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.