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Posts Tagged "alexandra palace"

24 Nov
2010

Bases for Germany and France for London 2012 Announced

Posted by in London 2012 Olympic Games 1 Comment

Germany and France have both sorted out their hospitality bases for the 2012 Games, insidethegames.biz reported today.

Museum of London Docklands, a listed Georgian warehouse on the Isle of Dogs, will host the German Olympic Sports Federation. The French Olympic Committee will set up home in Old Billingsgate, a Grade-II listed Victorian building that’s become one of London’s most popular entertainment venues.

German House is often one of the most popular venues at any Games. It’s where the German Olympic Sports Federation and its sponsors provide VIP hospitality and facilities for their guests.

The director of Museum of London Docklands, Professor Jack Lohman says, “We are absolutely delighted to welcome the first Olympic house to the Olympic Boroughs.”

“This partnership will bring lasting benefits to the Museum of London Docklands including upgrades to the building, international links with Stories of the World – the London 2012 cultural festival for young people, and relationship-building with German businesses.

“As a publicly funded organisation, these benefits are both extremely valuable and timely.”

According to an article in the Standard earlier this month, other Olympic Houses include:

9 Oct
2010

London Photo of the Week: The Knitting & Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace

Posted by in Classes, Shopping 1 Comment

Looking for something to do this weekend? Why not pop up to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace? Yesterday the sewing machines were out under a canopy of fabric scraps!

The biggest craft show in London is packed with stalls selling sewing and knitting supplies, there are exhibitions of work from craft guilds, textile graduates and artists, and you can even take a class to learn something new!

The show is open today and tomorrow. Find out more at www.twistedthread.com

What did you do this weekend? Add your photos to the Visit London Flickr pool.

9 Jul
2010

Moonlight Movies: London’s Outdoor Cinemas

Posted by in Cinema 1 Comment

As the summer weather continues to hold, we at VL Towers are pondering all the lovely things we can do outdoors of an evening. And, following the fun times at the Starlite Urban Drive-In, we can think of nothing better than a visiting one of London’s outdoor or pop-up cinemas.

Here are some of the coolest spots to watch film in London this summer:

Have you spotted any more open air cinema events happening in our fair city? Let us know in the comments below!

26 Feb
2010

London Welcomes The World’s Smallest Hotel

Posted by in Accommodation 3 Comments

We know visitors to London have very discerning tastes when it comes to choosing accommodation. Whether it’s top-of-the-range luxury hotels or family-friendly B&Bs, there’s lots on offer.

With that in mind, we’ve decided to shake London’s hotel scene up a bit: we’re opening the world’s smallest pop-up hotel.

If you’re in London between the 15-19 March, and you would like to try this money-can’t-buy experience, enter the prize draw for a chance to win at www.visitlondon.com/popup

Lucky winners will wake up with an amazing view of some of the capital’s favourite attractions including

Visit London has transformed a luxury American Airstream into a beautiful bedroom suite, teaming up with Radisson Edwardian Hotels to stamp their own unique style on the pop-up hotel.

The high-spec mini hotel features a dedicated concierge, check-in desk, room service, a flat-screen TV, sound system, fridge and dining-room area, double bed, en-suite facilities and all the other little touches you would expect to find in a top London hotel.

Enter now: the competition closes on 7 March

12 Jan
2010

Ice Skating School at Somerset House

Posted by in Attractions, Classes, Open Spaces, Special Events, Sport 2 Comments

January is a tough month. The fun and feasting is over, we’re all back at work and the detox dullness has begun to bite. Meanwhile, while The Big Freeze means most are heartily sick of cold things, this morning I actively sought the ice, attending a lesson at Somerset House Skate School.

The school is held on the Somerset House Ice Rink on weekdays from 8.30-9.30am for adults, and there’s also Penguin Club, which teaches kids how to skate.

The skate school class consisted of about 15 (adult) pupils, who were split into two groups – absolute beginners and slightly more advanced. After booting up (skate hire is included), we stepped out onto the rink.

I was nervous – I’ve skated before but not often and it’s been a while. I started with the beginners, clutching the barrier, but soon got the hang of it enough to glide across, triumphant, to join the advanced group. Here we practiced the basics of skating forward and backwards, as well as stopping, crouching down, skating on one leg, sharp turns and even a little jump!

My instructor, Lucy, was friendly, helpful and calm. Skating backwards is something I thought I’d never even attempt, but I managed it, albeit with a helping hand from Lucy. My poor balance meant the one-legged glide, while less scary, was a lot more difficult and, oddly, the hardest bit is stopping.

The thing is, though, once you get going, you don’t want to stop because skating is such fun. Throw in the gorgeous backdrop of London’s Somerset House and a small group of friendly people that ensures you’ve got room to move and it’s a lovely start to a frosty morning. I’d recommend this for anyone who’s a bit nervous on the ice or who wants to learn new moves and brush up their technique. I’m sure, like me, you won’t be able to stop either!

Somerset House Ice Rink is open until late January and there are still a few places available at Skate School. Tickets are also available for the afternoon and evening sessions, including late skates accompanied by a DJ.

Other London ice rinks open now include Canary Wharf, Broadgate and the Natural History Museum. Plus there’s permanent ice rinks at the Lee Valley Ice Centre, Alexandra Palace and Queensway Ice & Bowl.

30 Dec
2009

Photo of the Week: London View from Alexandra Palace Park

Posted by in Open Spaces No Comments

Alexandra Palace

This week’s photo shows London from the top of the hill at Alexandra Palace. It’s a perfect place to go for a long walk if you’ve just spent the weekend lying on the sofa watching telly and stuffing yourself with mince pies.

Add your photos to the Visit London Flickr pool and we could be featuring your photos in the new year.

2 Nov
2009

Visit London Asks: Where Are You Celebrating Bonfire Night?

Posted by in Special Events 8 Comments

Bonfire Night in LondonLast week was all about Halloween. Hope you all had a suitably scary weekend.

This week, London looks to Bonfire Night with a whole host of different firework displays taking place across the capital.

Bonfire Night is also known as Fireworks Night or Guy Fawkes Night. It’s a British tradition dating back to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605, when Catholic conspiritor Guy Fawkes tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and King James I. Read the full story here.

And we’re interested to know where our readers are headed for this year’s firework fix?

If you’re still undecided, check out our list of London’s firework displays.