The South end

Oliver’s Music Bar Review

Right across from the Greenwich Theatre, on 9 Nevada Street, you will encounter the most amazing live music venue: Oliver’s Music Bar. Cozy and inviting, this underground venue will enchant all your senses, and it is a perfect place for a few hours’ getaway with friends for chitchat, selected drinks and good music. Go down the stairs and you will find yourself at the bar immediately. The red paint on the walls suggests something of a private yet quite warm atmosphere, although because of the dark paint the room might seem even smaller and give a sense of crowdedness. But this is a pretty low key place, and you probably won’t be seeing any exhibition stand or adverts outside its door.

The entire bar has a sense of “old” to it, but it is definitely a very clean place. It is the perfect ambiance for live jazz music! The overall feeling that you will get is that you can feel comfortable, just like at home. You can choose among a wide selection of bottled drinks, as sadly there are no drinks available on tap. The place is perfect for a date night, for a girls night out, or simply for a relax time with your closest friends. Pick out the best wine, and let jazz sway you away for a few hours.

The staff is incredibly friendly and nice, so you will truly feel comfortable. Sometimes, there are also comedy nights held, when a comedian will entertain you and everybody else in the cellar jazz bar. An intimate and inviting place, where you can escape from your routine for a short time, Oliver’s will surely entertain you right. It is a late night bar, which means they are open until even 4 in the morning. On Saturdays, the music is a bit livelier, just like it is appropriate for a Saturday night fever. You can stay away from the crowded London Centre, and visit Oliver’s instead for a late night drink, lots of colour and friendly faces.

From Kentish Town to Camden Town

Growing up in London generally means that when you hit adolescence you become part of the cool kids of Camden. Hanging around the lock attempting to get in to any pub or club that will allow you in. Thinking your the crème de la crème of the London scene. A few years pass and Camden is still the center of the universe only now you can legally get in to all wonderful bars that smell like other peoples sweat and urine and you feel like you need c fold towels to even touch anything in these establishments. However as time goes on and your sense of taste changes you realize that Camden high street is NOT the place to be.

Actually the place to be is the back streets that stretched from Tufnell Park to Camden and on to Chalk Farm. These roads are packed with some of the best pubs and bars in London.

If you are a true Londoner or want a glimpse of what going out in London is really like, head to this area. You will find something for everyone, whether you’re in to your boutique clubs or old-fashioned pub or niche bar this area has a place for you.

Kentish Town holds one of the best of these little gems; The Southampton Arms is one of the best pubs I have been introduced to. It is an ale and cider house and has an unbelievable variety of the two. Not only does it provide you with the most delicious beverages, they also have a fabulous atmosphere and the staff are brilliant. If you are an ale and cider fanatic this is the place to go!

Brixton - a world journey on the Victoria line

Crowdy, noisy, multi-cultural and vibrant. This is Brixton and I love it. I would never have moved here from Surrey if it hadn’t been for friends who settled here and during my frequent visits I fell in love with the place. I fell in love with the resturants, and the clubs, and the corner sofas for sale in the market, but I also fell in love with the people who are in love with the place - it’s a truism that people who live in Brixton truly love Brixton. There’s a real community feel, a defensiveness and pride.
It’s also a happening place. As I write, there’s a County Show in the awesomely spacious Brockwell Park (with it’s pools and hidden gardens, and the best lido in the country) an art show at the end of the road. Paintings of every size and sort, hung onto railings and gates and trees, the annual Josephine Avenue art fair, rivaling anything you’d find in Paris. For weeks before the event, the council deliver huge skips so residents can trim the lush greenery that marks the leafy street as one of London’s finest. The gorgeous architecture harks back to a more genteel era, and is vibrantly overlaid with sounds of reggae and steel drums and samba emanating from the now many flats. You can almost always hear music in Brixton. It’s communal and celebrated and loud.
Add to the sounds the delicious smells. Incense pouring from the stand that is always by the station. Smoke pouring from the jerk chicken shacks, the waft of Caribbean food, the market brimming with fruit and fish. OK, in hot weather the fish isn’t always the best smell. But it’s alive. The bustle, the buses, the market stalls, the calling, the bursts of music, the laughter, the costumes and the fancy clothes, the gospel (always someone preaching the gospel) and high fives and chatter. Brixton, for me is a place for the senses.
Something strange has happened since I got here. I used to yearn to travel - epic and expensive journeys to places with sounds and smells and noise and action, diversity and differences. But oddly, I no longer yearn to escape. Because not only is Brixton home, for me is the world journey with the smallest carbon footprint. Every sensual experience I’ll ever need, neatly the end of the Victoria line.

South London Attractions

Many people neglect to see the beauty that South London offers due to the famous attractions they find north of the Thames. This is a shame because South London have some very unique sights that set it apart from the city tourist trail.

Barnes Wetland Centre

Known as being one of the most outstanding urban sites in Europe for watching wildlife, the Barnes Wetland Centre offers sightings of extremely rare birds such as whistling ducks and the Laysan teal. Along with its attractions, it also offers observational bird hides, board walks and restaurants.

Shirley Park

Any joggers dream, located in the Croydon area, Shirley parks which include Coombe Park, Lloyd Park and Croham Hurst are the city’s best. Being a medieval estates that dates back to the 13th century, it offers some of the best golf courses in the capital. You will find 18th century formal gardens as well. As for the rest of it, grab your kit and show off your new running accessories on some of the most scenic inner-city trails around!

Saltbox Hill and Charles Darwin House

You will find this flower rich ancient downland north of the suburb of Biggin Hill in the south of Bromley. Naturalist Charles Darwin used the Saltbox Hill as his earliest research site and this is where he formed his creative nature ideas. The Charles Darwin House can be accessed from Saltbox Hill 1km east at Down House and is near the Biggin Hill airport where you can observe the annual Biggin Hill Air Show.

Crystal Palace Dinosaur Park

You can find Victorian, life size extinct dinosaur models ranging from the Iguanadon to the Icthyosaurus which date back to the 1850’s, four beautiful lakes, a cafe and a maze in the Crystal Palace Park.

The Borough Markets

Starting back in the 13th century the Borough Market has always been London’s shopping place for the wealthy. Because of its genuine authenticity and lasting appeal, many farmers from the UK will showcase their organic goodies here offering plenty of free samples.

Brixton Academy

Beginning life as a cinema and theatre in 1929, Brixton Academy has become the leading venue in South London to see a live act. I say live act rather than band, because the place does not cater exclusively for bands.

That said, if you do want to see a band, I would say that the Academy is the place to see your favourite act. I’m not too sure why it is...is it that the bar is always rammed? Is it that the place retains many of its original features? Is it because the acoustics seem very good? Or is it because, at capacity, it only holds just short of 5,000 people which gives the Academy an air of intimacy so often lost in larger venues? Big names play here and it’s a much better place to see bands rather than Wembley for instance. Even at the back of the Academy you can still see the stage. Yes, you might have to do a bit of bobbing and weaving around that 6 and a half foot bloke who’s just decided to come and stand right in front of you, (Why does that always happen?) but for the most part you will still be able to see, at least some of the time.

Afterwards, there’s the obligatory scramble for the door, past the street vendors with shabby looking exhibition stands (a blanket laid out on the street) selling dodgy t-shirts and posters (actually, not always that dodgy) and as you and the rest of the happy throng wend your way to Brixton tube talking about how good your favourite band were, you feel like you’re a part of something important, and I like to think that the Academy itself is partly responsible for that warm, fuzzy feeling you’ve got as you go and get yourself a seat on the tube.

The London Eye

The London Eye is now ten years old. I remember seeing it, lying on its side on the Thames just before it was hoisted into the air ready for its impending flights.

I wasn’t convinced at first, surely it was just a bike wheel, and what was so special about that? Neither was I reassured that it wouldn’t collapse shortly after its installation, and I didn’t really trust those stainless steel bolts, especially as it suffered from technical hitches at first, delaying its opening to the public.

Slowly though, it has become as recognizable a part of the London skyline as Tower Bridge, the Gherkin (which came a few years later) or Big Ben. Somehow, the largest wheel in Europe has become a part of the fabric of London; it’s as much a part of the cityscape as the sky into which it reaches. Richard Rogers, designer of the Gherkin, among other things, described it as being the equivalent of the Eiffel Tower.

"Flights"as they’re rather pretentiously called, do not come cheap, but deals are possible if you know where to look (mainly the internet) but the views are, of course, spectacular. On clear days you can see as for miles and on not-so-clear days it is still worth a visit.

Not only is it a fantastic place to take photos from, it doesn’t matter which direction you point your camera in, you’ll get a great picture. The wheel is also a beautiful object to take photos of. Its simplicity is part of its genius and at night, illuminated by whatever coloured lights are glowing from the South Bank, it retains a magic all of its own.

Hidden Treasure in Morden

Many Londoners search in vain for the city’s elusive hidden treasures: areas of peace, tranquility and natural beauty in the heart of this bustling metropolis. Public parkland is widespread throughout the city, but is often uninspiring, and can be as crowded as the high street on a warm afternoon. Getting out in the country, on the other hand, often involves a stressful crawl to get past the M25. Those of us looking for a happy medium of countryside tranquility and urban accessibility could do worse than travel to the southern tip of the Northern Line.

Morden will be familiar to most of you only as a place name on the front of a tube train, and tourism generally comes in the form of drunken revellers falling asleep on the last train home. In truth, there’s little else to recommend the town centre, but a few yards down the road lies a genuine hidden treasure. Morden Hall Park, a National Trust-owned house with surrounding parkland is a world away from the built-up bustle that encircles it.

Entering through a narrow gap in the boundary wall alongside a busy main road, you wander into what looks like a medieval village, complete with squat little cottages, stables and a duck pond. A walk out into the parklands is equally pleasant. In the centre of the grounds, the view is of swaying green trees and immaculate expanses of grass. A wooded area hides a network of wide, clear streams with birds swooping and clucking around you. Even on a bright spring afternoon, it’s easy to find a spot without another person in sight.

Ultimately, Morden Hall Park can’t completely escape its urban setting; the far boundary of the park is marked by a tram line, it smells a little bit like green diesel, and the outline of Merton Civic Centre can be glimpsed through the trees. It’s an interesting and picturesque place though, its landscaped gardens and wide open spaces lifting it above other city parks. The distant rumbling of the nearby roads may taint the idyllic setting slightly, but there can’t be many more peaceful and attractive countryside retreats to be found on the Tube network.

Kew Gardens

It doesn’t matter whether you’re a fan of gardening or not, a trip to Kew is always worth it.

There are many things to do, and you might need more than a day (I would recommend membership as it works out far cheaper than the price of a one-off entrance fee). My personal highlights include taking a picnic and sitting by the lake, which has a fairly new bridge, which is not only beautiful and seems to sit on top of the water, but it also makes crossing the lake much easier.

The palm house is well worth a visit, and do make the time to climb the spiral staircase as the views are worth it. Don’t be surprised to end up a bit wet by your time in here, the plants need plenty of water and are sprayed regularly. The temperature of the house is also either a bonus on a bit of a chilly day, or a bit of a curse if you’re visiting on an already hot and humid day.

The water lily house is amazing when the water lily is at its peak and you might be lucky enough, like I was once, to have butterflies fluttering by.

The new sky walkway isn’t for the feint hearted! Not only did the lift not work on the day I went recently, but the platform actually moves, giving an unstable feel to it, but again it’s worth the effort.

Kew’s programme of events changes regularly as plants and flowers come into season which helps to give it a feeling of there always being something new to see. So, take the kids, take a pic-nic (though there are plenty of places to buy food and drink) take grandparents, friends, lovers or even visit on your own. You will not be disappointed.

Review: South London band The XX

The xx, the revolutionary English indie rock band is taking Europe by storm, with countless sold out concerts throughout. They have been considered the breakout band of 2009 and are expected to gain continual attention and acclaim.

The trio, which consists of Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie Smith (who is also the producer of the band) offer a unique indie rock. To accompany the lyrical styles of Croft and Sim, who also play guitar, and bass, Smith provides all of the necessary beats for the band, as well as the keyboard. His soft, melancholy sounds perfectly accentuate the vocal stylings of the pair.

Originally a four piece band that formed in 2005, the xx consisted of Croft and Sim, but also keyboardist Baria Qureshi.

Their debut album, self-titled “xx”, received critical acclaim as well as being placed on Rolling Stone’s “best of the year” list at #9, while NME placed xx at #6 on their list “NME The Future 50 List” (not to mention their efforts to take CD packaging to a whole new level).

Released by Young Turks Records in 2009, their debut album was recorded in a small garage of XL studios, often at night. This helped create their unique, almost whisper-like quality to both the vocals and the beats. Their single, “Crystalised” was featured on iTunes (UK) as the Single of the Week for 18-24 August 2009.

The band also brings an eclectic audience to their concerts. The standard youthful crowd invariably shows up to fill the seats, but there are also a large number of forty-plus fans. The audience members at most of their concerts on their European tour are staunch supporters and bring the concert to a high level of energy.

The xx are set to take America by storm, as they are planning to take part in two of the biggest festivals in the US, Coachella and Bonnaroo festivals.

Ice Hockey in South London

Ice Hockey isn’t really big in the UK. But it’s still bigger than you think!
Streatham Ice Arena in South London is home to several teams who compete at various levels, including the Streatham Redskins who play in the English National Ice Hockey League (the ENIHL). There are youth teams, women’s teams, and recreational teams that are open to beginners and, unlike the Redskins, don’t need you to actually be any good when you join.
Quoted as being "the fastest sport without an engine", ice hockey is just that. Players race down the ice at speeds of around 25mph - and the puck (that’s the little black rubber disc) can reach speeds over 100mph! It’s a real thrill to be up close and involved with the action.
It goes without saying that, like any sport, it can be difficult to learn. Unlike most other sports though, it does require that you can ice skate - and this is truly a skill. Imagine trying to start playing football without being able to run, not only that but your asics running shoes were like nothing you have ever worn before. Like any skill it requires practice, but when it all comes together it is a beautiful feeling.
The recreational, or "rec", teams are open to beginners and have all the kit you need to get you started. They’re friendly folks, and will really help you to get to grips with the sport. Chances are you won’t be the only beginner there, and there’s plenty of people willing to give you hints and tips and coach you along as you play.
So why not head down to South London’s finest ice rink and give it a go?