Attend the spring bazaar at Limehouse Town Hall

The spring bazaar takes place at Limehouse Town Hall today, offering a showcase for community groups in the Tower Hamlets area in the grand hall of the beautiful building. Designed by A & C Harston, and opened in 1881, Limehouse Town Hall has just undergone extensive roof repairs, and the bazaar is being heralded as a celebration of their completion, with free entry for all.


We are told to expect local community groups such as Stitches in Time and Hackney & Tower Hamlets Friends of the Earth, as well as arts and crafts and plants from the East London Garden Society. There will even be live music from jazz singer Chantal Santos and folk singer/ songwriter Caroline Grannell, as well as photography by local photographer Marian Spiers.

It all sounds excellent, and to find out more, see http://www.towerhamletsarts.org.uk/?guide=events&cat=10&cid=46285

_{^Picture © HerryLawford used under Creative Commons^}

Stay at the DoubleTree Hilton Tower of London

When a particularly persistent offer to stay at a generic central London hotel arrived recently on your author's desk he decided, unlike perhaps more scrupulous London bloggers, to give in and explore the life of a London hotel-based tourist. Largely free from note other than its boast of 'the largest living green wall in Europe', the Double Tree Hilton on Peyps Street, EC3 is a pretty soulless place, serving business people and occasional tourists. That said, it is certainly a well-positioned and comfortable place to stay.


There are even occasional chinks in the armour of anonymous corporatism, and in the shiny rooftop bar, international cocktails and lagers are served alongside bottled English Ales, and whilst some staff focus on checking business cards and recite carefully prepared lines, others even make proper conversation like real people, musing about walks into work along the river, and joining in jokes about how the place would be better with wood paneling, an inglenook fireplace and a nice pub dog.

These glimmers of hope, combined with good views to the Shard, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge and the impressive range of gadgets and furniture in the rooms, makes it a decent place for a rest, and as your author emerged into the Sunday morning light he even found a family of guests playing football under falling tree blossoms on the pavement outside the lobby window, demonstrating that not everyone who stays in London hotels is a lonely businessman.

To see some pictures of the visit click here, or for more in the hotel, see http://doubletree1.hilton.com/en_US/dt/hotel/LONTLDI-DoubleTree-by-Hilton-Hotel-London-Tower-of-London-/index.do

Take a twilight tour of Apsley House

Often referred to as Number One, London, the most famous address in London, The Duke of Wellington's former home at Apsley House, on Hyde Park Corner is a Grade One Listed house, originally built for Lord Apsley in the 1770s.


Tonight from 6pm - 8pm, English Heritage offer a rare chance to visit in the evenings, for a twilight tour guided by torchlight, in the company of a knowledgeable guide, to help visitors discover the fascinating history and beautiful collection of art of the building.

For more, see http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/twilight-tours-ah-29-mar/

Eat in the Whitechapel Gallery Library Dining Room

Whitechapel Gallery is a fantastic place, and not just because they have the Tired of London, Tired of Life book right by the till in their bookshop. They also have loads of art and stuff, and even an award-winning restaurant.


A personal highlight, in which your author passed a very pleasant evening last week, is the Gallery's Library Dining Room, designed by Artek furniture, with artwork by artist Christian Boltanski, which is available for groups of 8-14 people to hire for free as long as they are eating. It is a great place for group conversation, and the staff are excellent, meaning you barely have to step outside before the end of the night.

For more information, see http://www.whitechapelgallery.org/venue-hire/the-spaces/library-dining-room

Sit in the Channel 4 Garden

A peaceful enclave sits behind Channel 4's imposing headquarters at 124 Horseferry Road in Westminster, where fig trees and park benches provide a restful diversion for weary Westminster-ites.


The Channel 4 garden is maintained by the media giant and open to the public all year around. When your author popped in last week it was a haven for lunching office workers and naughty schoolkids having a crafty cigarette in a quiet corner.

Information on the garden is scarce, but for more on the building, see http://www.channel4.com/info/corporate/about/our_building

See the Mottingham Ice Well

A relic of the days before mechanical refrigeration, the Ice Well, beside the Tarn in Mottingham, was built around 1760 as an ice store for Eltham Lodge.


Though it is some distance from the Lodge, the well was placed here so ice could be cut from the Tarn in winter and placed in the well, which is mostly underground, and the brick lining, shady situation and damp ground would keep the ice cool, allowing the affluent residents access to ice at a time when this was the last word in luxury.

For more, see http://www.london-footprints.co.uk/articehse.htm

Visit the Roots and Shoots Garden

A half-acre wildlife garden in Kennington, the Roots and Shoots Wildlife Garden Study Centre is part of a broader project to allow local people to study learn about wildlife.


The garden is home to an array of insect species, as well as breeding and migrating birds and pond life, and is open today for an open day with storytelling, microscope workshops, pond dipping, art and refreshments for all the family.

For more, see http://www.rootsandshoots.org.uk/2012/03/spring-open-day-2/

Attend a Vintage Furniture Flea at York Hall

Whilst your author is aware that the 'Vintage Furniture Flea' being held today at York Hall in Bethnal Green is, in fact, a jumble sale for second hand furniture, there is nothing wrong with that, and the sale offers an extra bonus of entrance to the atmospheric hall, opened in 1929, and venue for countless boxing bouts and East End weddings.


We are told to expect atomic-prints, ornaments, cushions, crockery and glass, as well as other furniture and homewares from up to forty vintage traders celebrating the kitsch & the collectible. It all sounds like a pleasant way to while away an hour and entrance is only £2.

For more, see http://www.judysvintagefair.co.uk/events/event/bethnal-green-furniture-flea/

_{^Picture © bobaliciouslondon used under Creative Commons^}

Browse at Chelsea Military Antiques

Chelsea Military Antiques' main shop appears to actually be quite a long way from Chelsea, in Whitcome St off Trafalgar Square. It specialises in medals, covering a range of different arenas of conflict, with a strong selection of WWI and WWII memorabilia.


We are told that the shop stocks both British & Foreign Decorations and medals, with some dating back as far as the Napoleonic Wars. When your author visited there also appeared to be helmets and uniforms on sale.

For more, see http://www.chelseamilitaria.co.uk/

Attend a talk at Dr Johnson's House

It won't surprise many readers to hear that your author is an admirer of Dr Samuel Johnson, and his house in Gough Square is a fascinating place to visit. There could be no better opportunity than tonight, the museum's very talented curator, Stephanie Chapman, is giving an illustrated lecture on Johnson's visits to different country houses around the country, which sounds fascinating.


We are told that the talk will concentrate on Johnson's visits to Kedleston and Chatsworth, taking a look at the great man's experiences and his predictably vociferous opinions of his visits. As the museum is small, tickets (£12) are limited so please check the website, and telephone ahead if necessary.

For more, see http://www.drjohnsonshouse.org/events.htm

Walk on Streatham Common

A welcome green space in South London, Streatham Common has a history dating back to the Domesday Book, and 66 acres of common land were formally protected by an Act of Parliament in the 19th Century. Today, it is a lovely spot for a wander, and offers spectacular views over South London.


The Common offers locals and visitors access to a great range of amenities including an area of woodland, where your author kicked through the last of the wintry leaves. Other treasures include a cafe, tennis court, some lovely benches with great views in various directions, the historic Rookery, of which readers can expect to hear more at a later date, and a playground and paddling pool for the children.

For more, see http://www.freewebs.com/streathamfriends/

Have lunch at Wesley's Cafe

Whilst your author regularly hears a complaint from visitors that there is nowhere to eat in Westminster, there are in fact quite a few places, though some of them are rather more hidden than others. Though it certainly isn't gastronomic, Wesley's Cafe, in the bowels of Westminster Central Hall, is a functional place to get a bite to eat and a cup of tea without breaking the bank.


The cafe is popular at lunchtime, but refreshingly for this part of town there are enough seats so that when your author dropped in yesterday it was busy but there were plenty of tables free. Thankfully a school group decided to leave just after your author arrived, as well, making lunch a more peaceful experience.

The cafe is open daily until 4pm and the daily lunch special is £4.99. It's just a shame about the UHT milk. For more, see http://www.c-h-w.com/wesleys-cafe/

See Alexander's Jubilee Oracle

One of a number of pieces of art on the South Bank, Alexander's Jubilee Oracle dates from 1980 and is a bronze sculpture found on the walkway between the Royal Festival Hall and the London Eye.


The Oracle stands on a plith, inscribed with a quote from the artist, reading 'Mankind is capable of an awareness that is outside the range of everyday life. My monumental sculptures are created to communicate with that awareness in a way similar to classical music. Just as most symphonies are not intended to be descriptive, so these works do not represent figures or objects'.

For more, see http://www.southbanklondon.com/walkthisway/SculptureStroll.html

Attend the St Patrick's Day Parade and Festival

It's that time of year again, when everyone remembers their Irish heritage, and Diageo relaxes, happy that it will once again be a profitable year. Cynicism aside, it's a great opportunity to celebrate the importance of Irish people to modern London, and the cultural contribution they have made, to help make the city the diverse and interesting place it is today.


Today's St Patrick's Day parade is set to draw over 100,000 people, for a lively celebration with floats, marching bands and groups representing the Irish Counties, processing through Central London, and a programme of music and events in Trafalgar Square from noon.

For more, see http://www.london.gov.uk/stpatricks

_{^Picture © AlmazUK used under Creative Commons^}

Watch the Head of the River

London's other boatrace, Head of the River, is a bit more of a democratic affair, with over 400 crews participating, each made up of eight rowers. This makes for quite a spectacle, as around 3500 participants take part, having travelled from all over the UK, and around the world.


The race takes place between Mortlake and Putney, starting at 11am today, with various prizes on offer. Whilst it's usually fairly impossible to follow it as a formal racing spectator event, the sheer number of boats on the river makes for a festive atmosphere.

For more, see http://www.horr.co.uk/.

_{^Picture © Brett Jordan used under Creative Commons^}