Coffee, Cocktails and Books - A Round Up!

Over the last couple of weeks we've been blogging about some of our favourite places in London to drink a cocktail, meet for a coffee or find a good book. Here's a quick round up of some of the fantastic places that will supplement your Strollon Walk.

Books Stores

Whether your in Westminster, Covent Garden or West London we've got a bookshop near you.

Coffee

Love coffee? Read about our favourite coffee shops in London

Cocktails

It's the end of the week. Why not celebrate with a cocktail in the sunshine?

The National Gallery

Here's something I didn't know: the National Gallery in London is quite different to most European galleries because it wasn't created by the nationalization of a state or royal collection. The Musee de Louvre was established after the French revolution and was based on the royal collection of art. The Museo del Prado in Spain similarly has at it's heart the Spanish royal collection. The National Gallery though was formed after the British Government bought a small number of painting from the heirs of John Julius Angerstein. The directors continued to grow the collection but, because of it's origins, it has never been as big as some of the European collections. Today it is owned by the British people and entrance to the museum is free.

The building that houses the collection is magnificent. It's facade looks out over Trafalgar Square and was built between 1832 and 1838 by William Wilkins. If you are on our either our Westminster walk or Covent Garden walk you can pop into the museum and have a browse. It's well worth it. My favourite room houses ones of Van Gough's Sunflower paintings. It is stunning and, if you've never seen it before, you have to see it to believe it's beauty.

If you're looking for something to do after visiting the gallery do have a look at our walking tours of Westminster and Covent Garden. They're a great introduction to the area and you'll get to see some amazing sites. Have a wonderful time!

Rain...Again

What a rotten day it is today. In London England are taking on India in the final test of the cricket but this terribly weather has pretty much put pay to that. Not everyone is trapped inside though. If you've got to go out or are stuck in the rain, here's a brief roundup things you can do.

The Pub - A few weeks ago we put together this guide to some of London's pubs. If you're in Convent Garden or the City check it out for some recommendations.

The British Museum - If you're central, you could always pop into the magnificent British Museum. Here's our post on it. Or, if you are closer to Trafalgar Square how about The National Gallery. If you're on the South Bank there's the Tate Modern too. And the best thing about all three (aside for their being dry)? They're free!

Coffee Shops - When the rain is pouring and you need warming up, why not pop into a local coffee house to grab a warming cup of something. Here's our suggestions for some of the best coffee houses in London (and not a Starbucks in sight)

The Glorious Tweltfth!

If you're in London this week you are in for a treat. In the UK August 12th is sometime known as The Glorious Twelfth because it marks the start of the shooting season and from then on shooters can happily hunt the Red Grouse, a delicious game bird that makes for a wonderful supper.

If you are in Covent Garden, perhaps on a StrollOn walking tour of the area, then one of your Foodie destinations should be Rules Restaurant. It's situated on Maiden Lane (chapter eight on our walk), a street famous for all sorts of reasons, not least its name which may mean that it used to be a dung heap! Rules is one of the world's oldest eateries. It was set up in 1798 by Thomas Rules as an oyster bar and has remained on the same site ever since. It's customers have included royals and writers, actors and politicians: many a famous face has sat within its walls and ate dinner at a Rules table.

At this time of year the restaurant comes into its strength for it serves some of the best game in London and from now you can get your hands - and your teeth - on delicious roast grouse, tender woodcock or a simple pheasant, all served with the usual trimmings: game chips, gravy and - hopefully - bread sauce! You can see the Rules menu here but it is worth noting that because the supply of game can vary it will not always be available. If you wanted to make doubly sure that you'll get some tasty game birds for your lunch or supper, call ahead.

And, if you need to work up an appetite for your meal, or perhaps walk it off, then check out our wonderful walking tours of London here. Enjoy!

Beach Volleyball!

What with the Olympics being less than a year away it is little wonder that our attention has started to turn to the games. As part of the London Prepares series, there are various sports going on in London over the next few weeks in an effort to introduce us to them and to work out any wrinkles. This week, at Horse Guards Parade, it is the turn of Women's' Beach Volleyball.

If you've listened to our Westminster walk, you will know that Horse Guard Parade is usually the site for Trooping the Colour but, next year, it will be transformed into a beach for the players. This week, to test this out, the Visa FIVB Beach Volleyball International is being held here. Over the weekend you can see the quarter finals, semi finals and finals being played. Check out the schedule here. It's sure to be a fun event and it's a great opportunity to see the sport up close if you haven't been able to get tickets for next year. And, if you're looking for something to do afterwards, try our Westminster Walk which will give you a wonderful walking tour of the area that is filled with history and insight.

The British Library

Following on from my post on the British Museum, I wanted to mention the British Library, an equally stunning destination. Fifteen years ago, the library reading room was housed in the museum but it was tiny and could not satisfy the demand for books. So the library was rehoused in a magnificent building on the Euston Road which now not only holds a vast number of books but also run exhibitions.

It's worth noting that you have to apply for a Reader's Pass to get access to the Reading Rooms and the books but, despite this, the British Library offers a rich experience to any visitor with its exhibitions. At the time of writing you can visit the Out of This World exhibition which will let you explore the weird and not so weird ideas behind Science Fiction. This runs until September 25th but visit www.bl.uk to find out what else is on. The Library really is a fun day out.

Of course, if you want to learn more about London don't forget our audio guides which will give you a great tour of London. You can find out more here

Open House London: 17th & 18th September 2011

Ok - this has to be one of my favourite thing to do in London. Every September, Open House London gives you the chance to get inside some of the capital's most iconic buildings and explore. Now most of us don't often get to see inside Kensington Palace or Lloyds of London but, thanks to Open House, we get the opportunity. This year you can even visit the BT Tower if you're lucky because. There will be a ballot which opens between the 15th August and 5th of September - we'll post a link once it's open.

You can find out which buildings you can visit by ordering the guide here and some of the venues need to be booked in advance - there's a list here and booking opens today so you may need to get cracking. All in all it looks like it will be a great weekend. Plus, if you want to add to you experience you can check out our London walks and audio tours. Enjoy

Coffee in London

Coffee is very important to me. I am afraid I am one of those people who just can't cope with out the stuff and so I make an effort to find the best I can. Walking around London you'd be forgiven for thinking all we drink is Starbucks, Nero or Costa coffees but that isn't so. Recently there has been a flowering of independent coffee houses which serve boutique bean blends that make a delicious change from the usual chain stuff. I thought it would be fun to share with you some of my favourite coffee shops in town for you to try on our walks.

Soho

Our Soho walk is a lot of fun but we all need a quick coffee break so, if you're near Soho Square - that is chapter 4 and 5 on our walk - why not pop in to Nude Espresso, a fabulous boutique coffee house on the North East corner. You can' miss it because the shop itself is painted a wonderful bright red colour.

Nude Espresso specialise in blends and the staff will happily advise you on what is best for your taste. Their signature coffee is made with their East 'Espresso' blend and is delicious. They do all the classic coffee house stuff - lattes, cappuccinos, muffins etc - and they do them very well, making their baked goods fresh each morning.


Covent Garden

During our walk around Covent Garden you will have come across Dickens' Coffee shop on Wellington street (in chapter 16). It's a great place but here is an alternative for you to stop off at on your way back.

Monmouth Coffee started roasting its beans in Covent Garden in 1978 but moved the process to Bermondsey in 2007. Today, the store on Monmouth street, serves espressos, lattes, cappuccinos and filter / drip coffees made from the beans it sources, blends and roasts itself. You can sit down here but it's often very busy so take away may be the best option. It really is somewhere worth going out of your way for. Even if you're not a coffee drinker, the smell of the beans is astonishingly good.


The South Bank

I've recently posted a few events you can visit if you're on one of our South Bank tours so if you're visiting for a show or a StrollOn walk and you need a coffee you should check our Cafe Vergnano which is close to Skylon and the Southbank Cenre on Festival Terrace. Coffee always makes me think of Italy - I think it must be the espresso - and Cafe Vergnano is the epitome of an Italian coffee shop. Short, sharp very dark espressos that give you a great hit of coffee and elegant cappuccinos to keep you going if you start to flag. They also serve some great food so its a great place to grab a snack on your walk.

Hopefully you'll get to have lots of delicious moments during your time in London. If you find any great coffee shops, please let us know below.

Top 20 Things to do in London Under £20, Part 2 From A Girl, A Style

Yesterday I pointed out this great post by A Girl, A Style. She's just posted part 2 of Things To Do In London Under £20 and it's definitely worth checking out.

The British Museum

The British Museum is a pretty impressive place. For one thing, it is free. For another, it is one of the deepest, richest collections of antiquity and ethnography you are going to find anywhere in the world. That, in my book at least, makes it an essential stop off point in London.

Admission to the main exhibits has been free for nearly a decade. This means you can move from Ancient Greece and Rome (make sure you check out the controversial Elgin marbles which are magnificent) to Asia and the Middle East in a few steps. In each of these sections there are some real treasures. If you're in the Asian section, please have a look at the Green Huqqa base which is made of such brilliant colour that you will find it hard to believe it is over 400 years old. The trick is to allow some time to explore the British Museum slowly. Serendipity counts in a museum like this.

There are also a series of special exhibitions at the museum. These are not free unfortunately but they are a l0t of fun. At the time of writing, you can visit the Treasures of Heaven exhibit of saints, relics and other elements of medieval European worship (open till October 2011, tickets £12, book here). But keep an eye out here for other exhibits on your trip to London.

Afterwards, if you want some more culture, why not take one of our audio tours of Covent Garden? It's one of London's hottest spots and you can learn about everything from its history as a market to it being a centre of 18th century prostitution.

Visiting Parliament

If you haven't ever visited The Houses of Parliament you have missed out on a wonderful experience. The Palace of Westminster, as it is properly known, is home to the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the two legislative chambers in the British Parliament. There has been a Palace on this site since the 11th century and, until 1512 it was the official residence of the English monarch. A fire destroyed much of the building that year but it was still home to Parliament. In 1834 a much larger fire destroyed the building almost entirely. The only structures that survived the fire were St Stephen's Cloister, Westminster Hall, the Jewel Tower and the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft.

The present building was designed by architect Charles Barry. Construction started in 1840 and took it took more than thirty years to complete the neo-gothic masterpiece. During recess, when MPs and Lords return to their constituencies, the palace is open for tours. The summer recess has just begun and so the you can take a guided tour of the Palace during the week and on Saturdays. There is more information here.

As the seat of Parliament it sits at the very heart of government and a trip to the Palace give you a wonderful chance to explore the surrounding area. If, after your tour of Parliament, you take the StrollOn Westminster walk you will get to see Downing Street, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace as well. We hope you enjoy it!

The Pub

The Pub is one of the glories of England. According to Samuel Pepys they form the country's heart and London is well supplied with these essential arteries. On a warm summer's afternoon, there is nothing better than sitting in a sunny pub garden, with a pint of cool beer; and in winter you can always find somewhere snug, far away from the biting cold, to enjoy a drink and to warm yourself up again.

Pubs in London have some astonishing names: have you ever wanted to drink at Finnegans Wake? There are five according to Peter Ackroyd. Or how about the George Orwell? You can find that in Islington. There are still plenty of traditionally named pubs too: take any walk around London and the chances are you'll be taken past a Three Lions, Queen's Head or Green Man. Some are better than others though so here is a short list that you should try and visit when you're in London.

The Engineer

This pub is currently under threat of closure but a local campaign is trying to keep it open. It's small and intimate, with light, bright spaces to relax in. It serves good food, including that pub classic steak and chips, and some delicious beers. Our favourite is Meantime Pale Ale which is very light and crisp with a slightly floral nose. It's a perfect summer drink.

The Lamb and Flag

Reputedly, this is London's oldest pub. It can trace it's roots back to 1623 when a pub on this site received its first licence. It's served some very famous people, including Charles Dickens, and John Dryden was attacked by thugs hired by the Earl of Rochester outside. These days it's much safer and you can enjoy a pint of IPA or Young's Bitter in peace. It's worth visiting upstairs where there is a bit more space though.

The Eagle

Foodies outside of London may have heard of this pub in Farringdon because it's famous for being the first Gastro Pub. These maybe ten and penny now but when The Eagle opened in the early 90s it was revolutionary. The food, which is cooked in an open kitchen next to the bar, is still delicious and is inspired by European cuisine: it changes regularly. Look out for plump, herbed sausages served with puy lentils, roasted hake and tender grilled lamb. It's a perfect place to meet friends in and enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner.

The Ten Bells

This famous pub, situated in a grade II listed building, used to be where the prostitutes Annie Chapman and Mary Kelly would drink until they were murdered by Jack the Ripper. It has appeared in several movies and tv shows but is still worth a visit. It's tiled walls and dark wooden bar hark back to a different age. Today it is full of young trendy Shoreditch locals who visit to enjoy it's atmosphere and decent selection of beers.

This is just a small selection of London's pubs. If you have any to recommend let us know below. If you want to enjoy a walking tour of London, you can find out more here.

Hyde Park

One of the first things to say about Hyde Park is that it is huge. It is bigger than the Principality of Monaco for example. But don't be daunted. It is easily accessible and a great place to enjoy the sunshine.

If you are in London at the right time, keep an eye out on the concerts and gigs in Hyde Park. It is host to some amazing artists including Arcade Fire and The Killers. There are also other events, including an outdoor cinema. It's worth visiting this page to find out what's going on so that you can plan your visit accordingly.

Parks are for relaxing though and for enjoying the feel of the green grass beneath your feet and the sun on your face. If you want to collapse after one of our strolls around London why not hire a deck chair? You can out more about hiring here. You can also swim in the open air Lido if you want to. There is something liberating about swimming in the open air and it isn't something we get to do very often in London. The sun on your back while you glide through the water is a wonderful feeling. Find out more here. Just don't forget your trunks!

If you're looking for more to do in London, why not check out our London Strolls? You can find out more on our website www.strollon.co.uk

When you can't face flying from London...

..go regional. Recently I've been in touch with Guy Skinner, the Director of www.flights-from-birmingham.com, on the hunt to find out more about the UK’s other major International Airports. For too long I’ve made the long, expensive and time consuming journey up to London in the belief that the Capital’s airports, in particular Heathrow and Gatwick, represented the only real options when it came successfully escaping our wind-swept shores.

 

Better than simply quoting figures at me and trying to big up the current centre of his Universe, Birmingham, the kind Mr.Skinner sent me the following literature explaining what’s going on where amongst the UK’s top regional travel hubs. Although not the most entertaining read that I’ve given you to date, it is nonetheless informative and worthwhile stuff – it might just save you a couple of quid when you’re next thinking of jetting off abroad.  

 

Before I throw the good stuff at you, here’s a quick description of what Flights from Birmingham actually do. They are a flights guide, offering a resource of relevant information on the routes and destinations operated by airlines from Birmingham airport. The website details up to date information on the routes including frequency, flight times and journey times. It also offers helpful information for travelers on airport location, transport links, shopping and conference facilities, whilst enabling users to book parking, car hire and hotels. The site also posts regular blog posts outlining news about Birmingham Airport, about fare sales, new routes and information about the Airlines that operate from the Airport.

Now you know what Guy and the team do, it’s time to let you catch up on the best of the rest, from Blackpool to Exeter…

 

London versus the rest

Traditionally, the catchment areas around the UK`s largest cities have always determined the growth of the country`s main airports. However just recently for the first time the number of passengers being handled by Britain`s regional airports exceeded 100 million. Growth has surpassed the likes of Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and whereas back in 1990 only Birmingham and Manchester could offer daily scheduled flights to over 12 destinations outside the UK, today this level of service is achieved by no less than eight regional airports. If we take the five regional airports that have experienced the fastest growth in terms of passenger numbers in recent years, it is clear to see that their success can be largely explained by the introduction of services by no frills airlines such as Easyjet, Ryanair and Flybe.

 

Blackpool airport has a large catchment area and is not only gateway to Blackpool itself but the rest of Lancashire and the Lake District. This is a 3 runway facility recently acquired by Balfour Beatty`s Regional & City Airports group. An important base for flights by Ryanair, Jet2.com and Manx2, Blackpool has experienced rapid growth both in terms of passenger numbers and routes. 

 

Bournemouth currently flies around 900,000 passengers a year to over 60 destinations worldwide and by 2015, this number is expected to rise to 3 million. Demand has resulted in extensions to the terminal buildings and the construction of a new arrivals hall as well as improvements to the surrounding roads and expansion of its car-parks. The increase in passenger numbers has largely been down to the introduction of flights by Ryanair and Thomsonfly.

 

Norwich airport has been undergoing significant extensions since the late 1980s but has recently become a central hub for low-cost carrier Flybe and now handles 460,000 passengers a year. Recent improvements have included a £4.2m million investment including a brand new arrivals hall, a refurbished departure lounge and separate facilities for domestic and international passengers.

 

Exeter is the fastest growing airport in the South West. Currently handling over a million passengers a year, the facility is now being expanded to cope with 1.9 million passengers by 2015. Exeter is an important hub for Flybe who operate important routes across the UK, The Netherlands, France, Spain and Portugal.

 

At Liverpool airport, both Easyjet and Ryanair have built up successful European networks and have consistently introduced new routes, while new budget airline Wizzair has just begun flights to Poland. Liverpool`s facilities have expanded significantly along with the increase in passenger traffic which grew by 500,000 in 2007. The airport now handles around 5.5 million passengers a year.

 

So there you have it. No more need to spend hours searching for flights in and out of London’s Heathrow or Gatwick; instead look closer to home for those top deals to some of Europe’s finest and most affordable destinations. Although, if you are after a wider choice of flights passengers then boys from Birmingham advise you to rely on the more central airports. Birmingham to Rome flights for instance are now available with a number of different airlines including KLM, Lufthansa and Air France, offering flexibility and choice to anyone looking for a short break to this fantastic city.

 

Wherever you decide to go, remember to take one of our mp3 city guides with you - they make traveling that just much more enjoyable. If you don't believe me have a listen now by visiting our audio experience page.

 

Time to focus on London

The Naked Guide?  When I first met Monumental Adventure’s Flora Montgomery I was prepared. She was not your average former film actress - she had starred in Basic Instinct 2. Now I’ve never seen this sequel, but if it’s anything like the first I’m absolutely certain that there must be the odd bit of bare flesh on display.  Whether or not it’s Flora’s, I am relieved to be able to say that to this day I still don’t know.

But when we did finally manage to catch up I was aware that she was just the tonic that the world’s faltering Tourist Industry currently needs. Focussed and motivated but with an obvious and sometimes wicked sense of fun she has put together quite a company – there really is nothing else quite like it out there.

You see, what she’s trying to do is make us all more aware of the cities around us; the sights and sounds that we take for granted day in, day out. She has started by covering, in quite considerable quality and depth, London, New York and Beijing. She’s called in a few favours from the likes of Tracey Emin, Joanna Lumley and Tom Hollander and together with her team she had produced a unique collection of videos of world famous monuments, decaying cemeteries, colourful markets, medieval pubs and even a statue of a gorilla, and this is just in London.

The videos are beautifully shot and give you a taste of what the monument or location is about. Soon after my first visit to the website I headed off to the Whispering Gallery at St.Paul’s Cathedral followed by a rather morbid afternoon at Nunhead Cemetery. Both were fantastic experiences – it was just a shame that neither Flora nor Tom Hollander were there to hold my hand.

 

Which is where we come in, surely?  Surely. Because this is when there would be some considerable value in having an audio guide to hand. Most of these are not major attractions - certainly nowhere you’d find an on-site guide, either human or audio. How fantastic would it be to watch one of these videos and then, having decided where you’d like to visit, download the corresponding audio guides so that the experience could continue long after you left your computer?

We thought “very”, which is why we have setup a new in house initiative. Starting with London, we’re making all our audio content available as individual, site-specific guides. Essentially you’ll be able to choose what sites, locations and monuments you want to download onto your MP3 player, pick’n’mix style. No prescribed routes or set packages, you alone will be in charge of your own sightseeing destiny.

If you sign up to our feed or even go to our website and subscribe to our website we'll be able to tell you when the new service is available, which should be soon - very soon indeed.

In the meantime, StrollOn... 

StrollOn to Paris

Why am I so upset? No, it's not because I am about to head off to the Capital of Romance armed with a beret and baguette, but it is because I am about to spend a weekend in Paris without being able to trial our new Sixty Minute City.

Whilst we have now finished producing this new audio guide for London, Prague and Amsterdam, at StrollOn we have had a few issues with the timing of Paris. So I will have to satisfy myself with our free Hotpots and Sixty Minute Stroll.

Being the only one of the team to have only ever tried our products in London this represents a big moment for me. Not only am I going to use an audio guide abroad, but it will be a StrollOn one and it will, perhaps most importantly, be the first time in my life that I will have been able to mix business with pleasure.

So the pressure is on, my expectations are high and I do not expect to be left disappointed. We have not heard from any disenchanted customers to date, but I have nonetheless formulated a back up plan, which includes a bicycle helmet, a tour guide and great balance: it's time to meet monsieur et madame segway...

Until I return, StrollOn...

Big News

And finally we StrollOn is approaching where we feel you, the user, want us to be. After a few months in production we are about to release our free city overviews. We have produced ones for London, Paris, Prague and Amsterdam and we are about to have all of them downloadable from our website.

These audio guides are about 20 minutes in length and divided into bitesize chapters, covering the History and culture of the city, where to eat, nightlife, pleasure and pastimes, what to do in an emergency, how to get around, money and shopping as well as detailed what you have to do before you leave. A lot of this information will be used in the introductory section of our next product, the "Sixty Minute City" which is still in production. As a result we would love you to download the free city overview and give us some feedback. Or another way of helping would be to fill in our questionnaire:

Click Here to take survey

It only takes about 5 minutes and it will help us in fine tuning both this product as well as the Sixty Minute City. So keep your wallet in your pocket and give it a go - something that you can do when sitting vacantly at your computer - and talk to us. It is ,after all, what we are all about.

until then, StrollOn...