Samuel Pepys is one of the greatest writers in British literary history—and all because he kept a diary. Today, Pepys’ Diary is considered to be the greatest personal account of life and events in 17th Century England. It is a work revered both by literary and historical scholars as a first-hand account of such important moments as the Great Fire of London, the Second Dutch … [Read more...] about GREAT LONDONERS: Samuel Pepys – The Scribe of London
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The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in December
The holidays take over Greater London in December, but Christmas events aren’t the only things happening in the city. London has a lot going on during the month of December, and we’ve found quite a few things to do that aren’t necessarily related to Christmas, from great beasts to the chilliest of swim competitions. If you’re looking for London Christmas events, we also have … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in December
The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London Before Christmas
Christmas is a magical season in cities all over the world and London is no different. From the lights to the festivities, Christmas is all around Greater London and provides locals and tourists with plenty of ways to get into the holiday spirit. To that end, we’ve listed out five different things you should try in London leading up to the holidays. No matter what your mood … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London Before Christmas
Exhibition Report: George IV – Art and Spectacle at The Queen’s Gallery
A new exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, looks at a king who collected and commissioned many of the finest works of art in the Royal Collection. George IV: Art and Spectacle makes it clear he was a patron of the arts and while he didn't hold back on the spending, he did have good taste. This is the official state portrait of George IV by Sir Thomas Lawrence, … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: George IV – Art and Spectacle at The Queen’s Gallery
The London Fiver – Five of the Best Places for Christmas Shopping On Your Holiday Visits to London
The mad shopping season of Christmas is upon us. As we venture out of our homes, we brave crowded streets and shopping centers in search of those items that will tell our friends and family how much we love them. London is a shopper’s paradise throughout the year, but things turn up a notch after Halloween ends. The Christmas decorations go up on the high streets, the … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of the Best Places for Christmas Shopping On Your Holiday Visits to London
The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in November
Things certainly start getting colder in London during November, but the city is still smoking hot with events all month long. From Diwali on the Square to the Lord Mayor’s Show, there are plenty of major things happening, but that’s not all. Food, art, and automobiles are also on tap for this month, and we’ve outlined five cool events going on during November that you should … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in November
The Brit Film Fiver – Five Scary London Horror Films To Watch This October
Awooooooooo! Werewolves of London! Of course, the werewolves aren’t the only monsters haunting the city’s streets in horror films. London has seen itself preyed upon by all manner of creatures in cinema including werewolves, mummies, aliens, murderous fiends, and the devil himself. Plenty of films made have used London as a backdrop and provide any Londonphile with … [Read more...] about The Brit Film Fiver – Five Scary London Horror Films To Watch This October
The London Fiver – Five of the Most Unusual London Restaurants
Food’s great, but sometimes you need a little ambience. In a city such as London, the atmosphere in a restaurant can range from the traditional to the eclectic and plenty of restaurants offer their own unique experience along with a great menu. Looking at London’s more colorful restaurants, you can find places where performances are happening all around you, you can dine like … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of the Most Unusual London Restaurants
Exhibition Report: The New Hidden London Exhibition at the London Transport Museum
I'm fortunate to have been on all of the London Transport Museum 'Hidden London' tours of disused stations and tunnels but not everyone has had that opportunity. The tours are only available on certain dates (not all year round), and the (sometimes) long climbs may have put you off. Some say the tours are expensive (I think they are exceptional value) and also, children can't … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The New Hidden London Exhibition at the London Transport Museum
The Fiver – Five Things to Do in London in October
The spookiest month of the year is upon us and that brings with it a number of Halloween and fall-related events to Greater London. However, if you don’t feel up for the festivities, you can get into costume for other reasons, experience art and literature, or celebrate other cultures. We’ve found five different activities going on in London during the month of October that … [Read more...] about The Fiver – Five Things to Do in London in October
Exploring London Mercantile History at the Lloyd’s Register Building
While you may have seen the Lloyd's of London building in the City of London designed by Richard Rogers, do you know about the Collcutt building? As part of Heritage Open Days, I went to visit the Lloyd's Register building on Fenchurch Street. Designed by Thomas Collcutt, this late-Victorian office opened in 1901 as a statement building and a sign of prosperity. Lloyd's … [Read more...] about Exploring London Mercantile History at the Lloyd’s Register Building
Top Ten Works of Art to See at the Tate Britain
The Tate Britain is the flagship of the Tate museum group and has been a fixture in British art since it opened in 1897. Its collection is full of art from throughout the United Kingdom going back to the Tudor era and includes some of the country’s biggest names from J.M.W. Turner to William Blake. With so many works over such a long span of time, there are plenty of … [Read more...] about Top Ten Works of Art to See at the Tate Britain
The London Fiver – Five of the Best Sweet Shops To Visit On Your Next Trip (Don’t Tell Your Dentist!)
Besides the costumes, one of the top reasons to celebrate Halloween are the sweets that flow freely around the holiday. London certainly has its share of candy shops, from stores selling classic treats to chefs with confectioneries of their own making. No matter what kind of candy you want, you should be able to find it in London, and we’ve outlined five different candy shops … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of the Best Sweet Shops To Visit On Your Next Trip (Don’t Tell Your Dentist!)
The London Fiver – Five Cool Things to Do in London in August
As Summer starts to wind down, London still has plenty of fun activities for seasonal visitors. While we have covered other major events that go on during this month such as the Proms, the opening of Buckingham Palace to the public, and the Notting Hill Carnival, there are many other awesome events going on. They run the gambit of festivals, sport, musical theater, and just … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Cool Things to Do in London in August
Buckingham Palace Summer Opening Report: Queen Victoria’s Palace at the annual opening of the Buckingham Palace State Rooms
While the Queen takes a summer break in Scotland, we can tour the State Rooms of Buckingham Palace for the annual ten-week summer opening. This year the rooms are available to us from 20 July to 29 September 2019, and the special exhibition marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Queen Victoria. 'Queen Victoria's Palace' tells the story of how the young monarch turned an … [Read more...] about Buckingham Palace Summer Opening Report: Queen Victoria’s Palace at the annual opening of the Buckingham Palace State Rooms
Exhibition Report: The Moon – 50th Anniversary Apollo Exhibition at National Maritime Museum in Greenwich
To celebrate 50 years since NASA's Apollo 11 mission landed the first humans on the Moon, the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich is staging the UK's biggest exhibition dedicated to Earth's nearest celestial neighbour. The Moon is open from 19 July 2019 and charts the cultural and scientific story of our relationship with the moon through over 180 objects, including artefacts … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The Moon – 50th Anniversary Apollo Exhibition at National Maritime Museum in Greenwich
The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London in June
Summer kicks into full gear when June rolls around and London offers a lot to do as the city moves into warmer months. Festivals, ceremonies, boot markets, and sports are just the beginning of what the city has to offer during the month of June. No matter what you’re in the mood to do, it’s guaranteed that there is going to be something that will meet your interests. In … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Things to Do in London in June
London Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace
Marking the 500th anniversary of the death of Leonardo da Vinci, this exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, brings together more than 200 of the Renaissance master's greatest drawings in the Royal Collection. As the Royal Collection has more drawings by Leonardo da Vinci than any other Renaissance artist, it forms the largest exhibition of his work in over 65 … [Read more...] about London Exhibition Report: Leonardo da Vinci: A Life in Drawing – Blockbuster New Exhibition at Buckingham Palace
Exhibition Report: The New Secret Rivers Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands
The latest free exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands is Secret Rivers. Open from 24 May to 27 October 2019, it combines art and archaeology with mudlarking, photography, film and much more to uncover the mysteries of London's rivers – both those that flow above ground and those that have been buried beneath our feet. A large wall map shows us the routes of the hidden … [Read more...] about Exhibition Report: The New Secret Rivers Exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands
London Exhibition Report: A Look at the Blockbuster Queen Victoria 200th Anniversary Exhibition at Kensington Palace
24 May 2019 is the 200th anniversary of Queen Victoria's birth at Kensington Palace. To mark the bicentenary of this historic event there is a new visitor route, Victoria: A Royal Childhood, through the suite of rooms she would have known well. And over in the Palace's Pigott Gallery, there is a new temporary exhibition, Victoria: Woman and Crown, that considers the private … [Read more...] about London Exhibition Report: A Look at the Blockbuster Queen Victoria 200th Anniversary Exhibition at Kensington Palace
The London Fiver – Five Ways to Beat the London Heat This Summer
Sure, London summers don’t get as hot as they do in the United States, but you’d be surprised how warm it can get. Temperatures in the 70s might seem pretty cool to us, but it’s a little toasty for the average Londoner. If you want to experience summer the way the locals do, there are plenty of opportunities to cool off throughout Greater London. Whether you’re chowing down … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Ways to Beat the London Heat This Summer
The London Fiver – Five Children’s Literature Statues To See in London
London is a city that is the setting of many a children’s book from One-Hundred and One Dalmatians to Peppa Goes to London. With hundreds of years of literary history under its belt, the city has many monuments to great works and authors—and these include statues dedicated to children’s literature. There are at least five statues dedicated to some of the most well-known … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Children’s Literature Statues To See in London
The London Fiver – Five of the Best Sports Bars
One could certainly argue that every pub in the UK is a sports bar, since it’s naturally where everyone gathers to watch a match. Certain pubs, of course, are bound to have their favored teams’ colors adorning the walls and cheering supporters on game day. However, some places go above this to mark themselves as true sports bars, a place seemingly designed only to watch the … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of the Best Sports Bars
Laura’s London: Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition – The Design Museum – Our Review – Is It Worth Going?
Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition has opened at The Design Museum in Kensington and is on until 15 September 2019. A global touring exhibition which started its journey in 2004, has at last reached London where so many of Kubrick's movies were filmed. Marking the 20th anniversary of Stanley Kubrick’s death, the exhibition explores his unique command of the whole creative … [Read more...] about Laura’s London: Stanley Kubrick: The Exhibition – The Design Museum – Our Review – Is It Worth Going?
The London Fiver – Five Atmospheric Subterranean London Bars To Visit
Today, underground is a word that tends to conjure images of secrecy and exclusivity when it comes to places. When it comes to London, the underground is synonymous with the city’s subterranean train service. Of course, there is also the original meaning and applied to bars; it can mean any number of drinking establishments that can be found below the London streets. The … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Atmospheric Subterranean London Bars To Visit
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