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unusual : things to do A veritable feast of some weird and wonderful things you don't often get to hear about, chosen by londonlostandfound. unusual : boats Tired of walking? You can always consider exploring London’s watery highways and byways; there are literally miles and miles of them. The Thames needs no introduction but the rest is still rather hidden, and a bit neglected in places, making it all the more interesting for being unspoiled by development. A canal cruise makes for a different kind of day out, through a ribbon of wild life sanctuaries and hidden gems like the Pirates' Castle and of course the numerous pubs en-route. There are plenty of river and canal buses but for an unusual day, evening or week-long cruise you could try the narrow-boat Tarporley, named after the town in Cheshire. Based near Kings Cross, Battle Bridge you can hire this ancient canal boat for as long as you want – a few hours or several days. The volunteer crew will do all the work unless you fancy having a go at steering a 70 foot steel bath-tub through the narrow, winding Regent's Canal. The boat has a fully equipped kitchen and a bathroom, but bring your own drinks. For bookings ring Sally Bowman on 020 7681 7019 or email salbowman@blueyonder.co.uk. Typically a full day on board would be about £156 for the boat, which carries up to twelve passengers, although prices are reduced for charities. unusual : cabaret Whatever happened to Raymond's Revue? Anyone remember Raymond's Revue Bar? Of course you do. It was only the most famous strip bar in London. But for those of you who like to venture up the back passages of Soho (can you guess where this is going?), you won't be a stranger to the fact that it's gone. But what's this? Something bigger and better has taken it's place! Well, ok, that wasn't hard. But Too2Much has been gaining a cult following from the 'I'm hotter than you' gay and metrosexual crowd since its glamourpuss gay opening back in June. It's a club, mainly, but also features dancers, singers, magicians, and all manner of performers, both on and off the stage. Visit their website (www.too2much.com) for a pictures of the stage, revue bar and gorgeous clientele, and don't miss the video clip of their very own 'Too2Much' song. The website listings are a bit out of date, but they have something on most nights. Phone 020 7734 0377 or email cheryl@too2much.com for up to date information on prices and listings. unusual : cafes This week we have carefully selected our favourite five cafes for their quirky design, weird locations, spotless ethics and general strangeness. Pellici's Bonnington Square Cafe Toll Gate Cafe Victoria and Albert Museum Ray's Jazz unusual : cemeteries So there you are, at home wondering what to do. Needing a place for contemplation, a space to sit down and think, to get away from it all, and to ponder Sartre style about whether there is a reason. Where would you go? We think we might have an answer at londonlostandfound. Cemeteries in London are not going to be bursting with visitors. So now is your chance to take in some of London's most puzzling and fascinating heritage. The first public cemetery in London was established in 1827 in Kensal Green and these days there are over one hundred cemeteries in London, but we have chosen our six favourites. Abney Park Cemetery / Stoke Newington
High Street, N16 / Stoke Newington tube station Brompton Cemetery / Fulham Road, SW10 / West Brompton
tube Highgate Cemetery / Swain's Lane, N6 / Archway
tube Kensal Green Cemetery / Harrow Road, W10 / Kensal
Green tube Nunhead Cemetery / Linden Grove / Nunhead train
station Tower Hamlets Cemetery / Southern Grove / Mile
End tube unusual : circus The Circus Space is a rather quirky venue, nuzzling half way between the suited and booted masses of City Road and the rare, trendified air of Hoxton. The managers of this ex power station pull off a tricky juggling act between Cabaret performance stage, acrobatic arena, and circus skills training centre. Oh, and there's also a Trapeze Bar. The schedule changes frequently, with each cabaret of circus and performance acts appearing for no more than four nights, but the programme features acts chosen carefully from around the world. Tickets cost £20 (£17.50 for concessions) and can be booked by calling 020 7729 9522 or by visiting The Circus Space, Coronet Street, N1. unusual : dating No, we don't mean the dry, shriveled fruits. We're talking about dating London stylee. Have you ever been desperate to meet that new boy or girl, and prove yourself as the fabulous beauty that you truly are, but just don't know where to go? Have you been looking for that special place that says 'Hey look at me, intelligent, sexy and knows about cool things to do in London'? Are you looking for something fun to re-inspire you and your partner? Well, forget the standard Tate gallery and dinner disasters, and try a new way. 5 dates you never thought would work For those who like dressing up For those who like dressing down For those who like woolly hats For those who can't keep their feet on the floor For those who want to take the road less travelled unusual : dog-o-matic Yes, you read it right, we're talking about the world's only automatic dog wash, situated in our very own Hampstead. The theory goes that you're out on the Heath with your mutt, and suddenly fancy a pint, but are worried about the muddy paws and gruff stares from other punters. And that's where the Spaniard Inn (Spaniard Lane, Hampstead) comes in, with the dog wash. So there we have it: your dog's happy, your landlord's sorted and you get a pint. And for more dog friendly pubs why not try the Doggie Pubs website www.doggiepubs.org.uk/redirect.php/14. unusual : escapes Need somewhere in the bustling city to retreat and wile away some hours? Look no further... The Phoenix Garden / Covent Garden tube Bloomsbury Square / Russell Square tube South Bank Book Market / Waterloo tube St Giles Churchyard, Wilson Street, SE5
/ Denmark Hill train station or bus Hampstead Heath / Hampstead tube unusual : fish If, like me, you love eating seafood but feel a shiver of fear at the thought of actually working out how to cook the stuff, you could probably do with some lessons from the Billingsgate Seafood Training School. Based in London's famous fish market, which has been running since the 1300s, you can learn how to cook all kinds of fish and seafood, with full day, half day and evening courses. Course fees start at £30 for a taster evening class (with a chance to try your prepared dish) and many of the classes include a tour of the market. For details of course dates and times, and to watch clips from the courses (my favourite is the one about the shark) visit: http://www.seafoodtraining.org. Or if you still don't fancy getting your hands dirty,
get some-one else to cook for you. According to Jamie Oliver, George's
Portobello Fish Bar is the best fish and chip shop in town (well,
in West London anyway). So ditch the GI new year's resolution, and get
some grease into you! If you know of a better fish bar in London, let us know. Email editor@londonlostandfound.com. unusual : japan The Japanese are not one of London’s most visible minorities, but there is still a thriving community here. If you want your bit of the Orient without leaving Leyton, here are a few suggestions: Asahiya Shoten / Oriental City,
399 Edgware Road, NW9 / Colindale tube Japanese Gallery / 23 Camden Passage,
Angel N1 / Angel tube Japan Centre / 212 Piccadilly,
W1J / Piccadilly Circus tube unusual : greece With Athens hosting the Olympics and Greece’s surprise victory in Euro 2004, last year was very much a Greek year. The Greek community is one of London’s oldest, so start by visiting the glorious Greek Orthodox cathedral of St Sophia in Moscow Road, Bayswater (Bayswater tube). See a different side to the East End by taking an afternoon stroll through what might be London’s own Olympic village. The Lee Valley walk stretches 50 miles from Luton to Bow, with the London section from Bow to Enfield taking in Tottenham, Walthamstow, Hackney, Stratford and even the Big Brother house! See www.leevalley-online.co.uk/leisure/walks/leavalleywalk.htm for details. Why not round off the evening by raising a glass of ouzo at one of the following London eateries. Beotys Andy’s Taverna Greek Valley Vine Leaves Vineyard Taverna unusual : farms It's that fluffy, cuddly time of year again, when spring is springing, bunnies are hopping all over town (stay with me), and lambs are frolicking in the grass. Yes, I know it doesn't sound much like London, but it could be, with 16 city farms to chose from, now is the perfect time to pay a visit to see the little lambs. Here are our favourite five: Mudchute City Farm / Pier Street, Isle of Dogs, E14 /
0207 515 5901 / Mudchute DLR Vauxhall City Farm / Tyers Street, Vauxhall, SE11 / 0207
582 4204 / Vauxhall tube Kentish Town City Farm / 1 Cressfield Close Camden, NW5
/ 0207 916 5421 / Kentish Town tube Brooks City Farm / Skeltons Lane Park Walthamstow, E10
/ 0208 539 4278 / Walthamstow Central tube Hackney City Farm / 1a Goldsmiths Row Hackney, E2 / 0207
729 6381 / Cambridge Heath train station unusual : markets Have you been looking for a bargain? Do you need to find something a bit different for your loved one? As always, londonlostandfound.com is here to help with our amazing guide to free markets (and we are not talking economics). The best place for organic food.... The best place for cheap books.... The best place for cheap cigarettes.... The best place for fair trade products.... The best place for cheap clothes.... The best place for trendy clothes.... The best place for things that smell good.... The best place for jellied eels.... unusual : museums Museums are one of the things that attract so many tourists to London, but I am sure even Londoners do not know about all of these four rather peculiar museums across London: In the East... Dr Johnson's House / 17 Gough Square, EC4 / Blackfriars
tube / 020 7353 3745 / £4 / Open Mondays to Saturdays, 11am - 5pm In the North... London Canal Museum / 12-13 New Wharf Road, W1
/ King's Cross Station / 020 7713 0836 / £3 / Open Tuesdays to Sundays,
10am - 4.30pm In the South... The Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret / 9a
St Thomas Street, SE1 / London Bridge tube / 020 7955 4791 / £4.25
/ Open daily, 10.30am - 5pm In the West (almost!)... Dickens House Museum / 48 Doughty Street, WC1 /
Russell Square tube / 020 7405 2127 / £5 / Open Mondays to Saturdays,
10am to 5pm and Sundays 11am to 5pm unusual : poetry Yes, I know it sounds a bit soppy going to a poetry night.... all those flowers and frills. Poetry has always been seen as a bit of a niche market, with critics staying well away. But it seems that the critics are missing out on a trick here, in their need to be doing what's cool and fabulous. Performance poetry in London includes rapping, singing, talking, raging, and revolting, and we at londonlostandfound.com never shy away from a chance to try something a bit different, so here we go with some places to see poetry in town.... CENTRAL Poetry Cafe, 22 Betterton
Street, Covent Garden, WC2 / 020 7420 9887 / Covent Garden tube EAST The Foundry, 94-96 Great Eastern Street, (corner
of Old Street) / 020 7739 6900 / Old Street tube NORTH The Klinker, 107A Culford Rd, N1 / Dalston Kingsland
train station WEST Pitshanger Poets, The Questors Theatre, 12 Mattock
Lane, Ealing, W5 / 020 8567 3233 / West Ealing train station unusual : pool Are you feeling as
if London is a bit too clean and comfortable for you at the moment? Are
you in need of late night entertainment of a seedier sort that doesn’t
involve parting with vast amounts of cash or looking at naked women? Why
not try one of London’s many late night pool and snooker halls?
If you don’t mind the dingy lighting, sticky floors and general
air of depravity you can enjoy a night’s entertainment for very
little cash (the clubs normally charge about £4 for a whole hour
on the table!). You can also find clubs on Streatham High Road, Uxbridge Road, Kilburn High Road, Cricklewood Broadway, Wandsworth High Street, Oxford Street, Wimbledon Park Road, Kentish Town Road, Mile End Road and a whole host of other locations, so why not join in the action? unusual : pubs How about an unusually named bar? Hen and Chickens, 109 St Paul’s Road, opposite Highbury and Islington tube Queen's Larder (no tittering please) 1 Queen's Square, Bloomsbury, WC1. Russell Square tube. Bootlaces 596 Lea Bridge Road, Leyton, E10. Walthamstow Central tube. And the winner of them all: I am the only running footman 5 Charles Street, W1. Green Park tube. unusual : restaurants Not just for the pure of mind and spirit we give you the
art of good food and seriously healthy drinking. Looking for something further North? Asmara Restaurant 386 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton. Fed up with curries and cannelloni? How about trying this fabulous little East African restaurant? The Asmara serves good, authentic Eritrean food (it's where the local Eritrean community go and they would know). Well not so much unusual, as miraculous… There I was, knocking about in Hoxton, deciding which over priced trendy gastro bar to try, when I happened to spot Hoxtons, a cute little cafe. I went in, ordered a cup of tea and a bagel, and I was charged one pound!!! Yes, that's FIFTY PENCE FOR A CUP OF TEA! IN HOXTON! So if you need a good cheap cuppa in the East End, go to 311 Old Street (round the corner from Hoxton Square). Roundabouts are for life not just for Christmas… There are a huge number of restaurants in London, many of them serving good food, and many of them in unusual places, but how many of them have both? And how many restaurants can you think of that sit on a roundabout? The Toll Gate Café is very friendly with arty decor, garden, reclaimed church chairs, tasty home-cooked, mostly vegetarian food, (bakes, lasagna, rissoles, soups), fresh salads, lots of lovely cakes. The portions are generous and it's cheap! Populated by locals who aren't scared to venture onto the weird Archway roundabout (opposite the Archway Tavern). Face it kids, you can't eat at Pizza Hut every time you go out. Sometimes you need to try something a little bit out of the ordinary. So how about an Ethiopian restaurant. Some of the finest food you will find... Axum Ethiopian Restaurant / 266 Wandsworth Road, SW8 /
Stockwell tube unusual : shops Anything Left-handed / 57 Brewer Street, W1 / Piccadilly
Circus tube Original Soho Bookshop / 12 Brewer Street, Soho,
W1 / Leicester Square tube Radio Days / Lower Marsh, SE1 / Waterloo
tube Spymaster / 3 Portman Square, W1 / Bond Street
tube (very clever!) The Tintin Shop / 34 Floral Street, WC2 / Covent
Garden tube unusual : sports Trots, trunks and toilets - alternative sporting ways to spend your free time. If you don’t fancy joining the hoards at Stamford Bridge or Highbury the good news is that London has loads to offer, especially for those sports and pastimes that aren't ...well ...going to feature too heavily on Grandstand. Fancy a bit of sword fighting? Who wouldn't to get out the tension of working in an office full of local authority dullards? Kendo literally translates as “way of the sword”, though those with a fond memory of Saturday afternoon wrestling on World of Sport will naturally think of Kendo Nagasaki in his trunks. Rather than being a martial art encapsulating feudal Japan, modern Kendo is (according to the website of Hizen Dojo) “a new sport-like physical training system which encompasses aspects of the national Japanese spiritual tradition”. There are several clubs in London, with one of the oldest, Mumeshi, being based over at Cranford and the Nenriki club being based at Geoffrey Chaucer school near Elephant and Castle. Visit the Mumeshi website www.fxs.co.uk/kendo or the Nenriki website www.kendo.co.uk/kendo/home2.html. Still thinking of men in trunks, the Seven Islands Leisure
Centre in Rotherhithe offers the chance to grapple without the usual alcohol.
Rather than what Mr Nagasaki got up to, this is proper Olympic-style wrestling.
You can either learn basic grappling, or get advice on stand-up striking
or cage fighting (gosh) from a former British heavyweight champion. Sessions
cost £7 a time, and are held in the afternoons and evenings every
weekday bar Monday. Urban pot-holing isn't a study of bad highways management but in fact exploring ...er... elaborate drainage systems. There are suitable sites within 50 miles on London at places such as Slough and Hitchin (though apparently the best places to go are the continent where £625 will get you through 130 miles of sewers in Le Harve, Rouen and Dieppe, some of which are only 18” in diameter). If you're into finding out what lies beneath the streets of London, then the book Secret London by Andrew Duncan is a must. For speed-freaks, you could go and see some motorcycle drag-racing held at London City Airport (well they had some last year... unless there was some nasty Honda vs Sesner incident, I assume it's being repeated). The British Drag-Racing Association is of course based in London, though the venues that they organise events at are at Long Marston, Santa Pod near Wellingborough and ...er... the York Raceway near Pocklington. OK so 2 out of the 3 can be reached easily from London's mainline stations. Of course you may wish to drive, and the minimum requirements for entry are that you must have a crash helmet, and MSA licence and... any roadworthy car! I'm going to tie a parachute to the back of my company Micra and speed up to the Shakespeare County Raceway immediately. Visit www.ukmotorsport.com/starting/drag.html. Onto the clip clop of hooves, the smell of hay and the...er...erotic qualities of riding boots. And where can we find these in abundance in London? Right under the Westway of course! The Westway stables have up to 20 ponies and horses (though on a recent walk around North Kensington I only saw a couple trotting about... that said the weather was more conducive to staying inside and polishing one's brasses). There's a large sanded area for flatwork and jumping, and of course there are trips over Wormwood Scrubs. You need to have a few readies, as a course of 10 hour long lessons costs £400... never mind a pony, that's nearly a monkey! For more information check their website www.westwaystables.co.uk. And finally for trot(sky)ing of a different sort, try the Socialist walking and climbing club Red Rope. They have activities most Sunday's around London, and often further a(left)field. Visit http://redrope.gn.apc.org/join/default.shtm or mail london@redrope.org.uk. unusual : swimming Every-one knows there are lots of leisure centres and gyms in the gleaming capital; you don't need to walk for more than half a mile to find a Fitness First in the City. But they can all be very expensive, and a bit of a let down after the first burst of enthusiasm. So in order to get your spirits up, and help you prepare for looking good on your summer holidays, londonlostandfound.com has come up with an alternative guide to London's gyms. We have chosen our favourite five public swimming pools in London. They're cute, scenic or just plain weird, but they're all guaranteed to get you into shape with a smile on your face. Pools in the Park, Old Deer Park, Twickenham
Road, Richmond, TW9 / Richmond tube Hampstead Swimming Ponds, Hampstead Heath,
NW3 / Hampstead tube The Serpentine, Tooting Bec, Charlton and Brockwell
Lidos / Hyde Park Corner tube, Tooting Bec tube, Charlton
train station and Herne Hill train station respectively Oasis Sports Centre, 32 Endell Street,
WC2 / Tottenham Court Road tube Aquarium, 256 Old Street, EC1 / Old Street
tube unusual : theatre Fringe theatre in London certainly satisfies the criteria of offering exciting and challenging drama in small, local and largely unheralded venues. And given how cautious the West End is, with one or two exceptions, fringe theatre has a big role to play in promoting new writing and emerging theatrical talent. So why not visit one of the following? EAST Arcola Theatre Bridewell Theatre Theatre Royal - Stratford East NORTH Camden
Centre Camden People's Theatre Hen
and Chickens Lion and Unicorn Theatre Pleasance Theatre Theatro Technis SOUTH Battersea Arts Centre Studio Oval House Theatre The Union Theatre White Bear Theatre WEST The Finborough London Oratory Arts Centre Riverside Studios unusual : tour Without wishing to state the obvious, London has a lot of buildings. A city of 9 million should have. But amidst the tower blocks and decaying factories there are some architectural gems which can be experienced via the wonderful bus and train network. An early morning start has to be Battersea Power Station. How close you can get depends on how secure the site it, but being able to look upwards at the huge towers should fill you with enough awe to do without the hard hat. The best way to reach the Power Station is via Battersea Park Station (or take the 344 from Vauxhall) and, avoiding the heart wrenching yelps from the dogs home, try and get as close as possible for that up-chimney view with your Canon Sureshot. It's good to see it now in all its disused glory before money is ploughed into the area and the building is turned into a giant hotel (see www.londonlostandfound.com/art/artfeatures5.htm). From Battersea take the 344 back to Vauxhall then take the 77A over the river (shudder) towards Embankment. This brings us to the most expensive part of the day. Take the river cruise down to Greenwich; with a valid travel card you can get a third off. In 70 minutes you get to see all the river-side staple buildings, though keep a look out for the pillars of the old Chatham railway bridge in-between Blackfriars and Southwark Bridge. They had to take the top off 20 odd years ago as it would have collapsed into the Thames. I learned this and other gems from the Greenwich born-and-bred guide who gave an excellent tour, topped off with whining about the Mayor’s congestion charge. At Greenwich get off the boat, go past the Cutty Sark and the wonderful dome of the Greenwich foot tunnel (I would recommend walking to Island Gardens and back but it’s a bit smelly), grab some pie and mash from Goddard’s pie house then march up Greenwich Park towards the Observatory. You will find a fantastic old building housing loads of clocks, or alternatively look out at the top and spot some other architectural landmarks. Two white towers on your left are the Pepys Estate; a third concrete coloured block is being converted into luxury apartments after a protracted eviction struggle leaving, at one point, a clown as the sole resident. Run down the hill without stopping (you’ll find it difficult not to) and get the 199 towards Canada Water. Amidst the tower blocks of the Pepys you’ll see some little naval cottages. They are out of context in the area now, but are the last remnants of the navy from a time when South East London was the centre of the empire. Or something. The 199 takes you back to Canada Water and, dare I say it, a gateway to North of the river. Other variations would have to include the Horniman Museum, Eltham Palace, City Hall on the river and, of course, Vinopolis. It’s an old building yes, but it’s also a chance to get very squiffy amongst people pretending to be rich. unusual : the dogs “Go on son!” Here I am bellowing at the top of my lungs at a greyhound bounding round a track, and I doubt any of my school mates would recognise me. I’m at Wimbledon dogs, mate. Nice one. A trip to one of the four greyhound stadiums in London (Crayford, Romford, Walthamstow and Wimbledon) offers you the chance to lose your shirt (or perhaps a pair of socks – minimum stake is £1), win it again, shout a lot, get very excited in two minute bursts, marvel at the way the dogs chase the mechanical rabbit (I was new to the “dogs” experience and this fascinated me all evening), and drink ample amounts while doing it. It’s definitely most fun in a crowd. The best way to think of it is an alternative to a pub night, except there’s still a pub, and dogs running around in the background. At Walthamstow in fact, indisputably the daddy of drinking at London dogs races, there are a massive seven bars on site, offering a truly epic experience. And every one of them is fun, particularly on a Saturday night, when they burst at the seams with excited punters. Romford, Crayford and Wimbledon are also great fun, offering a very similar experience in terms of the races, with perhaps the degree of authenticity increasing, and the proportion of “tourists” from Islington (don’t you hate ‘em, I mean us?!) decreasing, the further away you get from central London. The atmosphere at all of them is great; everyone, whether enthusiasts or novices, is there for a fantastic night out, and invariably they get it; the combination of the excitement of the races, the atmosphere, and the convivial drinking environment is a winner (as the chap next to me in the bomber jacket commented). In short, if you haven’t been, get yourself down the dogs! unusual : vintage I'm sure that by now you have spotted that vintage clothes are London's hottest style, with celebs as fabulous as Kate Moss, Kylie and Stella McCartney showing us how to look glamorous without having to go to Gucci. There are plenty of ways to get hold of authentic clothes from bygone days, without having to resort to Top Shop's retro racks. So in order to help out our readers, I have selflessly taken a tour of London's vintage clothing shops and markets (such a hard life!), and come up with a short-list of my favourite five. 5 - Favourites from the fifties 4 - Small but perfectly formed 3 - Old and beautiful 2 - Well heeled style 1 - Hands up for the hands down favourite And if all of these seem like too far too travel you can often pick up some inspiring outfits at your local charity clothes shop. All you need is a little patience and a resistance to 70s nylon static. unusual : other adventures Forget Spearmint Rhino, which is just a cynical cash cow. The best of the London strip bars is Browns, 1 Hackney Road, E2 (at the junction of Old Street and Kingsland Road). The girls can dance, and boy do they look good in a birthday suit… Get those pound coins ready. Capoeira is a combination of sport, art, theatre, martial art, music, history, culture and ritual. It's a performance originating from Brazil, with African roots, developed during colonial times. It is not a widely known art form, but London being what it is, you can find places to go and watch this fantastic craft, or take lessons yourself. To learn about Capoeira lessons visit: London School of Capoeira, Units 1 - 2 Leeds Place, Tollington Park, N4 (020 7281 2020). A four week course costs £80. Learn to fly! Why not take some flying lessons, try a parachute jump, or learn to paraglide. Into the Blue at Biggin Hill Airport - 01959 578 101 Or why not try a helicopter tour along the Thames - 020 8953 4411. Torture Garden Fetish club nights at venues across London. Visit www.torturegarden.com for full club listings - but not if you are in the office, or there'll be trouble. Wrestling! You know you've always wanted to don a big stringy vest and growl loudly. Lessons take place at Martial Arts Hall, City University Main Building, Northampton Square, EC1V. Phone 07941226318 for details Or for a truly unique experience why not take a trip to Croydon, and visit the delights of the Fairfield Halls, the Clock tower and that ever so convincing New York-esque sky line. And it's all just twenty minutes on the train from Victoria. See you there. www.croydonweb.com. |
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