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Author Archives: Neil Waller

Osborne House’s Victorian Christmas

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Posted by Neil Waller on December 2, 2011 – 4:21 pm
Filed under Attractions, Events

Throughout the winter and Christmas season heritage sites across the UK host special festive events and Osborne House on the Isle of Wight is no exception.
Osborne House is a popular place for visitors all year round, Queen Victoria once wrote ‘It is impossible to imagine a prettier spot’, and countless guests reaffirm this view. Throughout the festive period the once royal abode is decorated to make it the perfect holiday outing.

Osborne House will be allowing visitors to take in the extensive grounds, and many Christmas trees, every Wednesday and Sunday until the 6th January 2012.  Guests are invited to take a tour of the house Queen Victoria often spent her Christmas holidays in and the magnificent building is made even better by opulent decorations and trees.

A great day out for adults and children alike, the Swiss Cottage is the perfect activity for kids, a minute chalet where Queen Victoria’s children learnt how to keep a house. Weather permitting there is the opportunity for horse riding and an outdoor children’s play area.

Osborne House is providing an authentic Victorian Christmas experience. Guests will be given a traditional Victorian celebration, with side shows, singing chimney sweeps, fairground stalls and even a Father Christmas and Queen Victoria all on hand to delight the whole family.

For the Victorian Christmas experience, tickets are available online and a family ticket costs £35.40, individual prices vary.  The Christmas tour of the ground floor and garden is also available to book online at www.english-heritage.org.uk

Neil Waller is a Co-Founder at My Destination.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on the UKseries.com UK Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

Somerset House celebrates 20 years of Dazed and Confused

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Posted by Neil Waller on October 28, 2011 – 7:40 am
Filed under Attractions, Events

Somerset House is to pay homage to the critically acclaimed magazine, Dazed and Confused, with an exhibition entitled ‘Making it up as we go along’, to mark 20 years of publication. Since launching in London in 1991 Dazed and Confused has been the authority on culture and style and began a whole new wave in London’s press by bringing together the most prominent people from an array of fields to produce a magazine which prides itself on extraordinary content.

Created by Jefferson Hack and Ian Rankin the magazine quickly became the ultimate platform for up and coming artists, designers and musicians and was increasingly recognised for its controversial and irreverent attitude. This exhibition, curated by Jefferson Hack and Emma Reeves in collaboration with Somerset House, will feature the very best of the magazine’s photo shoots, covers, content and artwork.

Pieces featured will include innovative photography by Rankin, Nick Knight, David Sims and Terry Richardson, fashion pages styled by the likes of Katie Grand, Katy England, Alister Mackie and Nicola Formichetti, and exceptional designs by fashion heavyweights Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Gareth Pugh.

Opening on the 4th November 2011 and running until the 29th January 2012, everyone should see this display of one of London’s pioneering cultural magazines. This exhibition is to accompany a specially produced anniversary book by Rizzoli and features the highlights of the magazine from the last 20 years. The exhibition will be held in the Terrace Rooms and admission is free.

Neil Waller is a Co-Founder at My Destination.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on the UKseries.com UK Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

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The British Film Institute holds 55th London Film Festival

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Posted by Neil Waller on September 28, 2011 – 2:02 pm
Filed under Events

Next month the British Film Institute will hold its 55th annual London Film Festival, showcasing the very best in world cinema.

From the 12-27th October the BFI London Film Festival will show 204 feature films and 110 shorts. Opening and closing the prestigious festival this year are Fernando Merielles’ 360 and Terence Davies’ The Deep Blue Sea.

Also on the bill are George Clooney’s The Ides of March, Alexander Payne’s The Descendents, and Lynne Ramsey’s We Need to Talk about Kevin. This year’s Archive Gala title is Miles Mander’s The First Born, as restored by the BFI National Archive.

As well as prestigious titles the festival is a great stage for anticipated new films like Roman Polanski’s Carnage and Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights.

During the event, BFI London Film Festival Awards will return for the third time to mark achievements from established film makers and emerging talent. The shortlist will be announced on the 4th October and the awards themselves will take place on the 26th October.

‘Power to the Pixel’, the cross media forum, brings another dimension to the festival and is hosting several events open to the public. With an impressive line up of speakers and projects being showcased it is a must for anyone interested in learning about financial and creative opportunities in this field.

The London Film Festival is the UK’s biggest public film event and a great opportunity to see the best the BFI has to offer in cinema, with both established and up and coming film makers being well represented.

Tickets are available for BFI members now and for public booking from this week.

Neil Waller is a Co-Founder at My Destination.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on the UKseries.com UK Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

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Soaking up London’s South Bank

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Posted by Neil Waller on August 30, 2011 – 3:06 pm
Filed under Attractions

You’ve just got to love the South Bank. Theatre lovers can flock to the National, photographers can snap the impressive views from the London Eye and foodies can eat to their heart’s content at the abundance of restaurants and bars. The views of the Thames are simply wonderful in the summer and since we are on that topic, let’s take a moment to discover the best South Bank venues and events to see before summer ends…

1) Firstly and perhaps most importantly, a trip to the Dishoom Chowpatty Beach Bar is an absolute must. Sip on a gingery Bombay Pimms and munch on a Bombay Chip Butty (the classic English grub with a spicy Indian twist is just genius) in the colourful and lively surroundings. Situated on the Riverside Terrace overlooking a pop up beach, it really feels as if you have been whisked off to the shores of Bombay. It is open until the 4th October so don’t miss out!

2) Embrace your favourite English stereotype (punk rocker, housewife, city gent etc.) and head to the Duckie, Best of British event at the Clore Ballroom. Expect an evening of plenty of dancing and help honour over sixty years of British pop-rock. Tickets should be booked in advance.

3) A blast from the past awaits you at Museum of 1951 in Royal Festival Hall. The Spirit Level of the Hall has been transformed into a gallery of memorabilia, artworks and models from the original festival. This free event is open until 4th September and should not be missed.

4) For some truly delightful fun the Jeppe Hein: ‘Appearing Rooms’ on the Riverside Terrace will catch you out. Jets of water shoot into the air, making ‘rooms’ and it’s up to you to anticipate when the water will pop up! This wonderfully wet spectacle is open until the 18th September.

So there you have it. If you are looking for fun, culture and food as summer slowly slips away, you needn’t look any further than the glorious Southbank.

Neil Waller is a Co-Founder at My Destination.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on the UKseries.com UK Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

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One of Britain’s most outrageous events: Gloucester’s famous cheese run

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Posted by Neil Waller on August 25, 2011 – 10:48 am
Filed under Events

It’s been a tradition for over two hundred years, and grows with annual popularity. At the top of a very steep Cooper’s Hill in the Cotswolds, southern England, held every year on the Spring Bank Holiday, twenty people hurl themselves after a runaway wheel of cheese. The cheese, Double Gloucester, is rolled down the hill and the first person to catch it wins it: simple.

It’s an event that attracts hundreds of spectators each year. They stand behind the red and white tape that lines the sides of the hill, precariously perched as the participants tumble passed. At the bottom lies a barrage of hay bales into which the competitors crash and, if any are seriously injured, are scooped up by on-hand paramedics before being whisked off to hospital if needs be. Thus far, no one has died from taking part in the cheese run; a typical outcome from participation would be concussion or a sprained ankle. It depends how much you want that cheese.

Located around where the race takes place are a couple of pubs, The Victoria and the Cross Hands. It is in these two pubs where the prospective cheese chasers discuss tactics, get each other psyched up and, of course, fill themselves with the strongest of ales or spirits so as not to feel the bruises and grass burns from which they’re likely to suffer in the coming hours.

Three miles away, in the village of Shurdington, is The Cheese Rollers, a pub named after the event, of course.

It’s probably one of Britain’s most outrageous events, but one that follows tradition, on which Brits pride themselves. The Coopers Hill cheese race is a day of excitement, laughter and, quite possibly, lots of hand-over-mouth-in-shock moments. Don’t forget the camera.

Neil Waller is a Co-Founder at My Destination.

If you would like to be a guest blogger on the UKseries.com UK Travel Blog in order to raise your profile, please contact us.

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