Ken

Absolut Icebar, West End

06-03-2009

3 Review(s)     

What a great place. You get in for 15 quid and get a large free cocktail to go along with it. You can choose from a fair selection and its served in an glass made of ice! They give you these funky poncho/eskimo jacket things to keep you warm in there where its well below zero. Its all very slick and a worthwhile experience.

When you get a bit chilly, just nip out and over to the bar across the corridor which is warm and salubrious to thaw out.

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Darwin, The UK

23-02-2009

1 Review(s)     

I went to this last year with my fiancee and its easily the most inspirational exhibition I've ever been to. We were so impressed, we joined the Museum!

Its massively detailed, lovingly assembled and gives a personal insight into Darwin's life. It steps you through his process of discovery and thinking to grow his theory of evolution while showing you that actual artifacts he was working with.

You can peer into a glass cabinet, inches from the two bird specimens which first caused Darwin to speculate that species might gives rise to other species. You can witness the notebook where he first sketched out an evolutionary tree. Its like following in his footsteps.

You also understand the struggle Darwin had with putting forward such a controversial and revolutionary idea, how he went about it and what finally spurred him on to write and publish the Origin of Species.

Its very visual with many models and so suits all ages.

A must see!

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British Museum, West End

23-02-2009

2 Review(s)     

Went to see Shah 'Abbas - The Remaking of Iran yesterday. Recommend if you like Persian art and want something different, otherwise give it a miss.

My friend and I paid our 12 quid and went in. The artwork of the era is staggering in terms of fine brush work and the restraint shown in colour, saturation etc. So the effect is one of incredible detail but without the busyness and cluttered loud wallpaper effect you get with the vivid colours of a lot of European art. Gold leaf, colbolt blue and arabic script combine to make something truly refreshing and timelessly beautiful.

But there is lots of historical detritus to bulk out the exhibition too. Large paintings of european pioneer merchants and peripheral documents and artifacts of the era which feel like they're there to bulk out the collection a bit.

The price was a bit steep, it was almost worth it. I think Babylon at the British Museum and Byzantium at the College of Arts will be a better value proposition though. Looking forward to those!

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The Tea and Coffee Plant, Notting Hill

18-02-2009

5 Review(s)     

This place has the best coffee in London. And also possibly the cheapest. I haven't tried absolutely *everywhere* ofcourse, no one could but I still feel very confident in saying this. Now what more can you ask for? Well sometimes you can ask them to turn the music down a little in the mornings but apart from that its hard to fault it.

I go there just after lunch from where I work nearby to chill out for 10 minutes with a Soy Cappucino. Its a habit that's hard to break.

The place has a really nice relaxed, casual, slightly grunge, stripped back feel. The staff greet you like they're actually happy to see you, like they enjoy serving you and being there. Now in London, that's saying something! There's a care and attention that's gone into it, a personal touch that makes it distinctive and authentic.

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Esarn Kheaw Thai Restaurant, Hammersmith

18-02-2009

3 Review(s)     

Its overrated in the reviews you read elsewhere.

The food is authentically presented and the feel of the restaurant is exactly like what you'd find in Thailand.

But the quality of the food is not outstanding. For example my chilli with beef was very salty and didn't have the coriander and other fresh thai herb noted you'd expect with something like that. It wasn't bad as such, just unremarkable.

The service efficient but quite surly by Thai standards. The portions are quite small which makes them quite expensive when the price is taken in to account.

This place is easily beaten hands down by at least two others we've found in London and we haven't really been looking that hard. One is just down the road from where we live!

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