• Rather English - Visit the Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham

    Updated: 2012-12-30 08:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 30 December 2012 Rather English Visit the Stanley Spencer Gallery in Cookham First opened in 1962 in a former methodist chapel in the village of Cookham , Berkshire , the Stanley Spencer Gallery collects together some works of art by celebrated English painter and Cookham resident Sir Stanley Spencer . There can be no more fitting place to view the work of an artist so closely associated with both the village of Cookham than the chapel in which he once worshiped as a member of the congregation and many of the works on show feature Cookham ,

  • Rather English - See the Uffington White Horse

    Updated: 2012-12-29 11:18:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 29 December 2012 Rather English See the Uffington White Horse Though a number of white horses and other white figures exist on the chalk downland of Southern England , the Uffington Horse is particularly special as it is believed to date from the the Iron Age or the late Bronze Age , making it significantly older than many of its contemporaries . The horse is found close to the ancient trackway known as the Ridgeway and sits just below Uffington Castle , an ancient hill fort with which it is often assumed to be connected . For more , see http

  • Lovely green things: Salad Days

    Updated: 2012-12-28 11:00:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Friday , December 28, 2012 Lovely green things : Salad Days Salad Days is back at the Riverside Studios and is a delightful antidote to cold wet days in London . The story of a young couple who just recently graduated and find themselves entertaining London with a piano is a bit like the Fantasticks with its ever-so-silly plot , but the performances , inspired production and upbeat nature of the show make for an enjoyable , if slightly overlong . show It is 1954 and Timothy and Jane played by the wonderful Leo Miles and Katie Moore leave university to make their own ways in the world . A chance meeting with a tramp brings the couple together as his street piano gives everyone around them an irresistible and unstoppable urge

  • Rather English - Walk with the Festival of Winter Walks

    Updated: 2012-12-28 10:22:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 28 December 2012 Rather English Walk with the Festival of Winter Walks The Ramblers' annual Festival of Winter Walks has been taking place since 22nd December , but it isn't too late to join in , with walks taking place around the country until 6th January . Today's agenda includes walks in Oxfordshire , the Lake District , East Staffordshire , the New Forest , the Wandle Valley , Canterbury and scores more . For more , see http : www.ramblers.org.uk winterwalks From November 2012 until January 2013, Tired of London , Tired of Life will

  • Phone rings, bitch and drink, lose your friends: Merrily We Roll Along

    Updated: 2012-12-27 11:00:00
    : , , : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Thursday , December 27, 2012 Phone rings , bitch and drink , lose your friends : Merrily We Roll Along Merrily We Roll Along currently playing at the Menier Chocolate Factory near London Bridge is like a bitchier , nastier version of his show Company where Bobby is Frank and a total bastard . It has received great reviews has a wonderful cast , looks good well as good as aluminium windows on stage can be when they design feature but the period is the sixties and seventies so it is appropriate and sounds great . But for a show that tells the tale in reverse about how a man becomes wildly successful and loses his friends on the way , it is still a tough , bitter . sell The characters are two-dimensional and shout at each

  • Rather English - Wander in Westonbirt Arboretum

    Updated: 2012-12-27 10:26:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 27 December 2012 Rather English Wander in Westonbirt Arboretum Started in the mid-1800s by Victorian landowner Robert Holford , Westonbirt Arboretum is a collection of 16,000 trees from 2,500 different species , covering plants from all over the world including Britain , China , North America , Japan , Chile and many other countries . The arboretum covers some 600 acres , with 17 miles of pathways through the trees and was taken on by the Forestry Commission in 1956, who still open it to around 350,000 visitors a year with the assistance of

  • Rather English - Watch the Marshfield Mummers

    Updated: 2012-12-26 08:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 26 December 2012 Rather English Watch the Marshfield Mummers A seasonal tradition dating back centuries , Mummers Plays are live interpretations of folk tales which were once taken on house visits and to public houses by the performers to raise a few pennies . They are still performed in many areas and every Boxing Day , the town of Marshfield in Gloucestershire still has an group of mummer called Old Time Paper Boys' who turn out to perform a play . The Marshfield Mummers perform their play several times along the High Street , wearing

  • Rather English - Do the Hunstanton Christmas Swim

    Updated: 2012-12-25 08:49:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 25 December 2012 Rather English Do the Hunstanton Christmas Swim For more than 50 years the people of Hunstanton have been celebrating Christmas by charging headlong into the North Sea and swimming in its chilly waters . This year is just the same , with hundreds showing up to swim this morning at 11am , some for charity , some in fancy dress and others who just want a challenge , under the organisational talents of the Round Table . For more , see http : www.hunstantonroundtable.com xmas-swim.html Picture simonhunstanton From November 2012

  • Rather English - Attend Christmas Eve at York Minster

    Updated: 2012-12-24 08:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 24 December 2012 Rather English Attend Christmas Eve at York Minster Amongst the largest Gothic buildings in northern Europe , York Minster dominates the skyline of York . Started around 1230, it was not completed until the late 15th century , and since then it has been an important landmark for generations of those who live in York and the surrounding areas . On Christmas Eve , its draw for local people is understandable , and a number of services take place today , attracting up to 2,000 people . Three main services make up the programme at

  • Rather English - Celebrate Tom Bawcock's Eve

    Updated: 2012-12-23 08:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 23 December 2012 Rather English Celebrate Tom Bawcock's Eve To the tiny village of Mousehole in Cornwall , where today locals and visitors will be celebrating Tom Bawcock's Eve , as they do every 23rd December , remembering 16th century fisherman Tom Bawcock , who set out onto a stormy sea when no other boats were able to fish and the residents faced starvation , and returned with fish for everyone in time for Christmas . The festival combines with the annual Christmas lights in the village to make it a festive hotspot , and still sees the

  • Rather English - Shop at Bakewell Farmers Market

    Updated: 2012-12-22 08:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 22 December 2012 Rather English Shop at Bakewell Farmers Market Boasting over 70 stalls , Bakewell Farmers Market in the Peak District claims to be the second biggest Farmers Market in the country . Whilst it usually takes place on the last Saturday of the month , the Christmas one is early and is taking place today . Like many farmers markets , Bakewell features a wide range of locally grown and produced goods , and whilst the setting at the modern Agricultural Business Centre near the town centre is perhaps not as atmospheric as some , at

  • Rather English - Sing village carols at the Paper Mill, Whitehough, High Peak

    Updated: 2012-12-21 08:30:00
    , : , , skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 21 December 2012 Rather English Sing village carols at the Paper Mill , Whitehough , High Peak For those who find singing ordinary carols in chilly churches a bit underwhelming , the people at the Paper Mill Inn in Whitehough , Derbyshire , have the perfect solution . Tonight they are holding a carol singing session at their pub , featuring traditional village carol singing session starting at 8pm . Village carols were once common in areas like the Peak District , Cumbria and Yorkshire and have seen a resurgence in recent years , and this

  • …And a Happy New Year!

    Updated: 2012-12-21 08:11:06
    Christmas tree at my parents’ house in New York a few years ago One last entry for 2012 to wish all of you a wonderful holiday season and a fun and uplifting New Year! Thanks so much for reading LLO … Continue reading →

  • Rather English - Visit Mompesson's Well, Eyam

    Updated: 2012-12-20 08:30:00
    , : , skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 20 December 2012 Rather English Visit Mompesson's Well , Eyam In the summer of 1665 a parcel of material arrived from London in the sleepy little Derbyshire village of Eyam for the village tailor . Within a week he was dead , and within two months thirty more villagers had died . Under the direction of the Reverend William Mompesson , the village took the decision to seal itself off from the outside world . By November 1666 when the plague came to an end in Eyam , 260 out of 350 villagers had died , but the courageous decision of the

  • 8 Little London Observations

    Updated: 2012-12-20 08:17:33
    It’s the little things, as I’ve always said, that make London (and all cities for that matter) unique urban landscapes. These little things detract from the postcard experience (or may add a new dimension to it). It’s the tiny architectural … Continue reading →

  • Theatre going and moaning in the cheap seats

    Updated: 2012-12-20 06:00:00
    : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Thursday , December 20, 2012 Theatre going and moaning in the cheap seats Theatre in London is pretty good value for money , particularly if you don't mind trying your luck at the half price ticket booth , trying to get to the theatre by 10am for the few day seats on sale . nbsp Many of London's ageing theatres have great seats at a good price if you don't mind a partially restricted view or a bench seat . But it can be a false economy if you find yourself sitting in the theatre with your knees up to your ears because the row in front of you is so close . Or if you are so high and far away from the stage you can't see anything other than a small fuzzy dots which might be either actors or the onset of . vertigo While there are a

  • Sponsored Post: A guide to alternative Christmas events in London

    Updated: 2012-12-19 08:36:32
    Have you ever wanted to say Bah! Humbug to a traditional Christmas, but still want to see friends and family over the festive season? We have discovered some great alternative events in London that are sure to tickle your fancy. … Continue reading →

  • Rather English - Visit the Ridgeway Gallery, Bakewell

    Updated: 2012-12-19 08:30:00
    , : , skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 19 December 2012 Rather English Visit the Ridgeway Gallery , Bakewell The Ridgeway Gallery is a small private art gallery set in an old pub in the Peak District town of Bakewell . The gallery exhibits art for sale by a number of artists and sculptors , with a focus on local artists and inevitably some works which capture the beauty of the surrounding area . Your author was particularly taken with some of the landscape works , which were sadly out his price range . For more , see http : www.theridgewaygallery.co.uk From November 2012 until

  • Richmond Panto: Aladdin

    Updated: 2012-12-19 06:02:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Wednesday , December 19, 2012 Richmond Panto : Aladdin Some fun costumes , and a great performance by Tim Vine pictured far left as Wishy Washy keep Aladdin at the Richmond Theatre as a sensible evening out for families or very big kids who don't mind a mild case of panto over Christmas . This version of the Aladdin follows a fairly traditional storyline . Aladdin works in his mothers laundry , meets a princess and after stumbling across the lamp with a genie , is granted riches that allows him to marry her . Well he would have married her if that evil Abanazar didn't get in the way . The loose plot is an opportunity to show off some great costumes , sing a few songs and tell a few gags . A few more filthier jokes for older

  • Rather English - Seek out the grave of Little John

    Updated: 2012-12-18 08:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 18 December 2012 Rather English Seek out the grave of Little John Whilst some question whether he was real or just a legend , the people of the Peak District village of Hathesage claim that Robin Hood's faithful friend Little John was a real man who died in a cottage beside their church . We are told that the man who appeared alongside Robin Hood in ballads from around the 15th century onward was buried in the graveyard in a spot where a yew tree now stands and he is still commemorated with a rather more recent gravestone which marks the rough

  • 16 Photographs of London Strangers

    Updated: 2012-12-18 08:24:27
    Some Londoners photographed around the city for your Tuesday morning: Photo: Artist, designer and composer it’s Jerome in Tyler’s Court, Soho by Pete Zelewski Photo: This is Berry having a coffee at Maison Bertaux on Greek Street in Soho by Stretch1000 Photo: … Continue reading →

  • 16 Photographs of London Lights at Night

    Updated: 2012-12-17 08:31:22
    With the skies turning black so early these days, most of us walk home in the under the glow of street lights and neon signs. Here’s a handful of Winter night shots from the Flickr pool. They make me want … Continue reading →

  • Rather English - Climb Mam Tor

    Updated: 2012-12-17 08:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 17 December 2012 Rather English Climb Mam Tor An popular hill in the Peak District , topped off with an Iron Age hillfort , Mam Tor stands 517 metres high at the head of the Hope Valley , and its name translates as something along the lines of mother hill' Despite the wind , your author thoroughly enjoyed the brief climb to the top , and even enjoyed the approach by car via the atmospheric limestone gorge of Winnats Pass . From the top , there are excellent views down into Edale and the Hope Valley , where trains can be seen working their way

  • Rather English - Drink from St Ann's Well, Buxton

    Updated: 2012-12-16 08:30:00
    , : , skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 16 December 2012 Rather English Drink from St Ann's Well , Buxton Thanks to ubiquitous plastic bottles of the stuff , Buxton is now known around the country for its mineral water , and the Peak District town still takes great pride in its waters . For those seeking a more authentic experience than getting it off the shelves at their local corner shop , it still comes straight out of the ground at St Ann's Well on the Crescent in the centre of town . The current well casing was installed around 1940 as a tribute to Councillor Emelie Dorothy

  • Rather English - Sing carols by candlelight at Eastleach Martin

    Updated: 2012-12-15 08:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 15 December 2012 Rather English Sing carols by candlelight at Eastleach Martin Back down south in spirit today to God's own county of Gloucestershire to mention a Christmas carol service by candlelight at the Church of St Michael and St Martin at Eastleach Martin near Cirencester . This evening from 6pm this beautiful Medieval church which is cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust hosts a rare service on the banks of the River Leach , celebrating the season just as one might imagine hundreds of congregations doing since the church was

  • In a damp warm spot: Mydidae

    Updated: 2012-12-14 23:00:00
    : : Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Friday , December 14, 2012 In a damp warm spot : Mydidae A day in the life of a married couple , as set in a bathroom is the premise of Jack Thorne's sharp and funny play , nbsp Mydidae currently playing at the Soho . Theatre This classy little play on the top floor of the Soho Theatre features a fully plumbed bathroom , that provides the backdrop for a full and frank exploration of a couple and their secrets . Actors Pheobe Waller-Bridge and Keir Charles undress , shave , lust after each other , wash and urinate in front of the . audience Strangely enough they don't fart in front of each other which was possibly a missed opportunity as there never seems to be a better place to do that than in a bathroom . Particularly if

  • Rather Welsh - Eat at Food For Thought at Gladstone's Library

    Updated: 2012-12-14 08:17:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 14 December 2012 Rather Welsh Eat at Food For Thought at Gladstone's Library Your author leaves Gladstone's Library this morning , and has had such a positive experience it feels only right to give it one more mention , in the form of some praise for its great restaurant , Food For Thought . Food For Thought specialises in a simple menu of locally-grown organic food served in a pleasant setting within the main library building , as well as tea , coffee and homemade cakes and biscuits . If you're in the area it's certainly worth dropping in ,

  • Rather English - Eat at the Pheasant Inn, Higher Burwardsley

    Updated: 2012-12-13 10:06:00
    , : , skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 13 December 2012 Rather English Eat at the Pheasant Inn , Higher Burwardsley Your author passed a very pleasant evening by the fire yesterday at the Pheasant Inn at Higher Burwardsley , a great little pub at the end of a network of Cheshire lanes which traces its history back to at least the seventeenth century . We are told that Burwardsley once meant clearing in the woods' , and today the pub is a haven for walkers , sitting as it does on the Sandstone Trail as recently featured on this website . For those looking to stay a little longer ,

  • New Fashion Brands & Streetwear Brands

    Updated: 2012-12-12 11:12:27
    Margin presents two new consumer-facing websites to help promote independent designers. StreetwearBrands.com will promote new, young & emerging streetwear brands, as well as featuring some more established names. NewFashionBrands.com will be the showcase for new & emerging designers of women’s & men’s clothing and accessories. Streetwear brands can submit their news and updates for consideration at StreetwearBrands.com [...]

  • Rather English - Wander the Rows of Chester

    Updated: 2012-12-12 10:13:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 12 December 2012 Rather English Wander the Rows of Chester A distinctive aspect of the city centre in Chester is the Chester Rows , with half-timbered galleries , accessed via steps , forming a second row of shops above those at street level . A feature of the streets radiating from Chester Cross , they are found in Watergate , Eastgate and Northgate Streets and in Upper Bridge Street . Though their origins of the Rows are subject to debate , it is thought that they date from at least the 13th century . A number of suggestions about how they

  • Rather Welsh - Stay at Gladstone's Library

    Updated: 2012-12-11 10:03:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 11 December 2012 Rather Welsh Stay at Gladstone's Library Your author has left England to travel three miles into the Welsh county of Flintshire for a stay at Gladstone's Library , Britain's only residential library , and also our only Prime Ministerial Library , established in the 19th-century in the village of Hawarden by William Ewart Gladstone , who is said to have transferred some 32,000 books half a mile down the road from his home at Hawarden Castle by wheelbarrow when already in his 80s . As well as a fine collection of 250,000 books ,

  • Rather English - Walk Cheshire's Sandstone Trail

    Updated: 2012-12-07 08:30:00
    , : skip to main skip to sidebar Tired of London , Tired of Life One thing a day to do in London England A website about things to do , on a Rather English research trip until January Pages Home About Contact Talking to Strangers Book Public speaking 7 December 2012 Rather English Walk Cheshire's Sandstone Trail A 34 mile distance walking path connecting Whitchurch in north Shropshire with Frodsham on the banks of the Mersey estuary , the Sandstone Trail follows a ridge of wooded sandstone hills which stretches all the way across an area of countryside known as the Cheshire Plain Along the route , the trail takes in Bronze Age and Iron Age hill forts , Roman roads , Medieval churches and castles , and some spectacular views , and also inevitably passes some lovely pubs including the 17th

  • Classic songs, breathless dancing, innuendo and long pauses: Kiss Me, Kate

    Updated: 2012-12-06 05:30:00
    : , , : , Paul in London Paul is in London . And seeing mostly theatre Thursday , December 06, 2012 Classic songs , breathless dancing , innuendo and long pauses : Kiss Me , Kate The Chichester Festival production of Kiss Me Kate now playing at the Old Vic Theatre has a wonderful cast and thrilling and lively musical numbers . If there is one thing to be bothered by this production it is that between the songs things are not so lively . The dialogue is treated as if it were Shakespeare , and some of it is . Delivered so slowly . And deliberately . That much of the fun feels drained at times from the show . Thankfully there are too so many musical numbers that are well-conceived and performed that you will find yourself waking up to enjoy . them Star Hannah Waddingham was indisposed last

Current Feed Items | Previous Months Items

Nov 2012 | Oct 2012 | Sep 2012 | Aug 2012 | Jul 2012 | Jun 2012