We love stuart_matthews‘s photo of skaters enjoying the ice rink at Somerset House.
If your new year’s resolutions include getting fit, there’s still time to head to one of London’s ice rinks – it’s more fun than the gym!
2 Jan
2012
2012
Posts Tagged "somerset house"
26 Dec
2011
2011
Things To Do: New Year’s Eve 2011 in London
Have you planned your New Year’s Eve yet? What sort of night are you hoping to have? Read on for plenty of inspiration for the big night in London.
For a Night with a Bang!
Thousands of people will head to Central London for the fireworks display but if you don’t want to stand outside, there are plenty of places to watch from indoors. Many restaurants and bars offer great views and special menus, including:
- Giraffe, South Bank: Dinner, live DJ and a glass of fizz. £85
- Feng Sushi, South Bank: Sushi, a Champagne cocktail and access to the Royal Festival Hall Terrace. £95
- Min Jiang, Royal Garden Hotel: A five-course Chinese banquet with a glass of Champagne, dancing til 2am and a view of the fireworks from the tenth floor. £160
- Royal Festival Hall: Gabby Young and Other Animals headline this huge party with live music, silent disco, cabaret and access to the Royal Festival Hall terrace for the fireworks. £80
Glide Into 2012
Book a New Year’s Eve skate session at Somerset House Ice Rink. Keep warm and energised with hot chocolate and cupcakes from Tom’s Skate Lounge and enjoy a free glass of Champagne at midnight (tickets £50 for skaters, £35 spectators).
Enter the Jungle
A chance for big kids to take over the Rainforest Café at the restaurant’s New Year’s Eve party. Get stuck in to a three-course dinner in the colourful jungle setting. There’s live entertainment until midnight and dancing till 2pm (£65 including a glass of bubbly on arrival).
Spice Things Up
Head to Dishoom for a “Bombay Vintage Glam Party” with a five-course feast, henna artist, impressionist and DJ set from Cornershop. (£85 including a chocolate cherry Champagne cocktail).
Check out our New Year page for more ideas and let us know if you have any more in the comments below.
27 Oct
2011
2011
Scissor Sisters to Perform at London 2012 River of Music
The Scissor Sisters will perform at the BT River of Music festival in the run-up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The two-day celebration on 21 and 22 July 2012 will feature free concerts along the banks of the river Thames, starring musical talent from Olympic countries around the world.
Six stages will host music from the major continents: Asia in Battersea Park, Africa in Jubilee Gardens, Europe in Trafalgar Square and Somerset House, the Americas at the Tower of London, and Oceania at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.
Confirmed artists include Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, Naturally 7, Baaba Maal, Angelique Kidjo, Zakir Hussain and Andy Sheppard.
To find out how to get your hands on free concert tickets, sign up now at www.london2012.com/festival. Ticketing information will be released in May 2012.
15 May
2011
2011
Ai Weiwei’s Art Thrives in London: CNN Video
Here’s a great video from CNN about Ai Weiwei’s art in London.
There are currently two Ai Weiwei shows on display in the capital: one at the Lisson Gallery in Marylebone, the other at Somerset House.
Have you seen either exhibition? If you have, send us your thoughts in the comments below.
7 Jan
2011
2011
London Exhibitions: Last Chance to See
If you’ve been meaning to see Gauguin at Tate Modern or Diaghilev at the V&A, now’s your last chance. Many high-profile London exhibitions are closing over the next fortnight to make way for exciting new shows.
These exhibitions are all in their final days – catch them while you can!
Closing 9 January 2011:
- Diaghilev and the Golden Age of the Ballets Russes at the V&A
- Dior Illustrated: René Gruau and the Line of Beauty at Somerset House
- Move: Choreographing You at the Hayward Gallery
Closing 16 January 2011:
27 Dec
2010
2010
Ice Skating in London
Littleblom shared this great photo of the ice rink at Somerset house with our Flickr group.
If you’ve stuffed yourself with mince pies and had your fill of Christmas telly, book a skating session at one of London’s ice rinks now.
Don’t forget your camera – share your photos of London with us by entering our Only in London Flickr photo competition. Add them to our Flickr group and tag them onlyinlondon2010 and you could win a night for two at the Thistle Marble Arch with champagne and top price tickets to Jersey Boys.
26 Nov
2010
2010
What’s on in London this Weekend?
It’s set to be a frosty weekend, with the weather forecast predicting snow in London. So why not embrace the cold weather by hitting the ice, forget all about it with some retail therapy or make your own winter warmers at the Bust Craftacular.
- Club De Fromage @Somerset House Ice Rink – skate under the stars to cheesy pop from Club De Fromage DJs. 8pm- 11.30pm, Saturday 27 Nov www.ClubdeFromage.com
- Alternatively try one of London’s other winter ice rinks, they’re all open now! All weekend
- Shop yourself silly at West End VIP Day when Oxford and Regent Streets go traffic free for a super shopping Saturday. 27 Nov
- Make your own Xmas goodies at the Bust Craftacular event in Bethnal Green, where you’re invited to shop, craft, dance and make merry. Sunday 28 Nov
- Visit Chelsea Physic Garden’s annual Christmas Fair – a great opportunity to see the gardens and do some all-important present buying. 27-28 Nov
24 Nov
2010
2010
Bases for Germany and France for London 2012 Announced
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:
- Brazil who’ll be based at Somerset House, turning it into “Casa Brazil” as Rio de Janeiro follows London as host of the next Olympics
- Holland’s Heineken House, expected to be at Alexandra Palace
- Westfield Stratford City, possibly for Team GB, or the Australian team
- Russia House, possibly at Marble Arch
9 Jul
2010
2010
Moonlight Movies: London’s Outdoor Cinemas
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:
- Film 4 Summer Screen at Somerset House – London’s most beautiful outdoor cinema. I’m looking forward to seeing Master and Commander! 29 Jul-8 Aug
- Greenwich Film Festival – top films in unexpected locations around Greenwich 15-18 July
- Thursday Film Nights at the Grand Union, Brixton – see Amelie, Austin Powers and Bridget Jones this month
- The Scoop Summer Film season– free films next to City Hall 15 Sep-1 Oct
- BP Summer Screens – opera and ballet streamed live from the Royal Opera House until 13 Jul
- Syon Park House – lends its histroric backdrop to Dirty Dancing, Top Gun, Pretty Woman and more 18-22 Aug
- Drive-in-movies at Alexandra Palace – including Transformers and The Italian Job 12-14 Aug
- Portobello Pop Up Cinema – forgotten classics and cutting-edge new works under the Westway 10-31 Jul
Have you spotted any more open air cinema events happening in our fair city? Let us know in the comments below!
7 Jun
2010
2010
Visit London Asks: Which Gigs Are You Looking Forward To This Summer?
We’re more than a little excited that Bon Jovi are kicking off their summer residency at The O2 tonight (they’re even performing a few classics on top of The O2 this afternoon to celebrate).
And after the warm weekend, our thoughts can’t help but turn to summer festivals and gigs.
Which London gig are you headed to this summer? Will you be watching Dizzee Rascal at Lovebox or Florence and The Machine at Somerset House? Were you lucky enough to get tickets to see Kings of Leon in Hyde Park?
Let us know…