Tired of London, Tired of Life - A website about things to do in London

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For more regular updates, visit Tom's Britain, a new website about things to do in Britain.


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30 December 2008

See London's underwhelming Roman Amphitheatre

Deep beneath the Guildhall Art Gallery there are a series of small walls which form part of a semi-circle.

These are the remains of Roman London's Amphitheatre, discovered during excavations beneath the Guildhall in 1988, and included in the new art gallery when it reopened in 1999 (having been closed since it was bombed out in 1941).

To be honest the whole experience is rather underwhelming, but nevertheless it is part of London's history and it is a reminder of how our city has changed.

It's open 10am-5pm Mon-Sat and 12-4pm on Sundays. Entrance is included in the price of the art gallery at a very acceptable £2.50, and it's free if you can prove you live or work in the City of London. For more information click here.

^Picture from flickr courtesy of Kevan^

28 December 2008

Visit an island with a place in rock history

Deep in the heart of Twickenham is Eel Pie Island, a small islet which is home to around 120 people.

The island was formerly home to the Eel Pie Hotel, which played host to a range of rock and roll greats during the 1960s, until it burned down in 1971. Charles Dickens also wrote Little Dorrit at the hotel.

The island is revered by those who visited in the 60s and was home to Eel Pie Studios, owned by Pete Townshend. Today the rock legacy is maintained by the band the Mystery Jets, who live there, and to a certain extent by the Eel Pie Club, a music club which is situated on the mainland nearby.

To get to the island from Central London, catch the tube of mainline railway to Richmond, then the H22 or 490 bus to Twickenham and walk from there. There are no roads of vehicles on the island and the only access is by a single footbridge. Click here for a map.

^Picture of Eel Pie Island Footbridge from flickr courtesy of Jim Linwood^

27 December 2008

Learn about London's Canals

One of the London museums one rarely hears much about is the London Canal Museum. Opened in 1992 in a former Ice Warehouse, the museum charts the history of London's man-made waterways.


It costs £3 to get in but it is entirely independent and self-funded so I'm more than happy to chip in. I just hope Canals are interesting enough.

The nearest tube is Kings Cross St Pancras and you can find out more on the website at www.canalmuseum.org.uk.

^Picture from London Canal Museum Website^

23 December 2008

Join the Tired Of London New Years Day Walk

Following on from the success of last year's New Years Day Walk on Hampstead Heath, you are invited to a second annual New Years Day Walk to bring in 2009.


Seeing as Kew Gardens is open for free on New Years Day, a walk along the Thames Path in the vicinity of Kew and Richmond is the plan, with a (short) visit to London's most famous overpriced gardens thrown in. Keep an eye on the facebook event for more information, but the walk probably involve meeting at Kew/ Barnes at around 11am on New Years Day. The consumption of a pub lunch by the river is more-or-less inevitable.

**************This event has now passed**************

8 December 2008

Embrace austerity Britain - go charity and second hand shopping

In these times of recession and credit crunch, so long as you keep your job, it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom.

Back in 2007, Time Out put together a guide to some of the best charity shops in London, which due to their longevity is still very relevant.

Alternatively, if you're looking for something more chic on a budget, YouLoveFashion has a list of some of London's best vintage clothes shops.

So go and buy yourself a nice warm dead man's coat, turn down the heating and act like you're George Orwell in Keep The Aspidistra Flying.

1 December 2008

Eat in the bath

Ciro’s Pizza Pomodoro at Bishopsgate is a modern pizzeria based inside a former Ottoman Hamam (Turkish Baths). Originally built in 1894 the restaurant classes itself as "one of London’s hidden architectural gems", and is definitely worth a look


It's at Bishopsgate in the City and pizza's are less than a tenner. You can book online or on 020 7920 9207, but it's closed weekends (like all of the City).

^Picture by Squirmelia^