London Calling - 'The one where I felt like Bambi'

When trying to decide which Londontastic (yes it appears I'm still trying to make that word a 'thing')place to share with you first I thought it best to stay in the right season so with that said I give you.....

' Skate' at Somerset House

 

 

 

Now I have never been a particularly talented skater but this day/night out is about as wintry as it gets. Somerset House is set on the banks of the Thames a short stroll from Waterloo station and Covent Garden tube. I say 'stroll' because there are some amazing places to stop off at along the way such as the Southbank and Covent Garden Piazza. The house itself is a beautiful period building with a large square in the centre, this is where the magic happens.

 

The skating rink itself is of an average size, rectangular in shape, with a small pen for younger child to skate in. This pen housed some amazing plastic penguins which can be used to aid less confident skaters, sadly they are only available to under 8s, a fact with for me was fairly devastating. The skates that they provide are made by 'Bauer' and very comfy (not how I remember ice skates from my youth), their hire is included in your ticket price. Surrounding the rink is of course the picturesque building but also a bar and the largest Christmas tree I think I've ever been in the presence of.

 

Skaters are allowed on the ice for one hour while a DJ plays some snazzy tunes, although not particularly current. They resurface the ice between each session and it was like this which my friend and I underestimated. Stepping out on to the ice was like trying to stand on water and we soon joined the throngs of Bambis clinging onto the edge trying to pull ourselves round whilst still retaining a smidge of dignity. Thankfully with a little practise, and squealing, we completed several laps in the time we had and left feeling rather pleased with ourselves! 

 

Would I recommend Somerset House 'Skate'?

Definitely. I planning on making a larger group of friends attend next year.

 

When is it open?

November to January

 

How much are the tickets?

Including transaction fees £18

 

Website links

www.somersethouse.org.uk/ice-rink

 

 

London Calling - 'The one where I babble'

Having always lived in/just outside London, over the years I have visited some pretty amazing places. I like nothing better a novel/londontastic day or night out (yes I did just invent a ridiculously cheesy word). London is an amazing place to live and if you live here too or are possibly planning a visit I am hoping these posts will help on the 'What the hell am I am going to do today!?' front. This post first started in my head as a small collection of fun London venues or experiences I think everyone should visit and has slowly turned into a series due to the list of places I was going to include growing inexplicably long.

What can you expect from this series?
Recommendations of places I've loved.
Sometimes cheesy or touristy escapades.
Photos some of my friends would probably rather I didn't include.
As much detail as I can muster from the depths of my memory or various websites.

How often will I post a 'London calling' episode?
As often as I can (sadly I do also have a full time job to distract me) but I do have a back log of great places from last year in mind so I definitely have content lined up and waiting for you.

Would I like your recommendations?
Always!

So with that babble drawing to a close. Here we go....

 

Lily pads and splashers

In life I have come across two types of people, the 'lily padders' and the 'splashers'. Now take the metaphor that 'life is a pond' on board and this will all start to seem less like the ramblings of some head case on a Sunday afternoon.

Lily padders - now these people go through life jumping from pad to pad without many major dramas or splashes along the way. I am not naïve enough to think these people make no mistakes but nothing that causes them to question a) their sanity and b) if they should be allowed to interact with the general public. Their plans are well thought out and reasoned along the way. Things generally come fairly easily for these people and their plans are never majorly shunted off course.

Splashers - these are the people who may have encountered points a and b, noted above, on more than one occasion. Their plans are often impulsive or not thought out and their is a lot of 'oh go on then' thrown in for good measure. They jump a few pads successfully only to find a frog pushing them off the next one in their journey, resulting in a rather ungraceful or undignified splash and who often find them selves  back at the proverbial drawing board.

Now I'm sure their is a happy medium somewhere in this pond I just don't think I have necessarily encountered it. This perhaps speaks volumes about the people I surround myself with (sorry friends but you are extremists it appears). Perhaps before the real world of Monday hits again it's worth thinking about what the people in your pond are like and if you could learn something from them. Whether that be the well thought out plans of the 'lily padder' of the resilience of the 'splasher' who always picks themselves up again.

I think I know which one of these I am, perhaps to my detriment, but which are you?