Quiz Tarrent at Lucky Voice

The more observant amongst you may have noticed I enjoy a good night out drinking with the girls, and its far from uncommon for me to over indulge. Last night at Lucky Voice on Upper Street, Angel, was no different.

The bar is lovely and stylish, but the prices were great! A bottle of beer was just £3.95! As a Northerner that figure looks painful for a bottle of beer, but as a resident of the capital for over 3 years it is music to my ears!

Get there for 7.45 on a Thursday night for a music quiz, £2 per player, and take advantage of the free karaoke booth after the quiz. Its also worth booking a table in advance as it can get a little cosy. 

Obviously with any pub quiz the most important question is "what shall we call our team?". We went with Quiz Tarrent. Get it? Like Chris Tarrent? Never mind, I thought it was hilarious.
The quiz is totally music related, think name the artist style questions and current music news. Some of the questions are a little tricky so brush up on your music knowledge before heading down. They also have some "get involved" rounds, like who can hoola hoop for the longest - winners get points for their team!

The quiz is a lot of good fun, but the real magic comes after the quiz has finished. With any luck you are all nice and merry by now, and you'll need to be, as you are taken around to one of the private karaoke rooms for you and your friends. Playing the quiz gets you 2 hours of karaoke free! It was a hard hitting moment for me when I realised I wouldn't be a winner on The X Factor any time soon, but we had a lot of fun choosing songs, playing with different sound effects for the mic and using the inflatable guitar.

Unfortunately, when I got up for work the following morning I stumbled late into the office I was feeling less than fresh, and a little embarrassed to say the least. But good fun was had all round!

Introducing Captain Meow at the Portside Parlour

Last week a group of us gals got together to head down to the PortSide Parlour at Broadway Market. This lovely little basement bar was delightful; being a rum lover my only disappointed was not finding the place sooner!

It’s worth pointing out that as you stroll down Broadway Market hunting for a doorway to a basement bar you will be wandering for a while. There is a lovely looking bar located on the corner of Dericote Street called Off Broadway, go in through there and follow the signs for the toilets, that's where you will find the pirate ship themed bar.

Unfortunately we planned this little trip to the rum bar well in advance, so much so we hadn’t accounted for the tube strikes. Eventually our party arrived and we began our endless assault on the cocktail menu. A Grace Jones followed by a Fishwife Punch, chased with a Prime Minister, each more delicious than the last. My personal favorite was the 1749, served with a little surprise.

The Rum Cocktail Menu

The bar itself is decked out like a pirate ship, with candelabras on the tables and jugs of water, tables so sturdy they would look proud in the captains quarter. Having spent many a party in my later teen years dressed as a pirate this place provoked loads of old memories, most ending rather embarrassingly with me falling over of puking into a bucket! Luckily I have grown to be a much more responsible adult so there was no pirate themed repeat from my past...or rather my last train home was at 9.45.
Due to the tube strikes we had the place to ourselves, which was great for what we wanted, but the lovely bar staff assured us it gets pretty packed out at the weekend!

All in all, I'm pretty disappointed I am unlikely to be heading back there any time soon. Their rum selection was fantastic, the bar staff were warm and friendly and the decor was very, erm, piratey! And, we even got to meet Captain Meow, the ships resident rat catcher!

I doubt he would make a good rat catcher really!

Ps. apologies for the blurriness of the pictures, the cocktails were just too good!

The London Travel Show and Alborz Restaurat Review

At the weekend Graham and I went along to The Adventure Travel Show at Olympia, and what a day it was! Finished off with a meal for two at Alborz Restaurant, my only regret is getting a day ticket and not a full weekend pass!

The whole place was filled with adventure tours to global destinations, travel shops like Nomad and information about global sustainability and environmental responsibility.We spent the day learning about our destinations of choice in SE Asia and left weighed down with travel guides, magazines and leaflets galore to provide yet more inspiration for our plannings.

The most inspirational thing there, however, was not the glossy mags and perfect pictures of tropical paradise hanging at the back of almost every stand. It was the talks. Some of them inspired me to be more careful with recycling and encouraged me to think more about the impact my choices have on the world. Emily Penn, from Pangaea Exploration, gave a wonderful talk about plastic pollution in the ocean - never again shall I be guilty of taking a plastic carrier bag from Sainsbury's!

My favorite talk was certainly that of Leon McCarron, who invited us to join him on his walk through the Empty Quarter. Basically, him and a mate built a cart, dropped it in the middle of the desert and walked to Abu Dhabi. Clearly, there was a little more to it than that. The incredible heat, the endless miles of sand and the ever changing landscape. It was fascinating and really got Graham and I excited about all the possibilities for the road ahead.

At the end of the how, weight down like pack horses, the two of us mooched over the road to the Alborz Restaurant, a charming Persian place, just over the road from the exhibition hall. Here we sat in almost silence, save the odd "check this out" and "WOW! Holy cow lets go here!" as we pointed enthusiastically at pictures in our magazines. The food here was great. Our mixed started was served with fresh flat bread, baked right in front of us, the Kashk O Bademjan was delicious! For main I had the sea bass. It was good, but if I find myself there again I would probably give something else a try. 

It took us 2 hours to get home to our (very far) North London flat, but with our noses in magazines it seemed like nothing! We will certainly be going to some more of the travel shows coming up in London over the coming month!

A walk down memory lane

When I was growing up in the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Moors a good old town fair was never far away. Some of my greatest memories of growing up include playing on the rides, trying to win a giant teddy and filling my face with sausage dogs and candy floss. So you can imagine my delight when I received a call from my sister, who very recently moved to London, late Wednesday night.

Me- Hello?
Sammy- Take tomorrow as a duvet day
Me- Oh, hey Sammy. Why?
Sammy- We're going to Winter Wonderland.
Me- Done, see you tomorrow!

My sister and I share a special love for one ride in particular, an amazing ride so simple and pure no other comes close. Our love is made all the stronger because, at around the age of 14, we saw someone get hit by one! The Waltzers. So, after filling my stomach with a smoked salmon sandwich and drinking more mulled wine than I would ever advise, we made our way towards the fairground.

£4 each later we hopped into our little cart, careful to make sure Phil, my sisters rather muscly and weighty boyfriend, was on the outside to ensure maximum spin. We sat in anticipation, handed our tickets to the ride attendant who put the bar down and waited for the inevitable evil laugh that ques the ride to start. We travel the tracks with the cars not yet spinning, desperately leaning as far as we can to try get things moving when a count down begins. 10. 9. 8. 7. 654. 3. 2...1! All at once the cars go spinning out of control. I grip onto the bar across my stomach desperately trying to pull my head forward, a game Sammy and I used to play whenever on the ride. Whilst on this ride I laugh uncontrollably, only managing to catch a breath when the car looses momentum and we bob around the track looking out onto the faces watching the ride. When we all recover from out first spin we gauge the timing, then as we ride over the top of a hill and begin the short fall the 3 of us lean as far as we can to encourage the car to spin uncontrollably yet again. I howl with laughter, my sides begin to hurt in a way that laughter can only create. Then, when I thought I couldn't take anymore, the car picked up the pace. I tried desperately to keep my head pulled forward but couldn't fight it any longer. My head was thrown backwards as I howled and screamed with delight. By now my sight was about clear as at 4am as I stumble out of Club de Fromage, blared from crying with laughter as opposed to beer goggles. I manage to peer over to my sister to discover her also crying and laughing, only she is pointing towards me!

Notting Hill Carnival

Notting Hill Carnival takes place August bank holiday weekend every year, and has become one of the largest carnivals in Europe.

The event came from humble beginnings, with the main parade being made up of drums and lively dancers in a true celebration of the culture. If you ask anyone that used to go to the carnival 15 years ago they will give you a very difference account to what it is now, and they will also say its nowhere near as good as it used to be! I tried to get a picture of the dancers in their fabulous outfits but this was the best I could do; doesn't she look happy?

When I arrived it was amazing and I couldn't believe I hadn't been before, going to Liverpool's Matthew Street Festival every year instead. But this place was something else, with huge crowds and loud music everywhere you went. There were stages everywhere, with different bands and DJ's playing (the pine-apple stage was my fave). As we walked further around the carnival we followed our noses to an area filled with food stands. They were all boasting the best jerk chicken, rice and peas available, and they weren't lying either. The food on offer is incredible (if a little over priced) but it is the best jerk chicken I have had in London.

We then started walking back towards the tube station to meet another friend, and this is where I started to have different feelings towards the event. When we crossed the road from the main parade it took us 10 minutes to walk up the road, on the way back it took us over half an hour at least! I tried to get a picture to demonstrate and hope it shows just how busy is got!

At 2pm when we arrived



Taken at the same place 3 hours later, and it got busier still!

Later on walking back this way it was crazy busy! To make it worse (or better, depending on your idea of a fun day out) most people were pretty drunk and/or on drugs. Ok, so I had also had a drink, but not enough; I was grateful for the small amount I had drank but I think you would need to drink a fair bit more to catch up with these people and be able to enjoy it properly. Unfortunately, when there are large crowds, drugs and alcohol you also get fights. I was fortunate enough to get caught in the middle of a particularly brutal one.

I suppose I had a bad experience, I would still go next year, but with different expectations and maybe try stay clear of the main roads, maybe find a quieter stage away from the bigger crowds.

If you don't really want to drink or get caught up in the crowds get there early, have a look round, eat some awesome jerk chicken and head off before the masses arrive.

If you do want to stay late and enjoy the full day this sign on one of the out door bars sums it up nicely; If you're no drunk you're not doing it right!

Monday Blues

We all know that feeling. Monday at 5.15pm and almost time to head home from work. With 1 day down you still have 4 more to go and you just don't know if you can make it through. You begin to weigh up options for the evening to make it all feel a little more bearable. You could go home, order in from your favorite Chinese, watch a season of Sex in the City (I only just got the box set, don't judge me) and wish away the rest of the week. Maybe go to the pub, have a few too many pints and stagger home and pay for it when your alarm goes off in the morning. Maybe head to the cinema, but then again everyone knows that's a Wednesday night gig. Its all looking a little hopeless. There's no way you will make it to Friday without loosing a small amount of soul.

But wait. There's one option left that you've yet to consider. Open up a new email (or create a Whatsapp group), add some of your friends that you know will be in need of something fun to do to take away the Monday blues too, and add into the subject line "Hungry Millers Comedy Laugh Bag". That's right, its time to fight the blues with the one thing sure to make the week seem less painful; stand up comedy.

This place is ideal for those cold Monday evenings; just hop on the Northern Line to London Bridge, cut through Guys Hospital and there, on Snowsfields Road, is The Miller pub. Its like a beacon of light on a dark, drizzly London evening.

I first went to the Hungry Miller Comedy Laugh Bag 2 years ago when I lived over the road, and because of my close proximity I went every week. Since then the room has stayed the same, the Compare hasn't changed, and neither has the price. What has changed is their reputation, both to audiences and to comedians, thus the room is often packed out and the acts keep getting better and better!

I would recommend booking in advance. Also, it'll save you a pound or two to book in advance, and there's a deal for a ticket and a pint too! The show starts at 8pm, I would recommend heading down for about 6-6.30ish, fill your face with some Thai food in the pub, or there's a great curry house next door (its BYOB, not that you'll be drinking, it's Monday). Then head upstairs and let Rob the compare introduce some great new comedians, as well as big names.

Its a great way to beat those blues away, whether you've got the fear of the working week ahead or you're a tourist looking for something fun and affordable to fill your Monday night, Hungry Millers Comedy Laugh Bag will do just the trick to make you night brighter!

Here's a few pictures I took whilst there a little while ago.

This is Dave, one of the organisers, compares and comedians

Please note, this was originally posted 20/11/2012 but because I'm an idiot I deleted it! I'm not sure if The Miller still has comedy on a Monday, but if it does let me know!!

Blackheath Firework Display 2012

Every year parks all across London (and the rest of the UK) set up hot dog carts, coffee stands and sell as many flashing toys to children as possible. Its 5th November, or the closest weekend when the 5th falls on a week night. Last night a group of friends and me took the long journey from zone 3 North London into the deep, dark depths of South London's Blackheath for their annual fire works display.
We got there a little early, so early in fact the hog roast I insist on for dinner at any fire work display I attend wasn't ready yet!  Blackheath is one of the most popular free displays in London so it gets pretty busy there, as well as on the trains to get there, so getting there early really does pay off (even if you do have to wait a while for your hog roast dinner).
After we had all filled our bellies with hot dogs, burgers and candy we went down to the fairground to go on some rides! It was like going back to the early naughties when I was about 14, it was quite simply amazing. There were all the classics; Twister, Dodgems, a Carousel and my personal favorite the Waltzers.

Now, feeling like a big kid, it was time to head out onto the heath to watch the fire works. Never mind Christmas, you can forget about Easter, birthdays and whatever else, bonfire night is without a doubt my favorite night of the year for no other reason then the firework. Yes, the fairs are fun and the food is yummy, but its all about the show!
The display at Blackheath was simply fabulous. Having spent my uni days in Liverpool (I'll give a few little guides to Liverpool soon, to include nights out and exploring the Beatles) the best place to go to see fireworks was Sefton Park, which puts on the very best display I had ever seen! However, as soon as the display is over you would have to make a quick exit from the park unless you want a firework in your face! This being my second display I have been to in London I still get a little concerned walking through the crowds that there will be a "joker" among them ready to set a rocket off. This being Blackheath and not Liverpool you won't need to be worrying about that, something that I always find to be a pleasant surprise.

Right as the show was about to start my house mate pulled a bottle of red wine and some Halloween cups to sip through the demonstration, and I shared a few packs of sparklers with everyone. Just a little word of warning though, we were told off by one of the safety stewards for having them.

                                            

There is, however, just 1 small critique I have about the Blackheath display. All other shows I have been to have had a soundtrack, usually ending in Katy Perry's Firework. It was only a small thing but it does make a difference.

There was also a reptile house with rescued snakes and lizards of all shapes and sizes. We held a lovely snake named Opal. It was nice to see something non traditional at the display, and I'm sure it was a great way for the charity to make a few extra pennies. 

All in all Blackheath had it all, great food, awesome rides, snakes and a fabulous display! I will be there next year for sure! 

Originally posted 4/11/2012, but because I'm an idiot I deleted it!