Tag Archives: Things to do

London Shooting Club Offering Downton Experience | Things To Do

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shooting, gun, guns, shotguns, clay pigeon shootingLooking for something different to do? At Frost we love clay pigeon shooting. If you want to try it yourself The London Shooting Club is an exclusive members club and concierge service that specialises in providing access to the finest shooting experiences in the UK and internationally. The London Shooting Club is very pleased to offer a bespoke shooting experience to both members and non-members that will make you feel as if you have stepped into the cast of Downton Abbey. Release your inner Lord & Lady Grantham as you shoot game on the estates of the finest of Britain’s stately homes including Highclere Castle where Downton Abbey is actually filmed.

Spend the day with The London Shooting Club taking aim at everything from pheasant to partridge in the ground of Britain’s most stunning homes and you may even catch a glimpse of the real Lord & Lady Grantham. So if you want to relive the golden era what better way than a day with The London Shooting Club.

Based at the prestigious West London Shooting School but using various prestigious shooting grounds around London, The London Shooting Club offers unrivalled access and expertise to those interested in shooting, from beginners wishing to take up the sport, to the advanced. Working with leading experts and top shoots to arrange group trips, tailored experiences and instruction in all disciplines of shooting, whether it be a shooting clinic, a training session, private trips to venues of special interest or a talk from leaders in the field of shooting.

It can be hard for city-bound shooting enthusiasts to find quality places to shoot or even just enjoy the company of other followers of the sport. The packed diary of social evenings, lectures and parties which each bring something a little different, often including the chance to meet leading experts, entry into London’s exclusive private member’s clubs, and late night revelry.

The London Shooting Club also offers a concierge service for both private and corporate members and their guests providing high quality shooting throughout the UK and abroad. The Club uses its extensive network of contacts and experience to give its members the best shooting throughout the year.

The London Shooting Club will have four membership levels. Beginner for those looking to learn to shoot, Competent for those who are looking to return to the sport or progress from a novice level and Advanced that is ideal for those shots who are of intermediate to advanced level and able to book game shooting days. The London Shooting Club finally also offers a corporate membership. To get the most out of Shooting Club membership, you need to be comfortable and safe handling a firearm – but it is fine if you’re rusty! Shooting Club Membership is £335 payable annually for Competent and Advanced memberships whilst the beginner membership is £195 annually.

The London Shooting Club
W: http://www.londonshootingclub.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LondonShooting
FB: https://www.facebook.com/TheLondonShootingClub

Statley Homes include
Highclere Castle
Blenheim Palace
West Wycombe Estate
Belvoir Castle
Ashcombe
Great Tew
Chavenage
Ashcombe House

Thames Festival 2013 | Things To Do

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City Cruises to host Sir Andrew Motion and Dan Cruickshank for Thames Festival 2013

 

As part of the 2013 Thames Festival celebrations, City Cruises, London’s leading riverboat operator, is hosting two distinguished events with former poet Sir Andrew Motion (7 September) and National Geographic and BBC art historian, writer and presenter, Dan Cruickshank (9 September).

 

Celebrating the very best of the Thames, the Mayor’s Thames Festival brings together art, music and educational events through an inspiring 10-day event on the river, its banks and bridges. As a key feature of tourism on the Thames, City Cruises’ is hosting these two major events on its flagship boat – and largest on the river – the Millennium Diamond.

 

Sir Andrew Motion – now President of the Campaign to Protect Rural England – will present an afternoon of poems and reflections from both his own collections and others on Saturday 7 September (4pm to 6.30pm). Concentrating on London’s greatest waterway and its many myths, poems and tales, Sir Andrew will take guests on a literary journey as they sail down the very river that inspired them.

 

Dan Cruickshank, whose credits include Around the World in 80 Treasures and Marvels of the Modern Age, will take centre stage on Monday 9 September (7.30pm-9.30pm). Taking guests on an architectural tour of London’s bridges – past and present – he will enlighten passengers on their rich history, heritage and significance in making the Capital the powerhouse that it is today.

 

Both events are ticketed and include a glass of red or white wine and canapés. Tickets cost £22, with each cruise departing from Tower Pier at 4pm, 7 September (Sir Andrew Motion) and 7.30pm, 9 September (Dan Cruickshank).

 

For further information or to book, please visit www.citycruises.com or call 020 77 400 400.

 

Historic Church Tours | Things To Do

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The Churches Conservation Trust

 stainglasswindowjesus, god, religion, tour, church, signs, art

13th August – 5th October 2013

Suffolk – Somerset – Northamptonshire – Lincolnshire

 church tour, church, religious iconography, art, religious art, gargoyle, tour, image011

 

·      Stunning photographs of England’s most ancient churches available·      Fascinating programme of four themed tours:

 ‘Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials’ ‘Churches at War’,  ‘Carvings’ and ‘Monuments and Memorials’·      12 historic sites visited

 

 

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The Churches Conservation Trust (CCT), the national charity protecting ancient churches at risk, has launched a programme of fascinating Historic Church Tours across the country.

 

The tours will guide visitors through stunning countryside vistas, whilst breathing life into England’s shrouded ancestry and exquisite ancient architecture. Four intriguing themes included in the special Historic Church Tours are ‘Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials’ ‘Churches at War’, ‘Carvings’ and ‘Monuments and Memorials’

 

Taking place at selected churches across the country from Suffolk to Somerset, Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire, Historic Church Tours encompass a comprehensive geography of British architectural and social heritage.

 

 church, church tour, art church tour, charity, stainglass window

 

The next tour, Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials, will take place in Suffolk, 10:30am–4:30pm on August 13. Starting at All Saints, Little Wenham, a 13th-century flint church often described as one of Suffolk’s best-kept secrets, visitors will be in awe of the stunning wall-paintings and canopied ancient wall monuments. After a light lunch, move onto St Mary’s, Badley, a truly remarkable Medieval church with an atmosphere of great peace and stillness. With nothing for company but a 16th-century farmhouse and the wildlife of its pretty churchyard, St Mary’s is a breath-taking retreat for any passer-by. The final stop of the tour will be St Peter’s, Claydon. Overlooking the Gipping Valley, this church will astound visitors with its vibrant stained glass and extravagant carvings; a spectacular site to end this tour.

 

Historic Church Tours taking place in 2013 are as follows:

 

AUGUST

Wallpaintings, Stained Glass and Memorials – Suffolk

The three churches on this tour were selected for their stunning artwork in the form of extravagant carvings, stunning wallpaintings and vibrant stained glass.

 

SEPTEMBER

Churches at War – Somerset

Three of the CCT’s most stunning and iconic churches are positioned in Somerset. All three have been unwittingly caught up in a time of war, from acting as a hideaway during the Monmouth rebellion, to being solitary observer of mid-air disaster, the churches have seen all and kept their counsel.

 

Carvings – Northamptonshire

CCT churches in Northampton have an abundance of carved treasures on display. For this tour, CCT have selected three of the best from St Peter & St Paul’s in Preston Deanery,  stunning carvings of animals, to the Norman St Michael’s, Farndish, which boasts gorgeous carved corbels and elegant arches, and the stunning 900 year old St Peter’s in Northampton, which is full of carved treasures.

 

OCTOBER

Monuments and Memorials – Lincolnshire

This tour will explore the stunning and spectacular monuments and memorials in three Lincolnshire churches. Take in the breath-taking interior of St Lawrence’s, Snarford, the unusual red-brick chapel of St George, Goltho, which stands alone amid acres of corn and oilseed rape with only a few trees for company, and Milton Mausoleum, the only surviving mausoleum in Nottinghamshire.

 

All guided tours are priced at £40 per person and will include a light lunch and coach transportation to and from a local train station.

 

Tickets are available on general release now. To book tickets, go to http://www.visitchurches.org.uk/Historicchurchtours/

 

Russell Kane, Paul Chowdhry, London Comedy Clubs unite as Foster’s brings 4 nights of live comedy

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comedyRussell Kane, Paul Chowdhry, London Comedy Clubs and more unite as Foster’s brings four nights of live comedy to Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park

Monday 8th to Thursday 11th July will see live comedy acts take over the 450-seater Barclaycard Unwind Theatre

Today AEG Live and The Royal Parks have unveiled a stellar billing of comedians for four nights of first-class comedy as part of the amazing line-up at Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park.  Boasting big names such as Russell Kane and Paul Chowdhry, Hyde Park Comedy presented by Foster’s, the UK’s leading sponsor of comedy, will run from Monday 8th to Thursday 11th July, bringing together acts from The Comedy Store, Laughing Boy Comedy Club and many more for a series of laugh-out-loud nights in the park.

The Comedy Store Players get the laughs going in the Barclaycard Unwind Theatre on Monday 8th July as they take centre stage.  Best known for their performances at The Comedy Store in London, the collection of renowned improvisational comedians will use their innovation and sheer brilliance to create a night of sketches and comical dramas that have garnered international critical acclaim.

“The best ad-lib ensemble in the UK” Evening Standard

“Brave performers who arrive with no script and not the faintest idea of what will happen.  Through improvisation they create whole sketches and comic dramas that are amazingly inventive and sometimes take off into flights of surreal brilliance” Daily Telegraph

“Some of the finest improvisers in the world” Eddie Izzard

Tuesday 9th July brings together Kevin Eldon And His Very Funny Friends, featuring BBC Radio 4 AND Gloucester’s Bridget Christie, the determinedly non-metric Paul Foot, One Direction fan Robin Ince, and children’s entertainer and red diesel salesman Jeremy Lion.   (Plus poetry from Paul Hamilton).

Wednesday 10th July welcomes Laughing Boy Comedy Club at Hyde Park starring Charlie Baker “a superior take on the modern showman” The Guardian, Neil Delamere “the rising star of Irish comedy, a wryly brilliant live performer” Sunday Times, Kerry Godliman “Brilliantly casual and unpretentious” The Guardian, and Paul Chowdhry ‘Revives distant memories of Richard Pryor at his relentless best’ The Times

Independently run, Laughing Boy Comedy Club has put on some of the most successful shows in London over the past ten years and helped launch the careers of some of the UK’s finest stand-ups. This night is no exception as these top British and Irish comedians take control of the stage.

The series draws to a close on Thursday 11th July as Russell Kane hosts award winning rising stars Lucy Beaumont and Jarlath Regan.  Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner Russell Kane is a multi-talented writer and performer who has firmly established himself as one of the best comics in the UK today and in Hyde Park he presents a hugely talented lineup not to be missed.

James Russell, Head of Events, The Royal Parks said: “What a fantastic line-up for our midweek programme. We’ve said from the start that Barclaycard British Summer Time is a new era for events and these four nights of comedy along with all the other amazing acts and entertainment planned will make Hyde Park the place to be this summer.”

Radisson Blu Edwardian Book Club | Things To Do

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81419E1B-24CE-4BC1-9FA8-4A7D828D1D44Out of all of my favourite things to do in London, the book club at the Radisson Blu Edwardian is certainly near the top. The beautiful surroundings, intelligent and sophisticated people, and the tea are the perfect backdrop for a book club. It makes you feel connected to history. If that was not reason enough, in May Radisson Blu Edwardian, Bloomsbury Street, is also giving guests a free copy of The Great Gatsby as part of the book club.

 

This May escape into a world of excess as the Radisson Blu Edwardian, Bloomsbury Street invites you to enjoy Jay Gatsby’s parties, fast cars and mint juleps. The 4-star hotel in the heart of literary London has teamed up with publisher Pan Macmillan to bring its guests a classic celebrating the much anticipated movie premiere of the year. Guests will be able to pick up a complimentary copy of the ‘official film edition’ of The Great Gatsby during their stay.

 

Jay Gatsby’s parties are legendary. Full of the rich and the beautiful, his mansion is the place to drink and dance. But, underneath this air of opulence, lies an obsessive desire for the one thing he really wants but can never have.

 

Set in the roaring 1920s, The Great Gatsby is a tragic love story which shows readers the dangers of believing what you see.

 

The Baz Luhrmann film interpretation of the book, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, is in cinemas on 16 May.

 

Set in the heart of Bloomsbury – an area which was home to literary legends Virginia Woolf and E.M Forster – the Radisson Blu Edwardian, Bloomsbury Street Hotel is the first hotel to host its very own book club. Every month guests are invited to enjoy the hotel’s recommended book and take away a complimentary copy to enjoy at their leisure.

 

Radisson Blu Edwardian, Bloomsbury Street Hotel,

9-13 Bloomsbury Street, London, WC1B 3QD

  +44 (0)20 7636 5601

http://www.radissonblu-edwardian.com/bloomsburybookclub

Siro-A Theatre Review

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When I got sent the press release for Siro-A they were billed as ‘Japan’s answer to the Blue Man Group’. It is high praise indeed considering how successful the Blue Man Group are.

There was buzz about Siro-A before the show even started and celebrities and paparazzi were both out in force. The show started with audience interaction, a hard thing to do with a British crowd, we tend to just sit there and be quiet, even if we think you are the most amazing thing in the world.

The show was a visual feast. Inventive, imaginative, stunning, fun and entertaining. Siro-A gave a performance that was not just good, but also highly intelligent. The audience loved them. They did not make one noticeable mistake all night and it was hard to work out how they managed most of the effects. The show is also funny and mixes real performers with projected images. The six talented people in the group are from Sendai, Japan, and this was their first performance in London.

Their use of lights and magic tricks add to the brilliant physical and dance skills that the group have. The VJing was also very ‘in’ and worked beautifully. VJing (visual djing) had been growing in popularity and the cool kids have known about it for years. I remember going to a VJing evening at the BFI in 2009.

If you want a good night then go along to the Leicester Square Theatre and catch this stunning visual feast. You can win tickets here.

SIRO-A

The multi-award winning, electronic multimedia dance theatre extravaganza presents its London premiere

1st Feb – 22nd April 2013.

“The lovechild of GamarJobat and Sirqus Alfon, this is a technical marvel. Conspiring to combine comedy, dance and technical wizardry with a healthy dose of thumping techno music, live performers superimpose themselves over projected material, … quality family entertainment”. «««« Three Weeks

Siro-A, is an exciting six strong performance group from Sendai, Japan, who have wowed audiences all over the world and are now, for the first time, bringing their unique performance style to London.

The name Siro-A, derived from the Japanese word ‘SIRO’ meaning white or colourless, means to belong to no group or impossible to define. And tough to define they are!

“At one point, I couldn’t tell the difference between live performer and projected image. This is a spectacular visual experience. This Japanese company overwhelm with staggering technological interactions between multimedia, performer and audience member.” «««« Broadway Baby

Often described as Japan’s answer to the Blue Man Group, SIRO-A perfectly fuse modern technology with mime, breath-taking optical illusions, and movement all set to a pulsating electro beat, mixed live every night. Their visually stunning show performed to 30,000 people at the Shanghai Expo, has wowed TED.com audiences in Tokyo and won Mervyn Stutter’s “Spirit of the Fringe” award at the Edinburgh Festival 2011.

New is a spectacular piece of family entertainment, fusing video mapping, laser lights and on stage DJ’s. It’s an interactive, multimedia, physical/dance theatre show combining live electronic music and human body performances with video projection technology and optical illusions. It’s an explosion of light, sight, sound, and movement, seamlessly breaking language barriers with a non-verbal performance that can be enjoyed by all people of all ages.

“A brilliant, bright and beautiful show… some of the most manic and animated human performers you are likely to see anywhere. It’s mime, but not as we know it!” Total Theatre

Now for the first time SIRO-A bring their physical extravaganza to London to the main house of the Leicester Square Theatre from 1st Feb – 22nd April 2013.

SHOW: SIRO-A

VENUE: Leicester Square Theatre, 6 Leicester Place, London WC2H 7BX

DATE: 1st February 2013 – 22nd April 2013


BOOKING: 08448 733433 ONLINE: www.leicestersquaretheatre.com

Bon Jovi Announced as First Headliner for Brand New Festival

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AEG Live & The Royal Parks reveal exciting new Summer event for Hyde Park, London:

Barclaycard British Summer Time

28th June – 7th July 2013

Bon Jovi Announced as First Headliner: Friday 5th July*

Frost Magazine will be the first in line for the new music event from AEG Live and The Royal Parks, the Barclaycard British Summer Time, a ground-breaking new event for 2013, to be held at the greatest outdoor venue in the world – Hyde Park.

Barclaycard British Summer Time, a totally unique and world class event for London, will give music fans throughout the capital the chance to see many of their favourite headlining and supporting music artists play over back to back weekends in ticketed events.

Bon Jovi are today named as the first headline music act for Barclaycard British Summer Time. More high profile acts will be announced in the coming weeks.

In what heralds a totally unique event offer for London, each live music-packed weekend will be linked by a midweek programme of diverse entertainment, accessible for all to enjoy. From Monday to Thursday, the entire Barclaycard British Summer Time site, saved for the main stage, will give visitors the chance to get involved with smaller, more intimate events offering film, music, literature, sport and a specific family day that will expand the Barclaycard British Summer Time experience to genuinely appeal to the whole family.

Jim King of AEG Live and Event Director said:

“After a great deal of planning and hard work, we are so proud to announce what will no doubt be an incredible event for London. Barclaycard British Summer Time takes everything we have learned indoors at our other venues – in creating the amazing experiences at The O2 – and shares it within the world’s greatest outdoor venue, Hyde Park. We literally started with a blank canvas and in Barclaycard British Summer Time, we have created what we believe to be the ultimate in Summer events – fantastic music, great food, drinks, farmers markets, theatre, film – and much more incredible entertainment across a full 10 days. The list is endless!”

Across Hyde Park, there will be four themed zones within the Barclaycard British Summer Time site, each with its own specially designed installations and entertainment, high quality restaurants, bespoke salons, pubs, cocktail bars, cafes, bistros and independent food stalls. AEG Live has made a multi-million pound investment and a five year commitment to ensure this is a truly unforgettable experience and the attention to detail in the design of these areas stops at nothing short of excellence. AEG is also committed to working with the natural surroundings of Hyde Park to ensure an environmentally-friendly footprint and has commissioned an internationally respected team of ecologists to advise on the planning and construction of Barclaycard British Summer Time.

Karaoke Box Smithfield Review

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Having been asked to review the recently re-launched Karaoke Box Smithfield for Frost Magazine, I duly rounded up a posse and proceeded to check it out on Friday night. After a couple of last-minute cancellations, our group consisted of three musical theatre professionals, two old hands at karaoke, and one “virgin” who had no intention of singing.

The first thing that struck me on arrival was the staff who were friendly, welcoming and helpful, particularly bar manager Paolo Espinosa, who set everything up in the room and showed me how it all works, and Lois Roberts on reception. The second was the venue itself: the bar area was airy and very tastefully decorated, as were the booths which also had interesting lighting systems. On a more prosaic note, the toilets were lovely and clean.

All of our troupe enjoyed the privacy of the booth setting, feeling “quite relaxed as opposed to standing up and singing in a bar,” and our non-singer had lost her virginity within 20 minutes (to Suzi Quatro’s “Can the Can”), saying “as a virgin singer I felt very safe to sing (there).” Another guest loved that the booths allowed separate parties to enjoy themselves without risk of intrusion and the ability to talk and be heard.

The playlist also came in for praise: with over 9,000 songs, everybody found something they knew. The background videos caused some hilarity in our party, with the suicidal goat being the highlight of one person’s night!

The only complaints were about the system itself: a few of the songs were quite badly out of sync; and there seemed to be quite a long wait between songs, even when they were queued up. A key change facility would also be nice, as I believe people who take their karaoke seriously often look for this facility. However, the mikes worked very well; it was very easy to adjust the mix between backing and vocals; and the screen was a very good size.

We were in Room 3, which according to the website is a 14 person room, although I think that would be rather crowded and I wouldn’t personally recommend more than 10 people for comfort. This room costs £70 per hour before 9pm and £98 per hour afterwards. While this seems quite expensive, it doesn’t actually work out to much more per head than people pay for children’s birthday parties or a visit to the cinema.

The bar at Karaoke Box is well stocked, and cocktails and pizzas are both on sale (although we didn’t sample either).

I would recommend Karaoke Box to anyone who seriously enjoys karaoke, as it is much more pleasant that waiting for hours in a crowded bar just to get to sing once or twice. It’s also ideal for birthdays, hen parties, office parties or for anyone who enjoys an activity-based night out. Rooms vary in capacity from 2 to 30 people, and in price from £20 to £210 (for the VIP room) per hour. For more information, visit http://karaokebox.co.uk/smithfield/ or telephone their friendly staff on 020 7329 9991.