Crazy golf? You bet!

Not a lot of people know this but in the 1930s the roof of Selfridges boasted a pleasure garden, cafe and golf course. This summer it has been reopened to host the Big Rooftop Tea and Golf Party; it's golf, but not as you know it.

British food architects Bompas and Parr have designed a 9-hole course that puts the crazy right back into crazy golf. Each hole is a tribute to a treasured London landmark, modelled as if made of elaborately iced cake or jelly - and realistic enough that one of the club rules is 'No licking the obstacles'. Now that's not a sentence you hear every day.

Step out of the Express lift into a 'Mad Hatter meets genteel English village fête' blur of bunting, teacups, strawberries and golf balls. Collect your putter, choose a pastel-coloured ball, grab your gloriously cherry bakewell-scented score card and make your way to the first hole - the Portal of Destiny. Big Ben, Nelson's Column, and a rather wonderful Tower Bridge (complete with rather thoughtful shrimp net to retrieve errant balls from the water) are all here.

St Pinbaul's is a rather tricky fifth hole, complete with tempting jellyesque models of St Paul's (I did manage to restrain myself from licking, but only after a prod or two revealed them to be more solid than you would expect from the real deal). One of the joyous side-effects of freely-accepted madness is the inevitable shedding of reserve between strangers. How can you hope to adhere to social norms when you are belting a pink golf ball at a giant piece of cake?

The final hole is a twirly lilac Gherkin (okay, 30 St Mary Axe) and then you can tot up your score and retire to the cafe for some well-earned refreshment. I know we probably should have had the afternoon tea, but my companion and I were waylaid by the menu into a glass of Prosecco and a Gin, Elderflower and Violet jelly; a delicately-hued and delicious treat to round off our superbly random London afternoon.

You'll have to hurry as 2nd September is the last day. Online tickets sell out pretty quickly but they keep tickets back for walk-ups each day; go through the Fragrance department on the ground floor and you'll see two lifts on the right. The left hand lift is the Express lift straight to the top floor and should have a hostess with a clipboard standing next to it. You can book your tickets there - time slots should be available throughout the day.

If we're talking high tea it doesn't get too much higher than this.





Yours, in fabulously British randomness,
Girl About Town xx

Cabaret Mechanical Theatre

If you were one of those kids who used to fight with your brother or sister about whose turn it was to push the button for the green man when crossing the road, then you're going to love this exhibition.

This was pure nostalgia for me. These automata used to be downstairs at Covent Garden where, being fun and free, they were an intrinsic part of a teenage day out along with buying hand made silver earrings from students at the market and hanging out by the street performers before filling up on cheap and fabulous veggie stir fry at Food for Thought.

If you're making a special journey, be aware that the selection here is quite small; the exhibition space is basically the size of a shop and you'll be here fifteen to twenty minutes tops. However, size isn't everything. These wonderful and ingenious contraptions are great fun and guaranteed to raise a smile; there is something about pressing the buttons and making them whizz into action, be it rowing pirates, kissing couples or a lion-tamer retrieving his head from the lion's mouth just before the jaws clamp shut, that is very satisfying in a toddleresque kind of way.

I can't decide if my personal favourite is the man eating spaghetti from his bathtub or the waving Queen, but I marvel at the imagination and workmanship in them all.

I didn't have time on this particular visit. but if you are trekking out to the area, Dulwich Picture Gallery is a short bus ride away and is on my hit list, so watch this space. There are plenty of places to grab a bite or a caffeine fix in the nearby High Street, which incidentally has some very nice charity shops worth browsing for a pre-loved bargain or two.

One word of warning; I nearly pitched up at the Kennington branch of Space Station 65, which doesn't have an exhibition on at the moment, having glanced at their website and just seen a tube station within walking distance. This exhibition is in the East Dulwich site - check their website for details.

http://www.spacestationsixtyfive.com/

Delightful, amusing and free. What more do you want? Go push some buttons.

Yours, making things happen,

Girl About Town xx

Take a boat to the beach . . . without leaving London

Spying one relatively sunny day in the forecast of the otherwise underwhelming start to August, I decided I was going to make the most of it and head to the beach - but the coast is hours away and I felt like a languorously idle sunworshipping day not a sweaty trek. So, on with the sun cream and flip flops and off to Browning's Pool at Little Venice, where I boarded a 100-year-old (refurbished) canal boat run by Jason's Trip.  http://www.jasons.co.uk/index.html

You can of course cross the little bridge and take a London Waterbus instead, but did you know that Browning's Pool is named after the poet Robert Browning, who came to live in the area after the death of his wife, Elizabeth Barrett Browning? The guides on Jason's Trip do, and lots more besides. If you want to get from A to B, the Waterbus is great; if you want to learn a little about the history of the canal as you drift along, and the bridges and buildings that you pass, then I would suggest Jason's.

The trip to Camden Lock takes about 45 minutes and goes straight through London Zoo, where you should get a pretty good view of the aviary, and past some splendiferous Nash-inspired villas.  After disembarking I had a brief mosey round the markets, then made my way to the Roundhouse, and Camden Beach. http://www.roundhouse.org.uk/camden-beach

As the song (almost) has it, you got 99 problems but a beach ain't one; those crazy folk at the Roundhouse have turned their outside terrace into a very passable beach, with 150 tonnes of sand, deck chairs, beach bars and games - plus big screen sports for cheering on Team GB and a large covered area in case the Great British Summer doesn't play ball. Do check the website before you set off though, as it is closed on several days for private functions.

Entry is free, on the condition that you don't take your own food or drink (or any glass containers), but the Tiki Hut is well-stocked and not overly expensive; the bars are cash only but there is a cash machine (and loos) inside the building. A very pleasant afternoon was had, sitting in the unaccustomed sunshine, drinking cocktails and eating chips with a plastic fork whilst wiggling my toes in the sand. Quality.

To all my fellow beach babes and surf dudes - enjoy!




Yours,

Girl About Town xx

Frugal Foodie About Town

Mmmm, food.

I adore good food: shopping for it, cooking it, and having it cooked for me. So lucky me for having on my very doorstep the diverse wealth of London's markets, delis, food emporia, restaurants, cafes, food stalls, pop-ups . . . the opportunities for indulgence are endless.

Food is a passion shoulder-bargingly close to my love of all things London, so I may occasionally border on the evangelical in sharing the joy - or disappointments - of my culinary discoveries. I don't accept payments/bribes/free stuff for any reviews so you can be sure they will always be genuine, honest and from the heart (stomach?) - and as such, you (or indeed, the owners of the establishments) may disagree with them entirely. Or partially. Or you may find your new favourite foodie spot, in which case my work here is done. Feel free to add a comment, send me a recommendation, tell your friends.

I'm also continuously watching my pennies, so places that are both fabulous and reasonably-priced are my holy grail. Top of my list currently has to be Koya, in Frith Street.

To say this is a good Japanese noodle bar is like saying that Stephen Fry is not bad with words: Koya takes the humble Udon to reverential heights. The duck with cold noodles and hot broth is awesomely good, and the tempura is heavenly - perfectly light and crisp. It is simple food, done incredibly well - which means that you can eat in a top 100 listed, Central London restaurant for around £15-£20 per head. Cool or what?
http://www.koya.co.uk/about-us/about-udon

You can't book, but I tend to start queuing about 15-20 minutes before they open and have always got a seat so far. Sit on the benches (or the step) and people-watch while you wait, or check out the blue plaque on the building opposite commemorating Mozart's stay here during his only visit to London, as a child.

Eating noodles in broth always makes me feel inordinately healthy too, so I can gratify my senses, my conscience and my bank manager all at the same time. (Oh, and any restaurant whose web page begins 'Noodle saves planet!' is okay with me.) Sometimes, life is good.

May the Udon be with you,
Yours, Girl About Town xx

St James's Park - photo ops, trivia and feeding the wildlife

We are incredibly lucky in London to have so many beautiful parks to punctuate the hustle and bustle of city life.

I'll be blogging about them all at some point, but if you can't wait then the Royal Parks website is easy to navigate and a great place to start - check it out:  http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks

I quite often find myself in St James's Park, which is pretty much the Queen's front garden. In the wake of the Diamond Jubilee, there are some fun photo opportunities for tourists and/or the patriotically-stirred; St James's Park has a suitably majestic five-tonne floral crown, and if you take your photo carefully you can even get Buck House in the background.
The creation is a copy of the actual crown used in the Queen's coronation in 1953, St Edward's Crown; if you are feeling inspired the original, made of gold and precious/semi-precious stones and weighing in at a hefty two and a quarter kilograms, can be seen in the Crown Jewels collection at the Tower of London.

You can also find some wonderfully vibrant 'Union Jack' flowerbeds - and here's another bit of random trivia: technically the correct name of the UK's national flag is actually the Union Flag; a 'jack' is the term for a flag flown from a ship that indicates the nationality of the vessel. (Not a lot of people know that.)

St James's Park stretches itself either side of a long and fairly narrow lake, home to a host of ducks, geese - and pelicans! The latter get fed every day around 2.30pm, which is fun to watch, but the former will be very happy to get up close and personal with you in exchange for the crusts from your lunchtime sandwiches (although apparently birdseed or halved grapes are better for them).

Feeding the ducks is fine and dandy, but for me, the real fun is in feeding the squirrels. These little guys are pretty tame, and if you crouch down and keep reasonably still, they'll take food (unsalted nuts are ideal - Boots sell them in perfectly-sized little snack packs) straight from your hand. (Boots sell hand sanitiser too, if you're worried.)

The most squirrel-friendly area seems to be about half way along the path walking from Buckingham Palace down towards the bridge - which is also a great photo op, as from the middle of the bridge there are great views in both directions.

Happy squirrel-whispering,

Girl About Town xx

Coffee in all weathers and secret gems

Greetings, fellow about-towners!

My two favourite places to stop for coffee (or a glass of something chilled and bubbly) on the Southbank; the question is - sunshine or rain?

Sunshine? It has to be the rooftop garden, landscaped by the Eden Project and perched on top of the Queen Elizabeth Hall. The dismal 'summer' has at least meant that this garden is wild and fabulous, with lawns, rampaging flowers and even a scarecrow; sit at one of the tiny herb-bedecked tables facing the greenery for a ten-minute escape from the bustle, or grab a bench for an impressive view across the river.

http://www.companyofcooks.com/locations/our-locations/southbank-centre


Rain? Avoid the homicidal umbrella-wielding throng and scurry into the BFI. Wend your way through to the cafe/bar/lounge area and you'll find a welcoming boho mismatch of sofas, armchairs and long low tables; slouching is pretty much compulsory. Excellent coffee, free wi-fi, and it's great in the evenings too - behind the bookcase is a hidden entrance to their new cocktail bar, the Drawing Room. All bookshelves, leather Chesterfields and dim lighting, it's a little like suddenly finding yourself on a film set; appropriate, no?

http://www.benugobarandkitchen.com/about-bak

Enjoy,

Girl About Town xx

Welcome!

Welcome to London - Girl About Town!


London is one of the most amazing, exciting and fascinating cities in the world. This blog is part guide, part journal and part love song; I am unashamedly passionate about London and these are my travels, my discoveries and my stories.

Perhaps you're a tourist, visiting London for the first time. Maybe you live outside London and head into town now and then for shows, or to try out a new restaurant. You might even be a Londoner, shuttling along a well-worn path between work and home, drinking in the same bars with the same friends at the weekends.

Every week, hundreds of people from all over the world raid their bank accounts, spend hours travelling and pay scary hotel bills just to be in this city. If this is you - or if you are lucky enough to live in or near London already - then shouldn't you make the most of it?


I was going past Trafalgar Square on the top deck of a bus one evening, idly looking out over the fountain, when I suddenly realised that if I was in any other city in the world that I would be taking pictures like mad. It's absolutely beautiful - and an everyday sight on the way to the station. So my mission is to open my eyes, to make the most of this fabulous, vibrant city, and to do it all without a second mortgage.

Girl About Town is about discovering, or rediscovering, London. Cool things to do for free, new exhibitions, great markets, the best coffee or Sunday roast, random historical snippets, where to grab a bite, quirky traditions and where to find a loo. I can't promise there will be much method in my madness; I have decidedly eclectic taste and can segue from opera to air hockey without missing a beat - but isn't that half the fun?

Buckle up and join me.





Yours,

Girl About Town xx