Kew Gardens at Christmas

For the first time ever Kew Gardens has opened its gates to visitors after dark to take a journey through their illuminated trail. You begin at the Christmas Village, where you can sample festive fare from mulled wine and jacket potatoes to turkey rolls and cookies. Browse the wooden chalets selling their wares (we found the variety fairly limited). If you’re feeling adventurous (we weren’t as it was tipping down with rain) have a go on the traditional fairground rides such as the helter-skelter and the Carousel.

 The trail itself was just over a mile long and wound through the gardens with various parts lit up. It was a spectacular sight however it was extremely crowded and slow to get around. There were lots of interactive parts for children which seemed to be keeping them entertained. When we originally booked we were given an allotted time slot to begin the walk however once we got there we were told to just go whenever we like – this was good for us as we got there early however this is probably what caused all of the overcrowding.

 

The pinnacle of the walk came at the end when you see the iconic Palm House illuminated in all its glory. Music and commentary starts as lights dim and flash and change colour.

While we were unlucky with the weather I would recommend this as a family outing however be prepared and wear your wellies!!

http://www.kew.org/index.htm

The Nutcracker

I couldn’t think of a more appropriate setting to see the traditional Christmas ballet, ‘The Nutcracker’, than sitting under the ornate eaves of the London Coliseum just North of Trafalgar Square, London. When the curtain goes up the impressive domed roof adorned with cherubs and gold leaf friezes transports you into a snow-capped Edwardian England  and then drops you into a world of dancing sugar plum fairies, prancing mice, nutcracker soldiers and magical music.

The little girl Clara and her noble Nutcracker soldier escape the evil Mouse King and take a hot air balloon ride to the sparkling Land of Snow where an adventure of dancing merriment awaits.

With both the striking Tchaikovsky score and the insanely good choreography from the English National Ballet, this is an absolute must see for all the family. The beautiful sets, glistening costumes and effortless ballerinas bring to life this traditional and well loved ballet. It is running until the 5^th January 2014 so there is still time to don your ballet slippers and enjoy some more of the festivities.

Carol Singing in Kensington

First on my festive agenda was the Christmas Carol Sing-along at the Royal Albert Hall. This uplifting explosion of glitter, twinkly lights and Christmas tunes was enough to drag even the most Scrooged of people up onto their feet while singing at the top of their lungs, ‘Fiiiiive Gooold Riiiings!’

Presented by the eccentric and entertaining Jonathan Cohen and featuring music and singing from the London Concert Choir and the London Concert Orchestra the performance was engaging and mesmerising. Soloist Laura Tebbutt was a fantastic leader and lent her voice to an array of different styles, each as effective as the one before. Her rendition of O Holy Night was my personal favourite.

The auditorium was filled with people bedecked in Christmas cheer including flashing Santa hats and tinsel. Fairy lights had been strung up around the boxes and two impressive Christmas trees stood either side of the grand organ.

Singing songs old and new we went from Hark the Herald Angels Sing and O Little Town of Bethlehem to Rockin’ Robin and Frosty the Snowman in the blink of a Reindeer’s eye.

It was fun, fast paced, full of colour and festive. This is an absolute must do event and something that will become a Christmas tradition for me. It may be too late to catch the last performance tomorrow afternoon (Saturday 21^st December) so remember to keep an eye out for it next year. I know I certainly will!

(Apologies for the poor quality photo – it’s tough to capture the lights on a phone!)

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear…

This year I intend to squeeze every last festive drop of Christmas out of London Town. From miserably struggling at a snail’s pace down Oxford Street, juggling my shopping bags with a Gingerbread Latte, to enjoying the quiet serenity of an illuminated walk through Kew Gardens I am going to bring to you the best bits of celebrating this magical time of year in our capital city.

I’ll be bringing you tips and recommendations on the best things London has to offer you during this festive period.

So, pop on Bing Crosby’s Christmas album, get the mulled wine a simmerin’, munch a few mince pies and get that tree up because it’s that time of year again…

 IT’S CHRIIIISSSSSTMAAAASSSSS!!!!!!

Pictures of Portobello

Portobello Road is a colourful and vibrant street in the heart of the Notting Hill area in West London. Every Saturday Portobello Road Market draws scores of enthusiastic shoppers to its notable street market which is famous for its antiques and vintage clothing.

Wandering around the lively streets in the summer sun is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. Grab a beer and some olives from La Plaza Deli at the North end of the street, they have chairs and tables outside so it is a perfect way to sit and people watch while you rest your aching feet.

Sample some of the market food as there is so much to choose from! Paella, Tapas, Curry, Noodles, Sandwiches, Salads and more. Try some fresh marshmallow – the Raspberry and Champagne one was delicious!‘Portobello Road, Portobello Road, street where the riches of ages are stowed! Anything and everything a chap can unload, is sold off the barrow in Portobello Road. You’ll find what you want in the Portobello Road!’ – Mr. Browne, Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Whale Watching in Quebec

Summer 2013 has been an epic adventure. A few short weeks after our New York jolly we embarked on the trip of a life time to Canada. In the two weeks I was there I managed to see a sizeable chunk of the Eastern side of this vast North American country. I want to use my first Canadian blog post to tell you about a personal holiday highlight of mine which was Whale Watching. It is something I have been desperate to do since devouring the entire Blue Planet box-set while procrastinating from my studies at university. And where better to see these amazing creatures than in their natural habitat in the French Canadian province of Quebec.

On my flight out to Toronto I got chatting to a Canadian native who told me about a whale watching Mecca – a little village called Tadoussac. Approximately three hours drive north from Quebec City; Tadoussac sits at the confluence of the St Lawrence and the Saguenay rivers. Steeped in history, this tiny place may be a mere pinprick on a map but it is the oldest inhabited European settlement in Canada, and is a perfect location to spot some whales. So after a hectic few days in Quebec City we decided to follow the river north to see for ourselves.

As we boarded the ferry that took us across the Saguenay River, we left the hot summer sun behind us and entered the cool mist shrouded town with suspicious wonder. There is not much to do in the village however the traditional quaint buildings and the impressive Tadoussac Hotel and port area provide atmospheric surroundings. And there are plenty of places to grab some grub. We ate in the same restaurant on both nights of our stay (something I would never usually do!) as the food was absolutely delicious and somewhere to definitely recommend. From the cosy interior, excellent fresh pasta and wide variety of ales: ‘Cafe Boheme’ was somewhere we simply couldn’t go to just the once. Rated as the no.2 best restaurant in Tadoussac on TripAdvisor this buzzing restaurant was constantly busy – so expect a bit of a wait. But it will be worth it – we sampled salmon burgers, venison ravioli, spicy pizzas and fresh crab linguine and no single bite was disappointing (apart from the last one when you realised it was over). For more information or to have a gander at the menu please find the link here: http://www.lecafeboheme.com/fr/.

Anyway, we must move swiftly on from the food and on to the main reason we found ourselves in this remote riverside settlement – THE WHALES! I started to feel nervous on the approach down to the port as I had dragged my party this far north promising them whales and realised that actually there is NO guarantee that you will see any of these impressive mammals. Whale statues standing outside whale themed souvenir shops and Beluga themed BnB’s seemed to taunt me and I felt certain that our trip would be jinxed. There are different choices of boats to go out on including the slower more traditional river cruise boats. However we decided to head out on a super fast Zodiac boat tour. This way if no whales were to be found at least we would have a fun old time bouncing over the choppy waters on what  was simply a rubber dinghy with an engine.

Bundled up in our huge waterproof jackets and trousers (handily provided by the tour company) and gripping onto our seats for dear life – we shot out of the bay like a bullet – bouncing heavily over the dark grey waters with teeth shattering power. And as luck would have it, within about one minute of the excursion we spotted a bright white mass gracefully gliding above the water before disappearing into the depths. It was our first sighting – a Beluga Whale! The boat cut its engine out as we all sat and stared in awe at this fascinating creature (well I was actually squealing and scrambling for my camera – but we won’t go into that!).

Further out of the bay we saw humpback whales a plenty. When their blowholes dramatically spurted out air indicating their location, our captain propelled the boat across the water so we could get a better look. Unfortunately there were no excitable whales leaping from the water but we got to see the humongous 30 tonne humpbacks swimming merrily along, occasionally showing off the impressive white undersides of their tail fins before diving down for an hour before their next breath is needed. We also saw groups of smaller (almost dolphin like) whales logging along the water and lots of extremely cute seals who seemed as curious about us as we were of them. It was incredible to see these animals in the wild and free.

I would recommend doing the fast boat ride if you don’t mind getting splashed; want a bit of adventure and to see the wildlife close up. I feel like you could miss out on the sights if you are on a slower, bigger boat. Or, if you are feeling really brave – hire a kayak. Whales eat Krill, not people. To see some lucky kayakers come face to face with a humpback whale in California, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf4HtVp1sh4

For more information on Tadoussac: www.tadoussac.com

For more information about the boat tours: http://www.otisexcursions.com/en/

Up at the O2 – Review

What better way to spend a cold and windy London day than to scale one of the capital’s most iconic landmarks – the O2 arena. This unique experience, reminiscent of the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge climb, opened in June last year and provides an exciting and different way to view parts of London’s famous skyline. Originally opened as The Millennium Dome in January 2000, the North Greenwich based exhibition centre has now become one of the most famous music venues in the world.

Arriving at ‘Base Camp’ (just left of the main O2 arena entrance) 15 minutes before your scheduled climb, you are whisked into the ‘Briefing Room’ to fill in some forms and to watch a cheesy but interesting video providing information about the climb and the building (if you can call it that) itself. Did you know that if you turned the O2 arena upside down it would take Niagara Falls 15 minutes to fill it up?

The mountain climbing expedition theme runs consistently throughout the decor, with maps and climbing ropes hanging from the walls. You are then taken to a changing room where you don some fabulously flattering overalls, harnesses and walking boots. The flexible fabric walkway is suspended above the roof of the dome and reaches 52 metres in height and with an ascent and descent of 30 degrees (which is surprisingly steep when you are there!). Your harness is attached to a central barrier which you also use to help pull yourself up – and hold onto for dear life on the way down. The walkway has a bit of a bounce to it, which I failed to resist on several occasions (but who could? it is like the biggest trampoline in the world!).

The climb itself takes 60 minutes, with an interval of around 15 minutes on the viewing platform at the top. This is where you can feast your eyes on meandering Thames, the Thames Barrier, the Olympic Park, City Airport, Canary Wharf and Greenwich. In the distance you can see the Shard, the Gherkin and even Battersea Power Station on a clear day. It took a while to get our bearings as it is not often that you view London from this angle.

Our guide was informative and interactive. He let us know where everything was and he was extremely helpful and funny.

Tickets for adults range from £25 – £30 depending on the time of your visit. I think this is money well spent on an experience that was fun and is one of a kind in London. I would definitely recommend this as something exciting to do on a trip to the City. More information can be found on the O2 website here:

http://www.theo2.co.uk/upattheo2

 

Taking a bite out of The Big Apple

They say it is the ‘City That Never Sleeps’, and after my last week in The Big Apple I can totally concur. I have visited Manhattan a couple of times before but this was my first time being over 21 and free of the pressures to visit the many tourist attractions that can quickly fill up an itinerary. A large group of us headed stateside for a friend’s wedding and it turned out to be a jam packed week of fun, sun, margaritas and a LOT of dancing. Don’t expect things to come in small packages in the States. Everything is bigger and bolder in the land of dreams and I for one love it.

Staying across the Hudson River in Jersey City has never really appealed to me before, but it is cheaper, quieter and has a great view of the city skyline. Just a five minute hop on the Path train and you are at the World Trade Centre. We stayed in an apartment at 70 Greene Street, rented out by a company called Sky City. The apartment was on the 39^th floor with fabulous views, floor to ceiling windows and modern decor. The rooftop pool also came in handy for the hot and sticky summer days. It is definitely a place I would return to.

As we arrived a few days before the main event we were able to get involved in the festivities leading up to the big day. This included a HUGE night out in Manhattan. Starting at a bar called The Frying Pan on the Hudson which is an old boat and pier that has been turned into a great venue to watch the sun go down, eat incredible food and drink buckets full of Corona. The night moved on all around the city, from a swanky rooftop bar, to a grungy underground club, including a limo ride and the obligatory street vendor hot dog.

We were lucky enough to be invited to the rehearsal dinner (which is a much bigger part of an American wedding). The venue was the Chart House on the Jersey side of the Hudson. We tucked into a delicious five course meal while enjoying panoramic views of the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building and many more. It was extremely impressive and a great evening. The wedding itself took place in Newark Cathedral which is the fifth biggest church in the States. The reception was at Maritime Park which is located in Liberty Park, at the south end of Jersey City. It was a beautiful place for a wedding and another venue renowned for its views, this time you could see Downtown Manhattan and the newly built One World Trade Centre on one side, and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island on the other – fantastic photo opportunities!

With the Margaritas flowing at cocktail hour, everyone was ready to hit the dance floor and the wedding went off with a bang!

On the last day we ventured into Times Square to do some souvenir shopping and see a show. We managed to get tickets for the Phantom of the Opera and it was truly spectacular. While I love the olde worldy charm of London’s West End, I am always impressed by the vastness of Broadway theatres and the quality of the shows there.

We also went to visit the new memorial at Ground Zero which commemorates the people who died in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Centre on September 11^th 2001. The memorial includes two massive pools which have been placed where the original twin towers stood and the names of almost 3,000 people who were killed are inscribed on the surrounding parapets. The site is peaceful and understated. I found it extremely moving and it brought the whole thing back to life. We stopped for a quick beer in a pub called O’Haras which is on the corner of where the World Trade Centre stood and was damaged in the attacks. Strangely, later that evening while we waited for the last Path train back to Jersey City, we met a man called Fergus. He told us that his father used to run O’Haras and had been buried under debris from the pub on the day of the terrorist attacks. It was an emotional moment to speak to someone who had experienced those horrific events first hand and gave us only a small idea of what the residents of New York had gone through. The spirit of determination is still very much alive there and I felt glad to have met him.

Anyone who has never been to New York should go. It is like being in a huge movie set with a great atmosphere and charming, friendly inhabitants. The Subway is baffling to a newcomer but who doesn’t love a bit of an adventure. The city is abundant with shops, bars, restaurants, parks, theatres and world famous sky scrapers and at night time the streets come alive with lights and music. The Big Apple is my favourite city and I look forward to returning again soon.

Bitten by Bubbledogs

Could life get any better than holding a glass of crisp bubbly champagne in one hand and a juicy hotdog dripping in BBQ sauce and bacon in the other? No, I didn’t think so. Welcome to Bubbledogs, a new concept restaurant in Fitzrovia, London. I use the term ‘restaurant’ lightly as it is more like a swanky champagne bar that just happens to serve immense hotdogs. I had heard a few horror stories about the length of the queue and so was pleasantly surprised to find I only had to wait 10 minutes for a table for two. I also use the term ‘table for two’ lightly as we were actually perched on the end of a table for four, where four people were already eating – not so great. But the bare brick walls and bubble-esque light fixtures are funky and atmospheric and although it is a small and crowded space, it is fun and casual and not uncomfortable at all. Our waiter was a very amusing French guy who delighted in recommending us the different glasses of fizz and sausages. He was extremely attentive in refilling our water and his smiley demeanour was infectious.

Now onto the hard stuff – deciding which dawg and drink to go for. The menu consists of page after page of different champagnes, none of which I have heard of because they source their entire champers selection from independent vineyards. Luckily there is only a small selection of champagnes you can buy by the glass so this limited our choice as for once we were not buying in bulk. For those of you who are not partial to bubbles, a variety of cocktails and beers are also available.

There are 13 lip smackingly different yet equally delicious sounding hotdogs on offer – all coming with a sausage filler of your choice – Pork, Beef or Veggie. The toppings are weird and wonderful and certainly not expected. Breakkie Dogs with egg and black pudding, Buffalo Dogs with blue cheese and pickled celery and plain old Naked Dogs with nothin’ but a bun. After much painful deliberation I opted for the Fourth of July Dog, a juicy beef sausage, wrapped in bacon and smothered in a tangy sweet barbecue sauce and topped with some of the creamiest coleslaw I have ever tasted. All nestled together in a plump white bun. My dinner pal chose the José Dog, a Mexican inspired mountain of tomato salsa, avocado, sour cream and jalapenos all camouflaging the hidden sausage beneath. Even the side orders of crunchy tater tots and sweet potato fries were enough to get me salivating like a St. Bernard.

We only had the table for 50 minutes but this proved to be no problem at all as the food and champagne was gone in a flash. It was so delicious and although slightly more expensive than a regular hotdog elsewhere, the surroundings and the quality of the ingredients do not go amiss. I love the pairing of something well-to-do like champagne with something comfortable and basic, like a hotdog. It appears to go really well together, and who on this earth doesn’t love both of these beautiful things? This theme was present throughout the restaurant, with typical greasy-spoon style ketchup and mustard bottles standing in an empty champagne box. Just great.

We left Bubbledogs at around 7pm and the queue was out the door and down the road (this was on a Wednesday!); predictions of at least an hour and a half wait were being passed down the line in Chinese whispers. But I will definitely be returning as I can’t carry on with life until I have sampled the other dogs. However I will always arrive as early as possible as waiting for more than an hour is outrageous, especially seeing as you can guzzle down your meal in less than 10 minutes.

Great job Bubbledogs, I can’t wait to return.

Broadway Rhythm, It’s Got Me, Everybody Dance…

As a child MGM musicals were my escape. I used to sit down in front of the television and drift off to a world of singing cowgirls, tap dancing sailors, top hats and tails. My favourites were Calamity Jane, High Society, Oklahoma, Showboat, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to name but a few. But I’ll never forget the first time I watched Singin’ In The Rain which has taken the top spot as my all time favourite film. It has everything: catchy tunes, impressive dance routines, lots of laughs, love and most importantly, the genius that is Gene Kelly.

 

So, you can imagine my excitement when I heard that the Royal Albert Hall were putting on a special Singin’ In The Rain Live event to mark the 60^th anniversary of the films original release. The set up is this – a large cinema screen takes pride of place with the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra seated in front of it on the stage. In the summer I went to see them perform West Side Story Live and was totally amazed by the difference of hearing the accompanying score being played live by the orchestra along with the film. The film plays as normal, with all of the original dialogue in tact but the soundtrack is blanked out and is instead played live by the orchestra. As the film came out in 1952, I wasn’t around to go and see it on the big screen so I jumped at the chance to get tickets.

Before the film started, Gene Kelly’s widow, Patricia Kelly came out onto the stage to introduce the production. The elegant biographer and film historian told fascinating anecdotes about Gene and the cast including, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds. She explained how contrary to popular belief there is no milk in the water during the famous rainy scene and that Gene absolutely wanted Debbie Reynolds in the picture. She also mentioned how he thought Donald O’Connor was the greatest comedian and improviser that he’d ever known, and I’d have to agree. His comedic timing is impeccable. My favourite line in the film comes when Don Lockwood calls to his friend Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor) from a mad mob of screaming fans “Hey Cosmo, call me a cab”, to which Cosmo looks on and replies, “Alright you’re a cab”. She talked about his commitment to dance and making all of his performances current, and despite the film being 60 years old, his routines seem fresh and new. Which is why it still so popular with audiences today. It was amazing to hear someone who had known Gene Kelly talk about him and it somehow made the whole occasion much more special.

In case you’ve been living under a stone for the last 60 years and have never seen the film, it tells the story of Don Lockwood, a major Hollywood silent movie actor, facing a challenging task when talking movies are introduced. His acting partner, and on-screen love, Lina Lamont (Jean Hagan) has a high pitched, screeching voice and strong accent which will destroy their reputations if it is revealed to their adoring fans. Along with his best friend and musical genius Cosmo Brown (Donald O’Connor) they aim to turn the film into a musical with his off-screen love Kathy Seldon (Debbie Reynolds) providing the voice for Lina. A random dream section includes the famous number ‘Broadway Melody’ which incorporates a strange seductive dance between Gene Kelly and the long-legged Cyd Charisse. It provides nothing extra to the story line but a bit of Broadway glamour. And that’s just fine.

When the film began it was as if we had never seen it before. The orchestra struck up the powerful music and once again we were swallowed up into a world of silent movies in 1920’s Hollywood. The packed out Albert Hall erupted with laughter at the one liners and tongue-in-cheek take on Hollywood movie stars. My favourite songs in the film are Moses Supposes, Make ‘Em Laugh and Good Mornin’. They are all uplifting and catchy and you can’t help but tap your feet and sing along. It is pure entertainment. Patricia Kelly spoke of how Rita Moreno (Anita in West Side Story) who stars in the movie described Singin’ In The Rain:

‘Rita described Singin’ in the Rain as a “perfect” musical, and I’ve heard others refer to it that way since. She felt it was on target in every way – witty, sophisticated, fun, full of joy.’

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra conducted by Neil Thomson were, as usual, perfect. The music was flawless and the acoustics in the Royal Albert Hall with the impressive echo diffusing discs suspended from the ceiling just added to the nostalgic atmosphere. When the familiar opening bars to the title number rang out over the audience a hush descended and you could almost hear the hairs rising on the backs of necks. Magical.

Singin’ In The Rain is a timeless classic, it was my nan’s, my mum’s and now my favourite film and I’m sure it will be loved as much by future generations.

See it.