London - Leftovers
Last but not least, here are my London leftovers...
One of the best evenings I had in London was at the mysterious movie event, Secret Cinema:
You buy a ticket for Secret Cinema and then you wait... You know which day you're scheduled to go, but you don't know anything else. What time the event starts, where you're supposed to meet the group, what costume you have to wear, and even which movie you're seeing is all kept secret.
I got an email the day before my movie telling me to turn up outside the Barbican tube stop at 18:30 wearing a 19940s-esque green or khaki colored military costume carrying a bouquet of flowers(!). I just went with it -- I felt odd riding the tube in full costume during rush hour, but whatever -- and what followed was an amazingly elaborate evening of immersive theatre and film.
Secret Cinema had taken over a massive 3 story warehouse and had completely decorated it like the set of 'our' movie. There were dozens of actors playing out scenes from the movie in each of the rooms, and Secret Cinema's on-site restaurants and bars served food that went with our movie's theme (all Austrian food & drink). Here's a peek inside the warehouse:
After about 1.5 hours of seeing snippets of the film acted out and figuring out were were meant to be in Vienna, I finally worked out that the film was 'The Third Man'. Eventually we all sat down to watch the picture together. It was a blast. Tickets sell out weeks in advance, so if you're interested be sure to book early.
The South Bank is getting super spiffy these days, and wandering around after a visit to Borough Market is an entertaining way to spend an afternoon. I always go see the skateboarders and BMX riders under the Queen Elizabeth Hall:
The graffiti and their tricks are way cool. There are also a tons of vintage booksellers to browse under Waterloo Bridge, and lots of cafes and restaurants to grab a bite at (I like noodle bar chain Wagamama).
There are a number of outdoor ice skating spots in London, but I think Somerset House's rink is the most glamorous:
At night, the Somerset House rink has DJs spinning making it one giant party on ice. We went on disco night and skated to 70s classics. Here I am gliding around to 'Kung Fu Fighting':
If the ice is too slippery for you, take a stroll in one of London's parks. I think they've got the best outdoor spaces of any major city in the world.
I particularly love the rose garden in Regent's Park, but alas, the roses weren't in bloom in January, so instead I visited Holland Park (wild woodland and manicured gardens all in one tiny plot) and The Green Park:
Its wide, wooded meadows are gorgeous even in wintertime.
After my Librarian cocktail at The Lanesborough I got a chance to see the hotel's new 'Lanesborough Suite'. Being a blogger has its perks sometimes, and checking out the 4000 sq feet of Alberto Pinto decorated gorgeousness was very fun:
The Lanesborough Suite has four bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, two living rooms, and one dining room with this hand-painted wallpaper:
It's huge. And beautiful. And it's got a view of Hyde Park. And a butler. And this bed:
If I win lotto, I'm moving in.
And before heading off to Heathrow after my super fun week, I snapped this perfect sunset view from Hungerford Bridge:
I think London is the bee's knees -- I hope you've enjoyed my past week of posts on this fab city!
One of the best evenings I had in London was at the mysterious movie event, Secret Cinema:
You buy a ticket for Secret Cinema and then you wait... You know which day you're scheduled to go, but you don't know anything else. What time the event starts, where you're supposed to meet the group, what costume you have to wear, and even which movie you're seeing is all kept secret.I got an email the day before my movie telling me to turn up outside the Barbican tube stop at 18:30 wearing a 19940s-esque green or khaki colored military costume carrying a bouquet of flowers(!). I just went with it -- I felt odd riding the tube in full costume during rush hour, but whatever -- and what followed was an amazingly elaborate evening of immersive theatre and film.
Secret Cinema had taken over a massive 3 story warehouse and had completely decorated it like the set of 'our' movie. There were dozens of actors playing out scenes from the movie in each of the rooms, and Secret Cinema's on-site restaurants and bars served food that went with our movie's theme (all Austrian food & drink). Here's a peek inside the warehouse:
After about 1.5 hours of seeing snippets of the film acted out and figuring out were were meant to be in Vienna, I finally worked out that the film was 'The Third Man'. Eventually we all sat down to watch the picture together. It was a blast. Tickets sell out weeks in advance, so if you're interested be sure to book early.The South Bank is getting super spiffy these days, and wandering around after a visit to Borough Market is an entertaining way to spend an afternoon. I always go see the skateboarders and BMX riders under the Queen Elizabeth Hall:
The graffiti and their tricks are way cool. There are also a tons of vintage booksellers to browse under Waterloo Bridge, and lots of cafes and restaurants to grab a bite at (I like noodle bar chain Wagamama).There are a number of outdoor ice skating spots in London, but I think Somerset House's rink is the most glamorous:
At night, the Somerset House rink has DJs spinning making it one giant party on ice. We went on disco night and skated to 70s classics. Here I am gliding around to 'Kung Fu Fighting':
If the ice is too slippery for you, take a stroll in one of London's parks. I think they've got the best outdoor spaces of any major city in the world.I particularly love the rose garden in Regent's Park, but alas, the roses weren't in bloom in January, so instead I visited Holland Park (wild woodland and manicured gardens all in one tiny plot) and The Green Park:
Its wide, wooded meadows are gorgeous even in wintertime.After my Librarian cocktail at The Lanesborough I got a chance to see the hotel's new 'Lanesborough Suite'. Being a blogger has its perks sometimes, and checking out the 4000 sq feet of Alberto Pinto decorated gorgeousness was very fun:
The Lanesborough Suite has four bedrooms, five and a half bathrooms, two living rooms, and one dining room with this hand-painted wallpaper:
It's huge. And beautiful. And it's got a view of Hyde Park. And a butler. And this bed:
If I win lotto, I'm moving in.And before heading off to Heathrow after my super fun week, I snapped this perfect sunset view from Hungerford Bridge:
I think London is the bee's knees -- I hope you've enjoyed my past week of posts on this fab city!
posted by Melissa C. Morris at 00:01
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