Santas Grotto at Selfridges London

When – 22^nd November – 24^th December 2009

Time – Sunday – 12pm – 5pm and 10am – 7pm on other days of the week.

Where - The Ultralounge, Selfridges

400 Oxford Street, London W1A 1AB

Nearest tube station – Marble Arch and Bond Street

A dazzling Santa Grotto will be organized at the well known Selfridges in London. It is going to be one of the most exciting Christmas events in London. This year Santa will make appearances in several parts of the city. At Selfridges you can take an exciting train ride from winter wonderland till the Santa’s grotto. Kids can also take a Christmas tale book while visiting the grotto and they can also click their photo with Santa. Stunning Christmas Windows at Selfridges will also be a major attraction which should not be missed by anyone.

You an also savor the penguin and polar bear animatronics in the Grotto at Selfridges. This years Grotto at Selfridges is special and thus it will also make your Christmas festivities and celebrations special. This year’s Grotto will surely be a magical experience for you and your family. The tickets for Santa Grotto are limited so make sure you grab your share.

Besides Selfridges you can also visit Santa Grotto’s at the following venues:

· Winter Wonderland on 21^st November – 24^th December 2009 at Hyde Park.

· WWT London Wetland Centre Grotto on 5^th – 6^th December 2009 at Wetland Centre.

· Royal Air Force Museum from 19^th – 23^rd December 2009 at Royal Air Force Museum.

· Kew Gardens Grotto from 12^th – 23^rd December 2009 at Kew Garden

· Santa’s Wish Kingdom from 14^th November – 23^rd December at Westfield London.

· Harrods Christmas Grotto from 7^th November in Harrods Christmas Parade.

Christmas in London Winter Wonderland

When - 21^st November 2009 – 3^rd January 2010

Opening Time – 5pm – midnight

Where – Hyde Park, London W2 2UH

Nearest tube station – Hyde Park London Underground

This is the third consecutive year when the Winter Wonderland is in London during the Christmas. It will again set you all in the festive spirit with spectacular rides, sparkling attractions, dazzling lights and fascinating Christmas markets. Last year also this beautiful wonderland attracted 1.5 million visitors and this year it is expected to be even bigger and better as the festival will cover around 32 acres of land.

You can enjoy 200 unique and truly amazing rides with your friends and family at this year’s Winter Wonderland. Besides these exotic rides you can also explore the sparkling festive attractions, phenomenal observation wheel and the simply outstanding German Christmas Market.

Winter Wonderland Highlights

· Choirs and Live bands

· Santa’s Village

· Ice Skating Rink

· 50m high Observation Wheel and 40 heated gondolas

· 66m Power Tower

· Snow Ball Bungee Dome

· Zippo’s Christmas Circus

· Giant Ice Monster

Kids can also get a chance to meet Santa and get a special gift. Besides all the above major highlights the restaurant and bars at the Winter Wonderland will also be a delight to be at you can avail several exclusive Christmas dining offers. These bars and restaurants will also dazzle with stunning decorations and thus, you can savor a delightful dinner in a mesmerizing ambience. Winter Wonderland will also offer several festive food treats which can be enjoyed at Café Grell, Bavarian Village, German Christmas Market and House of St Nikolas.

Also enjoy an exceptional shopping experience at the 50 wooden chalet style huts hosted at the Winter Wonderland. Christmas celebrations will remain incomplete without the Mulled wines so also taste them at the Winter Wonderland.

Firework Displays at Bonfire Night London

Watch the free firework display at ……..

Date: Saturday 7 November 2009
Time: German Beer Festival: from 4.30pm. Fireworks display: 7.30pm
Venue: Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, Wood Green, London N22 7AY
Nearest Tube Station: Wood Green
England's largest German Beer Festival, German drink and food, funfair.
Admission free, but suggested donation.

Venue: Ealing Cricket Club, Corfton Road
Date: Saturday 7 Nov 2009
Gates: 6pm. Fireworks display set to music: 7.30pm, followed by bonfire
Admission: adults £5. Children under 14 (accompanied) £3.00
Extra features: bars, mulled wine, BBQs, candy floss, children's fun rides and glow novelties
Station: Ealing Broadway, North Ealing

“Remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason, and plot, I see no reason will ever be forgot”. Indeed, 5^th of November is afresh and the famous traditional rhyme will be heard once again to commemorate the failure of Gunpowder plot, which targeted to blow up the Houses of Parliament, in London. Food plus fireworks plus Holy smokes equals… It’s Bonfire Time! The contemporary Bonfire Night happens every year on and around 5^th of November. Like never before, the whole London is passionate about fireworks at this time of the year. In the days leading, out of old clothes and paper material children will make “Guys”, by tradition an effigy of Guy Fawkes, the embodiment of Gunpowder plot. Later, these “Guys” are set on fire along with the fireworks to fill the sky. Children use these “Guys” to collect money by asking “penny for the guy”. Usually, adults give money on the basis of how good the “Guy” appears. Earlier, children used to spend this money on buying sparkles (crackers) but now they are barred to do so, instead they spend this money on fast-food centers with proceeds. It’s not recommended to buy fireworks as they can cause serious injuries and therefore can prove fatal, its better to attend an organize firework display. Nothing can beat these exciting fireworks display that will take place throughout the London. Most of them are free to attend.

Don’t miss the Spooky and Sparkling event of the year.

The Nutcracker Royal Ballet London

When – 26^th November 2009 – 1^st January 2010

Where – Royal Opera House

Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD

Nearest tube station – Covent Garden tube station

 

Time

26^th – 30^th November 2009, Monday, Thursday and Friday – 7:30 pm

2^nd – 9^th December 2009 Wednesday – 7:30 pm

5^th December 2009 – 12:00pm

11^th – 16^th December 2009, Wednesday, Friday – 7:30pm

12^th December 2009, Saturday - 2:00pm, 7:00pm

23^rd December 2009 - 12 pm

28^th December 2009 – 7:30 pm

29^th – 30^th December 2009, Tuesday, Wednesday – 2:00pm, 7:00 pm

31^st December 2009 – 1pm, 6:30pm

1^st January 2010 – 5pm

The classical royal ballet at the Royal Opera House will add to the charm of Christmas events in London. You can see the best ballet troop performing on the magical sounds of Tchaikovsky’s best scores. The ballet theme is all about the favourite Christmas gift of Clara – a nutcracker with which she is drawn into the world of magical adventure. She also battles with the king of Mouse and then visits the Kingdom of Sweets. The Nutcracker is fully packed with various exceptional magical moments so, don’t miss your chance to see this magical splendor.

The magical tree at this balley that grows and grows will also leave you amazed. Nutcracker has designs of Julia Trevelyan Oman and choreography is done by Lev Ivanov. This phenomenal ballet is directed by Peter Wright and the star cast of the balley is as follows:

The Prince: Thiago Soares, Rupert Pennefather, Valeri Hristov, Johan Kobborg, Federico Bonelli, Ivan Putrov, Steven McRae, David Makhateli and Sergei Polunin

Sugar Plum Fairy: Laura Morera, Miyako Yoshida, Yuhui Choe , Roberta Marquez, Alina Cojocaru, Sarah Lamb, Lauren Cuthbertson, Marianela Nuñez

Nutcracker can also be viewed at the London Coliseum at St Martin’s Lane but, the show timings for the same show differ at this venue.

Christmas Shopping At London Eye

London is a well known exciting and fascinating shopping destination in England. It offers several popular shopping streets, markets and shops. These shopping destinations include a wide variety of branded showrooms as well as street wear brands. London, although is considered to an expensive city but with so many shopping streets located in the city, you also have an option of pocket friendly shopping in London.

Shopping is even more fun when Christmas is around the corner. London itself is well known for its Christmas celebrations as several Christmas fairs, Christmas Shopping Carnivals and Christmas Markets are organized in the city. One such Christmas Shopping Market will be organized at Southbank Centre, London Eye. This market is well known as Cologne Christmas Market at South Centre/London Eye.

You can shop some of the most unique silver jewellery, hand crafted toys, glass ornaments, hand made ceramics, tin toys and beautiful wax candles. This typical Christmas Market will also organize several wooden chalets along the Queens Walk. This will completely give you a feel of German style Christmas Market. You can also relax with the exceptionally delicious German Mulled Wine offered at the Market.

Cologne Christmas Market Details

Opening Date – 20^th November – 23^rd December 2009

Address – Southbank Centre/ London Eye

Nearest tube station – Waterloo London Underground

Market Timings

Monday 11am - 8pm

Tuesday 11am - 8pm

Wednesday 11am - 8pm

Thursday 11am - 8pm

Friday 10am - 10pm

Saturday 10am - 10pm

Sunday 11am - 8pm

Thus you can savor a variety of drinks and dishes while listening to the mesmerizing traditional music. Merry g o round rides are also available at the market which will be enjoyed thoroughly by the kids. Santa at Queen’s Walk is also amongst the major highlights of this spectacular Christmas Market.

London Cycling Tours

London is a beautiful city and it offers various stunning sights and attractions to be explored. Several tours such as walking tours, bus tours, cycle tours etc are available in the city with which you can discover the most fascinating sights and tourists attractions in the city. Amongst all the cycle tours are the most exciting as you can glide anywhere in the city as per your convenience. You can ride through the banks of the River Thames or walk through the beautiful parks and gardens in the city.

Several touring companies offer the facilities of cycling tours. They also offer the facility of hiring bicycle and experienced tour guides. The tours are organized in groups and thus you can meet new people while you whizz around the city. The bikes are available in all shapes and sizes so it does not matter whether you are an experienced rider or a beginner. These trips can also be planned in private groups or for families.

Some of such Cycling Tours are discussed as under-:

· The East Tour

This tour covers the attractions such as Borough Market, St Paul’s Cathedral, Postman’s Park and Spitalfields.

· Middle London Tour

Although all the popular attractions and London landmarks are explored in the tour but some of the most important of all are Big Ben, Houses of Parliament, Soho, Royal Parks such as Hyde Park and Westminster Abbey. These sights are generally included in the central London Cycling Tour.

You can also choose your favourite locations as per the tours available. The bikes can also be hired from other companies such as London Bicycle Tour Company, OYBike etc. These companies generally give bicycles on hire on the basis of hour, day or weeks. You can choose from the wide variety of bikes available such as mountain bikes, children bikes, hybrids, rickshaw or a tandem. Cycling tours are one of the most exciting things to do in the city whether you are here for vacations or just for a weekend.

Enjoy the Magic of London Theatres

London is filled with theatres and there are many options for the art lovers. Some of the most renowned theatres in the capital are discussed below:

· Royal National Theatre:

Generally known as the National Theatre, was founded in 1963 and is one of the most prominent publicly funded theatre company. This theatre mostly plays Shakespeare and some other international classical Drama. RNT has three theatres, Olivier theatre with a capacity of 1,160 seats, Lyttelton theatre with 890 seats and Cottesloe theatre with approx 400 seats.

· The Old Vic

This theatre is located south-east of the Waterloo Station and was opened in 1818. It has a capacity of over 1000 seats.

· The Young Vic

This theatre is popular amongst the young artists and directors. Young Vic’s name is derived from the closely located theatre The Old Vic. Some of the shows which were played recently were, Street Scene, Fragments, In the Red and Brown water.

· West End Theatre:

West End Theatres are mostly associated with the commercial theatres but there are various off West End, non commercial theatres like. The longest running Musical in the West End theatres are Les Miserables, whereas, The Mousetrap is the longest running non-musical show in the West End. Some other famous theatres of the West End are The St. Martin’s, The Queens and New London Theatre.

There are numerous other theatres in London and why wouldn’t they be, London is the hub of art and culture. It is a heaven for the lovers of theatre, there is a whole new charm to watch live humans act and perform on stage, right in front of your eyes. So instead of buying a movie ticket, buy a theatre ticket for a change and feel the difference.

Live Music Venues in London

The vibrant London has always been a happening music hub. It offers an extremely vivacious and dynamic night life. The city is home to a large number of clubs, bars and restaurants. Several musical shows and live performances are also organized in the city throughout the year. In fact when it comes to the live music in the city, the choice is wide and dynamic. From extensively popular to small local bands, you can explore a variety of such performances. These bands are specially known for there intimate passion towards their art form. The raw music talent in the city is also globally renowned. Take a quick look at some of the most famous Live music venues in London:-

1. Half Moon Putney
93 Lower Richmond Road
Putney SW15
Nearest Tube Station – Putney Bridge
Since the late 1960’s the Half Moon has been one of the best places to be at for the folkies. Its extensive history reveals a rich tradition and a glorious graph of performances. Some of the early performers at the pub included Rolling Stones, Kate Bush, Elvis Costello, Steve Marriot and many more.



2. The Black Sheep Croydon
68 High Street, Croydon
Nearest Tube Station – East Croydon
Croydon does not offer a great and impressive architecture but, The Black Sheep is only centre for cultural pub. It is well known for its rock nights and live performances. You can also see some stuff of hip hop and break dance here. The bar also offers a membership with which you can avail exciting discount coupons.

3. Filthy McNasty’s Whiskey Café, Angel
68 Armwell Street
Islington EC1
Nearest Tube Station – Angel
It is amongst the few pubs in the city which host Irish Folk Musical shows. You can also savor a variety of Thai food at the pub which is outstandingly delicious. The pub offers a pleasing ambience with outside seating arrangements. It is one of the best places to enjoy live performances, DJ nights and gigs.

4. The Windmill Brixton
22 Blenheim Gardens
Brixton SW2
Nearest Tube Station – Brixton
With an impressive and lively bohemian atmosphere, the Windmill Brixton is a popular pub in the area. It is famous for offering cheap beers and stupendous bands. Its alluring music attracts hundreds of listeners and tourists to the old streets of Brixton.


5. The Hope & Anchor, Islington
207 Upper Street
Inslington N1
Nearest Tube Station – Highbury & Islington
The Hope & Anchor hosted quite a few renowned musical shows such as Ash, Futeheads by Indie Stalwarts and Art Rockers. The pub also offers a pool table, so you can also visit it in the daytime. It is a proper rockers pub and the youngsters often enjoy the place.


Besides the above mentioned pubs, the city offers a wide range of night clubs, theatres, bars etc. London night life is definitely a must to explore whenever you are in the city. Whether on business or a leisure trip it is highly recommended to take out some time and experience the sparkling and dynamic life style of the city. If pubs and night clubs are not on you list of favourites then you can opt to visit the effervescent comedy clubs in the city. If you are a music lover then, choose from the long list of live events happening in several venues in the city.