Be Excellent To Each Other

I'm going to London on Thursday until Sunday or Monday or something. I want to go to museums and interesting places. Considering the Imperial War Museum but thought I would ask you knowledgable folks for some recommendations.
Also considering a show and maybe a night in a pub although that depends on how I cope with the crowds and my nerves. My cousin and her boyfriend are both going as well though so I would have a bit of a posse. If I'm going to the pub I might let some of you London types know!

You'd enjoy the war museum, might want to give the genocide film a miss though unless you feel like a wee cry.
The Science museum is ace too and the Victoria & Albert is worth a visit for the Cast Courts alone. If none of you are big shitebags like me then The Eye is probably great. Covent Garden is usually full of entertainers & Cyber Candy is round about there, it sells all sorts of sweeties & drinks you'll have forgotten existed

If you feel like a wee wander I always like walking up the river & stopping for a pint every now & again. Depending on how far you walk you might want to get a ferry back.


Remind me to give you my A to Z before you go, I forgot it last time & navigating the streets was a pain in the arse without it. Fortunately Gilmour & Kat came to my aid and loaned me theirs.

Get an oyster card. Im never in london long enough to warrent using one but it'll be worth it for a few days.

That modern art gallery, the Tate is it? That's usually good for a laugh.

Enjoy!

The Tate Modern. The Tate is like the Tate Modern, but not modern, so just Tate.



So is one of those like having maps on your phone, but on some sort of paper construction? How novel.

The Tate Modern is a bunch of arse. The guided tour is fun if you want to laugh at folk making up things about what the paint splatters mean.

Also, dead tree > smellyphones. Google maps or whatever is usable, but nowhere near as useful.

Is it only me who is amused that Gill has asked for advice on London and her next-door neighbour is the one doing all the advising?

London always makes my skin crawl after more than 24 hours, so I would just probably have a nice lunch and then get a train home personally.

I've been to That London thrice. Once to Earl's Court and twice to Olympia. Have I missed much?

This^ I can't stand the place. I only go there when I have to, ie passing through to get home or a gig or something, but never just because "it's London"

Best place in that London: Wherever Mr Dave is.
I generally try to avoid the center.

You HTML person you.

We're going to London to visit Jens sister who is studying at St Martins college right now. I have wanted to visit London for ages though, I want to see all the museums and things. We won't be going near the London Eye by the way, Jen isn't a fan of heights.

I find the heights are no problem, it's the drops that I worry about.

Drops are fine too. It's impacts that are the fucker.

To sum up, it's the ground she's scared of.

I've always wanted a shot on the Eye, but as you know by my hand crushing antics at the picture hoose I'm shit scared of heights. It'd be an hour of terror

The London Eye only takes about 35mins to do a rotation so you could go and wave to Jen.

Museums wise, I would do the Science, Natural History and V&A in one day as they're all quite close to each other - hell the science and natural are literally next door to one another.

Do the British Museum, the National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery in one day as well, as they're all close to one another (walking distance).

The Tate and Tate Modern are about 5 miles apart but I think (they're both on the Thames) they have a boat that does regular trips to each other.

Check all their websites out to see if there is anything in particular that may be of interest as doing all that sounds like a culture overload to me. Some of the more marquee shows you probably won't get into at this short notice.

As far as shows go, I have no idea what's on at the moment, but if War Horse is on anywhere go see it. It's a bit sad but it's brilliant.

Pubs? Just avoid all the tourist traps in Covent Garden. Basically, all you have to do in London is venture slightly off the main roads and you're almost guaranteed to find an interesting bar. Try the French House in soho - I think it's on Dean St, but it's just off Shaftesbury Avenue and is quite easy to find.

London is great. Just do what DBSnappa said and avoid the Leicester Square tourist traps.

Somerset House. It's better over christmas as it has an ice rink, or in the spring/summer when it has fountains you can walk and dance through with the love of your life, or just sit around reading and minding your own business, or watching other people have fun.

That and the Science Museum, British Library, or Natural History Museum (though I've not been there for ages). All of them in one trip would probably get a bit tiring, though.

Don't forget to try a restaurant. Finding good one-off restaurants is a joy.

Don't be surprised if it starts to get on your tits after a few days, though. It's a stressy, tiring place.

I'm only there for a few days anyway so I'm sure it won't annoy me. I like cities anyway! Good ideas DB, I'm going to go and look at the museum websites now I think.

I've a feeling Gill would only manage one museum a day anyway. It takes her hours to walk round a small supermarket, never mind a museum/exhibition that's full of awesome stuff

You speak the truth...I do like to wander and take things in

OK. Do the Science or Natural History museum one day.
Do the British Museum the next.
Pop into the French House one evening for a beer. It's a legendary pub/restaurant on Dean St (no.49 to be precise). It's small, the staff can be surly but it oozes old Soho charm. It also has a quite interesting history. Check it out on google maps.
Try Bar du Marche on Berwick St in Soho for lunch (tiny little cafe/bistro that's properly French) Has a nice vibe but it is small. Unpretentious decent grub.
These are places I like - I don't pretend to think they're the best places out there but they are good.

If all else fails I might come meet up with you myself!

If you're doing the eye then think about the Movieum. I thought it was cool

Museums are good, everything in them is made or painted somewhere other than London so you can forget where you are while you browse

Does she have a thirst for knowledge?

Assuming you can walk from Glasgow to London in an hour, whilst reading a book.

Been doing some searching online. The Victoria and Albert Museum sounds like something I would really enjoy. Really tempted by the science museum as well, I like the one in Glasgow and can imagine that the one in London will be much more impressive. One of the first dates I had with Jen I took her to the Science Museum and have very fond memories of charming her with my geekiness and childish enthusiasm for everything
I want to take some pretty pictures as well so maybe we will spend a day just wandering around London?

V&A is good
Science museum is good, but nowhere near as good as the one you have in glasgae
Tate Modern is good for the turbine hall (which is free) and also there are many good pubs and food places nearby.

Top Tip - Monument is open again. Go up it - only costs £2 I think. If Jen doesnt like the height, it only takes 15 minutes and she can wait at the bottom in the pub.

Shame it is this weekend you are down, as I am in The Leeds Friday to Sunday. I say shame - shame for me, lucky for you.

There's some good photo-ops in 'The City', and nearabouts. You could start at Tower Bridge, then go to the Tower of London, along Great Tower Street to St. Dunstan's (the ruins of a beautiful old church that got destroyed, slap bang in the middle of the financial area - it's been turned into a sort of mini-park), then you can go up The Monument, which is pretty cool, then on to the Lloyd's building, and the Gherkin, and perhaps check out Leadenhall Market and Spitalfields Market.

Aw that's a shame that you won't be about Riles. I meant to say to you Curio that Friday would probably be cool as well but I forgot.
I want to go into Harrods as well just to see it....is that sad?

I've only been to Harrods once, to give a presentation. It was shit.

I've just realised that I have Friday off work, so a drink on thursday night could be a go-er if you get to London at a reasonable time, if Curiosity is free of course?

I think grim... might live in london and like beer also

I think he's just got a cough. Shouldn't read into things so much, chap.

Shhhh! We're trying to ignore him

We get into London at about 18.30 on Thursday evening so that could be possible, it just depends on what is happening with Jens little sister (although I'm sure we could bring her along). Otherwise it'll be Friday. I will get mobile numbers before I go. This counts as a meet before Manchester, eh? Grim..., Curiosity, Riles, Jen and I? Who else in London, let's really put myp to shame

Groovy (to the drink).

I'm free on Thursday and Friday and most of Saturday too, so I'm pretty easy with when we meet up, should that be happening.

Though if you're in the vicinity of 'The City' at lunchtime, then we could 'do lunch', or something.

I am also free on Thursday and Friday night.

You two still undecided about Manchester then Gill?

*nods*

No visit to the capital would be complete without a visit to the home of our beloved leader. I think a few Beexers live there too?

You live in Kent, matey.

We are planning for it as though we are attending so if I'm ok in London then Manchester will be fine. If we come to Machester then we are going to stay at my friends hotel so we have accomodation sorted as well and we'll just drive down.

I think I'm free that Friday. And Thursday.

They'll all be playing MW2. I don't think you'd enjoy it

Gill called it a Meet. I'M NOT GOING.

That was just to make sure Mr Chris* doesn't turn up.









*

Not free the Thursday, but could possibly do a short-notice mini-Beex London-meet hyphen-o-thon on the Friday.