Unfortunately, our students have been caught up in the snow-related travel chaos, and instead of getting to go home, they have an unexpected extra few days in London. It's far from ideal, but now that everyone's got somewhere to stay, and a new flight home booked, attention turns to making the best of the unstructured time in London.
Free things going on this week
If you were wishing for more time to delve into the British Museum, Tate Modern, Tate Britain, Natural History Museum, or Wellcome Collection - this would be a great time to visit London's many free museums and art galleries.
For a specifically Christmas twist, the Geffrye Museum's annual Christmas Past exhibition is a must - a glimpse of how Christmas has been celebrated in ordinary family homes in England from 1600 to the present day.
You could take a guided tour of the nativities in the National Gallery on Wednesday, 1–2pm, meet at the Sainsbury Wing Information Desk, or a 'The Ghost of Christmas Past' tour at the National Portrait Gallery on Thursday evening (19:30-20:00. Meet in Main Hall)
The V&A is always a treasure trove, but their 'So Noble a Confection: Producing and Consuming Chocolate, 1600 - 2000' exhibition seems particularly suitable for the season
Carol singing - we've already talked about the daily carols in Trafalgar Square, but if you'd like more of an opportunity to join in, why not attend St Martin in the Fields' Community Carols at 6.30 on Tuesday?
"The Christmas story told in carols and readings, through the voices of those who live and work around Trafalgar Square. Doors open 5.30pm. All are welcome. No tickets required but come early to be certain of a seat."
For a more alternative Christmas activity, try Cryptmas, an installation in the crypt under St Pancras Church, 11-7 until the 22nd.
Not-free things going on in London this week
Looking for a Christmas concert?
Westminster Cathedral's Christmas Celebration concerts are on the 21st and 22nd, and there are still ticket available.
Alternatives? concertfinder.org suggests:
Monday 20th
Who: Passamezzo
Where: St Johns Wood Church, London 7.30 p.m.
What: "To Shorten Winter's Sadness": 16th and 17th Century music, words and song for Christmas and Winter' - includes music by Byrd, Gibbons, Weelkes, Hume, Peerson and East and readings from Shakespeare, Stow, Herrick and Evelyn.
Ticket/Info: Tickets £10 (£8 concessions) from 07980 516054
Tuesday 21st.
Who: London Forest Choir
Where: St Mary's Church, Walthamstow Village, London E.17 7.30 p.m.
What: Christmas Concert
Ticket/Info: £10, concessions £8, students £5 - available from ticket secretary on 0208 531 4837
on the website: www.londonforestchoir.org or on the door.
Ballet is a traditional festive treat:
Both the Royal Ballet's traditional Cinderella and Matthew Bourne's version set in London during the Second World War may be sold out, but the Royal Opera House still has a handful of cheap seats for two seasonal ballet spectaculars - Les Patineurs / Tales of Beatrix Potter in the main theatre, and the festive Fairies in their smaller venue. They also have day tickets and standbys, which give you a chance of getting in to an otherwise sold-out performance. (For Matthew Bourne's Cinderella, Sadlers Wells do limited standby tickets from 1 hour before each show.)
Looking for something else out of a fairy tale? Kensington Palace's Enchanted Palace really is enchanting - save £1 on the ticket price by booking online.
20th December - Bloomsbury Voices: HOLLY, IVY AND DIRTY LITTLE CREEPERS. at the Poetry Cafe in Covent GardenWith Stephanie Gerra, Wendy Shutler and guest poet Tim Murdoch. Songs by Steve Dagleish, Ben Richardson and Ivor Game. £6/4
21st December - Poetry Unplugged at the poetry Cafe in Covent Garden - London's premier open mic night. Come and sign up between 6 and 7pm to be in the line up, 7.30 - 10pm to join the audience. Hosted by Niall O'Sullivan. £4/3
All the usual advice about last minute theatre ticket deals still stands, but, of course, the ultimate in Christmas theatre in the UK is the traditional pantomime. There's Jack and the Beanstalk at the Hackney Empire, the London story of Dick Whittington at the Lyric, or if you can't decide, there's 'Potted Panto' cramming seven classic pantos into a single evening at the Vaudeville Theatre.
- Miss Alice
What are you looking forward to - Miss Alice
Question of the week: What are you looking forward to in London for the first part of 2011? "What am I looking forward to? - Sadlers Wells Sampled in January - a two-day festival of top class dance at one of London's premier dance venues, at bargain basement prices.
It's designed as a taster menu, letting you sample a number of different dance styles, with tickets from just £6. This year's line up has some really big names including the Balletboyz, ABT and Zoonation - and you really can't argue with the price.
Even if you've never been to a dance performance - especially if you've never been to a dance performance - this is the perfect place to start."- Miss Alice
* Photo by speeds_UK, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
What are you looking forward to? - Kris
Question of the week: What are you looking forward to in London for the first part of 2011? "One thing that I'm looking forward to in the new year is the upcoming exhibition at the British Museum 'Afghanistan:Crossroads of the Ancient World'. Many of the objects were believed to have been lost in the turmoil of the last few decades, but now they've been returned to the National Museum in Kabul. The site is well worth a look!"- Kris
* Photo by dynamosquito, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Personal festive traditions - Kris
Question of the week: Do you have any London-based festive traditions? "One of my favourite Christmas events in London is the wide range of Carol concerts. Some of them are free, some of them donate the admission price to charity, some are performed by professional choirs, some encourage singing along. There's really something for every taste. So, if you want a warm way to get into the holiday season, check out the concerts that are going on all month! Some of the best are listed here in Time Out"- name
* Photo by Steve Punter, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Personal festive traditions - Miss Alice
Question of the week: Do you have any London-based festive traditions? "Anyone who's been by my office this week will know that I've got my Christmas music mix on permanent repeat at the moment, and it's probably not that much of a surprise to discover that one of my Christmas traditions is to get to at least one or two festive concerts and carol services - including at least one where I can join in with the singing. It's been a very long time since I was a choir member, but there's something about those most familiar of songs, and the mingled voices of the crowd that I would miss no end if I couldn't share in."- Miss Alice
* Photo by Wolfiewolf, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Personal festive traditions - Kris
Question of the week: Do you have any London-based festive traditions? "I love heading down to Piccadilly Circus to look at the Christmas lights! Then I walk down Piccadilly, looking at all the Christmas-y things in windows, I take a turn around the outdoor market at St. James' Piccadilly Church (to see if there's anything perfect for someone on my list - one year I got my dad a pub sign!). After that I meander through the covered arcades to look at the beautiful (and too expensive) things, as well as the lights and decorations, and end up at Fortnum and Mason. They always have beautiful window displays, and lots of wonderful things to look at inside. After a cup of tea in the tea rooms, I head back home, full of the joys of Christmas!"- Kris
* Photo by Luigi Rosa, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Personal festive traditions - Miss Alice
Question of the week: Do you have any London-based festive traditions? "Oops - we missed a few days of blog - my apologies. It's a busy time of semester, as well as a busy time of year, for us all.
It's appropriate, really, that one of my personal traditions is to meet up with one of my oldest friends to do all our Christmas shopping on the day before Christmas Eve, which is a tradition partly because both of us are so busy at work in December it's the only chance we get!
I'm not really a recreational shopper, but just once a year, and in the right company, it makes for a good day around town, We usually do a loop that takes in Covent Garden, Soho, Oxford Street, and the Camden markets, which between them deliver gifts for all tastes. Plus, it's part of our tradition that we visit several of our favourite coffee shops en route, and that we get to collapse into a black cab to be driven home in style and comfort when we're done."- Miss Alice
* Photo by Susan Astray, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Christmas shopping - Kris
Question of the week: Is there anywhere you particularly like for a spot of Christmas shopping? "Try heading to one of the many Christmas Markets, like the one in Smithfield Market this Friday. Usually the stalls are selling things from small producers - things you might not see again, or anywhere else! There are lots, all over - check out Time Out for more!"- Kris
* Photo by Barbara Rich, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Christmas shopping - Miss Alice
Question of the week: Is there anywhere you particularly like for a spot of Christmas shopping? "If you'd like to combine your Christmas shopping with a day trip, I love Cambridge, which has a nice compact town centre, full of history as well as shops, lots of book shops, and two markets. If you go on a Saturday, you get a general market and an arts and crafts market, and on Sunday they're both arts and crafts markets. I've found some absolutely stunning things in the All Saints Market, and as you're buying them from the people who made them, you know you're supporting artists and craftspeople, and that your lucky recipient isn't going to get two of the same thing. (and it's in Cambridge, which is an excellent destination in its own right.)"- Miss Alice
* Photo by inkelv1122, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Christmas Shopping - Dr Holt
Question of the week: Is there anywhere you particularly like for a spot of Christmas shopping? "I can only echo what I wrote last year, because nothing sparkier has appeared on my horizon: museum gift shops, especially that of the Victoria and Albert Museum."- Dr Holt
* Photo by jaimelondonboy, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London music - Catherine
Question of the week:Do you have a favourite London musician, band, composer, or piece of music? "I came across this list of Top 50 songs about London - a lot of music from the '70s and '80s, but some current stuff too. See if you recognize any tunes from their list and if you agree with their decision - and Miss Alice's pick - of The Clash’s “London Calling” as their #1 pick."- Catherine
* Photo by Remona Poortman, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London music - Prof Kucich
Question of the week:Do you have a favourite London musician, band, composer, or piece of music? "One of my favourite London compositions is George Frideric Handel's Water Music, composed for the coronation of King George I in 1717, which featured a royal procession of barges in the Thames. Handel, of German origin, lived in London for many years and is associated with wonderful sites to visit today, including the Handel House Museum (with links to Jimi Hendrix!) and the Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury's Coram's Fields (a jewel of a small museum dedicated to London's first home for abandoned children, which Handel strongly supported)."- Prof Kucich
* Drawing by Prof Shorthair, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London Music - Miss Alice
Question of the week:Do you have a favourite London musician, band, composer, or piece of music? "I have to stop asking 'do you have a favourite' questions that are impossible to answer - just one musician, band, or piece of music? You realise I read Paul Du Noyer's book and kept arguing with him in my head about what he'd left out?
London bands - check out The Holloways and The King Blues if you get a chance - I've never seen a bad King Blues gig, no matter the venue - but if I had to pick just one song? London Calling by The Clash - quite apart from everything else, I'll never forget dancing to that, surrounded by friends in Kings Cross, 36 hours after the 7/7 bombings."- Miss Alice
* Photo by Image Munky, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London Music - Dr Holt
Question of the week:Do you have a favourite London musician, band, composer, or piece of music? "A favourite? Only one? No -- too many to list. But I would go to anything, anything at all, played by these particular ensembles that are interesting in themselves and so perform at the highest standard: the London Symphony Orchestra; the Westminster Abbey Choir ; the Southbank Sinfonia; and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment"- Dr Holt
* Photo by Michael Keen, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London music - Kris
Question of the week:Do you have a favourite London musician, band, composer, or piece of music? "A Foggy Day in London Town - I like the Ella Fitzgerald version, because we all have days like this, and it's nice to think that someone or something can come along and snap us out of it. And I love Ella Fitzgerald.
I was a stranger in the city
Out of town were the people I knew
I had that feeling of self-pity
What to do, what to do, what to do
The outlook
was decidedly blue
But as I walked through the foggy streets alone
It turned out to be the luckiest day I've known
A foggy day, in London town
Had me low, had me down
I viewed the morning, with much alarm
British Museum, had lost its charm
How long I wondered,
Could this thing last
But the age of miracles, hadn't past
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
For suddenly, I saw you there
And through foggy London town,
The sun was shining everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere
Everywhere"
- Kris
* Photo by Andrew Paul Carr, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London sport - Hal
Question of the week: Do you have a favourite sport and/or team that you support in London? "Having been taught fencing since the age of 8 as part of my school's curriculum, I've always been keen to extend its outreach and profile as a sport. Sadly, since the salle I was Captain of closed over 10 years ago, so I've not been able to give much of a personal recommendation for places to try your hand (or sword) at the finest of [martial] arts other than Swash & Buckle or the London Fencing Club" - Hal
* Photo by Thomasy7, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London sport - guest post
We couldn't let this topic pass without a guest post from a member of our faculty, whose answer to this question is no surprise! Question of the week: Do you have a favourite sport and/or team that you support in London? "West Ham United FC (The Hammers, The Irons) play in the Premier League. Founded in 1895 as the Thames Ironworks, they became West Ham United in 1900. Since 1919 they have played in the top two divisions of the English league.
The club has won the FA Cup three times (1964, 1975 & 1980), been defeated twice in the final (1923 & 2006) and have won the European Cup Winners Cup (1965). In 1966, West Ham provided three players for the England side that won the World Cup: Bobby Moore, the captain, Geoff Hurst, scorer of 3 goals, and Martin Peters, who scored the other goal. The film 'Green Street' was based on West Ham's famous (or infamous) hooligans, the Inter-City Firm.
Playing in attractive claret and blue colours, West Ham United can be found at the Boleyn Ground, Green Street, London E13 9AZ; nearest tube station is Upton Park. If you go to see the team play it's always good to know the words of 'I'm forever blowing bubbles', which is the supporters' song.
Celebrity supporters, apart from myself, include Ray Winstone, Russell Brand, and someone called Barack Obama (well, he's been to the ground once, years ago).
See www.whufc.com for fixtures and tickets."- Prof. Surridge
* Photo by Law_Kevin, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London sport - Ric
Question of the week: Do you have a favourite sport and/or team that you support in London? "London Irish play their rugby outside the city, so I prefer to watch London Welsh Rugby(Old Deer Park, Richmond: www.london-welsh.co.uk)
London Welsh, established by and for London's Welsh community, has played senior-level rugby in England since its formation in 1885. Its name in Welsh, though it is rarely used, is Clwb Rygbi Cymry Llundain.
Tickets are always available for their home games, where a warm welcome, good food and entertaining rugby (even when it pours with rain) coincide. Check the website for details of tickets and fixtures if you missed the trip last week."- Ric
* Photo by smurfomatic, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London sports - Miss Alice
Question of the week: Do you have a favourite sport and/or team that you support in London? "You don't get a lot of three-day eventing in London, Olympics notwithstanding, but you do get roller derby!
Fast-paced contact sport on wheels - I don't have the nerve to play myself, but it's a fantastic spectator sport, and the London Roller Girls are my regular fix. This year they've moved to larger and swisher accommodations in Earls Court, so there's a bigger crowd and better facilities, but they've kept the warm welcome and the inclusive ethos - really, how many sports are there that issue a general invitation to all their fans for the after party?
As for teams - London Brawling when they're playing teams from outside London, of course, and within the London league? I'm a Steam Rollers fan, which meant that Saturday's bout against the Harbour Grudges was a nailbiter, and a hard-won victory!
Tickets for the final bout of the year - 11th December - will be on sale soon."- Miss Alice
London sports - Kris
Question of the week: Do you have a favourite sport and/or team that you support in London? "Sports are not really my thing... I'm stretching a little bit, but how about the Oxford v. Cambridge boat race
Nearly every year since 1829 Oxford and Cambridge have raced down the Thames for glory and bragging rights - and it's one of the biggest sporting events in London. Thousands of people gather along the banks of the Thames to wait, watch the boats go past, and have a great time with other fans in a fun, festival-like atmosphere.
It's a shame that the boat race takes place in March, so if you're in London now, you'll have to come back for the fun... But if you're reading this and you'll be around on 26 March, I'd certainly recommend that you join the fun! For more info see http://www.theboatrace.org/" - Kris
* Photo by Bruno Girin, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London speakers - Miss Alice
Question of the week: Where in London do you go to hear great public speakers? "The Wellcome Collection - if you have any interest in the intersection between the scientific and the social, their events are invaluable. They run several threads - lunch time events, gallery talks, lectures, demonstrations, Exchanges at the Frontier, in partnership with the BBC - as well as a brace of exhibitions, all for free. Check their calendar to see what's on, or, better still, sign up to their mailing list to maximise your chances of getting tickets - their events sell out swiftly."- Miss Alice
* Photo by twenty_questions, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London speakers - Prof Kucich / Catherine
Question of the week: "London offers a marvellous plethora of public speaking venues. Two of my favourite locations are close to the London Centre. The lower level of the National Portrait Gallery features world class speakers on a regular basis; you can also pause during your walk through the many free galleries of the NPG to have a coffee in the magnificent top floor restaurant/café, which features fabulous views over Trafalgar Square looking out toward Parliament.
The British Library, near King's Cross Station, also offers distinguished speakers on a regular basis. You can visit the free galleries of the BL, including the 'Treasures' exhibition which contain original versions of Magna Carta, the Shakespeare First Folio, and the earliest manuscript edition of Chaucer among its many treasures. The espresso in the library café is also top notch."- Prof Kucich
"I check out the British Library website to keep an eye on who they have speaking. Their events are usually free or cheap, but can be packed so book early." - Catherine
* Photo by eltorosolo , used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London speakers - Kris
Question of the week: Where in London do you go to hear great public speakers? "Gresham College was founded in 1597 as an educational institute, and it has been providing free lectures to the public ever since. The topics vary widely - the College supports eight professors who lecture on their specialities range from commerce and geometry to music and rhetoric, so there's bound to be something that might interest you!
Check out their website for more information and a list of lectures."- Kris
London speakers - Miss Alice
Question of the week: Where in London do you go to hear great public speakers? "I'm a big fan of the RSA's events - over 150 free lectures, discussions,and screenings each year, open to the public, and featuring top flight academics, politicians, authors and business people with the goal of "encouraging intelligent public debate."
To take this week as a random sample - yesterday saw anthropologist Dr Scott Atran on religious violence, and 'Talking to the Enemy', today has the UK premiere screening of An African Answer, followed by discussion with the director, Wednesday has a keynote from Dr Ian Goldin on Africa in the 21st century, and Thursday has a double helping, with Shadow Chancellor Alan Johnson discussing 'financial fables' and the deficit in the evening, and journalist Dan Hind on 'The Return of the Public' at lunchtime. All free, and just a few minutes walk away from the London Centre.
If you miss something fascinating, or are unable to get tickets, the RSA generally make the audio available on their website - a fantastic resource."- Miss Alice
* Photo by Laura Billings, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London speakers - Dr Holt
Question of the week: Where in London do you go to hear great public speakers? "Guest preachers at the Sunday afternoon Evensong at 3 pm in Westminster Abbey are frequently remarkably fine public speakers who link the Scripture appointed for the day to current events and concerns."- Dr Holt
* Photo by monikabota, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London on screen, part II - Kris
Question of the week: We've asked this before, but it's worth asking again - do you have a favourite London film or tv show? "An Ideal Husband: If you like witty banter and superb sets and costumes, you'll love the 1999 film adaptation of Oscar Wilde's 'An Ideal Husband'. The plot is a bit complex, so watch carefully, but even if you get lost, the performances are great, and it is full of famous Wildian one-liners 'Fashion is what one wears oneself. What is unfashionable is what other people wear.' And London, London society and London landmarks are the backdrop for the entire spectacle. It is lots of fun, and a good introduction to Wilde (if you need one!)."- Kris
(Bonus points if you recognise the sculpture illustrating this post - it's near the London Centre)
* Photo by Steve W, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London on screen, part II - Miss Alice
Question of the week: We've asked this before, but it's worth asking again - do you have a favourite London film or tv show? "Children of Men - even though it moves out of London for a good part of the story, the future-London where the film starts is so perfectly done. It's a dystopia, but one imagined and shot with love and respect and concern for this London, and for Britain. It's quite scarily believable."- Miss Alice
* Photo by Incessant Flux, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London on screen, part II - Dr Holt
Question of the week: We've asked this before, but it's worth asking again - do you have a favourite London film or tv show? "London architecture the defines both interior and exterior space as the bright, interested young hero (Matthew Macfayden) in Stephan Poliakoff's 'Perfect Strangers' takes a road trip with his parents (Michael Gambon and Jill Baker) from a rather ordinary London suburb to a family reunion at a posh maze of a London hotel. Perhaps a hundred or so cousins have gathered, although only the clusters of immediate families know each other. One cousin (Anton Lesser) is a self-appointed family archivist who has identified their wider connections to one another. He narrates mesmerizing photo-biographies that resolve quite marvelous mysteries. Locations include terrace houses during the Blitz; the Whitehall offices of one mysterious and glamourous cousin (Toby Stevens), and the starkly costly rented flat of another (Claire Skinner); and both a vacant house filled with things left behind and a vacant warehouse emptily potential.
Other London films I can watch again and again include 'Sliding Doors' and 'Truly, Madly, Deeply', and all of these are in the LUP Library"- Dr Holt
* Photo by StefZ, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London on screen, part II - Kris
Question of the week: We've asked this before, but it's worth asking again - do you have a favourite London film or tv show? "I think that Bend it Like Beckham is a great London film, even though it has no shots of famous landmarks, no car chases through the crowded city streets, and really stays within a sleepy suburb for most of the duration of the film. But it does highlight how people really live in London, the diversity of even a commuter area, and how people mix and form friendships in the most normal and extraordinary ways.
If you haven't seen the film, it stars Parminder Nagra and Kiera Knightly as two young women who meet playing for the local women's football team. Both of them have rebelled against their families to do so, Jess (Nagra) against what her traditional Sikh family believes women should do, and Jules (Knightly) against her mother's idea of what is feminine. The team goes to Germany to play in the league cup final, both Jess and Jules fall for the same guy, and they are both offered the fairy-tale ending of playing college soccer in the US. But the best part of the film is the relationship between Jess and Jules, between the women and their respective families/cultures, and how they each reconcile what they want with what is expected of them.
It's great, it's a lot of fun, and it's in the library!"- Kris
* Photo by surreykraut, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
London on screen part II - Catherine
Question of the week: We've asked this before, but it's worth asking again - do you have a favourite London film or tv show? "Love Actually! I need a diagram to keep all the separate stories straight, but it's not Christmas until I've watched this movie. It is not only a who's-who of British actors, but of London landmarks as well - all lit up for the holidays." - Catherine
* Photo by MoleMaster, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Royal London - Miss Alice
Question of the week:Can you suggest somewhere to visit with a Royal connection? "For somewhere not a palace, how about the Enlightenment room at the British Museum; a fascinating collection in the room built to house The King's Library, over 60,000 books collected by King George III (1760–1820), and given to the nation by his son.
The nation, in the form of the British Museum, was running out of space, so the beautiful quadrangle building that houses the museum today was commissioned. The King's Library room was the first wing to be built, and in 2004 was re-launched as the home of the Enlightenment Room, an exhibition examining both the past and the Enlightenment's relationship to that history"- Miss Alice
* Photo by Seriykotik1970, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Royal London - Miss Alice
Question of the week: Can you suggest somewhere to visit with a Royal connection? "I was hoping to come up with something a little less obvious, but I was over at Kensington Palace on Friday, at their Enchanted Palace exhibition, and it was fantastic. A wonderfully creative response to working around the building work that's going on, telling some of the more personal stories of the Royals - specifically the princesses - who have lived their through the centuries. The costumed 'Explainers' were very good, and the blend of modern and historical artefacts was spot on. If their basic premise of enchantment and telling stories about the past appeals to you, then it's worth every penny of the admissions charge (Afternoon tea in the Orangery is similarly worth the investment.)
If you're less convinced by the Enchanted Princess concept, simply take a turn around Kensington Gardens, the palace grounds now turned public park. As well as the Peter Pan and the Diana Memorial, you could visit the Serpentine Gallery (Anish Kapoor's Turning the World Upside Down, in the gardens themselves, is stunning), or feed the (very tame) birds on the Round Pond."- Miss Alice
Royal London - Ric
Question of the week: Can you suggest somewhere to visit with a Royal connection? "Somewhere with a Royal connection -
take a tour around Smithfield - the location for show trials and executions by Queens Mary and Elizabeth in the C16th
Every Friday at 2 o’clock, a trained City of London guide conducts a tour that encompasses the Church of St Bartholomew the Less, the hospital Square, North Wing – including the Great Hall and Hogarth’s famous biblical paintings – the Church of St Bartholomew the Great and Cloth Fair in Smithfield. The hospital, churches and locality are all interwoven and have shaped each other’s changes and growth. It is well worth taking the time to join one of the Friday tours which take place every Friday at 2pm, starting at the Henry VIIIth Gate in West Smithfield. They cost £5 (£4 concessions)."- Ric
* Photo by oobrien, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Royal London - Kris
Question of the week: Can you suggest somewhere to visit with a Royal connection?
"The Tower of London: I know that it's an obvious choice, but so many people spend all semester in London and never go into the Tower of London. I think that it might be my favourite English castle, and it is certainly one of the oldest castles still in regular use. It was begun by William the Conqueror, probably in the 1070s, and was used by the Royal family as a primary residence until the reign of Elizabeth I. It was also used as a prison, mainly for important or valuable prisoners, and that function extended until the Second World War, when Rudolf Hess (Hitler's Deputy) was held there.
You can still see the Crown Jewels, and the Yeomen Warders who have served as the Royal Bodyguard since the 15th century. But as far as Royal connections go, you can't do much better than the Tower of London."- Kris
* Photo by mbrand, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Non-fiction London books - Miss Alice
"Just a quick PS to the week, with a book that I'm reading at the moment - London lore : the legends and traditions of the world's most vibrant city by Stephen Roud. I can't claim itas a favourite when I've only just started, but Roud's both a local studies librarian, and Honorary Librarian of the Folklore Society, so knows what he's writing about. So far it's been an interesting read, touching on dozens of locations and documenting and untangling the stories - true and less true - that have grown up around them. The stories people create to patch together half-remembered history and to explain things that don't make sense are fascinating. There's a copy in the LUP Library here."- Miss Alice
* Photo by Aloha Orangeneko, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Non-fiction London books - Hal
Question of the week:Do you have a favourite non-fiction book about London? "Highgate Cemetery:Victorian Valhalla by Felix Barker, photos by John Gay.
I was given this book at the age of 13 by my Grandfather and I found it massively captivating. It’s regarded by a number of people as one of the best books or collections of iconic images relating to the world-famous cemetery and is packed with atmosphere. It also goes a fair distance in explaining many of the more significant sites & attractions of the site. Well worth a look-in and it doesn’t take long to absorb."- Hal
(NB - Request a copy via ILL if you're interested - our partner library has a copy. Purple ILL sheets are in the library. - Miss Alice)
* Photo by Nick Garrod, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Non-fiction London books - Ric
Question of the week: Do you have a favourite non-fiction book about London? "David Long, Tunnels, Towers and Temples: London's 100 Strangest Places.
100 places most of us don't know about, or haven't spotted or should know more about but don't. Best of all most of them can be visited, and often without an admission fee. Top secret tunnels, exotic architectural survivors, hidden courtyards and plenty of weird or grisly stuff about the people who built them, lived in them or died there."- Ric
There's a copy in the LUP Library here.
* Photo by AutumnNovocaine, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Non-fiction London books - Miss Alice
Question of the week: Do you have a favourite non-fiction book about London? "Dozens of them, but if forced to pick just one, In the City: A Celebration of London Music by Paul Du Noyer.
It's not a flawless book, but it is a great starting point, bringing together a lot of information about an aspect of the city that's hugely important to me, in a very readable style, complete with playlists. There's a copy in the library here "- Miss Alice
* Photo by Squirmelia, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
non-fiction London books - Kris
This week we're celebrating the launch of the new edition of Violent London: 2,000 years of riots, rebels and revolts, by one of our faculty, Clive Bloom, so this week's question is: do you have a favourite non-fiction London book?"London's Disused Underground Stations, by JE Connor.
When walking around London have you ever noticed the unused tube stations? Some of them look like they could be opened up and used tomorrow, and some of them you can hardly see any more. But you'll recognize them from movies and TV, and possibly glimpse them through the windows as you ride on the tube. The pictures show what the stations now look like, and chronicle the changes in tube design and decoration. The book is fairly dry, but informative if you want to know about the changes that prompted the closing of the stations (industrial, social and otherwise) or if you just want to learn some random facts to impress your parents when they come to visit. It's a fun book." - Kris
(NB - If you want to read this, there's a copy on the way - keep an eye on this search to see when it comes in, and to find other related books.
* Photo by Ben Sutherland, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Houses that are now museums - Ric
Question of the week: There are so many museums in London it's hard to know where to start - can you recommend one that used to be a house? "The Horniman Museum, 100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London, SE23.
The museum was founded by Victorian tea trader Frederick John Horniman and contained his collection of natural history, cultural artefacts and musical instruments. One of its most famous exhibits is the large collection of stuffed animals. It also has an aquarium noted for its unique layout. The museum sits in 16 acres of parkland in the - appropriately named - Forest Hill area of South London."- Ric
* Photo by dinoboy, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Houses that are now museums - Miss Alice
Question of the week: There are so many museums in London it's hard to know where to start - can you recommend one that used to be a house? "It's a little bit off the beaten track, but if you make your way to the eastern end of the Victoria line, to Walthamstow, and then walk or take the bus the length of Hoe Street, you'll find Water House, William Morris's family home from 1848 to 1856, and now home to the William Morris Gallery.
Perhaps the most famous member of the Victorian Arts and Crafts movement, Morris' influence, both as a designer and as a thinker, persists to this day. The William Morris gallery celebrates his work, and it's a gem of a collection - well worth the trip."- Miss Alice
* Photo by StarOpal, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Houses that are now museums - Dr Holt
Question of the week: There are so many museums in London it's hard to know where to start - can you recommend one that used to be a house? "My favourite house museums are those whose architecture and especially collections reveal something of the people who lived there. My first choice would be the Wallace Collection in Manchester Square, which Kris wrote about yesterday, and my second Sir John Soanes House in Lincoln's Inn Fields.
The façade of Sir John Soane's house suggests yet another Georgian row house. Inside, however, the visitor is nearly overwhelmed with the wondrous imagination and therefore collection gathered and displayed by Sir John Soanes. Especially noteworthy are the special sliding walls to permit display of surely countless paintings. Notice too how the beautifully proportioned rooms upstairs contrast with the cozier warren of smaller rooms packed with their bits of ruined ancient sculptures. I noticed with some delight two left ancient marble feet -- you'll find your own favourites."- Dr Holt
* Photo by stusmith_uk, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Houses that are now museums - Kris
Question of the week: There are so many museums in London it's hard to know where to start - can you recommend one that used to be a house? "The Wallace Collection is one of the embarrassing number of free museums in London, but, tucked away in Manchester Square, it doesn't seem to get the publicity of its bigger brothers and sisters like the British Museum or the Tate Modern.
The Wallace Collection is just that, the collections of the first four Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace, the son of the 4th Marquess. It was bequeathed to the British nation by Sir Richard's widow, Lady Wallace, in 1897. And it is all contained, jewel-box like, in Hertford House, their former London residence.
The collection is varied - from a vast collection of arms and armour to Rococo furniture, and a little bit of everything in between. There are a number of famous paintings, among them the Laughing Cavalier by Hals and Fragonard's The Swing, but the house has retained enough of a 'house-like' feeling to give a good impression o fwhat it might have been like to live surrounded by such amazing objects."- Kris
* Photo by Su-Lin, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Long weekend destinations outside the UK - Catherine
Question of the week: Could you recommend a weekend break destination outside the UK? "The museums and memorials are reasons to visit Berlin, but the nightlife and food are excuses to extend your stay. The vibrant music scene and funky clubs are impossible to miss, and cheap, wholesome food is everywhere. RyanAir frequently offers discounted fares which makes this city a wallet-friendly weekend get-away destination ...so don't pass on the Currywurst!" -Catherine
* Photo by dabboj, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Long weekend destinations outside the UK - Ric
Question of the week: Could you recommend a weekend break destination outside the UK? "Riga - if you can find a reasonably priced flight, the capital city of Latvia is experiencing a renaissance, not least because of its picturesque mix of German Art-Nouveau and European Gothic and its nightlife. The cultural centre is around the Freedom Monument, but do make an effort to explore the Old City and, if it is mild enough, canoe trips.
Cheap places to eat include:
Čili Pica, Several locations (One near the Freedom Monument, another on the ground floor of the Stockman mall near central station): Cheap but good pizza.
Ķīpsala Island Student Cafeteria: Home-style meals. offered in a cozy atmosphere.
Vermanitis, 65 Elizabetes St. A fantastic range of Latvian food in "authentic" environment."- Ric
* Photo by Jaime Silva, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Long weekend destinations outside the UK - Prof Kucich
Question of the week: Could you recommend a weekend break destination outside the UK? "Granada, in southern Spain, is a fabulous city to visit. Situated in the heart of the city is the Alhambra, a massive and spectacular 15th-century Moorish palace/fortress that embodies the clash and interweaving of Spanish and North African culture. Granada also features wonderful markets, cafes, tapas restaurants, and flamenco dancing."- Prof Kucich
* Photo by Grifmo, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Long weekend destinations outside the UK - Kris
Question of the week: Could you recommend a weekend break destination outside the UK? "So, you're tired of major European capitols, and all the great museums are starting to blur into one long PBS special... Have you thought about going somewhere smaller, but somewhere with things to see and do? Take Poitiers as an example. Ryan Air flys into the small airport, and while the flight might be nothing to write home about, the city certainly is!
For fans of history and architecture, the city boasts a huge number of churches for its size, mostly dating from the Romanesque period, and housing the shrines, relics and tombs of some of the most important people in the Christianisation of France. The city streets are lines with half-timbered houses, and inexpensive cafes. The university (founded 1431) keeps the population young, and there are enough students around for the night life to be interesting.
If that isn't enough for you, the Futuroscope theme park just outside of town has lots of rides and attractions based on 3D and interactive technology!"- Kris
* Photo by E01, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Weekend break destinations in the UK - Catherine
Question of the week: Could you recommend a weekend break destination in the UK? "Check out the Lake District, not only for Wordsworthian inspiration and Beatrix Potter stories, but for the shopping - amazing antique shops, design stores and art galleries rival the beauty of the countryside. Train and coach tickets bought in advance can be cheap!" - Catherine
* Photo by Stripey Anne, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Weekend break destinations in the UK - Miss Alice
Question of the week: Could you recommend a weekend break destination in the UK? "Why not give Liverpool a shot? It's only a few hours and a few quid away by train, if you book ahead, and it's a thriving, lively city with a very distinct local flavour.
Liverpool has a lot more to offer than 'home to the Beatles and two major international football teams'.(Not that 'home to the Beatles and two major international football teams' is anything to be sneezed at, it's just I'm more of a Stones fan, and unless you planned far enough ahead to buy a fanclub membership last year, or you have some serious cash to splash, you're more likely to get to see a match in the pub than at the grounds.)
But Liverpool also has three universities, thousands of students, and a thriving live music scene; race courses, top teams in an array of sports, galleries, museums, an array of theatres, not to mention a fascinating history as a world-wide trading centre, and the 'second city of the Empire' - visit the International Slavery Museum and use the Liverpool Faith Walk as your guide as you explore the many faces of faith in this global city.
Plan a trip in October or November to take advantage of the cheapest train fairs, and sample Liverpool Music Week, racing at Haydock Park, or the British Supercross Championship. "- Miss Alice
* Photo by Liam O'Malley, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Weekend break destinations in the UK - Kris
Question of the week: Could you recommend a weekend break destination in the UK? "Caernarfon: You say that you've never heard of Caernarfon? Well, you're probably not alone. But this town in North Wales is very pretty, very friendly and very worth visiting.
Situated in one of the Welsh-speaking parts of Wales, Caernarfon has one of the biggest and best preserved castles in Wales, a nearly complete town wall, and access to some of the most striking scenery in all of Britain - Snowdonia National Park is just a stone's throw away and Anglesey is just across the Menai Straight.
Besides for the castle (which is certainly worth a visit), a trip on the Welsh Highland Railway into Snowdonia or a boat cruise around the Menai Straight are great activities. When we went, we took the train to Bangor and a taxi to Caernarfon, but there is a good bus service throughout North Wales."- Kris
* Photo by nikoretro, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Weekend break destinations in the UK - Hal
Question of the week: Could you recommend a weekend break destination in the UK? "Burley, in the South of England's New Forest, not only comes with a strong personal recommendation from me but also carries a personal link to my childhood. Having spent countless summer holidays in the area thanks to having immediate family in the area, Burley was a regular weekend visit for me at the end of a long bicycle ride from another side of the forest.
Burley's considerable history is fascinating; smugglers, highwaymen, witchcraft, ice cream... worth visiting if at least to see the village's attempt at giving local wildlife (in particular the wild ponies) 'all access' privileges, meaning they're legally allowed to wander into shops and do so regularly.
http://www.burleynewforest.co.uk/"- Hal
* Photo by Mr eNil, used under Creative Commons, with thanks.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
