Where to Drink in London When You're Dead

With Halloween just on the horizon I'm wondering whereabouts in London you can grab a spooky pint. I stumbled across a nice little article on Spoonfed that gave a great run down on haunted pubs in London.

The venues are scattered across London, including places like The Old Queen's Head and The Volunteer which are both excellent pubs!

Check them all out for yourself with Spoonfed's take on London's best haunted pubs!

How to get cheap fares on the London Underground

If the summer has been as much as a drain on your wallet as it's been on mine then you'll be pleased hear about some of these brilliant tips for saving money when you're travelling around London.

Click here for more info on how to get cheap fares on London Public Transport.

Travels in...Notting Hill Part 2

I know I've already given a pretty good overview of what to expect from travelling around Notting Hill but I couldn't resist giving you lot a preview of one of the greatest attractions that West London has to offer, which sadly only comes once a year.

The brilliant Notting Hill Carnival kicks off tomorrow and is held every year on the August Bank Holiday weekend. It's one huge street party and the only time you'll be allowed to dance, drink, and stomp around to a massive sound system in the streets of London. There are also plenty of gastronomic delights to be had, which all reflect the event's cultural heretidge.

If you're new to London, in town for a visit or are (maddingly) a London resident who has never experienced this fantastic festival, then make sure you get down there pronto!

But be warned, this event can become messy and there are lot of safety tips that should be followed, so check your travel information before you head out.

Travels in...Canary Wharf

Hmm...Canary Wharf really isn't the first place you think of for a good night out or a bit of culture but you would be suprised what an often dreary place like this has got up it's sleeve.

I first experienced a little of it's cultural agenda back in December when they opened the Canary Wharf ice rink. The atmosphere was great and a lot more sophisicated than the roller-disco/children's party them of most rinks. The adjacent Moose Bar keeps to cocktails flowing but I also saw quite a few families enjoying the ice, which made it an overall enjoyable experience.

Throughout Easter and Summer they've had a series of music and art events, which are improving year on year. This area is becoming an increasingly popular backdrop in many film and TV productions such as Doctor Who, Torchwood and 28 Days Later.

At the beginning of Septemeber, the Canary Wharf Film Festival is bringing some much needed glitz, glam and artistic integrity to this little stretch of island. The full line-up of films and details of how to get involved can be found on their website.

Travels in...London Pubs

Here's a brilliant idea for geeks who love their ale. A London tube map replaced with the names of the best pub in that area. There are still some places left to contribute your favourite London watering holes and from the looks of things it can be any type of pub or bar you fancy.

Serious London drinkers have needed a fun and accesible way to get the best pub info for a while - my only concern is that after a few pints, will they have any idea where they are? I'll say this for one thing though - it's going to take a lot of hassle out of planning that next pub crawl event eh?

Click here for the map so far

Funny travels on the Tube

Perhaps it's a sign of the times that London's Tube Drivers are to be given a book of poetry to ease the cares of stressed travellers on one of the world's busiest transport networks. Many think this would be a nice way to make the morning commute run a little smoother but the scheme has also been highly criticised for taking some seriousness out of an official body.

My opinion is firmly routed in the first camp and in an effort to ease the concerns of some critics I've complied a list of my favourite quotes from London Underground drivers that have been heard on Tube. Any of this naturally occurring banter would have cheered my day up no end

Here are my favourites:

"Beggars are operating on this train. Please do NOT encourage these professional beggars. If you have any spare change, please give it to a registered charity, failing that, give it to me."

"Your delay this evening is caused by the line controller suffering from E&B syndrome: not knowing his elbow from his backside. I'll let you know any further information as soon as I'm given any."

"This is Knightsbridge Station. All change here for My Fayed's little corner shop"

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I do apologise for the delay to your service. I know you're all dying to get home. Unless of course, you happen to be married to my ex-wife, in which case you'll want to cross over to the Westbound platform and go in the opposite direction."

For many more like this, check out The London Paper's list

Happy Travels!

Travels in...Notting Hill

Ever since Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant starred in the hugely successful eponymous film, Notting Hill had had a reputation for uppercut society. This may be true but it's still got a cracking arts and entertainment scene that isn't afraid to get a bit down and dirty. The Notting Hill Arts Club is one of my favourite London venues; it offers live music throughout the week and a variety of quirky and creative events. There are also plenty of great venues for top notch comedy nearby and the renowned Gate Theatre is one of the best fringe theatre venues in our great capital.

With more posh art galleries then you could shake a mahogany stick at, there isn't a shortage of refinement but those in search of a bargain shouldn't neglect the wonderful Portobello Market. For music, clothes, food and bric-a-brac; this market is equally popular with tourists and locals, but get there early because it become very crowded on a Saturday afternoon.

I sidled along to a few of these West London haunts just this morning and I'm already starting to see some of the preparations get underway for the legendary Notting Hill Carnival, which takes place at the end of next month. Expect plenty of info about that coming up on my Twitter feed. It's always a fantastic event so if you've never made it down there before then make this year the first of many!

Travels in....Elephant and Castle

Now, I know what you're going to say. "Travel in Elephant and Castle? Are you mad? What's there except a bloody great eyesore of a shopping centre and enough takeaways to feed the entire British Army."

Well, according to this article by the Guardian, you're wrong. Elephant and Castle is now has the coolest music scene in the UK. FACT. Now, I've been unintentionally hanging around Elephant and Castle for some time for the occasional good night out at The Coronet and since reading the Guardian article, I've taken a closer look at some of the venues.

I'm ashamed to admitted I hadn't spent any time at Corsica Studios until earlier this year, and boy, was I missing out. It's an utterly inspiring and diverse venue space, dedicated to cutting-edge creativity and culture. For big beat cravers this patch of South London is also home to the legendary Ministry of Sound nightclub, but it's not only music fans that have something to gain from a trip t'other side of the river.

Elephant and Castle is also building a strong reputation as a leader in London's alternative art scene - with unique exhibitions taking place in reclaimed or run-down shops and of course the London College of Communication showcasing photography work from their recent graduates.

With billions of pounds soon to be spent in regenerating the area, it seems that Elephant and Castle will not be such a well kept secret much longer.

What's in a name?

When travelling around London, it's hard to miss the unusual place names that seem to pop up everywhere. Sometimes I'm so used to switching buses at places called Elephant and Castle, or popping out to pick up a few things in Spitalfields.

Now Visit London have started an initative to get tourists and locals off the beaten track, to go out and explore London's hidden treasures, maybe even to learn something along the way.

Street Stories is the name of the event at Buckingham Palace where visitors participate in a game of "paille maille" - a 17th Century precursor to croquet that is believed to have given its name to the stately London avenue now know as Pall Mall.

There's plenty to learn about how the English Language has changed and shaped the common place names that we now take for granted. Turns out, it wasn't all down to Shakespeare.

Travels in...Marylebone

Marylebone is one of London's most desired areas to live. Unsurprisingly, I don't live there, but I often make the trip to the leafy part of North London to discover it's many delights. Sandwiched between Oxford Street and Marylebone Lane is one of London's most appealing areas because it is secluded enough by the wealth and opulence of the surrounding streets, but near enough to the action that I imagine the locals don't get bored.

For visitors, too, Marylebone has plenty of cozy shops, flower stalls, backstreet pubs and dozens of other quintessentially British venues, some of which have been in business from the early 20th century. Many famous people live and have been born in this area including Ringo Starr of the Beatles, who lived for a short time at 34 Montagu Square, which later became famous as a frequent drop-in centre for most of the prominent musicians of the 1960s and was home to John Lennon and Yoko Ono when Lennon left his first wife.

There are some very important attractions to see too including one of my favourite museums, the Wallace Collection and the very inviting Sherlock Holmes museum. Typical traps also include the famous Madame Tussaud's waxworks and the London Planetarium.

Marylebone may not be a top spot in most tourist guides, but for any Londoner serious about getting to know their city, this is very a great spot at any time of year.

Travelling by ear

I've previously discussed a few web guides and videos that are great for finding out more about London and all the best areas to go, but now I've found something even better!

There's a fantastic audio guide to London from the fellas over at Come Away With Me.

It may not show you the action live from the streets but this interactive your of London gives the listener plenty of interesting facts, tips and history about London's top landmarks. To make things even better, they position this all of an easy to decipher map so that when you're out and about for yourself, you'll already know where your going.

Very handy stuff to people new to London, but also a great refresher course for those of us who still get a bit lost round Soho sometimes...

Travels in...Clapham

This South London suburb is very popular among commuters, no doubt because the area is vibrant and busy both during the day and night. Nearby Clapham Common also offers plenty of sporting opportunities and a place to chill out or have a picnic with friends and family.

By day, Clapham High Street offers a wide variety of shops and cafes with the weekly London’s Farmers’ Market also making an appearance every Sunday. By night, Clapham attracts crowds from all over the City due to its large number of restaurants, pubs and clubs. A spot where I've been many times is Metro. It's name may not make it stand out from the crowd but the decor certainly does. With a cozy bar area complete with leather booths you step outside into a dazzling al-fresco dining area complete with fairy lights which help recreate the feeling of a secret garden. The food is reasonable priced and very tasty to boot.

One of the most popular spots is award-winning cocktail bar and club, Lost Society, whose impressive cocktails and chaise longues attract a wide variety of customers. Turn up early to avoid the queue.When I’m feeling a little more relaxed I like to head for some pleasant beery fun in a beer garden or watch the football and the Windmill on the Green is a safe bet for that. For the keen late-nighters the infamous Infernos is always packed out with students, travelling Australians and general ne'er-do-wells. It's pretty fun you've got to admit!

Travels in...Chinatown

London's Chinatown is in the heart of central London, near Soho and centres in and around Gerrard Street. There are a huge number of Chinese restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries, souvenir shops, and other Chinese-run businesses to tempt toursits and locals alike.

It's obviously very difficult to know the best places to go if you're a tourist but even plenty of Londoners still don't know where to get the best Chinese food on their own doorstep. I've been to HK Diner quite a bit and that was very tasty I but wanted to know some of the other good Chinese places to eat.

It's also important to know which places to avoid and which restaraunts are going to over-charge. For this take a guided tour of Chinatown and find out the best places to eat and - perhaps most importantly - the worst!

Tube Tales

Typical London eh?! Yesterday's weather is a perfect example of our changeable climate but another reason why I love the spontaneity and excitement that living in London can bring. Usually my last minute plans lead to a random journey to a new place with a few friends but yesterday was very different.

The horrible weather that greeted me when I woke up led to me packing away my dancing shoes (literally, I has planned on heading to a dance class) and instead I tucked up on the sofa with my flatmate to watch a film he's been raving about for quite a while.

Although I didn't leave the house, it was well in the spirit of travelling London. The film was called Tube Tales and it is a collection of nine short films based on the true-life experiences of London Underground passengers as submitted to Time Out magazine.

It's got a very varied cast and features the directorial debuts of Ewan McGregor and Jude Law.

It's was a must see film for me and anyone else who love London and is fascinated by the people and places you encounter on a simple tube journey.

Walking Tours

For me, one of the best things about London is exploring it for myself and finding unusual, quirky and off the beaten track places in my own time. The problem for people who don't live in London is that there are so many fantastic things to see and do, that you need a little planning ahead.

This great wesbite London Walks has dozens of walks around London that take you to all ther major sites. They've recently launched a map for walks designed especially for Summer 2009 and Harry Potter fans are in for a treat too as you can take a tour of all the famous locations from the books and film. 

The Harry Potter Taxi Safari includes such famous locations as Platform 9 3/4.
This is a truly fun family day out and free if you download maps and explore by yourself, giving you more freedom to discover new places too!

Travels in...Oxford Street

Obviously famous for it's many shops (not surprising since it is the largest shopping street in Europe) and the previous home of the now dearly departed Metro club, Oxford Street has become a retail mecca in the previous 50 years.

Famous also for it's Christmas lights display this play can get completely rammed with people on a sunny Saturday or after work. It can be very overwhelming for visitors to London and with over 300 shops to pick from just on this one street it can be difficult to know which point along the road to start your journey. With the invention of Google Earth Street View, it's now very easy to see which shops are available along the way.

For tourists who are completely unfamiliar with London and it's shops I've found quite a few good guides like this one from another London resident who gives a guided tour of Oxford Street to help find your way around. I'd recommend this for anybody visiting London for the first time, as there are so many fantastic things to do in London you don't want to spend your entire holiday finding good shops!

Travels in...Shepherd's Bush

A lot of native Londoners can be a bit wary of West London, but I think it's a great place to go out and having lived there briefly I know it's a really lovely area.

The live music scene is also alive and well there, and between the Shepherd's Bush Empire and Ginglik most major music tastes are covered. The latter of these venues is particularly exciting as it is located in an underground Edwardian toilet which was built in 1908 to serve spectators of the 1908 Olympic Games. 

Having been converted into a live music club in 2002 it now commands an exciting and independent musical spirit that you rarely find elsewhere in London. I've seen some amazing live music here and I'm still surprised how so few people who have lived in London for years don't know about it. If you want to stay ahead of the crowds and rock out in a really cool venue, then definitely head to Ginglik as soon as possible.

Another new development for the area has been Westfield shopping centre, and in the next few years I think this area is surely only going to gain in popularity.

Travels in...Westminster

The bemused and besuited Westminster folk may have little in common with my everyday life but we share a similar bond - the commute. To get to work everyday I walk across Parliament Square and never fail to be amazed by the working crowd who spend half their week either in, or next to some of the UK's greatest landmarks.

For tourists this area holds an obvious appeal with Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey a stone's throw from eachother, but despite passing by these historic buildings everyday I've rarely taken the time to fully appreciate them. Until now that is. The Houses of Parliament are very impressive from the outside and I would never have thought of venturing inside until one of my insisted that the tour is unmissable.

As a self confessed bookworm, I was very excited to stop by Westminster Abbey yesterday to see Poets Corner. Many other famous Poets died to London and the British Library have put together a website dedicated to finding their final resting place: Poets Graves

Travels in..Covent Garden

As one of the founding areas in London you would be forgiven for assuming that Covent Garden is only home to a few museums and maybe a Royal Palace, but this area of London is buzzing throughout the day and well into the night as well.
During the day the streets are often crowded with people visiting the many great shops or hunting for the often cheaper and always more unusual options at the Covent Garden market. The beautifully restored Royal Opera House is also nearby and regularly hosts world renowned opera and ballet performances.
The main reason I've always loved Covent Garden is that it is a true hub of activity. From street artists, great restaurants, half a dozen comedy clubs and more bars and nightclubs than you could ever need in one night out.

My favourite comedy club here is The Funny Side which always has a cracking lines up of up-and-comers and when I'm feeling a little more sophisticated I head by Bunker or Cellar Door for a few cheeky cocktails.

Covent Garden is an all round great area of London and manages to satisfy any style or taste.

Travels in...South Bank

During the summer months London's South Bank is packed full of tourists and hand holding couples, but at this time of year there's just enough elbow room for a pleasant stroll along one of Europe's best riverbanks.

It's easy to see why this area is so popular with locals as well as toursits; a great selection of restaraunts, bars and dozens of attractions litter the landscape with nearby Westminster and Borough providing a wealth of equally inviting options.

The London Eye may just be a giant Feris Wheel but missing out on a visit to the Tate Modern shouldn't be an option for a tourist or local. The area is also a prime spot for some of London's best theatres particularly for those who are bored with the usual West End stuff. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre and the National Theatre are the standouts in my opinions but there are also plenty of art galleries and smaller venues dotted about.

I've had some great times just strolling along the South bank, usually stopping for a drink at The Mulberry Bush. Any time spent around this area is time well spent, although if I were you, this isn't one I'd save for a rainy day.

Travels in..Angel

Angel, Islington may be well known for Upper Street's seemingly endless strip of pubs and clubs, but there is a lot more to this little section of North London than maybe meets the eye. While the West End may be the home of London theatre, even I was suprised to find that some of the most well known theatres were based in Angel. Famous venues such as Sadler's Wells and the Almedia mingle quite happily with off beat comedy venues such as the Hen and Chicken's Theatre.

Angel also holds a special place in my heart as the home of my favourite film attraction, the Screen on the Green. I've had many a good night here and it's a top reccomendation for the summertime. The only bad thing I could say about it is the escalators, they're by far the longest in London and that would be okay if I didn't keep forgetting about it when I start walking up there during the rush hour.

Shopping is of course another favourite activity in Angel and I much prefer taking my time here than rushing around Regent St; alongside the many boutiques and charity shops the impressive N1 shopping centre caters for everyobody's needs. One of the most unusual things about Angel, is that you can find a working farm there! The Frightliners Farm was founded in 1972 and today boasts an impressive amount of animals from chickens and geese, to rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas and chipmunks.

So, there you have it, Angel in a nutshell.

Travels in...Camden

Look, I'll be honest with you. I was never much of a fan of Camden. The first couple of times I went there as a teenager I couldn't understand what all my friends found so 'cool' and 'trendy' about it as we stumbled along the streets at quarter to midnight with cider in our bellies and a song in our hearts. In fact, it probably wasn't until I was about 19 that I actually went to Camden in the daytime. It was then that I really understood what was so special about it and is the reason I keep going back.

I can safely say that at least 60% of my current wardrobe and various knick-knacks around my room have been purchased from Camden Lock market, and any visitor there will quickly realise that the huge array of things to buy and see is the reason it is world famous.

Another favourite spot of mine to spend time in is the Camden Arts Centre, it is always one of the top picks for any art critic when asked about the best galleries in London. Their temporary exhibitions are inspiring and there is something there to entertain everyone.

Although we started off on the wrong foot, Camden has now become one of my favourite areas in the whole of London.

Travels in....Kensington

On Wednesday I was in Kensington. The area's usually notable for its wealthy residents but I was there to another famous attraction - The Royal Albert Hall! Sadly only from the outside, I've been in there for a gig last year and it was beautiful, but this time my flatmate wanted to take photos of the outside to make up part of his final art project.

I don't normally hang out amid the leafy gardens and white buildings of affluent south London, so while I was there I thought I would check out some of their other legendary venues. We stopped by the V&A and had a quick turn at the fun (and sadly aimed at 6 year olds) games at the Science Museum before heading off for a sly half at the Wilton Arms. It was very busy for a Wednesday evening but a good time was had. In fact, the Wilton Arms is probably my top recommendation of this week, a simple pub perhaps, but then isn't a simple pint one of life's greatest pleasures. I think so.

And we're heading back there for the karaoke tomorrow night!

Travels in..Portobello

I'm ashamed to say that although I've been to Portobello Market several times, I've never set foot in the famous Hummingbird bakery. With Easter on the way I decided to get a head start on my shopping and sample one of their reportedly delicious cupcakes. I can now confirm that they are among the best cakes I've ever eaten - and I've eaten quite a few!

If you would like to take a behind the scenes tour of Hummingbird bakery then have a look at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYTvS-NCiio.

I should warn you however, that if you go on a Saturday (like I did) you might have to queue for a good 15 minutes before you get served, but I assure you that it's worth it!

Travels in...Soho

To start off I've decided to make this first trip a short one; from one end of Berwick Street to the other in fact. Whoever said that East London is where the music happens hasn't been to enough of the record shops round here. The market is fantastic for some bargains and Vinyl Junkies is now my favourite shop as I'm sadly missing Sister Ray. We considered popping into the The Blue Posts for a swift half but decided it was perhaps a bit early. Browsing a few vintage magazine shops on our way and stopping nearby at American Retro took up most of the afternoon till we ended up at Cafe Espana for an amazingly cheap paella. 4 and a half hours of enjoyment crammed into about 600 yards.