London Mums Magazine » Activities

Spring and Summer activities in blooming beautiful Chelsea

Monica Costa — Mon, 13 May 2013 08:07:50 +0000

The flowers are blooming and the trees are at last in leaf. It would be a fabulous time of year to visit the King’s Road area even if it wasn’t hosting the most famous botanical fair in the world: The RHS Chelsea Flower Show (21-15 May 2013). Attracting the very best garden designers, growers and flower arrangers, plus a bevy of celebrities and the world’s press, this year is all the more special as it’s the Show’s centenary.

All this botanical activity is echoed on the streets of SW3. Chelsea In Bloom sees top local retailers compete by creating floral displays in and around their shops. Take a free rickshaw ride around the entrants before stopping off at the champagne pop-up for a glass of bubbly.

Spreading our net a little further, Chelsea Fringe (18 May-9 June) is a London-wide gardening festival which takes in exhibitions, tours, walks and much more, like drinks and nibbles at the Chelsea Gardener.

Floral Fancies

Beauty: The Anthropologie gallery is transformed into an old-fashioned apothecary by uber-cool LA brand Royal Apothic. Head to Richard Ward for a ‘floral blowdry’. Lush’s Spa Kitchen Garden shows off the plants they use.

Culture: Head to the Chelsea Physic Garden for its ‘living botanical bar’. And when the flower show isn’t on, you can tour the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Dining: The Botanist will be hosting a tasty little pop-up in Sloane Square. Feast At Peter Jones, tuck into the Chelsea Flower Show centenary tea. Slightly further afield, The Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington also has a Chelsea Flower Show tea while its high-end restaurant Min Jiang is offering exquisite floral cocktails.

Family: Get your little ones’ brains working with the Chelsea Tree Hunt. Find trees in various stores on King’s and Fulham Road on this alternative treasure trail.

Fashion: You can’t beat Cath Kidson and Laura Ashley for beautifully printed clothes and homeware, while Jigsaw’s romantic floral print dresses are to die for.

…And another thing (or two): Top live music venue 606 Club is celebrating 25 years in Lots Road from 22 May 2013. I have been there a few times in the past and they honestly play the best jazz in town. It is certainly not a posh location but if you like jazz it’s the place to be. More than 40 bands will show why fans of jazz, blues, soul, R&B, Latin and gospel have been returning to this venue since the 1970s.

PopUp Britain offers the chance for boutique online retailers pop-ups at a time to see what it’s like having a retail space.

Oh, and check out Proud Chelsea – they’ve got a phenomenal show of rare Bowie photographs. It’ll be far more exclusive than The V&A show.

The post Spring and Summer activities in blooming beautiful Chelsea appeared first on London Mums Magazine.

KEEPING THE KIDS ENTERTAINED THIS EASTER WILL BOOST THE ECONOMY BY £2 BILLION

Monica Costa — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 13:15:28 +0000

Parents will be spending on average £306.22 to entertain their children over the Easter school holidays this year. But shockingly, eight out of ten British children don’t know the true meaning of Easter, in fact a quarter of children think Easter is to celebrate the Easter Bunny’s birthday.

A shocking 79% of British parents have reported that their children are clueless about the true meaning behind the most important festival in the Christian calendar – Easter. More than a quarter of young Britons believe Easter marks the date chocolate was invented and a quarter believes it is to celebrate the Easter Bunny’s birthday, while six out of ten didn’t know why eggs were a feature of Easter.

This Easter break, the British economy will receive a welcome boost of just over £2 billion pounds as parents across the country dig deep into their pockets to keep their children entertained during the school holidays – according to a new consumer study by Travelodge.

Keeping school age children entertained over two weeks is no easy task, therefore in order to keep their little darlings out of mischief, British parents will be forking out on average £306.22 on a short break, several Daycation trips and on traditional handy crafts and home baking; in a bid to keep their children entertained this Easter break.

Listed below are the top ten UK cities where families are spending above the national average and will be splashing out the most money to keep their children amused over the Easter holidays:

The research conducted with 2,000 British families also revealed that parents are reliving their childhood holiday memories this Easter and taking their children on inexpensive trips to: the countryside, the seaside, to museums and to visit family, rather than taking a foreign holiday and to avoid their children sat for hours in front of the TV watching DVDs and playing games.

The report revealed that 34 per cent of British families have booked a UK coastal break this Easter with the top destinations being: Blackpool, Brighton, Devon and Cornwall.

Nearly a quarter, (23%) of British households is planning to explore the lush British countryside during the Easter school holidays with the top destinations being: The Lake District, North & South Wales, The Yorkshire Dales and The Peak District.

A fifth of parents reported they are planning to take their children on a UK city tour this Easter, with the UK’s capital cities (London, Edinburgh, Cardiff) being the most popular destinations, in addition to Bath, Liverpool and Manchester.

Interestingly just 11% of parents reported they are taking their children to a theme park over the Easter holidays and just 14% of families stated they are taking a foreign holiday this Easter.

Further research findings revealed British parents will treat their children to three Daycation trips (days out) during the holidays, with each day costing on average £37.50.

The study also revealed over half of parents are using their working holiday entitlement to take time off work to look after their children rather than forking out on expensive childcare and holiday clubs.

In a bid to save some money over the Easter school holidays a third of parents are planning to replicate popular cooking TV programmes at home, which their children enjoy watching such as: ‘The Great British Bake Off’, ‘MasterChef’, ‘Cupcake Wars’ and ‘Come Dine with Me’.

In addition a quarter of parents will be reliving their memories of watching ‘Blue Peter’ when they were a child and will be making arts and crafts with their children out of household items such as old washing up bottles, kitchen roll and cereal boxes.

Listed below are the top activities parents will be doing with their children during the Easter school holidays

Going to the cinema (40%)

Visiting family and friends (39%)

Baking at home (31%)

Going on a picnic (30%)

Going to the beach (29%)

Taking a trip to the countryside (27%)

Going to a museum (25%)

Doing crafts at home (23%)

Visiting a farm (18%)

Going bowling (16%)

The study also revealed in a bid to add extra value to their household budget four out of ten British families over the last couple of months have been sourcing newspapers and websites for money off coupons to make their pennies go further during the Easter school holidays.

A third of parents surveyed stated they heavily rely on money off vouchers to help manage their finances and will invest around two hours per week in searching for coupons. A fifth of mums stated they regularly swap money off coupons with other mums at the school gates.

Further findings revealed a fifth of parents reported they find it very stressful keeping their children entertained during the Easter holidays and one in ten parents stated they wished school holidays were shorter.

Interestingly when respondents were quizzed on the religious aspect of Easter, 87% of parents reported that they are not going to church over the Easter holidays.

Nearly eight out of ten parents (79%) stated that their children do not know the true meaning of Easter.

A quarter of British children think Easter is to celebrate the Easter Bunny’s birthday and more than a quarter think this is the date chocolate was invented.

One in 20 said it was to mark Jesus’ birthday, while six out of ten didn’t know why eggs were a feature of Easter.

Easter Sunday also marks the end of Lent, yet only one in ten Britons gave something up for lent. Also just one in ten British households will be eating fish on Good Friday.

The one Easter tradition that is growing this year is 68 per cent of Britons will purchase on average six Easter Eggs this year. The average spend on each chocolate egg will be £4.99 – total spending being: £29.94.

The Easter spending consumer study was conducted in March 2013 with a sample group of 2,000 parents across the UK. The survey was conducted by Onepoll.

The post KEEPING THE KIDS ENTERTAINED THIS EASTER WILL BOOST THE ECONOMY BY £2 BILLION appeared first on London Mums Magazine.

THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN LONDON

Monica Costa — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 11:12:31 +0000

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live, published in The Sunday Times from Sunday March 17, 2013, will reveal the little Nirvanas dotted across the UK.

The comprehensive and up-to-date two-part guide will take a wide range of elements into account including transport links, quality of schools, natural beauty, low crime rate, property prices, cultural life and unemployment figures. Each area is also assessed on its own individual assets, whether it is a local festival, fascinating architecture or proximity to an airport.

The guide names the five most desirable locations in London as:

Richmond

Chiswick

Dulwich

Balham

Muswell Hill

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live is edited by Sunday Times Associate Editor and regular broadcaster Eleanor Mills. As author of the “Beyond the Brochure” property column she has visited every corner of the country to assess the pros and cons of relocating.

Eleanor says: “Scampering around Britain for my column I find there are particular bits of our crowded island which always retain a particular attraction for people. We have built on this basic information to create a definitive guide. The Sunday Times Best Places to Live will prove invaluable for anyone starting a family, retiring, or simply considering a move.”

The Sunday Times Best Places to Live will run across two weekends on March 17 and 24 in The Sunday Times Home. As well as an overall national winner (announced in the first issue) the guide will announce the top 10 places in nine regions around the country.

Additionally, The Times will be reviewing locations based on a range of categories starting on Monday 18 March until Saturday 23 March 2013. Categories will include best towns, villages, coolest places, the top locations to have a second home and more.

SOURCE CREDIT: THE SUNDAY TIMES

The post THE BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN LONDON appeared first on London Mums Magazine.

Post-Games Greenwich is better than ever before

Monica Costa — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:00:46 +0000

2012 was a big year for Greenwich but 2013 is set to be the year to visit this iconic destination. A rush of new openings and intriguing events across the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site in 2013 will make visiting an even more exciting experience than it is already.

A new permanent gallery opens at the National Maritime Museum in October 2013. Nelson, Navy, Nation looks at how the Royal Navy shaped individual lives and the course of British history over the eighteenth century – a period when sea-faring heroes were national celebrities. The National Maritime Museum will also host two major exhibitions in 2013. The first, Visions of the Universe, tells the story of astronomical imaging – from the earliest drawings done by hand to the latest pictures from Hubble and the Mars Curiosity Rover (June – September 2013). This is followed by Turner & the Sea, the first full-scale examination of Turner’s lifelong fascination with the sea, including iconic works spanning the artist’s whole career gathered together from across the world (November 2013-April 2014).

At the Royal Observatory Greenwich, home of the Prime Meridian, from March – August 2013, a new exhibition Alien Revolution will explore the development of our thinking about aliens in science and culture, from the earliest ideas inspired by the Copernican Revolution to the detection of alien worlds orbiting other stars. The Royal Observatory’s ‘Alien Season’ will include planetarium shows, public talks, special events, workshops, courses and cult classic sci-fi movie screenings. The popular Astronomy Photographer of the Year returns in 2013 to celebrate the very best in astrophotography from around the world.

The fabulous Cutty Sark and the National Maritime Museum will be celebrating Chinese New Year throughout February with some special family events that celebrate the cultural connections between Britain and China. On 23 February, families can learn how the sea trade brought new ideas, culture, language and people from Asia to Britain in a day of music, workshops, tea tasting and performances at Cutty Sark and the National Maritime Museum.

Cutty Sark re-opened in April 2012 and has been raised to give glorious views of her copper hull from below and across London from above. We encourage those who have not yet seen her to come along.

The Painted Hall at The Old Royal Naval College is currently undergoing its first conservation in over 50 years. Visitors can get up close and personal to the west wall during this time on a range of free scaffolding tours, which explore the stories of Greenwich’s Royal and Maritime past as well as introducing the techniques used in the conservation of historical masterpieces such as Sir James Thornhill’s astonishing Baroque paintings.

The Old Royal Naval College has also introduced film location themed group tours enabling visitors to see where scenes in movies as diverse as Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Pirates of the Caribbean, The Iron Lady, Skyfall and Les Misérables were shot.

The Fan Museum is hosting a new exhibition, The Fan in Europe: 1800-1850 between 22 January and 12 May. Drawing from the museum’s renowned collection of fans and fan leaves, this exciting new exhibition offers fascinating insights into a relatively overlooked period within the history of fans. What’s more, if you visit on Tuesdays or Sundays you can enjoy London’s ‘Best Value Afternoon Tea’ (Daily Telegraph, 2012) in the Orangery.

Up at The O2 is a major new attraction where visitors can enjoy an exhilarating outdoor challenge and get a completely new perspective on the capital as they are led on a guided expedition across the roof of The O2. The 90 minute experience takes visitors across a tensile fabric walkway suspended 52m above ground level allowing them to see spectacular 360? views of the capital.

The British Music Experience is also part of The O2’s offer for visitors to Greenwich Peninsula. The rolling programme of talks, tours and exhibitions are designed to complement the temporary and ongoing activities of the museum and to deepen the musical experience for each music fan.

Time spent sightseeing can be complimented with one of the many eating and drinking venues in Greenwich. From a variety of global food offering market stalls, to Italian pizza baked in an authentic stone pizza oven, and plenty of cosy cafes, there is something to suit every taste. Visitors can also pick up some gifts or do some shopping amongst the designer-maker stalls in Greenwich Market, or visit one of the other independent retailers that Greenwich town centre boasts, to take home something truly unique. On Saturday 30 March 2013 there will be a Chocolate Egg decorating event in the Market, but don’t worry if you can’t make it – May is Craft & Design month in the market with plenty of events going on.

For more information on Greenwich go to www.visitgreenwich.org.uk

The post Post-Games Greenwich is better than ever before appeared first on London Mums Magazine.

Photo story: R.I.P. BRITISH FISH UNDERWATER FUNERAL HIGHLIGHTS PERIL OF BRITISH MARINE LIFE

Monica Costa — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Aquarists at The SEA LIFE London Aquarium issued a stark warning today about the potential fate of British marine life by holding an underwater funeral. The sombre procession, lead by Aquarist Pete Williams, took place in the impressive shark reef display. Aquarists dressed as pallbearers and carried the coffin of ‘British Fish’ to it’s watery grave.

SEA LIFE centres nationwide are campaigning for the Government to establish an effective network of Marine Conservation Zones in British waters to safeguard the future of seriously threatened species like the Undulate Ray and the Basking Shark.

“We want to make people aware that it isn’t just exotic fish in far away coral reefs that are endangered by overfishing, pollution and urban coastal developments,“ explains Deputy Curator, Jamie Oliver who was one of the pall bearers. “Many British fish are extremely vulnerable and some species are close to extinct.

Some Scientists estimate we could lose the majority of our Fish Stocks by 2050 unless we take action to protect these threatened species, like the Undulate Ray, NOW. The Government is simply doing too little and if that doesn’t change quickly we can wave goodbye to some wonderful British fish.”

In July 2012 scientific advisors said 127 Marine Conservation Zones were needed by 2014 with an immediate need for 59 high-risk sites to be protected immediately. To date only 31 have been agreed by the Government.

The post Photo story: R.I.P. BRITISH FISH UNDERWATER FUNERAL HIGHLIGHTS PERIL OF BRITISH MARINE LIFE appeared first on London Mums Magazine.

Musical education: Opera for young children

Monica Costa — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 09:05:26 +0000

Despite being Italian, I never quite understood Opera singing until in my late Twenties. Now that I am in my Forties I totally love it and understand its meaning and appreciate the skills required to perform in an opera.

But I guess I have been lucky enough to have a family who loves Opera and always played it since I was born. Although it took me time to understand it, I was indirectly influenced by Opera music. That’s why I thought it would be a good idea to take my six year old son to see the Merry Opera’s The Magic Flute at the Riverside Studios last Sunday.

To my greatest surprised he absolutely loved it and I guess the reason for that is that the production at the Riverside Studios was very simple and a brilliant adaptation of the original Mozart composition. He eventually asked to go and see a ‘big’ opera, meaning a full orchestra opera at the Royal Opera House. I would recommend to start from an adaptation such as this one first, also because the subject of the Magic Flute is more suitable for young children than a sad classic opera such as La Traviata or La Boheme where death and tragedy are prominent. This is a great start in initiating young children to opera

Kit Hesketh-Harvey is well known for his cabaret (Kit and the Widow, Kit & McConnell) and his appearances on Radio 4’s Just a Minute. But he also has an established track record translating opera for the Royal Opera House, ENO and Opera North and has directed The Merry Opera’s sell-out productions of La Traviata and La Belle Héléne. Part-pantomime, part-opera, Kit Hesketh-Harvey’s new production re-lives The Magic Flute’s sublime music and triumphant opening night in 1791. Lofty divas and low comedians flourish. Watching closely are the shadowy forces of Freemasonry.

Details are here: http://londonmumsmagazine.com/event/the-merry-operas-the-magic-flute-riverside-studios-hammersmith-5-feb-3-march-2013 or www.merryopera.com

RUNNING TIME 2 hours plus 1 interval.

AGE SUITABILITY Suitable for ages 6+

Family Ticket: £50 including 2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children.

Evening shows are 7.30pm but there is a 2.30pm show on a Saturday and the Sunday show is at 5pm.

There’s lots of comedy, larger than life characters – wicked villains and queens, romantic leads and even a birdman – and some great tunes. It’s a great way for children to try out a ‘night (or even afternoon!) at the opera’. It can’t be booked online but all you need to do is call the Box Office on 020 8237 1111 and quote ‘Family Ticket Offer’.

The post Musical education: Opera for young children appeared first on London Mums Magazine.

Photo story: FANS GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH GEORGE CLOONEY ON AN ALFRESCO PRE-VALENTINE’S DAY DATE IN CARNABY STREET

Monica Costa — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 13:00:31 +0000

Madame Tussauds London caused a pre-Valentine’s Day stir this morning when they took A-list actor, George Clooney, to London’s Carnaby Street to give fans a sneak preview of his brand new wax figure.

The Silver fox topped a recent poll at the attraction, declaring him the most desirable Valentine’s Day date. Clooney polled double the votes of desirable date number two, Prince Harry, with Twilight actor Robert Pattinson in third.

Clooney’s best friend, Brad Pitt, in fourth and the ultimate British gentleman, Colin Firth, in fifth. The top five most dateable females were Angelina Jolie, Cheryl Cole, Kate Winslet, Beyonce and the timeless Helen Mirren.

Clooney’s figure will be receiving visitors at the Baker Street attraction from tomorrow 14th February 2013.

Madame Tussauds London is located next to Baker Street tube station and open seven days a week. Adults and child prices start from £15 when you pre-book.

The post Photo story: FANS GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH GEORGE CLOONEY ON AN ALFRESCO PRE-VALENTINE’S DAY DATE IN CARNABY STREET appeared first on London Mums Magazine.

Great ideas for days out in February

capitaltots — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 09:00:05 +0000

There is loads to do in and around London with your kids in February aside from the usual half-term activities, especially now that the weather is improving. Here are some great ideas for days out in February. We’re heading towards lambing season, and Bocketts Farm, just outside of London is expecting 90 lambs to be born starting on Valentine’s day. February is a great time to visit any of the farms in and around London as they’re practically empty during the week so staff have got loads of time to chat and point out different things to your children.

The Rain Room at the Barbican is still on, but the queue makes it almost impossible to visit with young children – why not tick the culture box and book tickets now for the Hayward Gallery’s Light Show which brings together sculptures and installations that use light to sculpt and shape space in different ways. It sounds ideal for babies who are transfixed by bright lights and interesting for slightly older children too.

Also at the South Bank, the Imagine Children’s Festival starts on Monday 11th February and is all about the kids taking over. The Southbank Centre will be transformed by children for children, as well as hosting the top names in children’s literature, dance, theatre and art. Enjoy free activities throughout the festival or just take in the atmosphere as children run the show.

Jump in the car for a day in the countryside and try and spot the first signs of spring- snowdrops. Some of the best places are only about an hour from London including: Nymans, Hever Castle and Gatton Park. I can personally vouch for Nymans and Hever Castle (which re-opens on 16th Feb) being absolutely gorgeous.

Sticking with the outdoors, why not seek out a naturally-designed outdoor play area which encourages adventurous play. There are several dotted around London including Lloyd Park in Walthamstow, The Bridge in East Greenwich and Highgate Wood.

The Chinese New Year Celebrations around China Town and Trafalgar Square on Sunday 10th February are a sight to behold with displays of martial arts, trapeze artists and -floats. If your children are young enough to be carried, or old enough to walk, it is definitely worth taking them just once to experience the chaos, excitement, music and dancing that is Chinese New Year.

And finally – Pancake Day is on Tuesday 12th February – here’s a tried and tested easy recipe to enjoy.

For more info about adventures for children in London you can visit: www.capitaltots.com

The post Great ideas for days out in February appeared first on London Mums Magazine.

South East London: Wow factor! The Boat Show and a lot more fun around the Excel London area

Monica Costa — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 11:49:25 +0000

Last year in July when we went to some Olympic events at Excel London (close to Canary Wharf in South East London), I was really impressed to see how improved the area is now. Wow! I loved all the new activities around for kids so what a better excuse to go back there than visiting the Boat Show.

With the the new cable car spanning the river from Greenwich to the Royal Docks, you can take in views of London on the way! It’s also accessible by DLR, rail and car parking tickets can be purchased in advance for a daily price of £12 with an adult or concession advance Show ticket.

Check our our photo gallery to see a very happy child. After many hours of visiting the show, my son still wanted to browse around and visit more yachts…

We saw and visited stunning sail boats, power boats and we watched the Multi Activity Pool with model boat racing, kids activities and marine challenges taking place.

Needless to say that we loved visiting the yachts the most.

The post South East London: Wow factor! The Boat Show and a lot more fun around the Excel London area appeared first on London Mums Magazine.

FREE LONDON: 500 free tickets on the EDF Energy London Eye on Saturday 19th January 2013 at 9.30am

Monica Costa — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 22:07:38 +0000

Madness in London! The EDF Energy London Eye has teamed up with renowned London photographer Matt Stuart to inspire Britons on a FREE rotation on the London Eye.

Following the arguably greatest year in the history of London in 2012, many people will be asking what can 2013 offer Londoners?

The EDF Energy London Eye has teamed up with acclaimed street photographer Matt Stuart to bring to life many of the inspiring perspectives that make London one of the must see places in the world. Stuart has taken twelve pictures from the London Eye which capture the essence of London through it’s iconic skyline.

To encourage people to get out and take the opportunity to look at their capital city differently, on Saturday 19th January the London Eye will ‘Lift London’ by offering 500 tickets for a free rotation at 9.30am that day. In exchange the London Eye is asking for them to share a photo, a doodle or any other image inspired by their visit.

Matt Stuart commented; ‘London is one of the most exciting cities in the world and we sometimes forget this. My work is all about finding inspirational perspectives from the everyday. The London Eye offers some of the very best views of London and every view is different, so the pictures I have taken try to bring to life the people and the skyline of London. I hope people taking their free visit will be able to find their own inspirational perspective.’

Helen Bull, Marketing Director at EDF Energy London Eye said, ‘The London Eye has been an iconic part of the London skyline for 13 years and offers the best way to see the capital. The London Eye is unique and through ‘Lift London’ we wanted to offer people the chance to visit for free in order to find their own inspiring perspective at the start of 2013.’

Some of those attending on Saturday 19th January 2013 can enjoy a master class from Matt, including helpful tips on capturing great photographs and how-to tips on finding inspiration. The best photographs will be exhibited by the London Eye via Facebook.

To take part in this unique mass-art project Tweet @TheLondonEye #LiftLondon or just turn up on the day before 9:30am ready to be inspired.

The post FREE LONDON: 500 free tickets on the EDF Energy London Eye on Saturday 19th January 2013 at 9.30am appeared first on London Mums Magazine.