5 Ways to Make January Better

Oh January, you bloody bore. There's nothing that says the party's over more than being completely skint, vowing to lay off the booze for a whole month and not to mention those unachievable fitness/diet regimes to shave off all those chocolates. Refusing to let 1/14 get me down even more, I have put together a list of four fun things to ease the worst month of the year.

Via Pinterest

Sales

My particular favourites are of the holiday variety. No crowds and at this time of year, the dark, cold and rainy days have stopped being cosy and all I want is a bit of sun. Even looking forward to a mini break would help with going back to work after days of telly watching, Baileys in hand and a box of chocs resting on the belly. Eurostar have announced 120,000 £59 returns to their usual destinations including Paris, Brussels and Lille. I managed to book Paris for my Mum's b day weekend in March but they are selling fast so book asap.

View from an East Coast window

East Coast Train Tickets £5

Closer to home is the East coast annual sale where you can get as far away as Edinburgh for a fiver each way. The route has been dubbed the most beautiful in Britain with views of handsome York, the more glitzy Millenium Bridge in Newcastle and the rugged Scottish coastline complete with lighthouses. Book at eastcoast.co.uk

House of Ho via Twitter

Skint London

Follow for frugal tweets about eating, drinking and doing stuff in London for under a tenner. Recent alerts include news of a soft launch at new Vietnamese House of Ho in Soho, 10% discount at Oddbins for those not going dry and a Motel Rocks sample sale. @SkintLondon

Brooklyn Winter Ale lable

BYOB

Some of the best meals I have ever eaten have been at BYOB restaurants where a slap up meal can be had for under a tenner. Long standing Southern Indian food joint Jai Krishna on Stroud Green Road was my favourite 2013 find. If you're local order the Chana Chat and Masala Dosa and grab a bottle of Brooklyn's Winter Ale from the off licence opposite if you're not going dry. For a full list of London's BYOB restaurants look here.

Films 

Hide from the storm and spend an evening seeing a film. It is Oscar season which means the year's best films are usually released at the time of year most people want to cosy up in front of a film. Most cinemas have a cheap night from Odeon Monday's to Vue's Super Tuesdays and the independents have great offers including Rich Mix Six and Monday Madness at the Barbican. Check their websites for offers.

5 Ways To Stay Cool in Berlin

The Brilliant thing about Berlin is there is so much to see and do that you could go 10 times and have a completely different experience every time. As temperatures soared to 35°, traipsing around the sites was not an appealing option. Our priority was to keep cool and luckily for us, Berlinners are a very chilled bunch so here are my top 5 ways to wipe the sweat from the brow.

No. 1 Badeshciff

Head to Badeshciff, which translates to 'Bathing Ship'. It started as an art project which transformed the hull of a vessel into a swimming pool right in the middle of a neglected stretch of the Berlin Spree. There's nothing quite like the feeling of swimming in a clear pool, surrounded by the murky water. It all gets a bit flash on the decking, with a bar, DJ and expensive drinks but get up before the Berlinners and beat the queues of 1hour + to get in the water for one of the most amazing swimming experiences you'll ever have.

www.arena-berlin.de

No. 2 Wonder around (in the shade)

Berlin has been doing casual pop-ups before we coined 'pop-up' to mean a slightly contrived tempary set-up. We got chatting to a man who told us 15 years ago, without mobile phones it was impossible to plan where to meet because you would go to a bar or gallery one week and it would be closed the next. For that reason, some of the best Berlin has to offer won't be in the guide book. We stumbled upon a DJ playing on a beach on top of a yellow taxi, some optical illusion street art and got lots of awful photos taken in the Photoautomats.

Mauer Park watermelon

Engelberg meat and cheese platter

No. 3 Eat outside

Here are some snaps of some of our cullinary finds. Water melon from Mauer park flea market, a gerkin from a beer garden and meat + cheese plate from Engelberg cafe.

No. 4 Drink outside

Whether it be in a beer garden or just walking down the curb of a Straße, Berliner Kindl in hand. A cool beer is the ultimate accessory.

No. 5 Go to the Flea markets

Have a good old rummage in the Mauer Park flea market and you will be sure to emerge with a great cheap find. We did get a bit hot, but that didn't matter becuase we got soaked by these guys who responded to everyone's "cool me off" cries by attaching a fireman's hose pipe to a water main and drenching grateful passers by.

Barbecoa do festivals

Justin Timberlake

Last weekend, I went with my best friends to Wireless festival to finally make our 14 year old dream come true and see Justin Timberlake. 

Lunchtimes at festivals are notoriously bad and after walking past greasy meat van after oily Asian stand, the feeling of dread started to set in that we were actually going to have to bite into one of those  ill looking sausages. Then we saw the Barbecoa tent.

Barbecoa at Wireless

I've had Jamie Oliver's steakhouse, Barbecoa on my list of must-eat places for a long while, after everyone who comes back with the same 'It was sooooo good' review.

The handsome tent was all black with the stamped bronze foiled logo and surprisingly, there was no queue. Perhaps everyone thought the swish set up would mean pricey food but Jamie kept it simple with only two things on the menu, home made Frankfurters with sauerkraut or slow pit-smoked pork shoulder with coleslaw, for only £6 each.

The pork and duck rolls

I went for the latter, the pork was perfectly pulled and coated in a smokey sweet barbecue sauce. It was the type of sauce I was happy to find a bit left on my thumb post sandwich, I went to lick it off and then remembered I was at a festival, where finger lickin' is not advised.

Wondering Wine

Barbecoa has teamed up with Wondering Wine so you can wash it down with an eco friendly glass of wine.

My pals, Jemma and Pheebs, two very happy customers

Jamie has done it again, from revolutionising school dinners to ensuring while Barbecoa is there, festival goers won't have to line their stomachs with a non-descript meat. Barbecoa will be bringing meaty wafts to Battersea Park's Foodie Festival from 16th-18th August.

Foraging in Leigh-on-sea

When you have a day off and it is this hot, sweaty London is not the place to be. Instead, I headed to lovely Leigh-on-sea in essex to do some foraging.

Sea Beet

Foraging is becoming a much more popular way to source your food. It's sustainable and free and you often end up with a bunch of something a supermarket would never stock. 

There is a lot more to be found than a classic cockle on this beautiful Essex coast line. We packed a picnic and went for a walk on the hunt for samphire and sea beet.

Samphire

It's delicious wilted with a piece of steamed white fish like cod. 

Wild fennel salad 

The best thing about foraging is you never know quite what you're going to find. We also picked some wild fennel, which will jazz up any salad. 

New find kayaking on the Canal

                         

When the sun is shining, rather than hitting the park/pub garden with your mates why not kayak down Camden Canal?

                         

Thoughts of capsizing into a cocktail of syringes and dead bodies almost went while we were reassured by our lovely instructors Dan and Charlie that this very rarely happens. Still thinking 'there's always one' I did my life jacket up tight and clumsily got into my kayak. 

                                     

After a little practise, which was a bit like boat bumper cars, the fleet of forty paddled towards the bird cages of London Zoo. With the sun sparkling on the water, even the floating bottle of vodka I passed started to look magical. 

                            

With the soundtrack of tropical birds, you quickly forget you are on the Canal and even London. This is the perfect antidote to a stuffy day in the office and you can call it exercise. 

                             

Tuesday adult sessions 7-9pm Pirate Castle Club £10
www.thepiratecastle.org

Spend a Saturday at Broadway Market

There's nothing like a London market to get you in the weekend frame of mind. Broadway Market is far less touristy and much cheaper than it's big brother Borough. I bought a quarter of my favourite sour dough bread for only £2.

Then we stopped for a lovely coffee and walked down to Market Cafe for some eggs Benedict/Florentine.

On the way back, my pal Adam surprised me with some beautiful deep red peonies! 

Topped off with a people watch and a pint in the Cat and Mutton at the other end.

http://www.broadwaymarket.co.uk/

http://www.catandmutton.com/

http://market-cafe.co.uk/

Lichtenstien

War & Romance Wham!

It’s always nice to spend the weekend on the Southbank and even nicer when the reason for going is to see the Roy Lichtenstein retrospective at the Tate Modern. I had heard nothing but good things about this blockbuster exhibition and this particularly grey and rainy Saturday was in desperate need of an injection of colour.

War & Romance

His famous War and Romance works have become so popular that they have been removed from the context of the art world and plastered on anything from mugs to tea towels. I can’t complain, I took home a little bit of Lichtenstein in the form of two cushion covers, which are now brightening up my sofa, but it was amazing seeing the originals in a gallery space. When you are standing in front of one, it’s difficult not to be completly bowled over by their sheer scale and striking primary colours.

Alka Salzer

Mirror

Brushstrokes

Canvasses simplifying brushstrokes in his cartoon-like way lined the walls in the first room. Up next was the Black and White room, which housed my highlight, The Alka Salzer. I had no idea Lichtenstein had so many monochromes to his name, they seem to have been overshadowed by his vivid ‘Pows’ and ‘Wows’. The simplicity allowed for a complete focus on his iconic style and to see his ability to make an ordinary ball of string so captivating.

Found on Pinterest

Wow! What a show. Clearly not content on a replica Lichtenstein on a mug/tea towel/ pencil case, this fan has used her head as a canvas. Brilliant fancy dress idea or completely bonkers? 

Tate Website

10 Things to do for under £10

I think January is all about cheap thrills. We all had too much fun over Christmas and the purse strings are feeling the pain but why should you make the most depressing month even more depressing? I don't understand people who cut out everything worth living for... Booze, carbs and essentially a life to apease their guilty December cheeseboard scoffing ways. I have compiled a list of 10 things to do for under £10 in Kentish Town this January so you can stay happy in 2013. 

1. The White Stone Pond Observatory

Everyone loves stargazing. From couples to kids, there is something so enchanting about a starry night sky. Head to The Observatory at White Stone Pond and have a peak through the 6” telescope. Dating back from 1909, Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons and the Moon’s mountains have all been spotted. Open on Friday and Saturday night from September–April. Sundays from 11am-1pm to see the sun.

Free

Website

2. 24 Bus Route

It is too easy to live in London and not actually have been to the main tourist attractions. Excuses range from: I’m too busy, they are too busy and they cost too much anyway. If you want to avoid the crowds and see most of London’s main landmarks for the price of a bus fare, hop on the 24. It’ll pick you up on Malden Road and head straight to Camden Lock, Trafalgar Square, Downing Street and the Houses of Parliament, just to name a few. The sights rival the open topped tour buses but for the price of a return bus fare. It really is Kentish Town’s personal tourist bus.

£2.80 return on your Oyster card

Website

3. Stingray

I have been known to go to my lovely local Italian three times in one week, lured in by the inexpensive grub. I haven’t found a pizza that rivals theirs this side of Italy. From the classics to the more experimental house special with salmon and avocado, they’ve got it covered. A pizza and a beer can be had for a mere £5.95. What’s not to love?

£5.95 for a beer and a pizza deal

Website

4. Sing-a-long Sundays at The Grafton

You can’t beat January blues better than with a good old sing-song around a piano. On Sunday evenings, at The Grafton pub everyone crowds around the piano to belt out popular songs. Expect Robbie’s Angel’s and Bohemian Rapsidy. But no pressure, just join in when you know the words. Yes, that’s right, a pub that actually encourages merry singing. Wet you’re whistle with a bloody Mary for £6.50 and if you time it right, you might be there when they dish out the left over roast spuds and yorkies.

£6.50 for a Bloody Mary.

Website

5. Zumba at Expressions

Gobbled too much turkey or scoffed one too many mince pies? There is no place more fun to work off that festive fat than an hour of zumba at Expressions. Dance to J-lo and Gangnam Style with fellow fat burners spanning from teens to seniors. I promise, there is no room for embarrassment here. The dance teacher’s figure is all the thinspirtaion you will ever need.

£8. Monday 8-9pm Wednesday 7-8pm

Website

6. Camden Town Brewery Bar Tour

Get some mates together for an insightful tour of North London’s finest Brewery. I know this is £2 over the tenner mark, but Mark from the brewery said “It’s nearly £10 but you get a lot of beer for your money!" And if you are still thirsty, you can have a drink in the bar at the end.

£12

Website

7. The Everyman cinema

Isn’t the best way to spend a winter Sunday afternoon watching a good old classic movie on the sofa? Well the Everyman Hampstead and Belsize Park have read our minds and on the last Sunday of every month, a tenner will buy you a seat on one of their comfy sofas in front of the likes of Hitchcock.

£10 Last Sunday of every month.

Website

8. Shebeen

For those wanting to carry on the party, head to Kentish Town’s best cocktail bar. It’s cosy and candle lit but if Christmas hasn’t done your bank balance any favours, get there early and enjoy two for the price of one from 5.30 – 7.30pm, which will most definitely turn into 4. I’ll be heading straight there after work to combat first-day-back-blues.

£7ish for 2 cocktails during Happy Hour.

Website

 9. Talacre Football Pitches

Kickoff the New Year with a game of footie with the lads… or ladies if you felt inspired by Team GB Women’s Olympic success. Kentish Town’s Talacre sports centre has a 5-a side indoor pitch and a 7-a side outdoor pitch, perhaps for when it gets slightly warmer. Both can be hired for £87, which when split by both teams is a few pounds each, with enough change to go for a post match pint.

£6.20 when 14 people split a 7-a side pitch.

Book 1 week in advance. 9am-10pm 7 days a week

020 7974 8765

10. Kite Hill

Take the kids or just yourself and your kite up to Parliament Hill and join lots of others in attempting to get yours flying the highest. Also appropriately named Kite Hill is wrapped around with the London skyline and there are few places better to view our capital’s buildings than this one. So when the kite gets caught in a tree, settle down on a bench and play Eye Spy with London’s landmarks. It’s chilly up there so pop into Housepresso, a tiny coffee shop by Gospel Oak station and thaw out with one of their delicious hot drinks.

Free/£2.50 with a drink from Housepresso

My amazingly talented friend did these lovely illustrations. Check out more of her beautiful work here.

Winning at Wimbledon

Federer 

My brother James, me and my little sister Jess going over the top with Team GB merchandise

Being from London gives me a right to be synical about the Olympics. Feeling like a sardine on transport is not what I pay £2.70 for. I was still part of the ‘I-hate-the-Olympics-and-everything-about-it’ crew as I sat down to watch the opening ceremony, up until people played cricket to the tune of Jerusalem, then in marched the Suffragettes, then the rings, the bloody firework rings! I was totally mesmorsied and well in to Team GB and then to top off my inflated patriotism, my childhood hero Mr Bean came on – what a show stealer!

My suburban dwelling Dad, a 7 year 2012 fan, mainly because his geographical placing means he won’t get the Olympic fever side effects, got some tickets to Wimbledon Centre Court. I really got into tennis when I watched the Murray/Federer final and became one of millions of women who a little bit fell in love with the Swiss Champ.

Then I found out I had tickets to his (and Serena Williams’) first Olympic match, what a line up. The sun obviously didn’t want to miss out and came out to play. Two of the volunteers stewards who ‘were just so happy to be part of it’ struck up friendly conversations with me. By the time I sat in my seat, I had totally ditched my cynic side and I found myself clapping with the crowd sporting a pair of <3 Union Jack sunglasses, howling ‘Come on Roger!’ Behaviour, I really hope was not caught on the BBC’s cameras.

Thames Cable Car

It was my Boyfriend, Jonathan’s Birthday on the weekend and we had to plan and enjoy a hangover friendly Birthday outing after the Birthday party the night before.

Step up the new Thames Cable Car. It’s 90 meters high and connects the O2 centre to the Excel.

The sun was shining for what felt like the first time this summer so it was a perfect day for the ‘spectacular views’. Then I saw the queue. This was not considered and the hangover couldn’t handle standing still in the sun so I rushed off to buy hangover cures. While I was in the shop queue, arms full of crisps, coke etc, my phone rang. My boyfriend was at the front, so it wasn’t really a queue after all.

One of the first things I noticed was that my ‘ticket’, which was just me tapping in with my Oyster card (£3.20) was referred to as a ‘boarding pass’ and the 5 minute journey was being hailed as a ‘flight’.  Having STILL not booked a holiday, perhaps this was the closest I was going to get to one.

The pictures I snapped aren’t great. This is because instead of framing beautiful shots of the London Skyline, I had to hold Jonathan’s hand because he had somehow forgotten he had vertigo. Great time to remember. Whilst rubbing his back, I just managed to catch a glimpse of the Anthony Gormley sculpture, - a nice culture treat and then it was over. It felt way too quick but I’ll be in the area for the Olympics so I’ll give in another go, sans the vertigo sufferer.