I recently entertained a friend from out of town, who fancied a night of food and drink in the West End. At first, I recoiled at the thought of the high cost, low quality nightmares I’ve experienced in London’s tourist hot spot before. However, I bought a sexy outfit from tfnc clothing and found that amongst the tacky steak houses and packed pubs, a night up West is still affordable and relatively hassle-free.

We started at Bok Bar, a South African themed bar underneath a newsagent in Covent Garden. A far cry from Walkabout and other expat establishments, its slightly odd location has left it underoccupied – throughout the night, there were seats available, even though the bar was the size of a front room. The bar has a really nice, relaxed atmosphere, and best of all are the prices.

The bar’s happy hour runs all night, every night, and an impressive range of cocktails are always on offer. £6 each, you can get two of the same for the price of one. Two rounds of cocktails for four people, at just £6 each – and they’re absolutely delicious. It was with a heavy heart that I discovered the Bok Bar is being taken over next month. Get down there now while the offer lasts.

From there, we moved to Chinatown for dinner, stopping at Kowloon Buffet, which offered a buffet dinner for £8.95 per head. There are any number of Chinese buffet restaurants in this area (perhaps unsurprisingly) most of which offer decent food in large supply, for under a tenner. Suitably full, we waddled off in search of our next venue, still only a few quid down between us.

After a few false starts, including seeking out a horror pub that has long since closed, we stumbled upon Crobar, a classic rock bar next to the Borderline in Soho. Impossibly narrow with sticky floors, spirits balanced on beams behind the bar, and a jukebox blasting out everything from Thin Lizzy to Metallica, it was the perfect way to round off the night.

Even better, the bar offers a range of themed cocktails which are pricey by themselves (£7-8) but can be bought in £16 pitchers, which look like the plastic jugs you used to get at school, and easily fill four big glasses. In total, two pitchers, four dinners, eight cocktails, at a cost of less than £25 each. Who says going up West has to cost the earth?

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So I was taken out the other week by a friend who had been raving about this wine bar for about a year. We finally decided to go and I can not believe it has taken me a year to go to this bar.
Gordon’s Wine Bar in Embankment is the best wine bar I have ever been to. It is situated minutes from the station down a little street. The majestic feel to the place begins outside, the appearance of the front of the bar is unbelievable. It is so old fashioned and beautiful, it is one of the few places left in London that has kept its original charm.
As you enter you are immediately hit by the bizarre architecture of the interior. All the ceilings are very high and the bar juts oddly out of the wall, you pass through the bar area and are immediately plunged underground. The seating area is underground and is fabulous, and hasn’t sullied the walls with too many posters or other tat. It is so novel to eat and drink fine wine and food meters below ground surrounded by stone.
The wine list is extensive but not expensive, the average price being around £16. They also sell a variety of food, both hot and cold. The cold food is typical British picnic food, pork pies, scotch eggs and cheese platters. The hot food changes daily but is always delicious.
This is one of those bars in London where you are guaranteed a peaceful, relaxed and enjoyable evening. You will not be bothered by pushy staff or other obnoxious customers. This bar perfectly encompasses everything that is good about London bars.

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The exhibition is on the the works of Joseph Turner who lived from 1775 -1851. An avid traveler Josephs works show how he experimented with light effects and printmaking as well as the relationship between light, prints and watercolour painting.

The exhibition covers two complete rooms at the Tate Modern and has a fun section of pop up display stands which is interactive. In this section of the room visitors can explore for themselves Turners techniques. Resources are provided in order for spectators to become actively involved and create some drawing in the Turner style.

The processes of printmaking are looked at and all in all it is a very engaging exhibition. It is highly educational in that one can learn about the elements of watercolour and printmaking within the same exhibition.

The methods and techniques Turner used are still relevant today. It is a great learning experience for the art student to visit this exhibition and pick up a few tips and techniques of the trade they can try out.

Don’t worry that you won’t have the time to see the exhibitions before it moves on. Its not going anywhere anytime soon. This exhibition is a long term event. The dates of the showing are from the 30^th April 2012. That means there’s another almost two years it seems to view the exhibit. Plenty of time to get to London and visit during the Summer or work vacation if your in town then. It won’t break the bank either as its one of the best prices going to get in to view – Free.

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The Long Bar is one of the highly favoured bars in London, known to have some of the finest of wines with impeccable service. True to its name, the length of the bar is quite incredible with a neverending line of bar stools. The high heeled ladies and suited gentlemen will make you feel as if you are mingling with the better half of the society once you enter this place.

You would surely tip them extra at the end because the service is spectacular! The whole atmosphere at the Long Bar is quite tranquil with soft music playing in the background. Once you’ve ordered your drink, you can sit back and relax by gazing at the artistic surrounding of the courtyard.

Food needs a special mention at this bar as there is a range of lip smacking delicacies listed in the menu. Though expensive, it is the best bar food that you can get in London. You can pick your drink from a list of carefully selected wines and spirits. Pint is not available here, and there is no beer at this bar. Now don’t feel let down, as the bar boasts of a wide range of exotic cocktails with adventurous concoctions that will smoothly slide down your throat.

If you have entered with a modest pocket, it is advisable that you sip your drink slowly as the prices are quite hefty! Discounts are available on select nights when you take your muse along! All said and more, it is a nice bar for the wealthy ones. Well for the others, they still can try this bar for a drink at least!

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Remarkably traditional, the Tea Box of Richmond’s Paradise Road is like taking a step back in time when the idea of what is important in life was much simpler. Afternoon tea is intended to be a time to take a breath and enjoy the simple pleasures like the company of a good friend. The owners of the antique feeling stop are Mike de Souza and Jemma Swallow. Their hope is to bring back afternoon tea to a fast past society that never quite takes the time to stop and “smell the earl gray.” You will be impressed by their ability to take your mind off the troubles of the day with a nice cup of tea and some calming conversation.

The Tea Box is a true treat and not just because of the incredible splendor the present in the form of amazing treats like their outrageous cakes, brownies and scones. The atmosphere alone is worth the time spent, not to mention their use of luxury kitchen accessories. Since October of 2007 when Jemma and Mike opened their magical doors to the public they have been trying to spread the love for simple, delicious relaxations by way of the fifty choices of amazing teas and a great lunch menu that has a little something for everyone. When visiting the Tea Box don’t forget to try their afternoon tea served with champagne for a very special afternoon out.

Their ideal location tops the experience being within 1km of the Richmond Theatre and other entertainment destinations such as the terrific comedy stops and great pubs. The Tea Box is a great choice for any day and will bring you back to a time when taking a tea time was essential for your day. If you are interested in visiting the Tea Box they are open most afternoons and evenings and are easily accessible by the railways as they are only minutes away.

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Albertine is one of my favorite places to visit whenever I visit London. It is an amazing wine bar that has been in business for over twenty years. When walking in you can instantly feel the warmth of the place. The dark wooden furniture gives you a deep since of warmth. There are candles burning about making the bar very peaceful. There is no loud sports enthusiast yelling at television screens or loud annoying music for you to talk over. There is only a low murmur of delightful conversation. Albertine is one of the few bars left that are quiet and allow you to just relax and enjoy a wonderful glass of wine in peace.

When going to Albertine make sure that you are prepared to taste some amazing wines. Albertine has an amazing selection of wines that are distinct and different than your typical bar. They pride themselves on the fact that they are one of the few bars in all of London that feature such a wide array of wines. There selection is unparalleled, and all wines are kept in temperature controlled storage facilities.

After deciding on which wine you will use to wet you whistle you can dine on their delectable cuisine. They make an amazing pate that is very complementary to many of their wines. If you ask your server they will be happy to direct you to which wine will be perfect for the food you choose. You can choose from delicious cheeses, pates, and meals as well.

No matter if you are hungry, thirsty, or both Albertine will have something for you. You can enjoy the company of great friends, a great glass of wine, and plenty of relaxation at Albertine. You do not feel rushed or hurried at all. You feel as though you are encouraged to sit as long as you would like. You will not be in a hurry to leave the peaceful relaxation of Albertine‘s.

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The bar is vast, with plenty of seating space inside, as well as a great rooftop patio to enjoy the warm weather of spring. Even up top, you can still hear the music from downstairs and you don’t feel isolated like so many other bars.

The atmosphere allows for either rowdy drinking with your mates, or a simple night out with your sweetheart. The food, on the other hand, is a surprising treat in the world of London bars. And the price is definitely right: all starters are reasonably priced which should satisfy even the biggest miser. All main courses are also nicely priced, once again pleasing those that don’t like to open their wallets. Keep the cheque book at home for Jerusalem. The finest selection on the menu is the Jerk Chicken. It is served with plantain and coconut which perfectly complements the spicy chicken.

As for drinks, there is nothing special here, with your standard selections of bottled beer and draught beer. An amply supplied wine and cocktail list will please the non beer drinkers who come this way. All are equally low priced and offer a variety to the extensive beer list.

Whether you’re looking for a quick night out for dinner and a few pints, or you’re setting the stage for a rambunctious night of drinking, Jerusalem offers the best environment and price to suit any budget.

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