londoners' eye

Whats foods do South Africans in the UK miss the most?

luke — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:59:51 PDT

I have been keeping an eye open for interesting infographics recently and this one is a bit of fun aimed at anyone that has relocated to London or to the UK from South Africa.

There are lots of shops in London where you can pick up South African food goods and this infographic is based on research by the following shops:

You can read about each food item in more detail after the infographic:

Click the image to see the original research

(Research by South African Hotels).

Biltong

Biltong is a kind of cured meat which originates from South Africa. The word biltong is from the Dutch bil (“rump”) and tong (“strip” or “tongue”) The Dutch settlers who arrived in southern Africa in the 17th century brought recipes for dried meat from Europe.

Drywors

Is often referred to as droëwors in Afrikaans this product is related both in name and in nature to the Dutch droge worst. Droëwors does not contain curing agent as found in a traditional cured sausage.

Boerewors

Boerewors is based on an older traditional Dutch sausage. It is made from coarsely minced beef, sometimes combined with minced pork and lamb as well as spices.

Sparletta Creme Soda

Which is very similar in taste the UK versions of cream soda, however happens to be bright green in South Africa.

Simba Nik Naks

Corn based crisps that come in a variety of flavours, however the cheese ones are most popular.

Mrs Balls Chutney

Is a brand with roots firmly planted in South African heritage, it is eaten with many South African meals.

Peppermint Crisp

Is a milk chocolate bar filled with a multitude of thin cylinders of mint-flavoured toffee Invented in South Africa by Wilson-Rowntree, it is common for children to bite off both ends of the bar and use the series of mint tubes as a straw to drink milk.

Ouma Rusks

South Africa’s best-known brand of rusks - a traditional South African snack that is dipped in coffee or tea before being eaten.

Maize meal

Locally referred to as mielie/mealie pap, is a staple food in South Africa. It is mixed with hot water and stirred until a porridge like mash is created, often served with tomato sauce and meat.

Tennis Biscuits

These square coconut biscuits made with real golden syrup, coconut and butter are apparently South Africa’s favourite biscuit.

These posts were created for: londoners eye A site offering insider information for Londoners and tourists. Advice, reviews, tips and information for Londoners and tourists from real life Londoners...

Whats foods do South Africans in the UK miss the most?

London Michelin Star Restaurant Map and Infographic

luke — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:18:03 PDT

The Trainline have created a cool infographic and embeddable Google Map about all of the Michelin star restaurants in the UK. Theres a lot more than I thought around 150 and I have even been to a few without realising it!

The infographic is full of interesting facts about Michelin star restaurants and the best deals to grab:

Source: thetrainline.com

Also here is a nice little map that shows all the restaurants and their contact details click the stars level of the left hand key to filter by star levels:

London Michelin Star Restaurant Map and Infographic

Five of London’s favourite historic pubs

luke — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:39:50 PST

Image taken by plusgood on Flickr

As you’d expect in a city of London’s age, there are plenty of fascinating historic buildings lurking around corners and hidden down narrow alleys - and pubs are no exception!

There is a wealth of old alehouses you can frequent during your stay in cheap hotels in London, so if you’re in need of some inspiration as to the top traditional pubs to visit in the capital, check out our list of five of the best.

Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese

This pub deserves to be on any list of London’s top historic drinking holes, as there has been an inn here since the mid-16th century. Its present incarnation, however, dates from 1667 after the original building was destroyed in the Great Fire of London.

Tucked down an alley off Fleet Street, this fascinating establishment is comprised of several different bars, each possessing its own unique charms. It’s definitely worth slipping downstairs to the cellar bar, as it used to be part of a 13th century monastery.

Many literary figures have reputedly drunk here over the years, including Charles Dickens and Arthur Conan Doyle, so you’ll be in good company if you stop for a pint in this pub.

The George Inn

As the city’s last remaining galleried coaching inn it would be wrong not to include The George here.

Now looked after by the National Trust, a large part of the building was sadly demolished by the Great Northern Railway, but what is left is brimful of character and certainly worth exploring. One of its crowning glories is the hidden courtyard, which is something of a suntrap in the summer. As you slip off Borough High Street and into its confines, you’ll feel as though you’ve stepped back in time!

This was another of Dickens’ haunts and is even mentioned in his novel Little Dorrit!

Ye Olde Mitre

Another pub that makes use of ‘ye olde’ in its name - and once again another establishment that manages to live up to its historic credentials.

Located on Ely Court, near the Chancery Lane tube stop, this rather small but incredibly enchanting bar is well worth a visit while in London.

Once you step inside, you’ll be met with a warm welcome from the staff and can look forward to spending a happy hour or two sipping on your drinks - without the distraction of a TV or games machines creating noise in the background.

Make sure you look out for the stump of a cherry tree in the bar - one of the pub’s claims to fame is that Elizabeth I danced around this tree while using it as a maypole.

The Prospect of Whitby

Dating from the early 16th century, this is arguably one of London’s best-known pubs and it’s had its fair share of famous customers over the years, with Samuel Pepys, Charles Dickens and Kirk Douglas among the people to have had a drink here.

Situated on Wapping Wall, it overlooks the River Thames. When you step inside, you’ll be walking on the original flagstone floor, while the bar top is made from pewter - not something you’ll see in your average boozer.

The Lamb

If you want to know what it was like to sit in a Victorian pub, make sure you visit The Lamb before you leave London.

Constructed in the 18th century, it was restored to its former glory in the 1960s and many of the original fixtures are still in place - including the rather quirky snob screens, which used to enable drinkers to anonymously order their next beverage.

This establishment on Conduit Street is also a good place to head to in the summer, thanks to its inviting beer garden.

Five of London’s favourite historic pubs

Chocolate Festival Southbank 2011

luke — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:53:08 PST

The Chocolate Festival returns to Southbank Centre for its annual Christmas celebration this weekend. The festival offers an ideal opportunity to discover the goodness of real, artisan, fine chocolate as well of course as being a chance for total, justified indulgence and a perfect opportunity to bag some thoroughly irresistible Christmas presents. The only problem will be not eating the prospective presents!

Chocolate is a passion that deserves to be indulged and what better time than Christmas to celebrate the joy of chocolate and share it with your loved ones. This looks like a great day out to spend with family and friends, learning about how much more there is to chocolate than what you see in your local newsagent and supermarket.

As always, chefs and chocolatiers demonstrations, as well as tutored tastings will take place in the Chocolate Cookery Theatre coordinated by renowned Chef and culinary Expert Valentina Harris. (Full timetable of events will be updated on the website). So come and be inspired and meet the people who are revolutionising the way we view and enjoy chocolate as they share their passions for creating the finest chocolates with the flavours that will send your tastebuds to places they have never been before.

And of course there will be dozens of stalls showcasing chocolate and chocolate products, such as hot chocolate, chocolate cakes, chocolate fudge, crepes with chocolate, churros with chocolate, chocolate pretzels, chocolate cocktails, a chocolate fountain, chocolate making kits and even chocolate savoury food!

The festival’s shiny new website will soon be regularly updated with interactive features, recipes, chocolate facts and competitions, as well as information about the festival itself – so make sure you log on and get involved with the chocolate movement now at www.festivalchocolate.co.uk .
Southbank Centre has a range of special festive events and concerts on offer, including many free events, making it a great day out for all the family this Christmas.

Chocolate Festival Southbank 2011

London Casinos for Casual Poker Players

luke — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:30:16 PDT

London is one of Europe’s top cities when it comes to poker games, with a little something to appeal to players of all levels and bankrolls. Unlike some areas such as Monte Carlo that cater more to the high roller, London casinos have plenty to offer the casual player just looking for a cheap and friendly tournament or cash game to take a seat at. Any of the casinos listed below are a great place to start as far as getting a taste of the London poker scene and all welcome casual players who stroll in looking for a game.

The Western Club:

The Western is one of the larger poker clubs in the UK and runs a wide range of tournaments and cash games. Most of their weekly tournaments are £25-30 NLHE freezeouts and typically draw 30-40 runners (although the club has capacity for up to 300 players).

Casino at the Empire:

Situated very conveniently at Leicester Square, Casino at the Empire is open 24/7 and run numerous daily tournaments and cash games. Most are at lower limits (£1-£2 NL and £1-£3 NL cash games and £20-35 buy-in tournaments) but the games can be very loose and the competition soft, especially on the weekend.

Victoria Casino:

Better known as “The Vic”, this is one of the best known card rooms in London and the host for many international poker tournaments. The Vic is home to some of the larger cash games and tournaments, featuring weekly tournaments ranging from £40 to £100 buy-ins and cash games from £1-£1 up to £10-£25 (and sometimes as high as £25-£50).

The Vic has played host for many large Texas Hold Em poker tournaments including European Poker Tour and World Series of Poker Europe events.

The International:

The International provides a nice mix of tournaments and cash games, with a focus on lower stakes but also the occasional £100 tournament and £2-£5 cash games. It’s also one of the few poker rooms in London that offers a loyalty program for players that awards points for your play that can be used to enter exclusive tournaments and cash game races.

London Casinos for Casual Poker Players

London Design Festival Event Line-Up 2011

luke — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 03:17:24 PDT

The time for the London Design Festival has swung back around again. There are hundreds of events this year with numerous exhibitions, talks and shows being held at the V&A Museum and a littering of high class shops and boutiques partaking in the Design Festival including The Conran Shop, The Royal College of Art, Ligne Roset and the Designers Guild.

More details about events can be found on the official London Design Week Festival website, the festival runs from the 19th to the 25th of September 2011.

18th Century Modern
Designers Guild
26 Sep 2010 (All day) - 24 Oct 2010 (All day)
267 Kings Road

Picturing Plants: Masterpieces of Botanical Illustration
The V&A
5 Feb 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Ramboll Funnel Sculpture
Ramboll
15 Apr 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
60 Newman Street

Tradition Transformed: Contemporary Korean Ceramics
The V&A
29 Apr 2011 (All day) - 3 Oct 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Recording the New
The V&A
4 Jun 2011 (All day) - 30 Oct 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Outline Editions
Outline Editions
10 Jun 2011 (All day) - 16 Jul 2011 (All day)
94 Berwick Street

Japanese Enamels: the Seven Treasures
The V&A
14 Jun 2011 (All day) - 19 Aug 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road London

Livingstone Studio
Livingstone Studio
15 Jun 2011 (All day) - 22 Dec 2011 (All day)
36 New End Square

V&A Illustration Awards 2011
The V&A
17 Jun 2011 (All day) - 17 Dec 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Serpentine Gallery Pavilion 2011 designed by Peter Zumthor
Serpentine Gallery
1 Jul 2011 (All day) - 16 Oct 2011 (All day)
Kensington Gardens

Alsos* and Akousmaflore By Scenocosme
Watermans
6 Jul 2011 (All day) - 30 Sep 2011 (All day)
40 High Street
Discipline:

The Jameel Prize
The V&A
21 Jul 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Style Without Boundaries
Northumbria University, Design School
15 Aug 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
1-15 Bradley Close

Mind over matter: Alan Fletcher’s The Art of Looking Sideways
Kemistry Gallery
25 Aug 2011 (All day) - 1 Oct 2011 (All day)
43 Charlotte Road
Discipline:

Made by Britain
Vitsœ
26 Aug 2011 (All day) - 14 Oct 2011 (All day)
3-5 Duke Street

aMEND - Donna Walker
Donna Walker Design
1 Sep 2011 (All day) - 30 Sep 2011 (All day)
Victoria Park Road

The Sculpture House
See Studio
1 Sep 2011 (All day) - 1 Oct 2011 (All day)
13 Prince Edward Rd

This Is Not a Pop-up
Southbank Centre
1 Sep 2011 (All day) - 22 Sep 2011 (All day)
Belvedere Road

Limited Edition Showcase at Southbank Centre Shop Festival Terrace
Southbank Centre
1 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Belvedere Road

A Form of Perfection
Electrum Jewellery Gallery
2 Sep 2011 (All day) - 26 Sep 2011 (All day)
21 South Molton Stree

The Power of Making
The V&A
6 Sep 2011 (All day) - 2 Jan 2012 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Society of Bookbinders
The V&A
6 Sep 2011 (All day) - 30 Oct 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Line, Volume and Space - New Work by Ashraf Hanna
Contemporary Ceramics Centre
8 Sep 2011 (All day) - 1 Oct 2011 (All day)
63 Great Russell Street

Silver-where?
In Tandem
8 Sep 2011 (All day) - 2 Oct 2011 (All day)
92 Brick Lane

The Passion of Simplicity: Nedda El-Asmar
The Mosaic Rooms, A.M. Qattan Foundation
9 Sep 2011 (All day) - 28 Sep 2011 (All day)
226 Cromwell Road

Kate Maestri: Drawing Near The Light
Contemporary Applied Arts
9 Sep 2011 (All day) - 8 Oct 2011 (All day)
2 Percy Street

Oxo Tower Wharf
Oxo Tower Wharf
9 Sep 2011 (All day) - 2 Oct 2011 (All day)
Bargehouse Street

African & African-Caribbean Design Diaspora Festival 2011 @ Bargehouse
The African and African-Caribbean Design Diaspora
9 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
OXO Tower Wharf
Discipline:

UK China Art and Design Festival
UK China Art and Design Association
9 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
65 Alfred Road

Tracey Neuls and Faudet - Harrison
Tracey Neuls Design
10 Sep 2011 (All day) - 1 Oct 2011 (All day)
73 Redchurch Street
Discipline:

Telling Tales
Ligne Roset Westend
12 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
23-25 Mortimer Street
Discipline:

Galleria illy - hosted by FLOS and MOROSO
FLOS
12 Sep 2011 (All day) - 16 Oct 2011 (All day)
15 Rosebery Avenue

A Pylon for the Future
London Design Festival at the V&A
12 Sep 2011 (All day) - 5 Oct 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Thomas Feichtner Hands-On Design
Austrian Cultural Forum
13 Sep 2011 (All day) - 26 Oct 2011 (All day)
28 Rutland Gate

COLD COMFORT by SALLY SPINKS
tenderproduct + TENDERPIXEL
13 Sep 2011 (All day) - 4 Oct 2011 (All day)
6 Cecil Court
Discipline:

Confluence: The future for Europe’s creative economies
Designersblock
14 Sep 2011 (All day) - 30 Sep 2011 (All day)
32 Smith Square
Discipline:

A Pylon for the Future
The V&A
14 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

THROUGH THE KEYHOLE AT MILK: FORNASETTI VASE COLLECTION 2011
MILK CONCEPT BOUTIQUE
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
118 1/2 Shoreditch High Street
Discipline:

Show 3
Viaduct
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 1 Oct 2011 (All day)
1-10 Summers Street

Making Believe 2011
Goldsmiths, University of London
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
Clinton Rd

‘Making Out’
Timothy Mark
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
18 and 20 New Quebec Street
Discipline:

Kvadrat presents Textile Field by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec
Kvadrat
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Darkroom presents the ‘Stolen from De Stijl collections
darkroom
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
52 Lamb’s Conduit street

Inside Playful Minds
University of the Arts London
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 28 Oct 2011 (All day)
272 High Holborn
Discipline:

Creative Connections
?? wagumi
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 2 Oct 2011 (All day)
Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street

The House of Annie Lennox
The V&A
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 26 Feb 2012 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Aesop hosts Studio Jo Meesters
Aesop
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 29 Sep 2011 (All day)
Redchurch Street
Discipline:

Aesop hosts Studio Jo Meesters
Aesop
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 29 Sep 2011 (All day)
Westbourne Grove
Discipline:

Case Furniture
Case Furniture
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
189 Stonhouse Street

LEGO Greenhouse, Covent Garden
LEGO
15 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Covent Garden

Campfire
ditto tv
15 Sep 2011 (All day)
190 New North Road, Islington

FLORID - micro flora in the kitchen garden http://www.roundhousedesign.com
Roundhouse
16 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
11 Wigmore Street
Discipline:

‘Masks’ by Ben Newman
Nobrow
16 Sep 2011 (All day) - 11 Nov 2011 (All day)
62 Great Eastern Street

Unwrapped
Jani Kaila Photography
16 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
16 Heneage Street

Dainow&Dainow
Department of Coffee and Social Affairs
16 Sep 2011 (All day) - 13 Oct 2011 (All day)
14-16 Leather Lane

Modus
Modus
16 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
28 - 29 Great Sutton Street
Discipline:

Shading / Robert Stadler
Carpenters Workshop Gallery
16 Sep 2011 (All day) - 12 Nov 2011 (All day)
3 Albemarle Street

It’s All Change at The Conran Shop
The Conran Shop
16 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
81 Fulham Road

The Shape Of Things: Cass/ASD MA Show
The Cass London Metropolitan University
16 Sep 2011 (All day) - 19 Sep 2011 (All day)
59-63 Whitechapel High Street

Designing Life at The Natural History Museum: The Unnatural Selection by Shay Alkalay and Yael Mer
London Design Festival
16 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road
Discipline:

Designed in Britain, Made in Britain
London Design Festival
16 Sep 2011 (All day)
Discipline:

RCA - YAMAHA Design Project ‘Resonance’
Yamaha Design Studio London
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
152-160 Wardour St

Claesson Koivisto Rune Architects at Skandium
Skandium
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
245-249 Brompton Road

25th Birthday Trail
Cockpit Arts
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Discipline:

HAYON INTERPRETS BISAZZA BAGNO
BISAZZA
17 Sep 2011 (All day)
60 Sloane Avenue
Discipline:

ENLIGHTENED WASTE
MARION FRIEDMANN GALLERY
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
8 Egerton Garden Mews

A Tale of the Dysmorphic City
Ijeoma
17 Sep 2011 (All day)
125 Charing Cross Road

HEAL’S celebrates 60 years of Marimekko
Heal’s
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
196 Tottenham Court Road
Discipline:

The Great Room at 1508 London for London Design Festival
1508 London
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 29 Sep 2011 (All day)
7 Howick Place

Mint Explores
Mint
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 30 Sep 2011 (All day)
North Terrace

Snowden Flood Store
Snowden Flood
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Bargehouse Street

BoConcept 2012 collection launch
BoConcept
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 18 Sep 2011 (All day)
158 Tottenham Court Road

Studio Ware
GALLERY FUMI
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
87-89 Tabernacle Street

Methods of Imitation
Methods of Imitation
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
10-12 Exhibition Road

REVOLT / REFORM / RESULT : Post-War Dutch Furniture
Rocket
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 27 Nov 2011 (All day)
Tea Building
Discipline:

Launch of Autumn collection
Yastik by Rifat Ozbek
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
8 Holland Street

This Way Up
British Council
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
31-35 Pitfield Street

A Chair Affair
Natuzzi
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Tottenham Court Road
Discipline:

Noma Bar ‘Cut It Out’ at the London Design Festival
Outline Editions
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 1 Oct 2011 (All day)
94 Berwick Street

The Pavilion at The Dock
Timothy Hatton Architects
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
557 Harrow Road

Dezeen Space
Dezeen
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 16 Oct 2011 (All day)
54 Rivington Street

FENDI and the RCA
Royal College of Art
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
181 - 182 Sloane Street

ARAM
Aram
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
110 Drury Lane
Discipline:

Shoreditch Design Triangle
Squint Limited
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
178 Shoreditch High Street

Cubit Modular Shelving System co-operating with Forster Inc. in Shoreditch showroom take part at the LDF from 17 - 25 September
Cubit Modular Shelving System co-operating with Forster Inc. in Shoreditch showroom!
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
63 Redchurch Street

New Cutlery Launch and Exhibition
David Mellor Design
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
4 Sloane Square

Clear Air
Mar Mar Co.
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
16 Cheshire Street

Mixed Messages
Martha Freud Design
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
12 Camley Street

SCP Design Department Store
SCP
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
135 - 139 Curtain Road

‘Liberty Bell’ by Timorous Beasties
Liberty
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Great Marlborough Street

raw dice pop up shop
raw dice
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
49-51, Curtain Road

Today’s Specials
Todays Specials
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Portobello Road

BEHIND BARS - HILARY BEAUCHAMP & JOHN DAWSON
Gallery One and a Half
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 21 Oct 2011 (All day)
1 1/2 Ardleigh Road

Launch of the Republic of Fritz Hansen Store
Republic of Fritz Hansen
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
13 Margaret Street

Hemma: Swedish Design at the Residence
Swedish Design goes London
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
27 Portland Place

FLOCK: TELL STORIES
FLOCK
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
1 North Terrace
Discipline:

AL_A: Timber Wave
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 15 Oct 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Scaffolding Brut: Beta Tank
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

BRITISH-ISH
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Ronan & Erwan Bouroullec: Textile Field
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Beyond the Valley
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

V&A and Me: Designer Maps
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Industrial Revolution 2.0: Murray Moss
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

On The Case – Constrictions Of…
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Brutal Simplicity of Thought: How It Changed the World
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Habitat
Habitat
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
196-199 Tottenham Court Road

Outset Design Fund
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Digital Hub
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Crafting the Collection: The Power of Making
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

World Cities: Copenhagen
The V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

The Google Design Lectures: Charlotte Jarvis and J. Paul Neeley
London Design Festival at the V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

39 at The Covent Garden Piazza
Bocci
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Covent Garden

The Poltronova Connection
Nigel Coates
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
25 Thurloe Street
Discipline:

Faye Toogood Delicate Interference : Assemblage 3
Phillips de Pury
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 4 Oct 2011 (All day)
45-47 Brook Street

Size + Matter: David Chipperfield
London Design Festival
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Belvedere Road
Discipline:

Boned in England - Multiples of Light
Emily Johnson @ 1882 Ltd
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
107A Pimlico Road

Cole & Son
Cole and Son
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
40 Liverpool Street

White Pencil Installation
D&AD
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
24 Endell Street

USELESS STUFF?
CROOK & JONES
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
155 BATTERSEA PARK ROAD

V&A Shop and V&A Bookshop
The V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

V&A Reading Rooms
The V&A
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Up, Up and Away - New things launched at YCN
YCN
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
72 Rivington Street

At Home With Arik Levy : in power 10
Molteni & C Dada
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
199 Shaftesbury Avenue

“Love’in’ stitch workshop with Fine Cell Work
Fine Cell Work www.finecellwork.co.uk
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
344 Ladbroke Grove
Discipline:

Gallery Libby Sellers opening exhibition
Gallery Libby Sellers
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 15 Oct 2011 (All day)
41-42 Berners Street
Discipline:

Whatever is to become of books?
Sojournposse
17 Sep 2011 (All day)
Gower Street
Discipline:

David Chipperfield Architects: Two Lines
London Design Festival
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 16 Oct 2011 (All day)
Belvedere Road
Discipline:

Alessi
Alessi
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
22 Brook Street

Boffi Wigmore
Boffi Wigmore Street
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
25 Wigmore Street

Boffi Chelsea
Boffi
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
254 Brompton Road

David Adkins: Sightline
London Design Festival
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
27 Howbury Road
Discipline:

Designing Life at The Natural History Museum: Regeneration: Osmosis by Arik Levy
London Design Festival
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road
Discipline:

Lomography at The London Design Festival 2011
Lomography UK
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)

Take Me Home
For All We Know
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
165 Battersea High St
Discipline:

Pimlico Road Design District
Pimlico Road Design District
17 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)

Vera, Chapter One
Vera, Chapter One
18 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
2 Cromwell Place

Walking the Line
The V&A
18 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

WALTERWORKs
WALTERWORKs
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 20 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brompton road

One Day Designers Sale: Interior Products
Craft Central
19 Sep 2011 (All day)
33-35 St John’s Square
Discipline:

Cut laser Cut - Client Showcase | Open studio.
Cut Laser Cut
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
South Lambeth road

Forza at home with Walter Knoll.
Forza Projects
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
143-149 Great Portland Street
Discipline:

UAL Platform - Making your mark
UAL Platform
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
272 High Holborn

Quarterre at Look Mum No Hands
Quarterre
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
49 Old Street

Lightwood Chair, Punkt. for Japan and an exhibition of glasses
Jasper Morrison Ltd. Shop
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
24b Kingsland Road

Moooi
Moooi
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
555 Harrow Road

Whiteout
The Danish Cabinetmakers’ Autumn Exhibition
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
206 Brompton Road

Established & Sons
Established & Sons
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
5 - 7 Wenlock Road

Tom Dixon
The Dock
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
344 Ladbroke Grove

B&B Italia Celebrates Ten Years in London
B&B Italia
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
250 Brompton Road

Minotti London
Minotti
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
77 Margaret Street

Atrium host UK introduction of Wall Rupture by Thierry Dreyfus for Flos
Atrium
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
22-24 St Giles High Street

EDC London
EDC London
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
20 Margaret Street
Discipline:

London Design Festival Breakfast talks: Paul Priestman
London Design Festival at the V&A
19 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

International Business Seminar Series
London Design Festival at the V&A
19 Sep 2011 (All day)

The Boss Design Group
The Boss Design Group
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
7 Clerkenwell Road

The Art of Drawing
The V&A
19 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Lunchtime Talk: AL_A with American Hardwood Export Council
London Design Festival at the V&A
19 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Design of the Signs
London Design Festival at the V&A
19 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Gallery Talk: V&A Illustration Awards 2011
The V&A
19 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Designer Talk: Bouroullec Brothers
London Design Festival at the V&A
19 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

JAPANIZED KITCHEN LIVING by Gateway Japan
Gateway Japan
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
142 - 144 Holland Park Avenue

Perspectives: St Paul’s Cathedral
London Design Festival
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
St Paul’s Churchyard
Discipline:

MODULAR HOME – the understated, uncomplicated home spa solution
TOTO
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
140 - 142 St John Street
Discipline:

Green Sky Thinking
Open City
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 22 Sep 2011 (All day)

East End Design Hub
Andaz Liverpool Street
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 26 Sep 2011 (All day)
40 Liverpool Street

WIll Alsop and friends
Testbed1
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
33 Parkgate Road

Poltrona Frau Group Showroom
Poltrona Frau
19 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
150 St John’s Street

The Informational City 2011
Information Environments, London College of Communication, University of the Arts London
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
Elephant & Castle
Discipline:

A right royal makeover with the Prints of London
Vic Lee Prints of London
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
21 Clerkenwell Green

Landing In London
Studio Lawrence
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
93 - 95 Sclater Street

1 Week Boutique
1 Week Boutique
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
33-35 St Johns Square

Design Market - Analysis and Experience
EB&Flow
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
77 Leonard St

The Concept Lounge: Ideas Generator
The Concept Lounge
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
50 Redchurch Street

DESIGN DIVERSIONS
Someday Collective
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
269 Kingsland Road

Bernhardt Design presents the international launch of Workshop
Bernhardt Design
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 23 Sep 2011 (All day)
99 St John Street

Ideal Home
CHELSEA space
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 22 Oct 2011 (All day)
16 John Islip Street

Signs and the City
London Transport Museum
20 Sep 2011 (All day)

Crest Living Mad Hatter’s Tea Party
Crest Living
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
242 Brompton Road

THE BOLD LOOK OF KOHLER at West One Bathrooms
KOHLER
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
44 - 46 Clerkenwell Road
Discipline:

International Business Seminar Series
London Design Festival at the V&A
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Fantasy Skylines: Architectural Postcards
The V&A
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Lunchtime Talk: Beta Tank
London Design Festival at the V&A
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Gallery talk: Picturing Plants
The V&A
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Bespoke - a ‘community-centred’ approach to design
London Design Festival at the V&A
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Better By Design – towards European Design Policy
London Design Festival at the V&A
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

White Pencil Sharp’ner
D&AD
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
24 Endell Street

Salon
Lee Broom
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
93 Rivington Street

Robin Day Reclining chair
twentytwentyone
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
274 Upper Street

Barcelona Design Meets London Design
GR Studio
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 6 Oct 2011 (All day)
1-5 Vyner Street

Fondle + Squeeze at The SCIN Gallery
27 Old St - SCIN Gallery
20 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
Morelands, 27 Old St

Change the Record
Paul Cocksedge Studio
20 Sep 2011 (All day)
56 Shoreditch High Street

THE SMALLS SHORT FILM FEST 2011
The Smalls Short Film Fest 2010
21 Sep 2011 (All day) - 22 Sep 2011 (All day)
125 Charing Cross Road

FORMOSA SHOW 100 - Taiwanese Design
FORMOSA SHOW
21 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
3 Torrens Street

Romagna Creative District
Romagna Creative District
21 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)

Vintage to Today- Furniture and Design
Muralto
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
6 Seymour Place
Discipline:

Portraits in the Making
PM Gallery & House
21 Sep 2011 (All day) - 12 Nov 2011 (All day)
Walpole Park

DESIGN FOR TAKEAWAY!
HUBA - HUNGARIAN BAZAAR
21 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
73 Leonard Street

LICC Awards Ceremony
London International Creative Competition
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road

Fitzrovia Now Launch Party
Together Design
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
118-120 Great Titchfield Street

OneDeko’s Official New Launch
OneDeko
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
7 Horner Square

Romagna Creative District: Into the Pattern
Romagna Creative District
21 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
340 - 344 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4DA

Designjunction
Resident
21 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)

London Design Festival Breakfast talks: Kiki van Eijk and Joost van Bleiswijk
London Design Festival at the V&A
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

International Business Seminar Series
London Design Festival at the V&A
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Ceramics Open Studio
The V&A
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Engineering Eyelashes: Paper Art
The V&A
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Lunchtime Talk: London Design Festival at the V&A
London Design Festival at the V&A
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Lunchtime Lecture: Kazakh craftswomen
The V&A
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Design and Classicism Today
London Design Festival at the V&A
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Do You Buy Brands or Do Brands Buy You?
London Design Festival at the V&A
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Baccarat at Midori House
Baccarat
21 Sep 2011 (All day) - 22 Sep 2011 (All day)
1 Dorset Street

Marsotto Edizioni UK launch
twentytwentyone
21 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
18c River Street

Lucy Bullivant in conversation with Antonio Citterio
London Design Festival at the V&A
21 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Tent London
TENT
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brick Lane
Discipline:

100% Design
100% Design
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Warwick Road
Discipline:

Matilda - Australian design survey
Matilda Ltd
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 26 Sep 2011 (All day)
Victoria House basement
Discipline:

Design in Science
Alex Driver and Carlos Peralta
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
St John Street

avantGarden
avantgarden
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
380 OLD STREET

100% Norway 2011
100% Norway 2011
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Warwick Road
Discipline:

The Problem Comes First
Royal College of Art
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 5 Oct 2011 (All day)

KOREA DESIGN (100% DESIGN LONDON 2011 KOREA DESIGN PAVILION)
Korea Institute of Design Promotion
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Warwick Rd.

emerge
emerge
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
65 Hanbury Street

Tuttobene London 2011
Tuttobene
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
64 - 66 REDCHURCH STREET

Origin: The Contemporary Craft Fair
Origin: The Contemporary Craft Fair
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 28 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brushfield Street

REDDRESS London
The Finnish Institute in London
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
5 Old Ford Road
Discipline:

Lux Craft
Origin: The Contemporary Craft Fair
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 28 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brushfield Street

CCD - Cross Cultural Design Exhibition at Designersblock
Goldsmiths, University of London
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
34 St. John Street

WOOD & WOAD
Few and Far Shop
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
242 Brompton Road
Discipline:

Silent Revolutions / Contemporary Design in Slovenia
MAO
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brick Lane
Discipline:

Inspiring the Future
Hidden Art
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Earls Court Exhibition Centre

RCA at LDF 2011
Royal College of Art
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 5 Oct 2011 (All day)
Kensington Gore

The A Range product launch
ByALEX
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
5 Back hill

Textile Floorstyle
Little + Collins
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Barge House Street

SPIN
Miranda Watkins Design
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Oxo Tower Wharf
Discipline:

Remastered: A Visibly Smart production from Intel
TENT
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brick Lane
Discipline:

Alpha-ville
Alpha-ville
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
1-7 Westgate Street

Kingston University / Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture / MA Show 2011
TENT
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brick Lane
Discipline:

DESIGN ISLAND The Cream of Irish Design
TENT
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brick Lane
Discipline:

Superbrands London
TENT
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brick Lane
Discipline:

Creature Collective
Supafrank
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
16-18 Heneage Street

Resident
Resident
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)

Colourful Life, an exhibition by Ian Wright
TENT
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Hanbury Street
Discipline:

Urdaimonia: In search of the urban good life.
Sanitov Studio
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
16 Wapping High Street

Give Me More
EPFL+ECAL Lab
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Kensington Gore

Designing for an Ageing Population
London Design Festival at the V&A
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Clay Pigeons
London Design Festival at the V&A
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Pop up plants: Clay Flowers
The V&A
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Lunchtime Talk: Beyond the Valley
London Design Festival at the V&A
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Design and the Home: Re-imagining Traditional Objects
London Design Festival at the V&A
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Gallery talk: The Society of Bookbinders International Competition 2011
The V&A
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Gallery talk: The Architectural Photography of Bedford Lemere & Co.
The V&A
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Craftmanship and Provenance - a part of the UK’s economic recovery?
The V&A
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Flavor Paper
Flavor Paper
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Brick Lane

Jacob Jensen Design: Tomato Soup or Pork and Rice?
Jacob Jensen Design
22 Sep 2011 (All day)
55 Sloane Street

designjunction
designjunction
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
37-63 Southampton Row

Beau McClellan Design
Beau McClellan Design
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
37-63 Southampton Row

Another Country
Another Country
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
37-63 Southampton Row

Tramshed 2011
Tramshed 2011
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
32 Rivington Street

De La Espada at Tramshed 2011
De La Espada
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
32 Rivington Street
Discipline:

Designersblock London 2011
Designersblock
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
34 St John Street
Discipline:

The Auction Room Exhibition
The Auction Room
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
34 St John Street

Block Party
Crafts Council
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
37-63 Southampton Row
Discipline:

Urban_Camper
Chieh Ting Huang
22 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
16-18 Heneage Street,

2011 Innovation Hothouse Final
The Royal Academy of Engineering
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Carlton House Terrace
Discipline:

Ceramics in the City 2011: A three-day selling fair
Geffrye Museum
23 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
136 Kingsland Road

Barber Osgerby Private View
Haunch of Venison
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
6 Burlington Gardens

The Great Outdoors of Design
The Reach Network
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
35 - 47 Bethnal Green Road,

Graphic Design Walk
Bird Watching
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
19 Warburton Road

12:grn:hrs - design a green car in a day!
Green Car Design
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
34 Bow Street

Designers Fiesta 2011
Academy Class
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
15 Hatfields
Discipline:

London Design Festival Breakfast talks: Marcel Wanders
London Design Festival at the V&A
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Letters from London: Hand stitching onto textiles
The V&A
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Pop up plants: Clay Flowers
The V&A
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Lunchtime Talk: London Design Festival at the V&A
London Design Festival at the V&A
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

How Design Stopped Being Special
London Design Festival at the V&A
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

IP Management in a Digital and Open Innovation Age
London Design Festival at the V&A
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Creative higher education - the end as we know it, or the end?
London Design Festival at the V&A
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Design Talk: Celia Birtwell
The V&A
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

The Creativepool £1000 Design Treasure Hunt!
Creativepool
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Clerkenwell Green

HOK Open Evening Event
HOK
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
90 Whitfield Street

ARTS THREAD at the V&A
ARTSTHREAD
23 Sep 2011 (All day) - 24 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road
Discipline:

March of the Pylons
London Design Festival
23 Sep 2011 (All day)
Exhibition Road
Discipline:

Ecopink
e-side
24 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
34b York Way

The Curious World of Skew
skewstudio
24 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
79, Leonard St

Barber Osgerby
Haunch of Venison
24 Sep 2011 (All day) - 19 Nov 2011 (All day)
6 Burlington Gardens

Postmodernism: Style and Subversion 1970-90
The V&A
24 Sep 2011 (All day) - 8 Jan 2012 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Ceramics Open Studio
The V&A
24 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

The Google Design Lectures: Design as performance
London Design Festival at the V&A
24 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Digital Design Weekend
London Design Festival at the V&A
24 Sep 2011 (All day) - 25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

The Google Design Lectures: Chris Sanderson
London Design Festival at the V&A
24 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

DEDAR NEW SHOWROOM
DEDAR
25 Sep 2011 (All day) - 28 Sep 2011 (All day)

Decorex International 2011
Decorex International 2011
25 Sep 2011 (All day) - 28 Sep 2011 (All day)
Discipline:

The Google Design Lectures: Simon Waterfall and Daljit Singh
London Design Festival at the V&A
25 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Focus/11
DCCH
25 Sep 2011 (All day) - 28 Sep 2011 (All day)
Lots Road

Denise Scott Brown -Talking Architecture
The V&A
29 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Rem Koolhaas and Charles Jencks – Talking Architecture
The V&A
30 Sep 2011 (All day)
Cromwell Road

Scholtès Centre of Excellence Launch
Scholtès
17 Oct 2011 (All day) - 21 Oct 2011 (All day)
98, Wigmore Street

London Design Festival Event Line-Up 2011

London the financial capital of England

luke — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 05:48:42 PDT

Image taken by odetothebigsea on Flickr

Historically, London was one of the world’s major trading and financial hubs due to its position as the seat of the British Empire. As time went on, it became the centre of transatlantic trade.

Today it is the largest of Europe’s metropolitan areas, with a population of over 12 million people and is still one of the world’s financial capitals, considered, with New York, to be the most important financial centre in the world, and thought by some to be one of the world economy’s “command centres”. The city economy of London is the 5th largest worldwide, beaten only by Tokyo, New York, LA and Chicago. In 2008, it boasted a GDP of over $560 billion. Finance is the largest industry in London, with over 300,000 people employed in the financial services area in 2007. London is the world-leader in overseas banks, with almost 500 such institutions in the city.

Many factors have contributed to London’s establishment as a world financial centre. Important elements include the fact that English, the language of business, is the native language. Its EU membership is also highly relevant as is the special relationship that the United Kingdom enjoys with the United States and the country’s historical links with countries across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. A factor that cannot be discounted is that London’s time zone serves as an important bridge between Asian and US markets. London’s excellent transport links and infrastructure are another benefit, especially the international access afforded by the local airports - more international passengers pass through London Heathrow than any other airport in the world, while the Tube network allows travel across the bustling city.

A particularly relevant area is the business-friendly environment of the City of London. Businesses have a direct impact on local government, allowing input into practices and procedures that could affect their success. Relatively low taxes are appreciated by business as is the fact that tax rates are especially friendly to non-UK domiciled residents.

London’s status as a global financial capital, as well as the factors that led to its pre-eminence means that if you are considering an MBA, it makes sense to choose a university near London, such as MBA courses at Middlesex Uni. By studying so close to one of the world’s financial capitals, you can take advantage of your proximity to a centre of financial life and gain real-world experience of its business environment. You will be close to world-renowned companies and so easily fit interviews, internships and work placements in with your studies. Studying at a university near London will allow you to combine work in London with your MBA coursework by taking advantage of part-time or modular learning.

London’s pre-eminence in finance is highlighted by the city’s status as the home to the London Stock Exchange, the Bank of England, and Lloyd’s of London insurance market. Its importance is recognised by business, with more than 70 per-cent of the FTSE 100 (the top 100 listed UK companies) basing their headquarters in London, one in five of the 500 largest companies in Europe with their headquarters in Central London, and three quarters of Fortune 500 companies maintaining offices in the city.

While these companies may have based themselves in London due to its status as a world financial centre, it is their presence that cements London’s status as a global financial capital, operating almost in a feedback cycle.

London the financial capital of England

Kew Gardens - Royal Botanical Gardens

luke — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:21:03 PDT

There are so many attractions in London that when you live in the big city, there are plenty of great places to visit that simply slip through net. Kew Gardens was a prime example of one these places that I had never got round to visiting, until recently that is …

On a recent Saturday morning we popped on the overground with a couple of friends and worked our way across London from Hackney to the posh climates of Richmond. Kew Gardens is pretty easy to locate once you stumble off the train and there were a series of stalls and shops selling nice food treats for elevenses.

Although originally I had thought that the ticket price was a little pricey how upon arriving at Kew Gardens you realise that the place is massive and there is tons to see and do.

The Royal Botanical Gardens covers roughly 121 hectares and is a Unesco World Heritage Site and is packed full attractions.

One of the highlights of the day included sheltering in the various tropical greenhouses while dodgy the sporadic downpours of rain (remember to pack waterproofs). The greenhouses are really expansive and cater to plants that are used to warmer climes so you can expect to find tropical fruits like pineapples, banana trees and even the famous Coco De Mare. Some of the greenhouse contains tropical plants which make interesting subjects for any keen photographers out there. There are treasure trail style guides for the kids to enjoy too.

The treetop walkway which is 18 metres high and 200 metres long is a must see! This feels a little like you are in Jurassic Park as you climb a rusty staircase to walk along a slightly wobbling walkway amongst the treetops. The walkway gives you a great view out over the rest of the gardens and the see through floor of the walkway is quite exhilarating.

Other worthwhile attractions in Kew Gardens include the Japanese Gardens which do feel as if you have wandering into Japan as all the trees and buildings are ridiculously authentic.
Kew Gardens is truly massive so if you are intending to visit make sure you put aside a good amount of time to get around the place and it is worth checking out the website first to make a hit list of the parts of the gardens you would like to take a look at.

There is something for everyone at Kew and in the height of Summer it would make an idyllic location for a romantic picnic or stroll through the grounds. Be sure to pack a camera as there are hundred and thousands of plants and scenic backdrops to snap pictures of too.

Kew Gardens - Royal Botanical Gardens

Taking Great Pictures in London

luke — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 05:00:39 PDT

Image taken by Josh Gee Photography on Flickr

London is full of great places to take pictures and walking around the city can be an
extremely enjoyable hobby and a great way to spend time with friends or even make new
friends through photowalks or getting involved with photography groups.

Like any capital city London is full of bright lights and sights to take photographs of
and many iconic things that can only be found in London like red telephone boxes, the
traditional red London bus and popular tourist attractions like Big Ben, the London Eye
and the Gherkin.

Digital SLRs are extremely popular with people taking photographs in London and the
below are the most commonly spotted cameras which people use in London:

If you are intending to buy a digital SLR it is a good idea to set yourself photography
projects to make sure you make the most of your expensive camera. Below are some
different types of photography themes that can be fun to explore while taking pictures
around London:

Night Photography in London

London is a great city for taking night shots as the city is full of busy roads for grabbing
long exposure shots with light trails and blurred street-lights. Taking photographs of
famous landmarks at night is often a great way of getting a more unusual photo and gives
your images more of unique look and feel.

When taking night photographs in London you should take care and consideration for
safety and it is best to take photographs in a group and keep your expensive equipment in
bags until you are going to use it.

Architectural Photography in London

There are numerous famous and attractive building in London which make for dramatic
photographic subjects. Try experimenting with light levels at different times of day in
order to get more unusual photographs which differ from the kind of tired pictures you
can see on postcards.

Due to increased policing and terrorism scares in London police can often be quite
sensitive when it comes to people taking photographs of public buildings. While this can
be annoying it is important to remember that security guards and the police have the best
intentions at heart and if you are asked to stop taking photographs you should probably
listen!

Street photography in London

Street photography is a growing phenomenon and is becoming extremely popular within

major cities like London. Several famous photography blogs such as The Sartorialist and
Facehunter have led to lots of budding photographers taking to the streets to grab photos
of the cities more interesting characters.

Street photography can be achieved by simply taking photographs of interesting and
quirky people with a unique sense of style whom catch your eye. Brick Lane, Shoreditch
and West London spots like South Kensington can be great locations for finding some
interesting subjects.

London market photography in London

There are countless street and food markets in London, which present a golden
opportunity to get some great shots. Often bustling with passing trade and tourists at the
weekend, markets can be a excellent spot to grab some action shots.

Food markets offering up a wide range of exotic food products can make for dramatic
subject matters if photographed using macro lenses or a fixed focal length lens like a
50mm.

If you become overwhelmed by London you can find plenty of photo groups on photo
sharing websites like Flickr for some inspiration and to keep the ideas flowing.

Taking Great Pictures in London

Best Road Bikes for London

luke — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 04:00:19 PDT

Racing bikes are extremely popular in London as they have the benefits or versatility and
reliability while remaining extremely functional for nipping around the big city.

Prices for a road or racing bike is like asking how long a piece of string is, as setups
can vary immensely due to the large range of cutting edge components and super light
technology. However most leading companies offer competitively priced road bikes,
which are well suited to the streets of London.

A racing bike also benefits from the added bonus of being extremely light-weight if made
from carbon or aluminium. This can make lugging your bike up and down flat block
staircases a little more bearable.

The fact road bikes usually come equipped with around 24 gears is also a blessing for
the daily commute to work as sometimes you just want to take it easy, particularly if you
have had a heavy night in the pub the day before.

A road or racing bike is the ideal option for someone looking to get more serious
with their cycling as they are well suited to combating the daily commuting grind and
thrashing out a reasonable length weekend ride during the sunny summer months.

Versatile – As previously mentioned road and racing bikes are well suited to a number

of uses like cycling to work popping down the shops and longer cycles out into the
countryside which surrounds London.

Fast and reliable – Bang up to date cycling technology means that racing bikes are much
faster than hybrid or folding bike counterparts and offering a high level of reliability
during regular use.

Light and responsive – As racing bikes are a lot lighter than hybrid bike they tend to be
much more responsive which can be useful when navigating the various quality of drivers
and cyclists in London. Having a responsive bike in London is a godsend and the benefits
of being able to pop up a curb is used more often than you would think.

Benefit of gears – Although London is mostly flat there can be added incentives to
having gears. Such as screeching away from the lights or pumping out some extra speed
to get out of potentially dangerous situations. Gears can also be extremely useful on
longer rides when your legs need a rest. It may seem obvious but having a large range of
gears will also mean that you can reach higher speeds which can be extremely enjoyable
when road become clear.

Benefiting from the latest technology – Racing bikes design are by nature influenced by
cutting edge technology passed down from top-level racers and winning teams. As such
leading marketplace road bikes are extremely well set up for cycling and can remove

common problems like backache or aching legs. Boasting all the latest technology also
leads to more components being available so you can add the usual extras like helmets,
water bottles and even customised parts like handlebars wheel sets and Kevlar lined tyres.

When choosing a road bike it is important to buy frames and parts which fit your height
and a style of bike which matches what you intend to use the bike for.

Best Road Bikes for London

Best Folding Bikes for London

luke — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 06:20:01 PDT

Folding bikes have become extremely popular in London over the last few years as
folding bike technology has advanced greatly and there are more folding bikes available
on the market from a wider selection of brands.

Folding bikes are ideal for London because they can be carried onto tubes and stored
under desks at work without the worry of theft. Although slightly more expensive than
standard bikes folding bike options tend to reduce the overall cost of kitting yourself out
with a bike, as there is no need for expensive bike locks.

Also folding bikes like the popular Brompton make a clear fashion statement and as such
appeal to a certain quirky crowd of bike riders. Essentially folding bikes are more limited
to city riding so most people you see on bikes like Dahons or Bromptons are kitted out in
suits and ties rushing to and from meetings.

Some companies are attempting to reduce carbon footprints by snapping up a fleet of
folding bikes for staff to use for meetings and to get around London.

Below there is a selection of the most popular folding bikes in London and finally a list
of reasons why folding bikes are so popular in the capital:

Easy to carry around London – As these bikes can be folded they can be easier to carry
around than standard bikes so you can take them with you almost anywhere like shops,
supermarkets and restaurants.

Can be carried on public transport – Taxis and certain tubes lines allow folding bikes
to be taken on board. This means that folding bikes are a popular choice for longer
journeys which involve several modes of transport. Folding bikes are also great for the
social drinker as you can cycle to work or the pub and hop into a taxi with your bike in
tow for the trip home.

Better Security – Bike theft is extremely common in London and a major concern for
cyclists. As folding bikes can be stored under your desk at work this removes any worries
about your bike being stolen while you are hard at work.

Don’t drop in price as much – Unlike other commuter bikes, folding bikes like a Brompton
hold value extremely well and can be a worthwhile albeit expensive, initial investment.
Fingers crossed you should be able to pick up a folding bike new and sell the bike if kept
in reasonable condition for around the same price a year later.

Make a statement – Folding bikes also make a clear statement and dramatically stand
out from other bikes like fixed or single speed counterparts.

Best Folding Bikes for London

Best Cameras for Taking Pictures in London

luke — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 06:00:58 PDT

Pretty much every tourist in London seems to be walking the streets armed with a camera
of some sort. Digital cameras are now available in all shapes, colours and sizes. It is well
worth investing in a decent priced camera before visiting London or if you are planning
on living in London for some time.

London is the perfect subject and location for budding photographers or tourists looking
to document their travels. With famous landmarks and buildings spread all over London
it can be difficult to walk around the capital without spotting something worthwhile
grabbing a photo of. Also what better way of telling your friends about a trip than
flicking through digital photos when you get home!

Digital cameras nowadays break down into three categories and it really depends on
what kind of pictures you want to take as to which camera you should buy. This article
highlights the best in each range and examples of what each type of camera is best
designed for, and finally what to check for when buying a new camera in terms of
functions and technical aspects.

Point and Shoot Cameras

These are the easiest types of camera to use and are often the cheapest to buy and can be
great for snapping away pictures for uploading to Facebook or emailing to your friends
and relatives. When buying a point and shoot digital camera you should compare LCD
screens sizes and brightness, the start up speed of the camera and zoom and digital zoom
of the lens.

Bridge Cameras

Bridge cameras are ideal for the budding photographer looking to branch out and take
more artistic photographs. Bridge cameras such as the Pentax PEN allows users to take
more control over manual functions such as where you choose to focus, some control
over exposure and f stops and even film speeds and ISO. Bridge cameras often allow
interchangeable lens, which can widen the type of photos you are able to take.

Digital SLRs

The Canon and Nikon range of DSLRs are much more expensive than other types
of cameras but allow for a much higher level of control and flexibility when taking
photographs. Often thought of as serious cameras, DSLRs boast the benefits of full
manual control over photographic elements such as f stops, shutter speed, ISO levels,
white balance and a much wider range of compatible lenses and accessories such as
filters, tripods and separate flashes.

When buying any type of camera for taking pictures in London or for any purpose it is
important to check out the following functions and considerations:

Start Up Speed- This can be extremely important and can often mean the difference
between getting and missing a golden photograph opportunity. DSLR cameras tend to
have much faster start up speeds meaning that the time between switching a camera on
and being able to take a photo is often less than a second!

Shutter Lag – This can also be extremely frustrating when snapping pictures in London
or anywhere, as a slow shutter lag can mean you miss a great photo. This is especially
important when photographing fast moving objects or people.

Battery Life – Finding a camera with a good battery life can save a lot of hassle and
extra money spent. Cameras which use standard AA batteries should be avoided where
possible as rechargeable cell batteries are much less hassle and the battery life is much
higher.

Camera Size – Where cameras are concerned size is important! Having a purse or pocket sized
point and shoot will mean you are more likely to carry your camera everywhere with you
meaning you are much more likely to take more photos.

Price of memory cards – It is worth checking out prices and compatibility of memory
cards when choosing which camera to buy, as they can often be an expensive extra item.
Where possible you should try and buy cameras with the same type of memory cards as
ones you may already own so you can switch cards if they get full up.

Type of Focus – Some newer cameras allow for touch screen focus which can be a
great feature where as other cameras don’ t allow any control of focal point in your
photographs. This really is a matter of personal preference as it can vital to some
photographers and of no importance to others.

Digital zoom – When buying a camera with a zoom lens make sure the digital zoom
capability is of a reasonable length as this can be extremely handy when taking pictures
from further away or when you can’ t get closer to your subject like on a boat trip or tour
bus.

Image quality – Try not to focus on megapixel numbers, but decide on which camera
you like based on the quality of pictures it takes. Nowadays digital cameras are so
advanced you wont need to consider megapixel sizes however sensor sizes can become a
factor when choosing a DSLR at higher end prices.

Choosing which camera to buy is often a decision based on personal preference so make
sure you buy a camera which you are likely to enjoy using as this can mean the difference
between hardly using your camera and snapping away all the time. In terms of functions
and use some things are more important to some people than others so make sure you do your research and get a camera which ticks all your boxes!

Best Cameras for Taking Pictures in London

Digital Pinhole Photography Course - Photography Course London

luke — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:30:49 PDT

I recently attended a pinhole photography course run by the guys at Photography Course London. I had experimented with pinhole photography in the past with various levels of success, but by the end of this one day course I was creating some impressive images and armed with the tools to build my own pinhole lenses and keep experimenting.

Pinhole photography has been around for a long time; however the introduction of digital single lens reflex cameras over the past few years has lead to a growing digital pinhole photography scene. Digital SLR’s are perfect for taking pinhole photographs as you can instantly see your results and easily adapt an SLR camera (with caution) to produce stunning pinhole images.

The idea of photography in general comes from the phrase ‘painting with light’ when partaking in pinhole photography your camera has no lens and you are building images by allowing light onto the cameras sensor or film. A small hole in the lens cover replaces the lens and as light passes through the hole; an image is formed in the camera which you can see straight away with a digital camera.

In general exposure times are longer and images produced are softer and often come with a vignetting effect. You will also need to use a tripod when taking pinhole photographs.

The pinhole photography course I attended offered by Photography Course London was run by Cristina Sáez who has a wealth of experience in building and using pinhole cameras of all shapes and sizes, including turning whole rooms into cameras!

After meeting the other guys attending the course we were given a brief but informative history of pinhole photography by Cristina and she showed us plenty of examples of how people are using pinhole cameras to produce ghostly and interesting contemporary photography.

We were then guided through the production of our own pinhole camera covers which involved slicing up and sanding down some coke cans with ultimate precision. All the materials needed were provided and I was able to make a selection of pinholes which meant I could experiment with different effects until I was happy with the type of images I was getting.

After testing out and refining our pinhole lenses in the studio and roof garden we then headed out into the surrounding areas to take some pinhole shots.

Over the course of around an hour we all worked together to take some time lapse and long exposure images. Using a pinhole camera is a unique experience and gives you a good understanding of how cameras work in general. Although this course is suitable for all levels of students (armed with a digital SLR) you should ensure you have a good understanding of your cameras settings if you are thinking about attending this course.

I don’t want to give all the steps to making a pinhole lens for your digital camera away in this article as I felt I really benefitted from attending the course. When I had experimented with pinhole photography in the past I used very basic methods to build my pinhole and as such the pictures suffered. The pictures I was able to create using the pinhole lens I made during the course with Cristina produce much better pictures and I now have a good knowledge which will allow to keep experimenting in the future and for that reason alone the course is well worth attending.

This photography course has given me the inspiration to try out new things with my digital camera and not always seek out a super crisp image as sometimes less perfect images carry much more impact!

Digital Pinhole Photography Course - Photography Course London

Must see attractions for Aussie tourists in London

luke — Fri, 27 May 2011 04:47:53 PDT

This photo was taken by steve9567 on flickr

Approximately 950,000 Australians visit the UK each year and there are more than 106,000 Aussies that currently live in the ‘motherland.’ Of those, almost half live in London. Whether it’s historical, cultural or family ties, Australians still have a strong connection with Britain.

When this connection lures them to the British Isles, London is usually the first destination. But London is a vast metropolis and it can be difficult to know where to start.

Look at many London travel sites and you’ll see a long list of sights and attractions – a list that is too long to get through!

So here’s a shortened version of a list of ‘must-see’ attractions for Aussies.

- The London Tower and Bridge. If you’re fascinated by the lives of England’s monarchs and the executions and imprisonments they sanctioned then you need to visit the Tower of London – the place where it all happened. The Tower of London also houses the Crown Jewels, and many visitors flock there to see the Royal bling. (There’s also a museum filled with armour, weapons and implements of torture). From the Tower you can walk across the London Bridge – the iconic drawbridge over the Thames that is still in operation.

- Buckingham Palace/Changing of the guards. Australia is not a republic (yet), so pay homage to your Queen by visiting Buckingham Palace - or at least ogle at its grandeur!). Make sure you’re there for the changing of the guards.

- Harrods. This is no Myers or DJs (Australian department stores). Harrods is an upmarket department store with an amazing array of products and goodies. Don’t miss the Harrods food court!

- Piccadilly Circus/West End. Australia lacks a prominent performing arts district, so a visit to Piccadilly Circus and the adjacent West End is great for catching a show or watching the video display and neon signs of the Circus’ northern side.

- Portobello Market. Portobello Market runs along Portobello Road in Notting Hill. It’s one of the most famous street markets in the world, partly due to its role in Notting Hill. From fashion, fruit and veggies, second hand goods to antiques, spend an afternoon wandering up and down this street browsing the goods on offer. It’s an eclectic mix of products and people.

- The British Museum. It’s free and home to some of the largest collections of history and culture in the world, including the Rosetta Stone. It’s well worth a visit, but if you’re more into the arts, then head to one of the Tate museums, which hold the national collections of British Art.

- Soho. Although Soho has been gentrified and is evermore upmarket, it has managed to retain its funky, eclectic feel and be a multicultural area that is an industrial, commercial, cultural and entertainment hub. It’s well worth a visit to its restaurants, bars, theatres and shops.

London is big, vibrant and there’s something to do and see in every nook and cranny – it’s doubtful you’ll be able to fit everything in during one visit. This list is aimed to give first-timers a guide for seeing all the different sides of London – the cultural, the retail, the alternative, the trendy and the historical.

Now all you need to do is organise your flights to London! You can fly to London from most major Australian cities, so get searching for some cheap flights now.

London’s calling!

Must see attractions for Aussie tourists in London

Making Life Easier When Moving House in London

luke — Wed, 25 May 2011 05:54:53 PDT

Moving flat or house in London can be a complete nightmare and due to expensive property prices in the capital, moving can be a real headache. Most rental leases are 12 months long and it is common practice for Londoners to move flat every year!
Being organised before moving and during your flat move can make life a lot easier, having recently moved house twice in around four months I think I have nearly got the traumatic experience down to a tee.

One of the first problems to consider when moving house is how to get all your stuff from your current flat to your new home. I can’t drive which makes things a little trickier and have way too much stuff to shuttle across London in taxis, besides a lot of London cabs won’t take items bigger than two metres. It may seem a little dishonest but if you plan moving a few things by cab it can be best not to mention the fact you are moving when booking the cab!

Moving on the tube is probably the worst idea imaginable and the one time I tried this I completely threw my back out so I wouldn’t recommend this as an option either.
For my last couple of moves I roped in the help of friends and relatives with cars or to drive around like white van men in streetcar’s Volkswagen vans. Unfortunately this takes a long time and can work out to be quite expensive especially if you have to make multiple trips. Streetcar is a great option for smaller tasks like trips to B&Q but the prices soon get out of control when you are hiring the vehicles for longer than a couple of hours.
Someone recently mentioned using a new service like Eco Movers for the next big move and after taking a look at the website it seemed like a pretty good idea. The quick quote service means you can specify exactly what you need and how many removal people they need to send out to give you a hand.

A quick quote for my last move popped out at around two hundred pounds which seemed expensive but then I worked out the cost of hiring a van and the hassle of taking time off work and the stress of racing around London in order to get the hire vehicle back on time it all seems pretty reasonable!

The service is very flexible and you can choose from a lot of options like packing yourself or getting everything taken care of for you. If you are feeling particularly lazy or have a lot of furniture you can even get help dissembling and rebuilding furniture. If you don’t have a load of boxes lying around from your last move, Eco Movers can even help you out with that too.

If I had the cash I would probably go for the whole deal and then kick back and relax while everything is packed, moved and unpacked for me. Leaving more time to worry about switching household bills, contents insurance and getting the deposit back from the last flat!

Making Life Easier When Moving House in London

Top Tips for People Moving to London

luke — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 04:33:26 PDT

Image taken by JohnGoode on flickr

Top tips when relocating to London

For many people the allure of the big smoke comes at least once in their lives, tempting fresh blood with seemingly infinite sources of culture, employment and bustle. But living in London, whilst hedonistic and stimulating, can also be multi-faceted, complicated affair – if you’re intending to make the big rural to city shift, here are a few pointers to consider before consulting with the estate agents.

Location, Location, Location

The unwritten rule in London is that everything is an hour away, regardless of actual geographic distance. If you’re able to live within one hour’s commute of work, you’re doing well – any more than this and the daily grapple with public transport is pretty much guaranteed to grind.

Bright Lights

For most people the incentive for the big city is the social credentials it boasts – world class galleries, theatres, restaurants, clubs and pubs distinguish it from virtually any other city on the planet. As would be expected there’s action at all points of the compass, but the scenes do vary, so if entertainment is your priority it would be wise to research the London residential landscape. East London is cutting edge designer, North has a historic allegiance with punk, West savvy, savvy media and South… well that’s just over the river.

North/South Divide

Since we’ve slipped on to the topic already, it’s worth a quick going over – whilst you might be fooled into thinking that the North/South divide is just an urban myth, the truth is that it truly does exist. Alliances are laid bare usually within the first year, after which point, unless you work and live on different sides, you’ll very rarely venture onto the opposing bank.

The Great Outdoors

The concrete jungle aesthetic seemingly dominates, but London is in fact one of the greenest cities in the world. If the leap that is being considered is from the countryside to the city, then locality of parkland may well be an important one to ease the transition. The key parks that dominate the landscape are: Victoria Park in East London, Hampstead Heath in North London, Richmond Park in West London, Battersea Park in the South, and Hyde Park centrally.

Buses, Trains and Automobiles

The transport issue is at the heart of many Londoner’s frustrations – the opinion being that it’s dirty, expensive, too infrequent, dangerous, liable to regular bouts of industrial action… but the truth actually is (and this is only clear to those who have finally moved away) is that it runs 24 hours a day, is dirty only in the respect of being ‘dirt cheap’, and vast – if you don’t like the tube, try the bus, or take to the water, or jump on a train. But if public transport just isn’t your thing, invest in a bike and save both time and money, and keep fit to boot; seeing the city by bike is the best way to explore and commute.

Top Tips for People Moving to London

Best Bike Locks for London

luke — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 16:13:33 PDT

Cycling is becoming increasingly popular in London as a cheap way to get around the city and avoid the stuffy tube in the Summer months. Unfortunately as more people take to pedal power to get themselves around London in their day to day lives the more chance there is of your bike getting stolen.

Bike theft is always rising in London and the statistics of how many bikes are stolen in London is staggering:

23,748 bikes were reported stolen in London in 2009-10 — which is up 27.8 per cent on the previous financial year
1,632 bicycle theft offences were committed in Islington in 2010, but only 35 of these have reached “recovered” status.
73% of all bike theft cases were cased within 3 days of the initial report of the incident

Having a bike stolen can be a soul destroying experience and can be avoided or made slightly less painful by following a few simple steps:

Always get insurance for your bike and keep it up to date
Use two locks of different types from different manufacturers
Always lock your bike to an immoveable object no matter how long you will be leaving it
Never leave you bike locked in a public place for over 24 hours
Make sure you secure the frame and wheels when locking your bike

Below there is a list of some of the best rated and most popular bike locks for use in London. These three different types of locks are sure to deter thieves which is often the best prevention. By spending a little extra money on a decent heavy duty lock you will be making your bike less attractive to bike thieves, as bike theft is often an opportunistic theft, making your bike the least easy to steal will often avoid unwanted heart ache.

D-Locks

D-locks should be used to secure your back wheel and bike frame to an immovable object such as a thick fence or bike stand. Try and pick immovable objects which will be difficult to cut through and avoid thin railings as these can be easily be cut through. When locking your bike’s back wheel and frame with a d-lock make sure the lock is pointing down so acid cannot be poured into the lock in an attempt to compromise the lock.

Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Mini Lock
Kryptonite New York 3000 Lock
Kryptonite Kryptolok Series 2 D-Lock
Kryptonite Kryptonite Evolution 4 Lock With Bracket
Abus Sinus 46 300mm Lock

Chain Locks

Chain bike locks are a good deterrent against bike theft and can be used to secure a rear wheel or front wheel and frame. A lot of chain locks are fabric covered which will avoid scratching your bike’ frame. Chain locks are more difficult to cut through and are often easier to lock your bike up with as you can bend the chain more easily.

Abus 1385 Combination Chain Lock
Abus Diskus Chain
Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit Lock
Abus Steel-O-Chain Lock
Abus Steel-O-Flex Granit 1000/800mm

Cable Locks

Cable locks are best used as secondary bike locks for securing front wheels which are quick release or removable items such as seats or other attachments. Cable locks are often plastic coated and offer the least protection against heavy duty tools like chain or bolt cutters but can be enough to offer heightened security when compared to other bike locks at the same set of stands. Cable locks should never be used to secure a bike frame or rear wheel as they can easily be cut when compraed to more heavy duty locks.

Abus 1850 Coil Cable Extendalock
Kryptonite Kryptoflex 7ft
Abus Centuro 860 – 110CM Lock
Abus Cobra Cable – 10mm/220cm
Thule 538 Cable lock – 180cm

When buying a bike lock it is important to remember that no bike lock is 100% as any lock can be compromised with the right tools and enough time. Bike locks are incredibly important to for insurance claims if your bike gets stolen and can be enough of a visible deterrent for bike thieves to pick another bike to target with lesser locks which they know will be easier to break through.

Steel based locks are best for securing your bike in a major city such as London and it is advisable to check the Sold Secure Rating of locks before purchasing. Sold Secure Rating have been applied to bike locks as an indication of how long it takes for the locks to be compromised.

Gold Sold Secure Bike Locks were lasted five minutes against attacks from an extensive range of tools
Silver Sold Secure Bike Locks last three minutes against attacks from a wide range of tools
Bronze Sold Secure Bike Locks held out for a minute against a range of basic tools

Best Bike Locks for London

Win Tickets to a Sofa.com James Bond Film Night

luke — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 03:46:38 PST

Photo from Founding Farmers

London is becoming littered with pop-up cinemas along the lines of Secret Cinema. Sofa.com have been running pop up films night where you get the chance to win tickets to a night out at their Chelsea Showroom.

The prize up for grabs is ten pairs of tickets to watch some films with your friends while lounging around on the massive luxury sofas they sell.

The latest film night is James Bond themed, which includes a professional barman making loads of Vodka Martinis (shaken not stirred) and some slap up food.

To win tickets all you need to do is solve the rebus puzzle, a rubus is a picture based puzzle kind of like a visual riddle.

The puzzle can be found on their blog and this one is the hardest one they have made yet!

To enter the competition you need to email your answer to newstuff@sofa.com by Monday the 28th of February and wait to hear if you have won. Good luck!

Win Tickets to a Sofa.com James Bond Film Night

Why people ride single speed bikes in London

luke — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 15:03:22 PST

Image taken by Lauren Manning on Flickr

Single speed bikes are by nature a much simpler beast than their mountain bike and hybrid bike counterparts.

There is simply less to go wrong on a single speed bike and single speeds will hold up to frequent abuse and usage better than more complex bicycles.

From a practical viewpoint the only maintenance that is required for looking after a single speed bike is a sporadic cleaning to get rid of grime and dirt build up and some chain maintenance. However you may want to check the following on your bike every couple of weeks:

Check chain tension
Spot check the level of grease on bike chain and cogs
Tyre pressure check
Tyre check
Look for wear on brake pads
Check braking distance

When pumping up tyres it is worthwhile checking tyres for any signs of wear or damage from objects in the road like glass, staples and sharp pieces of plastic. Doing this often can lower the chance of punctures.

One of the key attraction to single speed bikes is the ability to do most of the maintenance and upkeep of your machine yourself, which leads to an increased knowledge of bikes over time and some money saved. However it is advisable to get your bike checked by a proper bike mechanic roughly every 500 miles or before a long distance journey.

Single speed bikes also allow their owners to add a bit of personality that is lacking in the current off the peg market. Most single speed bike riders are bike enthusiasts and ride bikes for pleasure rather than necessity. As such a lot of the single speed bikes you see around London are no longer made up from stock parts.

Many single speed riders will swap sub-standard off the peg bike parts on their bikes for higher end parts from more sought after bike manufacturers such as Cinelli, Campagnolo or Nitto. They also re-engineer their bikes to specifically suit their needs and taste. Typical changes include swapping wheel sets for more rigid racing wheels, fancier handlebars depending on riding style preference and high end saddles like the addition of a traditionally made Brooks.

Aesthetically the typical single speed bike you will see being ridden around London is much more appealing than a standard mountain bike or road bike.

The main difference between single speeds and equivalent geared mountain bikes and hybrids is obviously the lack of gears. This can be a somewhat daunting thought at first however once you switch to gearless you will be unlikely to go back!

When riding a single speed bike in London you will realise you rarely need gears. Also the following factors make having no gears sensible:

Not many serious hills in London
Completing a hill climb without gears is much more satisfying
Constant work out for your legs
Greater control when compared to riding in a low gears
Less bike maintenance
More suitable for city riding when compared to suspension bikes
Less chance of getting your clothes dirty
Less to think about when riding
Safer pulling away from traffic lights than clunking through gears

From a mindset point of view, riding a single speed bike is much more pleasant than trundling around the streets of London on a full suspension bike (believe me I have tried it!) as the ride feels more responsive and natural.

Single speed bikes by design are often based on track bikes (built for racing on Velodromes) or road bikes and as such don’t have suspension which does take a bit of getting used to.

Tyres are often thinner (around 23 to 28mm) and can have a faster rolling speed than knobbly all terrain tyres. Slicks can be tricky in the wet but generally are incredibly reliable and durable, puncture resistant tyres can be found for pretty cheap too.

Below are a few single speed bikes, which are good value for money and are ideal first single speed bikes for riding around London:

Charge Plug Single Speed Bike

Charge Racer Single Speed Bike

Fuji Feather Single Speed Bike

Fuji Track Single Speed Bike

Bianchi Pista Via Condotti Single Speed Bike

Bianchi Pista Via Brera Single Speed Bike

Kona Paddy Wagon Single Speed Bike

Globe Roll 2 Single Speed Bike

Mongoose Maurice Single Speed Bike

Why people ride single speed bikes in London

Sweet Couture Mini Cupcake Shop

luke — Fri, 17 Dec 2010 04:00:20 PST

Image taken by Sweet Couture (London| England) on Flickr

Yet another cupcake shop has opened in London but this time with a twist!

Sweet Couture are stockists for Selfridges and Liberty and produce amazing mini bite size cupcakes and sweet treats. Sweet Couture cupcakes are just enough to savour the tastes and delights of different flavours and the ever-changing menu keeps you checking back to try their new concoctions.

The inclusion of the word ‘couture’ summons up obvious fashion connotations and makes sense when you see the boutique style shop in it’s period building surroundings. The minuscule shop is located just off Covent Garden, tucked away in the side streets of Theatreland.

Sweet Couture also make classic cakes and other small bites and some of the mini cupcake menu can be seen below. More details can be found on their website

Sweet Couture
Sweet Couture Facebook Page

Chocolate Love
Fluffy chocolate sponge with chocolate buttercream frosting

Coconut Galore
Coconut sponge with a jammy raspberry centre, topped with
buttercream frosting and coconut shavings

Winter Spice
Cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger infused sponge, topped with vanilla buttercream frosting and dusted with cinnamon

Carrot Cake
Delicious moist carrot cake with cream cheese frosting, topped with a walnut

New York Peanut Butter
Light sponge infused with real peanut butter, vanilla buttercream frosting decorated with crunchy Reeses Pieces

Map and Address
23b New Row Covent Garden WC2N 4LA

View Larger Map

Sweet Couture Mini Cupcake Shop