second all of this advices but prob would split the s bank drinking with one of london's royal parks (st james') for a bit of variation.
you also missed out boris biking which is required booze transportation.
― Upt0eleven, Tuesday, 27 March 2012 16:49 (twelve years ago) link
truth bomb re: boris biking. only thing i missed about not living in central anymore.
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Tuesday, 27 March 2012 17:40 (twelve years ago) link
also, obv mcD brekkie and KFC are not uniquely london experiences - however neither is waking up, but one still needs to sleep and eat KFC.
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Tuesday, 27 March 2012 17:42 (twelve years ago) link
I am still upset that McDonald's in the UK got rid of the plain old 'sausage mcmuffin' (the one without the egg).
Asking for 'sausage and egg mcmuffin but without the egg' always makes me feel like a jackass.
― salsa shark, Tuesday, 27 March 2012 18:34 (twelve years ago) link
Might seem an obvious question but I've tried hard on this. Where in London can I get decent second hand furniture, or I guess new furniture that isn't horrible. I really want a wooden fairly simple table/desk for my room, and some other stuff possibly. Have tried Gumtree and endless Googling, and Brick Lane etc.
― I'm going to allow this! (LocalGarda), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 08:13 (twelve years ago) link
yr local freecycle?
― uh oh i'm having an emotion (c sharp major), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 08:28 (twelve years ago) link
there used to be these ace warehouses somewhere out along the north circular where you could buy second-hand furniture and furnishings from london hotels, stuff that had been sold off whenever rooms got redesigned. dunno if they're still there, though.
― uh oh i'm having an emotion (c sharp major), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 08:33 (twelve years ago) link
My first stop for these things is the five-floor secondhand furniture place in Crystal Palace (http://crystalpalaceantiques.com/index.html - it's a good mix of cheap and cheerful and fancy vintage, according to taste) but I recognise that that's a tricky, or at least lengthy, journey for you LG.
― Tim, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 08:33 (twelve years ago) link
The answer I have found is Brighton.
― Andrew Farrell, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 09:35 (twelve years ago) link
2nd hand furniture in London reminds me of Butler's Furniture in Shadwell. Classic place. http://spitalfieldslife.com/2009/11/06/butlers-furniture/
― mmmm, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 09:41 (twelve years ago) link
There's a good place underneath the railway arches next to London Fields rail station where the guy can be haggled with (a bit)
― TracerHandVEVO (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 09:50 (twelve years ago) link
you could try some auction rooms. criterion on essex road do weekly sales on a monday afternoon, you can view all the lots from thursday the week before. lots of tat but some ridiculous bargains too - we got a very nice, huge sofa in perfect condition for £60. plus it's fun sticking your hand up and bidding for things.
― jabba hands, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 10:31 (twelve years ago) link
sign up to islington east freecycle there's always stuff going all the time
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 10:42 (twelve years ago) link
there are probably other freecycles that are the same
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 10:43 (twelve years ago) link
camden south has nothing though, unless you like filing cabinets
get 6 cans of lagers for £5* from an offie
I've been away for a year, I get back and it seems to have gone up to £5.50. Bleak times.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:52 (twelve years ago) link
I'm sure it's Cameron's fault.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:58 (twelve years ago) link
It's still possible! You just have to be prepared to buy something fairly grotty from somewhere fairly grotty.
I need a driving instructor. Is anyone able to recommend me one?
― Upt0eleven, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:59 (twelve years ago) link
17:00 go to a sam smiths and drink the cheap alpine lagers (you'll be pissed enough to stomach those by now)
warning – you'll have to drink a lot of it – abv cut to 2.8% last autumn.
― woof, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 13:14 (twelve years ago) link
WHAT? Country's gone to the bleedin dogs mate.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 13:17 (twelve years ago) link
I had four driving lessons as a refresher last year. 10 years no driving left me rusty. I went with Mutual (E London). Didn't really get on with the first guy, he told me I was rubbish and grabbed the wheel off me at one point. For the second and subsequent lessons I had a big scottish guy, into football, who was great. Laid back and helpful. I can't remember his name now though. Finding a decent driving instructor is tough.
― mmmm, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 13:21 (twelve years ago) link
Sam Smiths pubs are now close to full price. Therefore, no point ever going to one again.
― I'm going to allow this! (LocalGarda), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 14:28 (twelve years ago) link
I still think some of them have their charms, I'm a big fan of the Cittie of York and old faithful Glasshouse Stores, even if I haven't been in the latter in ages.
― Homosexual Satan Wasp (Matt DC), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 14:33 (twelve years ago) link
There's been mad beer inflation in London of late though (blame craft beer, the_recession, whatever) - SS beer is probably as far behind the top end as its ever been.
― Homosexual Satan Wasp (Matt DC), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 14:34 (twelve years ago) link
I don't mind the cock tavern off regent street tbh but I've definitely reduced my visits. Their stout isn't a bad alternative to guinness imo - not similar, obv, just not horrible.
Otoh although I've been a student again for nearly eighteen months now it was only two weeks ago that I went to the University of London Union bar for the first time. Five pints for £7.50 is just ridiculous.
― Upt0eleven, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 14:36 (twelve years ago) link
Price aside, SS pubs still tend to have a better atmosphere than the vast majority of West End boozers.
― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 14:40 (twelve years ago) link
get 6 cans of lagers for £5* from an offieI've been away for a year, I get back and it seems to have gone up to £5.50. Bleak times.― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:52 (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post PermalinkI'm sure it's Cameron's fault.― I wish to incorporate disco into my small business (chap), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 12:58 (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
haha! the * after £5 was actually going to be the footnote saying exactly that!! something like (* more likely to be £5.50 - bloody Tories innit)
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 14:44 (twelve years ago) link
Bring Back Brown's Broken Britain
― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 14:46 (twelve years ago) link
it's true about Sam Smiths - dearer than ever before, but then so is everything elsethe lager is good and distinctiveso are the specials like cherry beerand yes, they do have a different atmosphere which I still tend to like.
― the pinefox, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 16:21 (twelve years ago) link
is the beer really now 2.8%??
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 16:25 (twelve years ago) link
swap sam smiths with a wetherspoons, then
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 16:27 (twelve years ago) link
xp
yeah - pointed out to me just before leaving the bricklayers a few weeks ago, feeling surprisingly sober.
These people seem to be up on it all
― woof, Wednesday, 28 March 2012 16:30 (twelve years ago) link
It was about 2.20 in Sam pubs pre-Christmas, it's now at least 3 quid, at least for a lager. For me that jump means I'd rather go somewhere with decent food, better beer, and nicer atmos. They're not bad pubs but at 3 quid I reckon it's about 80p or so cheaper than a pint of something decent; in somewhere that's definitely nicer.
Mind you the one I frequented most was The Rising Sun near Barbican, plenty of nice alternatives around there.
― I'm going to allow this! (LocalGarda), Thursday, 29 March 2012 06:19 (twelve years ago) link
Drinking round the Barbican and not going to the Old Red Cow is straight-up wasteful IMO.
― Homosexual Satan Wasp (Matt DC), Thursday, 29 March 2012 10:43 (twelve years ago) link
always too busy imo. it is small.
― I'm going to allow this! (LocalGarda), Thursday, 29 March 2012 12:43 (twelve years ago) link
or just bring a six pack into the barbican?
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Thursday, 29 March 2012 12:48 (twelve years ago) link
a six pack of toilet duck
― I'm going to allow this! (LocalGarda), Thursday, 29 March 2012 12:48 (twelve years ago) link
when it's payday
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Thursday, 29 March 2012 12:49 (twelve years ago) link
la dee da
― I'm going to allow this! (LocalGarda), Thursday, 29 March 2012 14:26 (twelve years ago) link
time was you would joke about drinking a six pack of toilet duck in the street
― The term “hipster racism” from Carmen Van Kerckhove at Racialicious (nakhchivan), Thursday, 29 March 2012 14:32 (twelve years ago) link
really cleaned up the street
― Rosie 47 (ken c), Thursday, 29 March 2012 16:02 (twelve years ago) link
Is this the London thread?
Did you see this?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/magazine/china-mieville-london.html?emc=eta1
― Blomqvist, Jesper (admrl), Monday, 2 April 2012 23:34 (twelve years ago) link
/\/\/\
Say something about it
― Blomqvist, Jesper (admrl), Tuesday, 3 April 2012 00:07 (twelve years ago) link
i read that and wasnt sure what to think
what should i think
― A Little Princess btw (s1ocki), Tuesday, 3 April 2012 04:01 (twelve years ago) link
should i cancel my trip
Definitely, you don't want to hang out with racists and alcoholics.
― Blomqvist, Jesper (admrl), Tuesday, 3 April 2012 04:17 (twelve years ago) link
"eyes roll with the duh".
― Fizzles, Tuesday, 3 April 2012 06:19 (twelve years ago) link
it's not interesting enough to, really. mostly it reminded me that i don't get along with miéville's prose at all.
― lex pretend, Tuesday, 3 April 2012 07:31 (twelve years ago) link
the fluff piece that ran alongside it (what are the LDN equivs of these NYC things iirc) was actually more interesting
"The mayor is a ninja of bumptiousness"
― koogs, Tuesday, 3 April 2012 08:34 (twelve years ago) link