The last time I uttered the word “Hastings” was when I was aged 13 and bored silly in a history class at school. You guessed it – I was studying the Battle of Hastings, which, I only recently discovered didn’t actually take place in Hastings – it took place several miles away, in Battle (HastingsContinue reading “Beside the seaside: a day trip to Hastings”
Category Archives: Inspiration
Roof walking: climbing up the O2 arena in Greenwich
“Nobody likes a cry baby,” jokes Ross, our climbing instructor, “so if you feel nervous, just hold it in, OK?” We’re about to clamber over the roof of the O2 arena in Greenwich, and Ross, our Scottish accented, bearded guide, has us chuckling from the off, which pretty much sets the tone for the next eightyContinue reading “Roof walking: climbing up the O2 arena in Greenwich”
Croissant making at Bread Ahead’s baking school
There’s nothing more comforting than the smell of freshly baked goods straight out of the oven. I get so much satisfaction in whipping up a batch of cookies or a simple sponge – even if the results are sometimes a little hit-and-miss. It’s with that in mind that I signed on to a three-hour croissantContinue reading “Croissant making at Bread Ahead’s baking school”
Neapolitan café RossoTerrazza pops up on John Lewis rooftop
Escape the hustle and bustle of Oxford Street at the John Lewis roof garden, which is welcoming visitors back with Italian street food and cocktails this summer. Soak up the sunshine atop the flagship store, where you can enjoy a variety of small plates, wine, cocktails (£10 each), Italian desserts and gelato at the RossoTerrazza caféContinue reading “Neapolitan café RossoTerrazza pops up on John Lewis rooftop”
Hanging out in the Walkie Talkie’s Sky Garden
Taking in the city from high above usually comes with a catch… You’ve either got to queue up for ages, pay an entry fee or else spend loads on food and drink to compensate for a good view. But over at the new Sky Garden (located at the top of 20 Fenchurch Street, aka theContinue reading “Hanging out in the Walkie Talkie’s Sky Garden”
Hydro-spinning in Chelsea
Working out at the gym fills me with dread. I’m a self-conscious person, so the idea of exercising in front of others – while trying to look semi elegant as sweat drips down my forehead – really makes me cringe. So when I was invited to Chelsea’s Hydrofit spa, which offers an aqua spinning workout inContinue reading “Hydro-spinning in Chelsea”
Ballin’: a pop-up ball pit for adults in Hammersmith
I’d always hoped that someone would invent a soft play area specifically for adults – you did too, right? Well, the clever folk over at creative agency Pearlfisher have sort of answered our prayers… They’ve created a ball pit for adults in London to frolic in. The 30-person pit is somewhere you can relive your childhoodContinue reading “Ballin’: a pop-up ball pit for adults in Hammersmith”
A festive afternoon tea at Lancaster London
Christmas movies are all over the telly, and I’m way over my self-imposed quota of one mince pie a day – but as we all know, ’tis the season to be jolly and indulge… After a busy morning of last-minute shopping today with my sister, there was nothing I wanted to do more than to eatContinue reading “A festive afternoon tea at Lancaster London”
Getting into the Christmas spirit at Camden’s Tea & Crafting
You wouldn’t think you’d be able to find a place of such tranquility within the hustle and bustle of Camden Market, but Tea & Crafting, located within Camden Lock, is just that. A room where you can be creative and learn new crafts with the help of a lovely teacher, Tea & Crafting is intimate and hands-on. IContinue reading “Getting into the Christmas spirit at Camden’s Tea & Crafting”
Cosy up for Pillow Cinema
When the cold, dark nights draw in, there’s nothing better than snuggling up indoors to watch a movie. The makers of Hot Tub Cinema have timed their latest invention – Pillow Cinema – correctly then, as they invite Londoners to settle in for movie nights complete with comfy beanbags, pillows, blankets and snacks, at theContinue reading “Cosy up for Pillow Cinema”
A day in beautiful Bruges
Romantic cobbled streets, narrow lanes, little bridges and canals greeted us as we arrived in the charming little medieval city of Bruges. It was easy to see why Bruges is often known as the ‘Venice of the North’ after ambling the canal paths, and it felt like we’d stepped back in time as horse-drawn carriages navigated theContinue reading “A day in beautiful Bruges”
Eat, drink, do: 96 hours in Singapore
After 13 hours of movie-watching, boredom-eating and dozing on an aeroplane, we were relieved to exit Changi International Airport so we could begin our 4-day adventure in Singapore. The humidity struck us first. The 28-degree heat was suffocating and we were thankful to clamber into an air-conditioned taxi. During the journey to our hotel, we noticed the trees,Continue reading “Eat, drink, do: 96 hours in Singapore”
A therapeutic evening of craft, creativity and cocktails at Homemade London
Craft salon Homemade London has unveiled a string of new workshops for the coming season – and I went down there to give them a try. What followed was a therapeutic evening of crafting and creativity, while sipping on swoon-worthy cocktails (recipes below) and munching on yummy treats. We created embossed greetings cards (a really simple concept, with a professional-lookingContinue reading “A therapeutic evening of craft, creativity and cocktails at Homemade London”
A day in the life of a guide dog trainer
It’s distressing to consider the thought of losing your sight, vision, or sense of balance – when I’ve got a mild ear or eye infection I’ll moan and groan – but for some people, living with visual and auditory impairments is a part of every day life. Today is World Sight Day, a day that draws attentionContinue reading “A day in the life of a guide dog trainer”
Icing with the experts at Biscuiteers
When you hear the word ‘biscuit’ what’s the first thing that comes to mind? A digestive? A cookie? Perhaps a good old HobNob or gingerbread man? I’d always thought of the humble biscuit as a comfort food, something to satisfy my sweet craving or to dunk into my tea, but when I discovered Biscuiteers, aContinue reading “Icing with the experts at Biscuiteers”
Survival box for students going to university
Whether it’s your friend, daughter, cousin or nephew going off to university, you’ll want to send them away with something useful and meaningful. A student survival hamper, packed with all the items they might not have thought about – but will likely need – does just that. It will be gratefully received – and they’llContinue reading “Survival box for students going to university”
Fun bachelorette and hen party games: tried-and-tested!
A few months ago, I took on the responsibility of organising my sister’s hen/bachelorette parties. Yes, I used the plural – ‘parties’ – because the madam decided that she’d have one hen party abroad (for those who could make it to another country) and one nearer to home (for everyone else who couldn’t) – apparentlyContinue reading “Fun bachelorette and hen party games: tried-and-tested!”
What does the ability to read mean to you?
After graduating yesterday and National Book Week having passed by last month (4-10 October), a question had slowly brewed in my mind. At first I thought it was a silly question and one which didn’t really apply to me. On closer inspection though, I realised that it actually had very serious implications and it deservedContinue reading “What does the ability to read mean to you?”
Children… this is why we love them!
Here’s a classroom scenario with a teacher asking her young pupils questions. Children are quick, and the things they say are unintentionally entertaining. ____________________________________ TEACHER: Maria, go to the map and find North America. MARIA: Here it is. TEACHER: Correct. Now class, who discovered America? CLASS: Maria. ____________________________________ TEACHER: John, why are you doing yourContinue reading “Children… this is why we love them!”
Marmite churns out a Very Peculiar chocolate bar
It’s an unusual combo, and it is likely to divide the nation. Marmite has done the unthinkable, and released a somewhat controversial chocolate bar. The ‘Very Peculiar’ 100g bar combines milk chocolate with yeast spread, onion powder and garlic powder, and is now available on supermarket shelves. It reeks of the much-loved, and much-hated, MarmiteContinue reading “Marmite churns out a Very Peculiar chocolate bar”
/// The Curious Londoner 