• Cycle in the Olympic Velodrome

    Updated: 2012-07-31 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 31 July 2012 Cycle in the Olympic Velodrome As avid consumers of Olympic build-up hype will almost certainly be aware , one South London venue from the 1948 Olympic Games remains in active use . The Herne Hill Velodrome was originally built in the early 1890s , and chosen for improvements with the addition of a bitumen track the last time the event was held in . London Tonight , as with every Tuesday from April until September , from 6pm until 8pm there is an open session of road bike training , offering an unstructured chance to ride where once Olympic athletes competed for medals on a

  • Attend the Peninsula Festival

    Updated: 2012-07-30 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 30 July 2012 Attend the Peninsula Festival With central London getting rather busy as visitors and those with days off enjoy the party , it can be difficult to find a quiet corner to get some peace and quiet for a few hours . If it is all getting a bit much , help is at hand in the form of your own deserted piece of East London wasteland , calling itself the Peninsula Festival Found in a sleepy corner of the Greenwich Peninsula , beyond acres of coach parks and people holding glowing adverts for credit cards , the festival was almost deserted except for staff as your author wandered past

  • Walk the North Downs Way

    Updated: 2012-07-29 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 29 July 2012 Walk the North Downs Way For those keen to get a sense of the English countryside without straying outside the M25, the North Downs Way is a fantastic long distance National Trail which covers 153 miles of English Countryside , including a beautiful stretch just inside the London . Orbital From where the path crosses the motorway near Merstham , it passes through around 15 miles of stunning countryside passing along the ridge of the North Downs along ancient trackways where once pilgrims walked on their way to pay tribute at the shrines of Canterbury . Though the path remains

  • Watch the Olympic Opening Ceremony

    Updated: 2012-07-27 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 27 July 2012 Watch the Olympic Opening Ceremony Today , the Olympic Ceremony is the big ticket event , and whilst only 80,000 odd bods can get into the stadium , it's hard not to get a little excited about the attentions of the world being directed to our great city . It's time to put aside the cynicism , for a little while at least , and enjoy the . spectacle We don't know quite what Danny Boyle has in store for us , but we are almost certain there will be countryside , Glastonbury Tor , the Thames , nurses , and various other iconic English scenes . Now we've invested bags of money , this

  • Life in London: Ring in the show

    Updated: 2012-07-27 07:30:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Friday , July 27, 2012 Life in London : Ring in the show It's about to get a bit quiet on the cultural front for a few weeks while some major sporting event takes place in our fair city . However before things calm down culturally , anyone in London this morning should get their bells ready for 8.12am to ring them as part of All the Bells Of course there are loads of other Cultural Olympiad events , but in a city so full of it , here is one cultural event you could experience in the comfort of your own bed . Whether it is a bicycle bell , a ringtone , an alarm clock or a church bell . Get ready to ring it for three minutes . Don't ask why . It is just culture . And you can say you took part in the big boing . Posted by Paul

  • Drink at the Cock Tavern

    Updated: 2012-07-26 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 26 July 2012 Drink at the Cock Tavern A Grade II listed Victorian pub , the Cock Tavern on Fleet Street was built in 1887 to replace a notorious 17th century inn frequented by famous Londoners Samuel Pepys , Alfred Tennyson and Charles Dickens across the . road We are told that a disembodied head is said to have haunted the original pub , belonging to the Irish poet , physician and writer , Oliver Goldsmith , who was buried at Temple Church which is located nearby . It seems about as unlikely that he would have transferred to the new premises as it does that ghosts actually exist , but

  • Eat at the Seagrass

    Updated: 2012-07-25 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 25 July 2012 Eat at the Seagrass Housed in a 19th century Manze's pie shop on Chapel Market in North London , the Seagrass is a lovely little restaurant opening Wednesday , Thursday , Friday and Saturday evenings only serving fresh and interesting set meals from an open kitchen for a reasonable value . The interior of the restaurant is true to its roots , and has been changed little since the closure of Manze's , with pleasant . results Your author visited last week for dinner , and had a set three course meal for 30, which sounds like quite a lot , but the results were well worth it ,

  • Wander in Coldfall Wood

    Updated: 2012-07-24 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 24 July 2012 Wander in Coldfall Wood A 14 hectare area of ancient wood in Muswell Hill , Coldfall Wood was once part of a much larger wooded area , and as it was finding itself increasingly encroached upon , it was eventually purchased by Hornsey Council in 1930. Your author grew up on the edge of a large wood some way away , and has always had an affinity for woodland , so it is always pleasing when these pockets of ancient woodland are protected in the city and Coldfall Wood remains so . Owned by the London Borough of Harringey , the wood is also loved by the Friends of Coldfall Wood who

  • See the Spitalfields Dioramas

    Updated: 2012-07-23 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 23 July 2012 See the Spitalfields Dioramas Last week , we looked at the excellent library at the Bishopsgate Institute , and if any readers remain unconvinced and in need of a reason to drop in , they are in luck . As highlighted by the amazing Spitalfields Life blog a set of dioramas , originally created for the Bell Public House , Middlesex Street , in the 1970s , are currently on show in the main reading . room A few weeks ago , your author dropped into the unveiling of the dioramas , originally created by model maker Howard Karslake , and was pleasantly surprised , finding very well

  • See Stonehenge in London

    Updated: 2012-07-22 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 22 July 2012 See Stonehenge in London The Olympic Games throw up all sorts of things you wouldn't expect to see , and as part of it an inflatable model of Stonehenge has been travelling around the country . It may sound awful , but it's not as bad as some of the things they've been spending the money . on This weekend it pitches up on the Greenwich Peninsula , for free , to allow members of the public to bounce around and get close to the stones . Just don't take any sharp objects with . you For more , see http : sacrilege2012.co.uk Picture john bristow used under a Creative Commons

  • Welcome a flame

    Updated: 2012-07-21 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 21 July 2012 Welcome a flame Amongst literally hundreds of events taking place this summer in London , next week a sporting tournament is being held near Stratford in East London , and everyone's getting terribly excited . Seemingly most excitable of all are the people at Hackney Council , who are today organising a huge event to mark not the start of the Games themeselves , but the passing of a symbolic torch which is touring the country in the lead up to the . event We are told to expect carnival floats , Rio samba , a village fete and a festival along the route , though sadly it seems

  • Wonder at Lobb's boots

    Updated: 2012-07-20 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 20 July 2012 Wonder at Lobb's boots Started by lame Cornish farmboy John Lobb in 1849, today the headquarters of John Lobb Bootmakers are found in a very attractive store at 9 St James's Street , but that is really all you need to know as you and your author are never likely to use their . services This is a shop for the super-rich , with a pair of simple shoes costing nearly 3,500 and representatives willing to travel anywhere in the world to measure your feet . The existence of such a shop defies rationale , but there they are , making shoes for some people somewhere who you will never

  • Next Edition + 10th & 11th FEB 2013 +

    Updated: 2012-07-19 17:40:55
    10th & 11th FEB 2013 + Details +++

  • Do some sport at the Hub

    Updated: 2012-07-18 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 18 July 2012 Do some sport at the Hub Though it may not feel like it , now we are in the summer , a time at which we traditionally did many sports . If you can remember how , the Hub , in Regent's Park , is a great little sports venue and cafe which provides a centre point for many of the sporting activities which take place . there At the Hub , it is possible to book cricket , football and softball pitches , and even a boules piste , and there are also regular exercise classes including Pilates , yoga and other such nonsense . You can even do astronomy when the clouds . clear For more ,

  • Compelling tragedies: Otello

    Updated: 2012-07-17 09:30:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Tuesday , July 17, 2012 Compelling tragedies : Otello Opening night of Verdi's Otello at the Royal Opera House was a thrilling affair . Passion , rage and jealousy explode from this piece from the start . Conductor Antonio Pappano makes the most of both the drama and tenderness of the piece as it ebbs and flows . One moment of intensity and emotion gives way to another so delicate and . light Aleksandrs Antonenko is terrific in the title role as the doomed hero and strikes the right balance and tone between tenderness and fury that makes the drama coherent and believable . There was some fine music making between him and Anja Harteros , who plays Desmemona his wife , as they move from a delicate love duet towards a darker

  • Photographs: Asylum Series, London by Amy Connolly

    Updated: 2012-07-17 07:50:14
    There’s stories embedded in these derelict walls, in the hard, curled edges of peeling paint, in tousled bedsheets that still hold the shape of a twisting, turning body, in sharp edges of cracked glass in broken windows. It doesn’t exist … Continue reading →

  • See the BAPS Mandir Haveli

    Updated: 2012-07-17 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 17 July 2012 See the BAPS Mandir Haveli Your author has written about the Neasden Mandir in various places but the temple complex isn't limited only to Indian marble , and alongside the traditional temple sits a stunning intricately-carved wooden Haveli , which would certainly be worth a visit in its own . right We are told that the Haveli is a remarkable revival of wooden craftmanship , and that the wooden carvings are unique in that such a structure has not been created anywhere in the world for a century . Your author has no way of knowing whether of not this is true , but except for one

  • Urban Gardening

    Updated: 2012-07-16 08:25:05
    Ah, the little things. This is on Eden Way, in Bow, East London. Spotted by eagle-eyed Alex Ellison. Hope you all had a fabulous weekend!

  • Browse Bishopsgate Library

    Updated: 2012-07-16 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 16 July 2012 Browse Bishopsgate Library Though the Bishopsgate Institute established in 1895 is very close to one of the financial centres of the modern City of London , it prides itself on being home to world-renowned collections on London history , labour and socialist history , and its library remains open to all , with no need to make an appointment or to bring proof of address to access a wealth of . information Though its special collections must be consulted in a special Researchers' Area there is open access to general reference books and information , which can be used for private

  • Social Media Sunday 11

    Updated: 2012-07-15 08:46:30
    Every Sunday, I’m going to feature bits and pieces I’ve picked up from various social media platforms. Some tweets, Flickr photos, blog posts, pins, etc. ONE FROM THE FLICKR POOL Photo: Look up by Catriona Forbes SOME TWEETS @Isaac_Tyndall: Welcome to London, … Continue reading →

  • Watch opera in Ealing

    Updated: 2012-07-15 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 15 July 2012 Watch opera in Ealing This evening , Ealing's Opera in the Park brings the Magic Flute to Walpole Park , and whilst your author couldn't manage to sit through it , there will be plenty who will absolutely love the chance to enjoy opera in this . setting Operated by Regents Opera , Opera in the Park is the brainchild of former Royal Opera House bod Nicholas Heath and aims to put on affordable opera with no direct public subsidy , something we can all get on board . with For more , see http : www.ealing.gov.uk info 200247 ealing_summer_festivals 488 ealing_opera_in_the_park

  • Celebrate Bastille Day

    Updated: 2012-07-14 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 14 July 2012 Celebrate Bastille Day Today is Bastille Day , the national day of France , and a free treat for Francophiles is scheduled to take place in Bankside . The 5th year in a series of official' such celebrations , we are told , will offer eating , drinking , dancing and . singing Based around Borough Market and Park Street , the event offers specific French traders at the market , a traditional 14th July Waiters’ Race , pétanque , baby-foot and other things . It will either be good , or a cheese-maker-sponsored . disappointment For more , see www.bastillefestival.co.uk Picture

  • 9 More London Shop Front Photographs

    Updated: 2012-07-13 08:07:33
    Since I last posted photographs of London shop fronts a few weeks ago, quite a few more images have been added to the Flickr pool. Today is the day for sharing! 1. Photo by SReed99342 2. Photo by SReed99342 3. Photo … Continue reading →

  • Eat at Robin Hood Zorro

    Updated: 2012-07-13 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 13 July 2012 Eat at Robin Hood Zorro There's something about the Robin Hood Zorro restaurant in Hammersmith which should be awful but is faintly endearing . Friends of your author in West London swear by it , and whilst some remain unconvinced , it is undoubtedly a memorable . experience Theme restaurants are unusual at the best of times , and many would question the decision both to combine Robin Hood and Zorro in a theme for a restaurant , and to calling yourself an English Mexican Eating House Nevertheless , Robin Hood Zorro steadfastly continues , with its misspelt website and its

  • London Street Fashion by Fish & Chic

    Updated: 2012-07-12 08:03:42
    Fish & Chic‘s been contributing some new fashion shots to the Flickr pool. So today, we have fashion day courtesy of their awesome photographer. Ready? How’s your week going? Anything exciting happening in your world?

  • Find the site of Alexander Fleming's discovery

    Updated: 2012-07-12 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 12 July 2012 Find the site of Alexander Fleming's discovery A blue plaque on the wall on Praed Street near Paddington Station remembers the room , two stories above , where in 1928, Alexander Fleming returned to his work bench at St Mary's Hospital to accidentally discover . Penicillin Fleming had just returned from a trip to his country home to find discarded Petri dishes he had piled up to make space for his colleague Stuart Craddock to use his work bench . We are told that a colleague dropped in causing Fleming to have a good moan about his workload , and rummage through the dishes . One

  • Horsing around the UK: Dandy Dick

    Updated: 2012-07-11 11:33:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Wednesday , July 11, 2012 Horsing around the UK : Dandy Dick Dandy Dick is a mild Victorian farce that is full of energy and wit that you can't help but have a very civilised time . It was written in 1887 by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero and cheap laughs and farce are a priority over satire of witty observations . But it so well-acted and pulled off so stylishly that it is hard not to like , particularly in Richmond Theatre . It is the fist major revival for forty years and tells the story of a the Very Reverend Augustin Jedd , who after a visit from his gambling mad and horsey sister , risks everything at the races . Cue the shenanigans of mistaken identity , runaway horses , romantic intrigue and mystery . There are some wonderful

  • Last Look: Les Troyens

    Updated: 2012-07-11 09:39:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Wednesday , July 11, 2012 Last Look : Les Troyens Tonight is the last chance to see Berlioz's Les Troyens at The Royal Opera It is an event : an epic opera with some grand spectacle to match . However at nearly six hours including two half hour intervals you do need arrive prepared , which includes familiarising oneself with Berlioz's music . The piece is full of rousing choruses and delicate moments , but as a drama that hangs together like other Romantic operas it is not easy to take in at first . listen David McVicar's production makes things a little easier to appreciate with the spectacle and astonishing set designs by Es Devlin Brush up on your Berlioz late Romantic period , refresh your knowledge of Virgil's Aeneid and

  • Eat at the Wapping Project

    Updated: 2012-07-11 07:31:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 11 July 2012 Eat at the Wapping Project Your author doesn't eat out that much , but occasionally a more successful friend persuades him out , and such were the circumstances he found himself at the Wapping Project a few weeks ago . The restaurant , housed in Wapping Hydraulic Power Station , takes advantage of its atmospheric surroundings well , and it was surprising to find it only half full on a Thursday . evening That said , the food wasn't particularly remarkable , with the main course on the wrong side of luke-warm , but the drink , company and setting were pretty special , and the

  • Design: Bond's Look at the Barbican (if you can find it)

    Updated: 2012-07-10 10:42:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Tuesday , July 10, 2012 Design : Bond's Look at the Barbican if you can find it Designing 007, Fifty Years of Bond Style commemorates the designs , fashion and brouhaha that goes with the worlds most successful movie franchise . It is currently at the Barbican before touring the world , and I suspect that other venues will do it more justice than the three confusing rooms of the Barbican with each less successful than the previous . You receive a stamp for each room and if you manage to find everything you should get a reward . The second area is a showcase for the styles created for Bond villains but all the pieces are behind glass boxes that all look alike and face different directions . You will find the bathrooms before

  • Visit the Irish Cultural Centre

    Updated: 2012-07-10 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 10 July 2012 Visit the Irish Cultural Centre The Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith was established in 1995 to celebrate London's Irish community and showcase the music , literature , art and culture of . Ireland Saved from closure earlier this year the centre continues to provide education and the arts to allcomers , operating an Open Door' policy to ensure that Irish arts , culture and education accessible to . everyone For more , see http : www.irishculturalcentre.co.uk Labels : Community Multiculturalism No : comments Post a Comment Newer Post Older Post Home Subscribe to : Post

  • Strip show meets drag show meets circus: Briefs

    Updated: 2012-07-09 09:48:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Monday , July 09, 2012 Strip show meets drag show meets circus : Briefs Briefs the all-male circus cabaret is part circus act , part drag act , part strip tease and part filth . The boys from Brisbane Australia are back in the UK for the next couple of months touring with their show . It is a rough and rowdy sort of show and while it lacks the polish of other circus acts including Cantina which they follow this week at the London Wonderground on the South Bank they make up for it in energy , shock value and some impressive acrobatic feats . It is billed as burlesque with balls and there are plenty of them on display , either tucked between the legs or dangled over an unsuspecting member of the audience and a tray of raw

  • Listen to music in Wilton's Mahogany Bar

    Updated: 2012-07-09 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 9 July 2012 Listen to music in Wilton's Mahogany Bar Music tonight in the beautiful Mahogany Bar at Wilton's Music Hall courtesy of Family Atlantica Duo playing at the bar as part of Music Monday , their free weekly showcase for vintage' bands and cabaret . artists We are told that the Mahogany Bar was built around 1725, probably as a pub , and has traded under many names over the years including The Albion Saloon and The Prince of Denmark . It took until 1828 for it to be refurbished in mahogany and subsequently became popular with the sailing fraternity . Today , famous fixtures and

  • Have a picnic at Arnold Circus

    Updated: 2012-07-08 07:31:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 8 July 2012 Have a picnic at Arnold Circus For a small roundabout in the East End of London , Arnold Circus always seem to do very well at organising events , and today the Friends of Arnold Circus have organised an Olympicnic to celebrate the summer season and the upcoming . fortnight-of-sports It's a bring-your-own sharing picnic , and we are promised fun , games , food music , including Ping Pong , the Wheelers Cycle Challenge , Infinity Hopscotch , African Drummers , a primary school choir , Asian RnB and a barbecue and bouncy castle at nearby Rochelle . School For more , see http :

  • See the treasures of Crossrail

    Updated: 2012-07-07 07:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London A website about things to do in London Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 7 July 2012 See the treasures of Crossrail You can't walk around central London at the moment without being aware of it , and Crossrail is holding a special exhibition today to celebrate the half-way point of its archaeology programme , showcasing some of the things they've found in the course of their . work We are told that , in the course of their rummaging , they've found prehistoric animal bones , Roman artefacts , human remains from the Bedlam psychiatric hospital and bits and bobs from past industry , all of which will be on display in the Music Room at Grays Antiques near Bond

  • Architecture so big you can't miss it: The Shard opens

    Updated: 2012-07-06 23:50:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Friday , July 06, 2012 Architecture so big you can't miss it : The Shard opens For a dynamic modern-looking building , it seemed like a rather pompous sort of opening for The Shard on Thursday evening . Anyone hoping for a repeat of Deadmau5 at the Millbank Tower would have felt it was a . letdown Still it was a night out with a bit a colour and light so people crowded the bridges near it to see it . Whether the Shard becomes a great building or a great carbuncle is hard to say at this point in its history , but it is certainly something you can't miss on the London skyline now , and one that makes you look at it with some sense of awe . Looking at it up close it appears surprisingly delicate and accommodating to its

  • Theatre and c-sections: Birthday

    Updated: 2012-07-06 09:00:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Friday , July 06, 2012 Theatre and c-sections : Birthday In Birthday currently playing at the Royal Court Stephen Mangan plays a man who is pregnant . While this unlikely scenario could lead to a rather dubious evening of entertainment does anyone remember the film Junior Joe Penhall's play presents it in such a way that it all seems so plausible and understandable . And best of all it is . hilarious The audience on Wednesday night were in stitches throughout this show , including at some rather squeamish scenes of a medical nature that had some men in the audience . wincing As Ed , the expectant father , Stephen Mangan keeps the audience on side as a slightly loveable modern man while still being a rather disagreeable

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