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London as a Fresh and Exciting Place - A Brainstormin' Thread

08:53 / 23.04.03

You know, they say that when you are tired of London, you are tired of life. I don't think I am tired of life but I am just so B-O-R-E-D!!!!!! I feel like I do the SAME things all the time and I would SO like a change of pace or a change of scenery. Maybe it's the li'l traveller in me. I dunno.

I WOULD *desperately* like a holiday but I'm not sure if that's going to happen. Anyway, this morning I'm struck with the mundanity of my life. I don't want mundane! I want action! Adventure! I'm thinking maybe I should take a class, but I AM taking a class and it's the bane of my existence.

So basically, barbelithans, I need your help to brainstorm new, fun ideas for London. Or ultracheap holidays that can be taken immediately. Is there anywhere you can go swimming in London, just for fun? Ice skating? There's so much to do here I know but I'm just struck with a "BLEEURGH" disease that's making it difficult for me to do much.

So give me your brilliant and fun ideas, friends! Thanks!

ONLY NICE THINGS

09:02 / 23.04.03

*Besides* getting wasted in the pub? What are you, on crack?

Swimming - your area probably has a local swimming baths - admission will be charged, but prolly not too much. Try checking your local library - they often have handy-dandy local info.

Otherwise, there's fringe theatre - that's pretty cheapish, often, and conveniently above those very pubs. Likewise comedy nights. The recitals in St. Martin's in the Fields. Borders and Waterstone's often have free readings or events plugging new books or CDs...take pot-luck on some new bands at the Acoustic Cafe...check the small ads in Silver Moon for women's writing projects or social groups...

Oh, and there's an open-air ice rink at Bishopsgate, but it closes in April - if you rush, it might still be open, I don't know...

Just a few cheapy things off the top of my head.

09:10 / 23.04.03

Catherine's Docks are awfully pretty.. but not that exciting I suppose..

I dunno, race someone to the top floor of the Tate Modern from St.Pauls.

09:17 / 23.04.03

Oh, don't get me wrong, I like pubs - in fact one could say I LOVE pubs but I just would like to add some variety to my life.

I might rush to bishopsgate as quickly as possible.

I don't like the racing idea. I'm a smoker, and I'm overweight, so anyone who I raced against would probably beat me.

Does anyone have a cottage in the country they'd like to lend me?

Seriously though, well we're getting somewhere I suppose..

10:50 / 23.04.03

Good idea Cherry Bomb. I’ve dragged myself away from enjoying the breeding exam thread to post a few links which you might find useful.

First of all the Prince Charles Cinema just off Leicester Square does cheap films (about £2.50 per show).

They have free lunchtime concerts on sometimes, at St Martins In The Fields (the church overlooking Trafalgar Square)

You could go swimming at one of the three ponds in Hamstead Heath; Kenwood Ladies, Hampstead Mixed and Highgate Men's.

Be part of a TV audience

Go to The dogs

Spend a while checking out the books in the many Charing Cross Road bookshops.

Get a boat on the Serpentine

A whole load of links on
this page
– granted: it’s entitled “where to take children” but hey – don’t let that stop you…

And if all else fails…Good Beer Gardens!!

11:01 / 23.04.03

Jub
That's the best post in the world. I love you and, after the surgery, will happily bear your children.

11:04 / 23.04.03

You could take a quick train ride to some random place in the countryside and go frollicking around the fields and hills. Lovely at this time of year.

I think that's what I'd do (assuming I ever got tired of watching dodgy indie bands in dank cellars).

11:06 / 23.04.03

Jump on one of the commuter trains to somewhere random? I always saw a big forest north of Edmonton in the A-Z map book that I never made it to. Seemed nice, though.

12:40 / 23.04.03

I'm just off to the dentist in five minutes. You can go for me, if you like.

Tryphena Absent

14:02 / 23.04.03

In about a month you can come to Sing Along Sound of Music with me? It must surely be that time of year again!

15:04 / 23.04.03

Grab a chilled bottle of wine, a packed lunch and a friend and take a trip on a canal boat from Regents Park to Camden. You can pick it up from outside the zoo.

or...

Buy a kite from the kite shop in Covent Garden and go fly it on Hampstead Heath or Alexandra Palace Park (or anywhere that's open really).

or...

If you go swimming it costs around £3 at most London leisure-centres. There is a nice water slide at Tottenham Green leisure centre.

or...

Go and watch a football match before the end of the season. Apart from the men's games there is also the Women's FA Cup final between Fulham and Charlton Athletic on May 5th, tickets are 3 quid in advance (£1 concessions). Match is at 1am at Selhurst Park.

15:14 / 23.04.03

Sunday 27th April 2003

00:20 / 24.04.03

Read Michael Moorcock's King of the City. See how many of the places in it you can visit (even the imaginary ones).

00:27 / 24.04.03

There's always the "pick a random page from Time Out and go to something on it" option.

01:21 / 24.04.03

I once tried to find Tom and Derry's Department store in Kensington, which Moorcock used as setting somewhere in the Cornelius Quartet. You can't get up there anymore as it is now a block of offices, but you can see the edges of the garden from the road.

Another random suggestion: zen walking. Find an area of London you don't know very well (one you'd want to investigate) and start walking in a direction. Pick your directions pretty much at random but maybe have an A-Z so you can get home.

If you're into rollerblading try this here. I've never been but it looks quite fun.

Also I have to say go to the proms! £4 for some of the best classical music concerts. The proms are a few months away, but I thought it worth to say now.

Tryphena Absent

01:29 / 24.04.03

We could go to the last night in the park and sing along to the classics! 'Barbelith does the proms'

07:14 / 24.04.03

Kites canals and beer gardens... these are all sounding good!

No star here laces

08:25 / 24.04.03

Play pool! London has many dank and seedy pool halls, a good proportion of which are exclusively inhabited by moustachioed turkish men. I heartily recommend visiting a few...

Go bowling - in Finsbury park. There is a nice bowling alley there where you can drink too.

Take up darts and bring a new dimension to the pub experience!

Take the evening class in comics-drawing at Central St Martins (one of a variety of good vocational type art classes they offer)

Take dancing lessons - pineapple studios in Covent Garden offers everything from Swing to Hip Hop.

A few for starters...

08:48 / 24.04.03

Oooooooh the proms

I am well up for the proms - did last night proms in the park and it was a lot of fun so am well up for a reprise of that and trying some of the others earlier in the run.

08:53 / 24.04.03

I haven't been in London during the summer before.
They have concerts in the parks? ...(I'm not sure who they are exactly.. but anyway...)

Andrew C*** passing himself of as Haus

12:04 / 24.04.03

My mates a gigolo and he lives in London. If you ask me nicely I'll convince him to do you for a tenner! Bargain!

Failing that, you could jump off a tall building and force yourself to fly! You'll be seeing London from a whole different perspective from then on!

Or you could diet! If you're overweight.

Do you take drugs? Maybe you should. They're great for making life more interesting.

Steal a car.

Indulge in group sex with random strangers.

Write a novel.

Murder someone and try hiding the body without getting caught!

12:22 / 24.04.03

I suggest Kew Gardens. It's like a little holiday in itself.

14:13 / 24.04.03

May I recommend the Horniman's Museum near Forest Hill on the P4 bus route between Brixton and Lewisham.
Went their recently to see a Puppet Exhibition with friends and it was a real trip back into my childhood. Look out for the music exhibition with hands on musical instruments and also the torture chair in the centenary exhibition. It also has a nice park next door to have a picnic in.
Oh one warning some bits are still quite old school victorian museum with lots of stuffed animals, but they are quite apologetic about that.

Also pick up some what's on leaflets from the tube station, they're usually quite good, once again they claim they're for kids but they cover all sorts of fun stuff.

14:34 / 24.04.03

I want to go there actually... let's have a school outing...

Tryphena Absent

14:47 / 24.04.03

I don't know- it sounds interesting but I'd have to venture in to the wilds of Danger-London.

pointless and uncalled for

15:18 / 24.04.03

Relax Anna, you gan get there using the 185 which starts North of the River and will drop you right outside of the Museum for a measly quid.

The park itself if fabulous in the evening and gives amazing views over the sunset.

Have you been to Greenwich to see the meridian. It's quite an odd place.

If you're really desperate and short of cash, go to Hoxton and slap someone in the name of art.

15:53 / 24.04.03

only if they are a stuckist though...

07:35 / 25.04.03

I love Greenwich and yes I've been to the Meridian. So many great ideas! And now I might have to head on over to Selfridges this weekend. How fun!

13:36 / 17.06.03

Bumping an old thread, but happened accross this link for UK festivals and thought people might find something they'd like.

http://www.britannia.com/travel/festivals_list.html

14:56 / 17.06.03

Wow, my old thread. Well guys it's never too late to think of ideas on how to make London a fresh and exciting place, is it?

unheimlich manoeuvre

15:50 / 17.06.03

hello
there is also a good book called London for Free
if it is a sunny day i'd recommend Golders Hill park as it has gardens and a zoo.

15:56 / 17.06.03

Just ordered City Secrets: London

I'll add London for Free to my wish list though.

Tryphena Absent

15:56 / 17.06.03

I'm seconding Golders Hill Park... it has pink flamingo's and the (pretty gothic) wall gardens above the old TB hospital nearby.