fun and beautiful?

― biz, Wednesday, 22 February 2006 04:11 (nineteen years ago)

There's a difference between touristy and touristed out :)

― Mädchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 05:06 (nineteen years ago)

Torquay is a very long day trip from London.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 12:20 (nineteen years ago)

People, I need pubs for Saturday. Near Kings Cross if possible.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

maybe visit milton keynes for a day or two!!!

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

most pubs around king's cross seem to be rubbish.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

Coastal towns within day-trip distance: Eastbourne, Brighton, Hastings, Margate, Southend. My personal recommendation would be Hastings.

― Forest Pines (ForestPines), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

don't forget whitstable.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

KV: I really like the Queens Head which is a couple of miutes walk away from Kings Cross (down the Grays Inn Road and turn left): http://www.fancyapint.com/main_site/thepubs/pub548.html

A few minutes further along Grays Inn Rd is perennial ILx fave the Calthorpe Arms: http://www.fancyapint.com/main_site/thepubs/pub342.html

Both of these are favourites of mine but then I tend to like ordinary pubs set up for the talking and the drinking.

Other alehouses around there which get regular thumbs-up but which I'm not so keen on include:

Mabel's Tavern (I think this place is horrid but somehow we usually end up having a good time in here, at least when our friends' bags aren't being stolen): http://www.fancyapint.com/main_site/thepubs/pub906.html

The Lord John Russell: http://www.fancyapint.com/main_site/thepubs/pub931.html This one's a bit more bar-ish and generally has an interesting lager or two on tap.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 13:19 (nineteen years ago)

KV we gotta FAP, if there's a spare half an hour...

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

The Calthorpe is a very good call from Tim - but you could also stroll West to Euston, and its attached Railway Tavern, which always has outstanding beer and is a nice pub generally.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

Stevem I am so there. Calthorpe around six?

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

Bring Alix! If she's lurking I ask her now: Alix come too!

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

(BTW I think Martin means the Head of Steam at Euston, which is indeed good but I never find it quite comfortable enough for settling into. Also BTW I suspect Steve failed to read the bit about Saturday because I think he'll be out of town then. As ever, I could be wrong.)

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

Tim I am an ordinary type of bar guy. Others seem to like bars that drown me out for some reason. Thanks for the tips, London is big & scary.

So is the foundry a bar or pub then? :P

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

You're welcome. I'd invite myself to join you, but I'll be out of town too.

(The Calthorpe allows easy agress to the nearby Lamb http://www.fancyapint.com/main_site/thepubs/pub77.html, classic wood-and-cut-glass London boozer) or the Pakenham (http://www.fancyapint.com/main_site/thepubs/pub303.html posties' pub, earthier than the Lamb, still darned good).

When you asked the question, my initial reaction was "Kings Cross is a bit rubbish for pubs", and I'm pleased that I now think I was wrong.)

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Sir, I'd be at YOUR bar. It's a kindness to even let me know of it. Next time I'm back and you're in town we will all meet. As to late pubs are any of these respecters of nocturnal habits? Also smokiness is a factor for i r t3h L4m3.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

unfortunately i'm not back from Manchester until v late Saturday night. could possibly do the Head Of Steam by Euston station for last orders but that's it. unless you're around Sunday?

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

of course I have no idea what time 'last orders' is now.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

Laties: it's a bit of a confuser, this, since the licensing laws were changed. No-one really knows. The Pakenham (it's a posties' pub) used to be open odd hours, and was a useful secret because it always used to open to 1am. Now: who knows? Most of the places listed above will be open until midnight, thereafter it's an lottery.

Smokesies: as a recently-reformed smoker it's hard for me to judge. I seem to think the Calthorpe's generally OK but just now and again it gets absurdly smoky. The Pakenham and Mabel's are both big enough to not get too offensive in that direction. The Lamb's only little but has at least one no smoking area.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

it's good to have a backup pub for calthorpes because it's sometimes really packed.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:21 (nineteen years ago)

Ken that's only generally when we drag like 30 ilxors there. I've never seen it packed when we weren't ILXing there.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

ooh that might be true. and also i'm guessing that saturday 6pm isn't peak time for gray's inn road

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

i dunno what the 6pm bit came from

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sure that something can be arranged. I have your number and I'll just work away on the assumption that we shall see you both at some point. Basically that's where I'll start cos I need to meet someone in the area and not having met them for years it seems a good idea to meet in a pub than a station. Also that's where we'd stand the most chance of knowing one another :)

Sunday is travelling etc and I'll be sooo hungover I'm just going to be ready for oversized sunglasses, airport lighting and soft music on the headphones.

(Ken C, my post above)

Come all who Fancy A Pint. I'll drink with anyone. Except Mormons, bastards never get the drinks in...

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

(There is an Welsh Centre over the road, which does mean if Wales are playing at the rugby on Saturday then you might find a higher-than-usual concentration of drinkish Welsh rugby types, but on the couple of occasions that has happened to me, they've been OK.)

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

Oh shit. I'm from Ireland.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

Is the Pakenham where we went that time when they closed the Calthorpe when Keith was down, where it says NO DOGS and there was a huge fuck-off dog lying all over the carpet? If so, it is good there, I think. As far as it goes.

Even I have been to Hampstead Heath.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think there'll be any bother.

PJM the Pakenham is exactly that place. Can you remember why they closed the Calthorpe that day? I remember being perplexed by it, but I can't remember why it happened.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

Bank holiday/Snooker/something like that.

Everyhwere was very empty.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:49 (nineteen years ago)

The match is on Sunday! Breathing again.

Bars that might be closed? I am worried at this unreliability in your recommendations Tim!

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:50 (nineteen years ago)

Don't worry! It was some kind of Bank Holiday madness.

You can always get Steve M to phone ahead.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 14:55 (nineteen years ago)

The dust on Gray's Inn Road had free reign that day.

It must have been May Day or something. Whit.

Hopkinstim, did you get my email to your "work" email?

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

It was May 5th 2005:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterstringbender/12650944/

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

PJM I did but I didn't want to seem like one cadging swine. Also I don't know what it is you want. Also I should probably just e-mail you back and leave these nice people to get on with their thread.

I am pleased I can't see flickr stuff, except in so far as it means I've never seen a picture of your Edith. It's a shaayaayaame.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

Ah intrigue!

Okay, this is set. Calthorpe it is, I checked it does food and seems nice and bright from that photo.

Getting locked in a foreign city, what Ryanair is really for.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

You can see that, it's public, as attested by its 50 views.

Reason I asked is because I had to change the address to get it work, you see, so I didn't know whether it had. I wasn't NAGGING.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

I can't see it on account of work having banned access to "personal online back-up / storage" or similar. Sob.

― Tim (Tim), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

Oh - filth.

― PJ Miller (PJ Miller 68), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 15:42 (nineteen years ago)

catch the train to london, stopping at rejection, disappointment, backstabbing central and shattered dreams parkway

― RJG (RJG), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 15:46 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry, I am very rubbish at remembering pub names.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 18:15 (nineteen years ago)

the welsh don't hate the irish, do they? i thought we all just hated the english.

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 22 February 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

We are playing them on Sunday so normal rules of "anyone but the English" no longer apply :)

Martin, I have the same problem. I think it's because I try to learn their names after having such a good time in them that I'd want to come back.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Thursday, 23 February 2006 09:53 (nineteen years ago)

aw i dunno. i went to the rugby in cardiff wales v scotland and wales won and afterwards it was brilliant, the scottishes all got drunk with the welshes and it was awesome.

― emsk ( emsk), Thursday, 23 February 2006 10:46 (nineteen years ago)

It'll be grand. They're always fun when they're over here. If hard to understand/take seriously...

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Thursday, 23 February 2006 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

don't go to stonehenge!

― The Man Without Shadow (Enrique), Thursday, 23 February 2006 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

it was raining and loads of the scottishes bought buckets and wore them on their heads.

― emsk ( emsk), Thursday, 23 February 2006 11:00 (nineteen years ago)

The kind of sartorial behaviour you'd expect from a load of skirt wearing cissies :)

I kid I kid...

It has always remained a mystery to me why Scots flash the girls here wearing those things! It's cold lads and while the cute baby animals thread has proven that baby hedgehogs are teh kewt no one wants to fuck 'em (i really really hope). Has it ever worked can someone scottish tell me? Not just with the ladies of Ireland but where ever?

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Thursday, 23 February 2006 11:22 (nineteen years ago)

punctuation? Grammar? What are these things of which you speak? Sigh.

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Thursday, 23 February 2006 11:27 (nineteen years ago)

Tim, great call on Calthorpe, spent the whole of Saturday there. Head of Steam fairly traumatic! The entrance and then you walk in and there's Uncle Festers bastard lovechild!? :)

Anyone going near Soho should check out The White Horse on Rupert Street. Cheap beer, great atmosphere. Do NOT sit near the door!

As always a pleasure meeting the delightful Stevem and Alix (thanks for the Sunday lunch etc, most civilised!). Hurry over if only to get pints after 12!

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Monday, 27 February 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

We discovered that The Head Of Steam closes at 11 on Saturday nights (as does Mabel's Tavern), that the Euston Flyover closes at midnight and the O'Neills at 1. There was a massive queue outside The Rocket at 11.20pm. Probably just as well.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 27 February 2006 12:07 (nineteen years ago)

Wait, the O'Neills was closing? I just thought we were too langered!

― Kv_nol (Kv_nol), Monday, 27 February 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

gabbneb in London (and Paris)

nothing final yet, but increasingly serious-looking. Mar 24-31 London, Mar 31-Apr 3 Paris?

for one thing, how do I shot championship league?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 04:38 (nineteen years ago)

which of these would be the best area(s) to stay in - Holborn/Chancery Court, Trafalgar/Charing Cross, Whitehall/Embankment, Victoria, Mayfair/Piccadilly, Marylebone?

keep in mind (or comment/advise on) the below plans...

things I definitely want to do - walk around the square mile/edge of the East End, spend as much as a full day in Westminster/Whitehall and try to get into a Parliament session or question time, spend most of a day in Greenwich, walk around Covent Garden and go to the theatre at least once, visit the National Gallery and Tate Britain, walk around the Inns of Court, walk along the South Bank and visit the Globe and tea museum, walk across a bridge, nosh at Borough Market, visit my friend who lives in Peckham and works on Buckingham Palace Road

lower priority things that I'd still like to get to, though they start to get less likely towards the end - Little Venice, football, Sir John Soane's Museum, walk around Marylebone and visit the Wallace Collection, check out Regent's Park, sit in on a proceeding at the Royal Courts of Justice, walk around Chelsea and down to the water, go to a club, Abbey Road, Peckham Library, British Museum, Brick Lane/Whitechapel, Mayfair/St James's/Green Park, Tate Modern, go to pub quiz in Stoke Newington, Buckingham Palace, Portobello Road, Hyde/Ken/Albert Hall, Lord's, Courtauld, Harrod's

things that I'd like to get to but am not planning on, given time constraints - visit Richmond Park or Kew Gardens, walk from Hammersmith Bridge to Chiswick, V&A, walk around Hackney, ICA, walk around Islington, part-day trip to Bath

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 18:22 (nineteen years ago)

sounds like you'll be all over the place although all your definites are central/south/south-east/east so maybe nearest Trafalgar Sq./Charing Cross is best. Central enough but with good link for getting to places like Greenwich and Peckham easily.

― Sororah T Massacre (blueski), Monday, 6 March 2006 18:27 (nineteen years ago)

thanks STM, I think I'm leaning in that direction as well. I also forgot HampHigh, which is somewhere around the end of the second category or beginning of 3rd.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 18:43 (nineteen years ago)

how about the Royal Horseguards, a Thistle hotel in Whitehall near Embankment tube?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 20:20 (nineteen years ago)

Holborn would definitely not be an inconvenience either.

Thistle's are good bog standard mid range hotels. The one in Whitehall is a good location, easy walking for major touristy/government stuff, soho, the south bank, most of the tube lines that go through London and a whole heap of busses. You could do a lot worse.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:11 (nineteen years ago)

bog? i was already trying to get my head around 2 pronunciations of 'mall' with which i'm unfamiliar.

I went ahead and reserved at the Thistle because they had a really great rate. now i have to lock the dates down.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:14 (nineteen years ago)

They are both pronounced with an 'ah' , identically.

― Ed (dali), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:16 (nineteen years ago)

i meant that i don't know what it means

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:22 (nineteen years ago)

bog standard = basic but acceptable

not as bad as it sounds!

― Adamrl (nordicskilla), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:23 (nineteen years ago)

A full day in Westminster/Whitehall sounds too much: half a day maximum should be enough.

Some of your lower priority items sound more interesting.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:35 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, I should have said that I'd include one of the museums in that day

like which? i'm a politix dood

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:40 (nineteen years ago)

soho

what do i want to go to soho for?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:43 (nineteen years ago)

oh don't get all coy with us

― Adamrl (nordicskilla), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:47 (nineteen years ago)

(x-post)

The National Portrait Gallery? Apparently it has 889 portraits of politians in its collection, and it's nearby.

― Bob Six (bobbysix), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:52 (nineteen years ago)

hmm, i've been advised it isn't that interesting compared to some of the others, and I'm not much of a portrait dude beyond Rembrandt and Ingres (who's on at the Louvre)

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:55 (nineteen years ago)

You don't need to go to Bath.

― Adamrl (nordicskilla), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:57 (nineteen years ago)

very funny mr rl. seriously, though, i take it there are bars (particularly of varying national origin) worth seeking out in fitzrovia, and that apparently the sex pistols and/or the beatles were in Soho some day a while back, but is there much to see there now?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Monday, 6 March 2006 22:59 (nineteen years ago)

Bars, cafes, restaurants, record stores.

― Adamrl (nordicskilla), Monday, 6 March 2006 23:00 (nineteen years ago)

i wonder how biz is getting on

― ken c (ken c), Monday, 6 March 2006 23:07 (nineteen years ago)

it's on

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 7 March 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

one year passes...

Wow! More than a year. So I'll be back on the 21st of April for the night. What's good in the museums at the moment? FAP anyone?

― kv_nol, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:31 (eighteen years ago)

I would be up for a pint, might be worth starting a separate thread for it though.

The Gilbert & George exhibition at the Tate Modern is meant to be good, but I keep getting waylaid when I try and see it.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:33 (eighteen years ago)

The same keeps happening to me, although I did eat with* G+G on Sunday night so I suppose that makes up for it!

*With. Well, at the same restaurant

― marianna lcl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:36 (eighteen years ago)

i eat at them not with them.

― blueski, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:39 (eighteen years ago)

Did you try get into a photo?

― Matt DC, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:39 (eighteen years ago)

I would be up for a pint, might be worth starting a separate thread for it though.

I am afeared of possible lack of responses!

― kv_nol, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:44 (eighteen years ago)

I'm going to London, in six weeks. I've heard it's good.

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 16:01 (eighteen years ago)

London Parks are good at this time of year...The 5 park walk (St James, Green Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Holland Park) is one of my favourite things to do.

― Bob Six, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:08 (eighteen years ago)

what newish restaurants are there that are worth trying?

― admrl, Thursday, 29 March 2007 23:21 (eighteen years ago)

St James

Too near work HQ for my liking! I'll probably check out that G&G exhibition and try to do the British Museum finally!

― kv_nol, Friday, 30 March 2007 08:11 (eighteen years ago)

Restaurants worth a try:

Medcalf - Exmouth Market
Glas - Borough Market
Canteen - Spitalfields Market

― Ed, Friday, 30 March 2007 08:26 (eighteen years ago)

Glas has moved, Ed! it's now in Angel.

― Tracer Hand, Friday, 30 March 2007 08:39 (eighteen years ago)

The swine.

― Ed, Friday, 30 March 2007 08:41 (eighteen years ago)

I mean, moving a restaurant nearer my flat, the cads.

― Ed, Friday, 30 March 2007 08:41 (eighteen years ago)

thanks, Ed!

― admrl, Friday, 30 March 2007 22:23 (eighteen years ago)

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