Culture

Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London

Feb 23, 2021 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

London has its share of great museums, from the National Gallery to the British Museum. It even has a number of smaller, more specialty museums for toys, cartoons, advertising, and more. With so many museums throughout London, there are any number of unique and downright unusual exhibits. From signature clothing items of local celebrities to forgotten bits of London’s … [Read more...] about Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London

London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View

Feb 18, 2021 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Pubs are a dime a dozen in London, and all of them have something to offer patrons. Whether you’re looking for the oldest, the best-looking, the best food, or the best beer, you’re likely to find exactly what you want. Additionally, plenty of pubs throughout the city offer some fantastic views, including establishments along the River Thames. From the picturesque edges of … [Read more...] about London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View

London Vignettes: Breakfast off the plane

Feb 18, 2021 By jonathan 2 Comments

Editor's Note: These memories are from the early 2000s. I don’t know about you, but the first thing I want to do when I arrive in London, is to get out of the bloody airport as quickly as possible. And eat. I’m always starving by the time we get through customs on arrival in the UK. The dinner served on the flight over is usually not very good or very filling. The … [Read more...] about London Vignettes: Breakfast off the plane

The London Fiver – Five London Locations for Beatles Fans

Feb 3, 2021 By John Rabon 3 Comments

Sure, the Fab Four certainly got their start in Liverpool playing at venues such as The Cavern Club, but London has its own special connections to the Beatles. From the venues, they played to the places where they lived (and still live today), Beatlemania has touched virtually every part of Britain’s capital. While there is no shortage of such musical locales to see in the … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five London Locations for Beatles Fans

Exploring Agatha Christie’s London – Places to See for Mystery Fans!

Jan 19, 2021 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

One of the most prolific mystery writers of all time, Agatha Christie wrote as many as 75 works over her career and created such well-know characters as Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Many of her stories featuring both characters and other literary sleuths she created largely take place in London. These works rely on places familiar to most readers as well as locales that … [Read more...] about Exploring Agatha Christie’s London – Places to See for Mystery Fans!

The Fiver – Five More London Dystopian Films

Jan 14, 2021 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Like the gray clouds that often hang over London, the genre of dystopian fiction permeates the atmosphere of British film. British cinema is able to devise all manner of bad futures, including environmental disasters, dictatorial governments, nuclear horror—you name it. And since the rest of the world understands how bad things can get when they happen in major cities, these … [Read more...] about The Fiver – Five More London Dystopian Films

The London Fiver – Five Collector Toy Shops

Dec 10, 2020 By John Rabon 3 Comments

They say you’re only as old as you feel. For many of us, growing up meant going to the toy store to look, but not take anything home. Now that we’re adults, we like to indulge ourselves in collecting, and there are plenty of stores in London that cater to this demographic. Unlike Harrods, Selfridges, or even Hamleys, the stores below cater to the young and the old, often … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Collector Toy Shops

The London Fiver – Five London Christmas Songs

Dec 8, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

The holidays are certainly a time for new songs to hit the airwaves. When you turn on the radio, you’re bound to hear a mix of old and new Christmas singles across all genres. The United Kingdom is certainly no different and every once-in-a-while, you’ll see a British Christmas song that involves London. These songs can be entirely about London or simply make reference to … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five London Christmas Songs

The London Fiver – Five London Invasion Films

Dec 2, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Invaders certainly aren’t an unknown for Britain’s capital. For hundreds of years, Angles, Saxons, Vikings, and Normans marched upon the city, imposing their laws and will on the populace. Of course, in the hundreds of years since the Normans conquered the UK in 1066, the city’s invaders have been fictional. From the Martians in War of the Worlds to Count Dracula, fears of … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five London Invasion Films

Nights out in London: Top Ten Underground Bars For a Cocktail

Nov 25, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Now, when we say underground, we’re not talking about bars you’ve never heard of before, but bars that are literally underground. London is full of places to drink that exist below the city’s streets. They’re in building basements, under railway arches, disguised behind more conventional establishments, or even converted from long-abandoned uses. They have atmospheres that … [Read more...] about Nights out in London: Top Ten Underground Bars For a Cocktail

The London Fiver – Five London Christmas Movies

Nov 24, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Christmas movies are one of the joys of the holiday. Whether you’re going to see one in a theater, on television, DVD, or a streaming service, there are plenty of options for holiday cinema. The locations of films can certainly vary from the big city to small-town America, and London has its own share of holiday classics. These films range from classic adaptations to modern … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five London Christmas Movies

The Bard’s Town: Shakespeare in London

Nov 23, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

William Shakespeare is regarded as one of the greatest literary figures in English history and quite possibly the greatest playwright in the world. Interestingly enough, for a man who spent the entirety of his life in England and London (and of course, Stratford-on-Avon), most of his plays seem to be set elsewhere. Italy, Scotland, Denmark, and other parts of Europe provide … [Read more...] about The Bard’s Town: Shakespeare in London

The Tate Britain Gets a Colorful Winter Makeover With Annual Art Installation

Nov 19, 2020 By jonathan Leave a Comment

The last few years the Tate Britain has commissioned a colorful light-based art project to adorn the front of the building. The results have been both controversial and beautiful. This year, a year where most of us can't even see it in person, Tate has unveiled the latest Winter Commission, which takes inspiration from Bollywood and many other sources. It's beautiful when … [Read more...] about The Tate Britain Gets a Colorful Winter Makeover With Annual Art Installation

The London Fiver – Five London Romantic Comedies

Nov 19, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

In troubling and lonely times, a good romantic comedy can help you feel better about life. London has been the setting of dozens of romantic comedy films over the years, and we have covered some others in the past. If you’ve already gotten through the previous ten, have a look at these five romantic comedies set in one of the world’s biggest cities. Each of these films … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five London Romantic Comedies

The London Fiver – Five Sci-Fi Films Set in London

Nov 9, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

England is arguably the home of science-fiction thanks to Mary Shelley and her novel Frankenstein, so it stands to reason that London would be a prime location for the setting of many sci-fi films. However, most of the genre’s movies that take place in the city seem to fall into either being about an alien invasion of a dystopian future. Yet there still manage to be a great … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five Sci-Fi Films Set in London

Through the Lens: Behind the Scenes of London’s (Closed) Theatres From New London Theatres Book

Nov 5, 2020 By jonathan Leave a Comment

London photographer Peter Dazeley's beautiful photos of London's Theatres were released in a book a few years ago and as a fan of London, architecture and pretty pictures, I loved the book. Well, this year, the publisher has issued a new edition, with ten additional theatres included. Peter has contacted us and offered to let us share a selection of the pictures from this … [Read more...] about Through the Lens: Behind the Scenes of London’s (Closed) Theatres From New London Theatres Book

London History: A Special Look at Cleopatra’s Needle on the Victoria Embankment

Oct 27, 2020 By Laura Porter 3 Comments

Did you know, London has an ancient Egyptian obelisk on display? It's not in a museum or a private collection. It's actually alongside the River Thames in central London so you may have seen it and not realised its significance. Cleopatra's Needle on the Victoria Embankment, near the Golden Jubilee Bridges, has a twin in New York's Central Park. (And those two have a … [Read more...] about London History: A Special Look at Cleopatra’s Needle on the Victoria Embankment

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Oct 25, 2020 By jonathan 3 Comments

I don’t normally post about other social media influencers but this one is so amazing, I had to share (and the creator said it was all right if I did). So, we’re all missing London a lot right now. It’s going to be a LONG time until those of us outside the UK are going to be able to go to London. Well into 2021 at least (we’re hoping to go October 2021 at this point). But … [Read more...] about Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Buck House: A History of Buckingham Palace – Long Read

Oct 20, 2020 By Laura Porter Leave a Comment

Editor's Note: You're going to want to brew a cuppa and read this one! While it has a much longer history, Buckingham Palace only became the London residence of Britain's sovereigns in 1837. The Palace is the administrative headquarters of the monarchy and the royal family. (The Queen refers to Buckingham Palace as "the office" as it's where she works rather than … [Read more...] about Buck House: A History of Buckingham Palace – Long Read

The London Fiver – Five of London’s Oldest Breweries

Oct 14, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

Ale has had a long history in the United Kingdom. By some accounts, it even predates the Romans as some historians evidence that the Romans often enjoyed a Celtic ale or two during their occupation of Great Britain. By the Medieval period, ale was mostly brewed on the premises of the inns and later taverns in which it was sold. The introduction of hops meant a new drink was … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of London’s Oldest Breweries

The Fiver – Five More Tudor Buildings in London

Oct 7, 2020 By John Rabon 2 Comments

Last year we covered some of the buildings that remain in London from the Tudor architectural style. Popular from the end of the medieval period through the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (for whom there is a subset of this design style), the Tudor style is characterized by hammer-beam roofs, long chimneys, timber framing, and brick masonry. While in the past we covered such … [Read more...] about The Fiver – Five More Tudor Buildings in London

Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums

Sep 29, 2020 By John Rabon 5 Comments

When people go to London, they tend to hit the major sites from Buckingham Palace to the Tower Bridge. This extends to the city’s museums as well, with most people opting for The National Gallery, The British Museum, the V&A, and so on. But what of London’s smaller museums? Don’t they deserve love too? Sure they do, and while they may not have the biggest draws, they … [Read more...] about Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums

London Long Read: A History of London’s 35 Bridges Over The Thames

Sep 24, 2020 By Laura Porter 3 Comments

Did you know, there are 35 bridges over The Thames in London? No, me neither so this was a really interesting article to research. From Hampton Court Bridge in the west (just within the Greater London boundary) through to Tower Bridge there are road bridges, railway bridges and footbridges too. Have a read through, admire the photos, then let us know which is your favourite. … [Read more...] about London Long Read: A History of London’s 35 Bridges Over The Thames

Top 10 London: Ten London Colleges and Universities

Sep 22, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

A university degree is certainly a sought-after prize in any country. While Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, and other institutions of higher learning in the UK certainly get their fair share of attention, London has quite a lot to offer as well. Some of these schools are hundreds of years old, and others rank amongst the top schools in their respective fields. Below we have … [Read more...] about Top 10 London: Ten London Colleges and Universities

The London Fiver – Five of the Best Libraries in London

Sep 16, 2020 By John Rabon Leave a Comment

You might not think that a library is the best place to spend some time when you’re in London, but my how wrong you would be. London has some of the best libraries in the world and their sheer beauty as well as their contents. Whether you’re doing research, looking for a great story, or want to delve further into the collections of the city’s museums, the libraries are the … [Read more...] about The London Fiver – Five of the Best Libraries in London