My Favourite Spots in London

The Mousetrap has been running in the West End for over 50years...
A murder, a stranger, and a red herring or three, Agatha Christie's Mousetrap is a play worth rediscovering and a real alternative to the endless musicals and social realistic pieces on offer elsewhere, even though it is a "tourist trap".

In the current age of overly realistic murder mysteries, the old fashioned setting adds to the feeling of a classic, this is a play worth rediscovering and a real alternative to the endless musicals and social realistic pieces on offer elsewhere.
The play is kept alive by a fresh cast that is changed at least once a year.

St Martin's theatre is on St Martin's Lane, right in the heart of the theatre district and in the Soho area of Central London, with a plethora of restaurants around, so it's easy to combine the play with dinner.

I took my 18 year old nephew who'd come from Canada,to see this on Saturday, and we were not disappointed. Not edgy or fashionable, this play nevertheless was an excellent introduction to England and it's theatrical history and an entertaining evening for all the family

The Malaysia Kopi Tiam is a great Malaysian restaurant right in the heart of theatreland.
It's on 67 Charing Cross Rd and is a very casual restaurant.
Not somewhere to impress a hot date :)
However the food is authentic and excellent and the price very reasonable.
Dishes to try are roti canai, assam laksa and beef rendang...yum...

Harrods, which is in the Knightsbridge area of London, is one of the world's most famous and upmarket department stores.

The layout, I find is a bit bizarre and confusing, but it's a great place to people watch, and for me, to see how the other half live!
Actually shopping there is pretty pricey, depending on your budget.

It is owned by the Al-Fayed brothers.
Mohamed Al-Fayed, whose son Dodie was killed in a car crash whilst with Princess Diana, has built a shrine to them.

So next time your there, go to the "shrine" to Diana and Dodie - the ultimate in kitsch!
Nearest tube station is Knightsbridge.

Where to eat cheaply in London?
London is a very expensive place to eat. It's all very well going for a lovely meal in the evening but what about when you're shopping in London and just want something decent to eat when you're on a budget without resorting to Macdonalds or KFC.
Here are some ideas...

If you're in Oxford St, then go to the food hall which is in the basement at Selfridges, the famous department store. Here you'll find a huge array of different types of food from all over the world. Just get what you like and there are seats where you can sit and eat.
Another place which is a cross between a fast food place and a restaurant is Nandos, where you find barbequed chicken with Portuguese Peri Peri spices. Again you can sit and eat.

If you don't mind not being able to sit down, then grab a sandwich, salad or wrap at Marks and Spencers, a British Institution!
You can find good quality wraps, sandwiches and salads at Pret a Manger as well(photo by Michael L).
There are quite a few restaurants in Chinatown, (which is near Leicester Square), that have eat as much as you like buffet offers, but whenever I've tried one of these, I have been very disappointed at the quality.
If you're near Edgeware Rd, not far from Marble Arch, get a shawarma wrap from one of the Lebanese juice bars. These are quite reasonable, but beware of the juices, although they are delicious, they are also expensive. At least you'll be getting your vitamins and anti-oxidants! :)

NB Now that we are going through the Credit Crunch, many restaurant chains like Pizza Express, Wagamama, Ask etc are offering 2 for 1 vouchers that can be found on the web. So print these out beforehand to benefit from a really cheap eat!

This is a great play adapted from a book by Susan Hill and is for seasoned theatre goers as well as an addictive introduction to the theatre for the uninitiated.

I took my children when they were teenagers, and they absolutely loved it. So much so, that they went again taking their friends along with them this time!
It is one of the most exciting, gripping and successful theatre events ever staged, is now in its nineteenth year in the West End, and is an adaptation of Susan Hill's novel.

The plot is as follows:

"A lawyer obsessed with a curse that he believes has been cast over him and his family by the spectre of a Woman in Black, engages a sceptical young actor to help him tell his terrifying story and exorcise the fear that grips his soul.

It all begins innocently enough, but then, as they reach further into his darkest memories, they find themselves caught up in a world of eerie marshes and moaning winds.

The borders between make believe and reality begin to blur and the flesh begins to creep ..."

I highly recommend that you go and see this play, whether you are a visitor to London, or you live in London and have not seen it. The best place to get cut price tickets for plays is lastminute.com.

This forum is great to get ideas for what to do in London and for finding current offers for day trips. It is a money saving website so it's the best way to find out how to make the most of your budget.
You can also post your own question about London and your own trip to London. You can get tips on places to visit/attractions, where to stay, travel, where to eat etc.
Here's the link:
Money Saving Days Out In London

First it was a film with famous stars such as Helen Mirren and Julie Walters, now it's a successful play which has been on tour and is now playing at the West End in London.

It features well known personalities such as Anita Dobson, vintage Eastenders actress, Jerry Hall, a model and ex partner of Mick Jagger, June Brown, long standing Coronation Street actress, Jill Halfpenny, former Eastenders actress and former Strictly Come Dancing winner and others.

I went to see Calender Girls a couple of weeks ago with my girlfriends. Had a great time.
I was surprised at June Brown's energy, who is a very sprightly and active 82 year old and also bared all for the Christmas Calender.
For a synopsis of the play visit the Calender Girls website

I was expecting an all female audience but there was a fairly mixed crowd, admittedly with more women than men, but the men seemd to really enjoy the bit where the women had to undress and pose for the calender photos lol!

The play had a wonderful energy to it and was very funny too, despite the subject matter.
Worth catching...

I have been watching a cookery series on BBC2 called 'Chinese Food Made Easy' by Ching-He Huang and in one of her masterclasses videos, she recommends a restaurant called " New World" for Dim Sum which is in the Chinatown area of London.
I'll definitely check this one out when I'm next in Chinatown.
Incidently there is a wonderful authentic Chinese restaurant in the outskirts of London, in Purley, next to the Wing Yip supermarket.

I went to see a film with a friend in Trocadero, which is near Piccadilly Circus and we went for dinner afterwards to a restaurant called Feng Shui, which was recommended in the "Where to Eat in Chinatown" clip above.
We were very disappointed. Not only was the food overpriced, but the quality wasn't particularly good either.
To top it all, I had a horrendous headache the next day and felt like I'd had a hangover even though I'd had no alcohol the night before.
Me thinks they were a bit heavy handed with the MSG!!!

Tip: if you ask them not to add MSG to your food, most restaurants will do it happily except for some dishes that are pre prepared (eg Peking duck, sauces etc).

Barnes is where all the well heeled live. It's not far from Hammersmith and has parking if you intend to go by car.
This restaurant, which is not cheap, is a lovely place to go on a romantic date.
It overlooks the Thames river and has a quaint, romantic ambience.
It's called The Depot, and can be found at Tideway Yard, Mortlake High Street, London, SW14 8SN.
And by the way the food is excellent and they have good value set menus in the week.

Update: was a bit disappointed with the service and the food the last time I went...