Situated just a ping pong ball’s throw away from Holborn station, Bounce is built on the same site where table tennis was originally trademarked by J Jaques & Son Ltd in 1901. Complete with blue plaque, the venue is home to a swanky cocktail bar, an up-market pizzeria, a DJ booth and 17 table tennis tables – including an official London 2012 table.

Drawing on the success of similar venues stateside, it’s the brainchild of entrepreneur and accomplished table tennis player Dov Penzik and the co-founder of All Star Lanes, Adam Breeden.

Adam said, “Ping Pong is such an accessible sport, and we believe the most fun sporting activity there is and Bounce is taking the game back to its roots by combining the sport with socialising, entertainment and a touch of glamour and on the very birthplace of the game!”

For more info, visit bouncelondon.co.uk

Other activity bars in London:

Bowling at All Star Lanes
There are no bright lights or flashing arcade games at All Star Lanes – this is boutique bowling! There are four lanes in Holborn, six each in Bayswater and Brick Lane and a whopping 14 at Westfield. Each has a modern American restaurant and cocktail bar, as well as private rooms.
allstarlanes.co.uk

Table Football at Bar Kick
Mostly famous for their many football tables, Bar Kick also offers basement events, lovingly cooked food and cocktails. It is also a great place to watch live football and every 3D match available is shown in the basement
cafekick.co.uk/bar-kick

Snooker and Pool at the Hurricane Room
Open 24/7, the Kings Cross Hurrican Room has recently undergone a £500,000 refurbishment. The swish venue now houses 10 snooker tables, six English pool tables, nine American pool tables and two poker booths. Coaching available.
hurricaneroom.co.uk

Karaoke at Lucky Voice
Lucky Voice bills itself as the UK’s Number One karaoke experience. Hire a private karaoke room for you and your friends in either Soho or Islington, choose from thousands of songs to sing and use the “thirsty” button for waitress service. Discounts and special offers available online.
luckyvoice.com

Darts, Pool, Table Football and a Nintendo Wii at The Bell
The Bell is an independently owned Victorian pub on the fringes of the City. But don’t mistake this for just another city pub as it’s far from it, according to management. Traditional pub grub and space available for private hire.
thebellpub.co.uk

Indoor Golf at Urban Golf
Urban Golf offers a virtual golf experience on simulators, so no matter what the weather you can try your skills on more than 50 of the world’s top courses. Whether you head to the Smithfield, Soho or High Street Kensington branch, you’ll find about seven simulators and a full bar and menu too. Coaching available.
urbangolf.co.uk

Do you have a favourite bar that does more than serve great drinks? Let us know in the comments below

Karoline Zobens-East is a third generation British Latvian whose grandparents moved to Yorkshire after the Second World War. She co-founded www.latviesiem.co.uk. We spoke to Karoline about the Latvian community in London:

I was born in London but from birth have been heavily involved in the Latvian community both in London and England. Although not an EU migrant myself, I interact daily with people who have moved to London from Latvia recently.

The Latvian Community in London

It’s difficult to know the exact number of Latvians living in London, but recent figures suggest the number could be around 20,000. The community itself is much smaller and we can usually expect around 200 people at a large scale event inLondon.

The community is very active with a choir, a traditional dance group, a school and various other organisations and groups. The community actively organises all sorts of events from theatre productions, music concerts and karaoke evenings, to Independence Day celebrations and more formal, traditional celebrations.

The London Latvian House

The London Latvian House is the beating heart of the Latvian community in London: Latvian people, food, drink, music, and atmosphere. It’s the only place in London you will feel the traditions of Latvia at any time of the year.

When the Latvian House was originally bought by the Latvian Welfare Fund (back in the 1950s) its purpose was to be the central meeting point for Latvians in London so they could feel at home away from home.

Nothing much has changed since then. It gives all Latvians in London and the UK a place to stay, to meet friends (there’s a bar in the basement) and to hold all sorts of events.

The choir, dance group and school all use the Latvian house for their rehearsals and classes and the hall provides a perfect space for a small scale concert.

The Latvian bar is a place where Latvians can enjoy Latvian music, food, beer and sports on a regular basis. There are always Latvian beers available to buy, as well as stronger drinks, and on Fridays and Saturdays it’s possible to eat a traditional Latvian supper cooked by Latvian chefs. Every evening ends up in the favourite Latvian pastime – song!

In addition to all this there is also a Latvian library in the house which is open a few days a week which has a vast collection of Latvian books.

I think the Latvian House will also provide Latvians in London a place to come and watch Latvians competing in the Olympic Games. I expect the men’s BMX races to of particular interest, as the current Olympic champion happens to be a Latvian!

Where to Sample Latvian Culture

Apart from the Latvian House and specific events organised by the community, I don’t believe there are any other places in London where you can experience Latvian culture.

However, Latvian produce is available at most Polish and Lithuanian shops so it’s always possible to find a Latvian delight for your dinner!

Setting Up latviesiem.co.uk

I set up latviesiem.co.uk around two years ago, with a friend who moved to England from Latvia. Apart from a couple of websites and newspapers, we felt there was a lack of information about Latvian communities in the UK, and for Latvians who have recently moved to the UK.

We have information designed to help Latvians settle into life in the UK, as well as news about and for Latvians living in the UK. Here they can find travel, education, work and emergency information. Our main audience is Latvians living in the UK, therefore, most of the website is in Latvian.

Is there anywhere else you can experience Latvian culture in London? Tell us in the comments below.

Champagne with a view is what Vertigo 42 offers customers who shoot up the ear-popping lift to the top of Tower 42.

But for those who are bored of plain old bubbly, the bar has introduced an autumn bellini menu, created by Vertigo 42′s mixologist.

The five new cocktails, priced at £14 each, offer a new take on the classic bellini with the following fruity flavours:

• Yuzu and cranberry
• Lychee and hazelnut
• Raspberry, passion fruit and cacao
• Orange and raspberry
• Rose and plum

So that’s five good reasons to visit, but what about the view? Even on a misty winter evening, the view over London was spectacular and I could make out St Paul’s Cathedral, the OXO Tower and City Hall. On a clear day, you can apparently see as far as the Olympic Park.

Jenny was a guest of Vertigo 42.

What’s your favourite view over London?

Last night I went to the preview of the Start Sustainable Pop Up Restaurant at Lancaster House, which opens today. We spotted a few celebrities there including Barbara Windsor, Jeff Banks and a man who used to be in Hollyoaks (we think!)

Start Pop Up Restaurant aims to offer sustainable dining in every aspect – from locally-sourced ingredients to reclaimed furniture and organic wine.

The most exciting aspect is its location in the beautiful Lancaster House which isn’t usually open to the public but may look familiar if you’ve seen The King’s Speech (it stood in for Buckingham Palace in the film). Lancaster House felt just as grand as the palace and it was a real treat just to walk through a small part of it.

The chance to dine in the Grand Hall at Lancaster House has proved so popular that reservations for lunch and dinner are almost fully booked, but there’s still the option to enjoy a sharing platter on the terrace overlooking the garden or drinks at the garden bar.

We really enjoyed having a nosey round the gardens and wondering whether Prince Charles would pop in from next door (Clarence House).  

The restaurant is only open until 31 July and is well worth a look. If you’re desperate to eat there, a few lunchtime slots are still available (book now!), or head over to the terrace or bar which don’t require a reservation.

Start Pop Up Restaurant, Lancaster House, 27-31 July, 11am-10.30pm

I was fortunate to dine at the newly refurbished OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie on London’s South Bank this weekend. The restaurant’s sweeping views over the city, excellent food, cocktail menu and live music made it an evening to remember.

Taking over the eighth floor of the iconic OXO Tower building, the OXO Tower Restaurant occupies one half of the floor with the other occupied by the OXO Bar and Brasserie. This popular venue first opened in the 1990s and recently underwent a refurbishment which added the striking curved white Corian bar designed by Shaun Clarkson ID.

We began our evening with pre-dinner drinks in the bar. Spoilt for choice, the Swinging Dixie was delicious and we especially loved the bar’s tiki-style cocktail, Pleasure Boat.

There are two choices for dinner, either the OXO Tower Restaurant or the OXO Brasserie. We ate in the latter. Seated by the huge windows overlooking the most spectacular views of the River Thames, I enjoyed the scenic skyline with St Paul’s Cathedral standing out. The restaurant was buzzing with people, live music and an open kitchen meant we could see the chefs at work. The atmosphere was perfect for a Saturday night.

The pan-Asian menu had so much choice that we needed some help with our selection. For starters, we had slow braised lamb shank gnocchi and the grilled Saudi prawns with Israeli couscous salad which were both delicious. For our main courses, we enjoyed the roasted pink duck breast with puy lentils and grilled Toulouse sausage and the roasted venison.

Because the cocktails were so incredible, we decided to have another one instead of dessert without any judgement from our waiter! The service we received throughout the evening was wonderful and we had the pleasure of meeting Armi, an Assistant Manager at the Brasserie who looked after us and made sure we had a fabulous evening.

The OXO Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie

I recently went to the launch of Primo Bar‘s new Ladies’ Night.

The team at Primo has created a chic environment in which we womenfolk can catch up on the gossip, relax and enjoy a great value cocktail (just £4!) 

On the launch night they had a make-up bar by Benefit and a “hair-do-overs” bar by hair accessory designers Pearl & Ivy. It was a great excuse to try out some new products and the perfect antidote to a cold winter’s evening.

Women attending the next Ladies’ Night, on 6 January, can get style and fashion tips to kick off the New Year from fashion designer Dragana Perisic, stylist Yasmine Elsai, make-up artist Natasha Bloom and fashion photographer Yong Zhiyi. 

Ladies’ Night will be a regular feature at Primo Bar, the first Thursday of every month. And before the gents start whinging, the other side of Primo bar is open for everyone between 6 and 8pm. 

Ladies Night at Primo Bar, Park Plaza Westminster Bridge. Free entry 

Last week I headed along to the Drunken Monkey for a taste of their new Tea Party Menu.

In contrast to the normal heaving nature of the upstairs bar area, the downstairs dining nook was an oasis of calm.   

We sampled the Quince Asian Tea, a tasty hot infusion with liqueurs served in a teapot that went down very easily; the Citrus Iced Tea with gin and plenty of vitamins for the Christmas season from the fresh juices; and the range of three organic cakes from private baker A Little Peace. 

Personal favourite was the lemon and ginger drizzle cake and the hot cocktail tea, I love the idea of a cocktail in a teapot!

The afternoon tea needs to be booked in advance so your tasty cakes can be whipped up for you.  It’s £11 for tea (they have twelve different teas to choose from) and cake. It’s extra if you decide to add cocktails.

Following in the footsteps of  The Anthologist, The Folly bar launched in East London last night.  The huge two-floor venue was packed with City workers, who will no doubt be back for more.

The Folly is open seven days a week with a huge range of food available; brunch, sandwiches, sharing plates, and hearty dinners are all on the menu. Taking advantage of its proximity to Borough Market, the ingredients are locally sourced – enjoy a Neal’s Yard cheeseboard or fish of the day.

The new bar offers beers, wines, cocktails (including “skinny” options), sharing punches and “wine flights” should you fancy tasting a few of The Folly’s fine wines.

There’s also a pop-up shop with changing stock – although we didn’t manage to fight our way through the mass of opening-night revellers to take a closer look.

I liked the garden-inspired décor and flattering low lighting. And full marks to the waiters who expertly negotiated the nooks and crannies of The Folly to keep everyone topped up with canapés – wherever we stood or sat, they found us!

Given The Folly’s location, just 10 minutes walk from VL Towers, I’m sure I’ll be returning. I’m very keen to try the Black Forest knickerbocker glory – something you don’t often see on a menu!

The Folly, 41 Gracechurch Street, EC3V 0BT

NB: The Folly is closed this weekend (6-7 Nov) but open for business as usual on Monday 8 November.

Last night I had my first taste of food from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan at Samarqand restaurant.

As it turned out, Central Asian cuisine wasn’t drastically different from anything I’d had before – the menu included dumplings, noodles and kebabs – and the sleek decor and friendly staff combined to make a very enjoyable evening.

We started off with vodka-based cocktails as recommended by our enthusiastic waiter (we agreed with his choice). There’s a lounge area if you’d just like to sample the excellent cocktails.

I picked vegetarian options from the menu; Lazzat (fried aubergine salad) to start and manty (steamed pumpkin dumplings) for main. However, our waiter was adamant that lamb is the real speciality at Samarqand so my friend dutifully ordered lamb shashlik.

Portions were on the small side but the food is quite heavy so there were no worries about it being filling enough.

We were recommended the Napoleon cake for dessert which contains layers of puff pastry and cream, and that the waiter told us is just as good as the one his mum makes in Uzbekistan! He also egged us on to try zebra chocolate cake – a chocolate sponge with a light chocolate filling. Both desserts were rich and sweet.

We took the richness off the dessert with a pot of delicious jasmine tea, served the traditional Uzbekistani way: poured into small bowls and back into the tea pot three times before drinking.

Samarqand has lots going for it; It’s very reasonably priced (even more so when you take into account its Central London location) with main courses from £9.95 to £13.50.

I also liked the laid back atmosphere – this would be a nice venue for after-work drinks and meeting friends for dinner. And it’s handily located just five minutes’ walk from Bond Street tube.

I was also impressed by the service – the staff were friendly and attentive and our waiter in particular went above and beyond to make sure we had everything we wanted, and even threw in a bit of Uzbekistan history with dinner!

Samarqand, 18 Thayer Street, W1U 3JY

Kilburn High Road’s already home to the Tricycle, the Luminaire and several great pubs. Now the street has added another string to its bow: the quirky Betsy Smith bar.

Decorated in a “wonderland” style, the venue is packed with unusual design features, from upside-down flamingos on the ceiling, to birdcage lights, and fairground mirrors that distort your figure in the ladies’ loo.

We visited last night, and found a seat in The Burrow at the back, a comfy, dark area complete with badger chairs. They were playing a relaxing soundtrack featuring Florence and the Machine and The Smiths.

I had a simple lime and soda with fresh lime juice. If you’re feeling more adventurous you can choose from an imaginative cocktail list, including cocktails with jaffa cakes and rose petals served in teacups and jam jars.

There’s an open kitchen, where chefs were preparing wood oven pizzas, which seemed to be popular with fellow customers. They also do breakfasts from 8am.

The bar was fairly quiet last night (perfect for a chat with friends) but they’re planning a series of regular events including DJs, bands, performances, quizzes and late-night opening until 3am at the weekend.

Find out more on the Betsy Smith Facebook page