Essential London Resources - Greg Kucich

Question of the week: What are a couple of essential London resources that you use?

"The weekly magazine Time Out is an essential guide to all kinds of cultural activities: theatre, concerts, museums, restaurants, festivals, night life, and on and on. It is available at all news stands; we also subscribe to it at the London Centre where it can be found in the Library.

A great way to explore London neighbourhoods is by taking a guiding walking tour. Visit the website www.walks.com for a listing of dozens of walks throughout London, organised by location (such as Legal London) and theme (such as Shakespeare's and Dickens's London)."
- Greg Kucich

* Photo by gagilas, used under Creative Commons.

What's one of your favourite non-touristy things to do in London? - Phillippa Howarth

Question of the week: What's one of your favourite non-touristy things to do in London?

"Through sleet, freezing fog, gales and even the occasional bout of sunshine, Londoners love their open-air swimming. Well, a small minority of fool-hardy Londoners, anyway. The traditional Peter Pan Cup race has been held every Christmas in the Serpentine lake in Hyde Park since 1864, but the Lido is open all year round and I’d recommend going soon, and well before the water freezes over. If you’re not inclined to brave the waters, take a pedalo boat for a (rather slow) spin on the lake.

If you find that you get a taste for open-air swimming, head up to the stunningly beautiful swimming ponds on Hampstead Heath. There are three (one for men, one for women and one mixed pool), all tucked away in leafy corners of the park so tranquil that you could easily forget that you’re in the heart of a bustling metropolis."

- Phillippa Howarth

* Photo by Ben Hanbury, used under Creative Commons.

What's one of your favourite non-touristy things to do in London? - Miss Alice

Question of the week: What's one of your favourite non-touristy things to do in London?

"This time of year I'd say heading south of the river to go blackberrying in Nunhead Cemetery.

Out in the suburbs, Nunhead is one of the great Victorian cemeteries, and although there are fewer famous burials there than at Highgate, it's packed with beautiful funerary sculptures, has a lovely Victorian-Gothic chapel and some sad stories to tell as you read the memorial stones. Much of it is also romantically overgrown with ivy and, more to the point, brambles. Take a couple of lunch boxes, and stock up on the most delicious free wild food!"

- Miss Alice

* Photo by Dru, used under Creative Commons.

What's one of your favourite non-touristy things to do in London? - Dr Holt

Question of the week: What's one of your favourite non-touristy things to do in London?

"Among my favourite London places are the markets. I hadn't realized till I moved here how lively and varied they are. And busy, too. "Busy" here is the word used to describe a place that is crowded, active, packed, and so yes, these markets are all busy. After several visits you'll get a sense of what markets you like best, what stalls you'd like to revisit, and when is the best time to go. You have several markets not far from Kamen-Minerva, but perhaps you'll want to go further afield. Everyone raves about the bargains in Camden Market and Portobello Road, and besides those my own favourites are Borough Market for fish, meat, fruit, and vege from all over Britain and the Continent as well; Columbia Road Market for flowers from all over the world, and when nothing else will do Bermondsey Market for small mostly English bits of silver, one of a kind jewelry, and other curios that make nice presents for people back in the US." - Dr Holt.

* Photo by Fred Dawson, used under Creative Commons.

What's one of your favourite non-touristy things to do in London? - Greg Kucich

Question of the week: What's one of your favourite non-touristy things to do in London?

"Take the underground to Highgate and visit Highgate village, which has an eighteenth-century village atmosphere, and Highgate Cemetery, one of the world's more famous burial grounds, whose many distinguished inhabitants include Karl Marx."

Greg Kucich

* Photo by twenty_questions, used under Creative Commons.