I just wanted to start off by saying the person that rated Alice Underground 1 star is a complete…read moreimbecile. The characters are upstairs after you finish watching the show. Fucking idiot. Now for the review of the actual show! This show was amazing. The amount of detail put into each of the sets and the costumes was absolutely jaw dropping and completely exceeded my expectations. The acting was phenomenal and truly made you feel that you really were in another world. I was told by a worker at the bar that you could go to this show 4 times and have a different experience each time. I would definitely not mind doing this show multiple times to be able to see ALL of the sets, costumes, scenarios and different pieces of the story. Immersive theater at its finest! I flew from New York to see this show and it was worth it. My 2nd event at the vaults and I can promise I'll be back for more. DO NOT MISS THIS.

"If you had taken me on this when I was younger, I would've cried the whole way through" - this is…read morehow I've opened my story of the Alice's Adventures Underground experience to everyone I've spoken to. We had an amazing time, but my god this place sticks to the 'original' Alice = totally mind altering! Located in Waterloo Vaults, you first enter into a bar and merchandise area, at which point you're asked to check your coat and bag in. There is a bar available but, having been to Cubana for a happy hour cocktail beforehand, we were just ready to get started. This is also the opportunity to pre-order your drinks for the Mad Hatter's Tea Party if you so wish - white or red wine, or a gin and cucumber cocktail at £5 a pop. The experience itself is hard to describe, partly because there's just so much going on your brain can hardly comprehend and partly because I don't want to ruin anything for those who want to attend in the near future. Four different stories unfold alongside one another, culminating in a huge court scene with the ferocious queen and interspersed with all the well known characters. The Mad Hatter's Tea Party was a personal favourite (and not just for the opportunity to sit down!) - the characters are all very well played, the right balance between scary and comfortingly familiar. Plus the look on people's faces when the scene begins again is something of a picture...worth swotting up if you want to know what's to come! The final bar is where you can revel in the success of escaping this twisting world, with a brilliant little band, bar and hot food available. There's a maze and some flamingo croquet for activities, and plenty of alcohol available. You can re-enter this area throughout its run this summer with your SUIT card, issued earlier in the evening, and worth visiting if you know someone who possess something so powerful. Why four stars? Giving in our bags as recommended rendered us purse-less, so that last area was a bit of a let down - once you exit, there's no re-entry on the day, so it was a quick nose around and then out again. Coming out at £50 a ticket, you'd also think that perhaps that the tea party drink could be on the house. Whether you go for 'eat me' or 'drink me', I recommend the Alice's Adventures Underground Experience. Just, please, don't eat the jam tarts!

Business district worthwhile to explore…read more This business area has hidden parks, eateries, waterways integrated into the metal and glass landscape. This whole area is an ode to the modern financial face of London. Ah, there are many faces to this dynamic city.

I stayed here with my friend who has spent most of the Covid period in London. He moved here from…read morethe Nottinghill Area looking for a quieter area of London. I asked how he chose this area versus say the London Eye area. He moved in back in spring of 2021. He said he looked around and this was newly developed. The apt building he moved into was beginning to lease units. It's a bit of a hike but not too bad in my book. I'm the ultimate city dweller who appreciates the public transportation life. Canary Wharf is FiDi.2 while City of London is the FiDi of London. Recently adopting a nomadic life, Canary Wharf reminds me most of Chicago.

I waited for a while to write this review as I wanted to parse this experience a little more in my…read moremind. In general, this place was reasonably well designed to tell the Jack the Ripper saga at a level for the casual observer. In other words, for those who want to learn the historical significance of the events on a basic level, it was perfect. I was afraid that it might be overly gimmicky and touristy. And there was some dramatic effect pervasive in the audio guide (extra cost), but it was not overdone. While the museum is housed in the Whitechapel neighborhood where the murders occurred, the structure itself has no documented connection to any of the homicides or murder suspects. The museum is well chosen, however, as it features five floors where they stage scenes relevant to the telling of the Ripper saga. The ground floor was informational, while the next level was set up as one of the first murder scenes where a victim was found. The second floor (third level) was staged as the apartment of one of the prime suspects Walter Sickert. There were actually a period overcoat and derby in that room to try on for a photo op. The third floor was set up to be a likeness of the police station with actual police artifacts from the investigator who was working the case. The top floor was constructed as a shanty apartment from one of the last victims. The basement (last in the tour on the recommended sequence) was a scene from the Ten Bells Tavern which seemed to be a seminal hunting location for the Ripper. The museum was well presented and the audio guide and displays presented the right amount of drama to tell the story without crossing the "hype" border. If you want to leave out most of the drama, you could forgo the audio guide. I thought it was a nice added dimension. But the artifacts and the signage by themselves give a very good basic history of the events associated with the Ripper. The backgrounds of the victims were quite interesting. Likewise fascinating were the identities and backgrounds of the lineup of suspects that had been pegged as possible culprits by various contemporaries as well as scholars and JtR buffs since that time. What particularly interested me was the status of Whitechapel within London's social environment at that time. It was clearly very different from the current standing of the community, which has really only changed in the past 20 or 30 years from what I could glean. This area was clearly rife to present opportunities for a psychopath like the Ripper to find his victims. These unfortunate women were victimized first by society and by their own poor choices before becoming ultimate victims for the Ripper. It was an intriguing dive into London's social history. Because of the iconic and enduring nature of the mystery behind these killings and its inextricable tie to the City of London, this museum is probably worth seeing if you have the time (and I emphasize the word "IF"). Given the number of worthwhile sights in London, I'd be hard pressed to urge most people to prioritize it. This was my fifth or sixth trip to London, and the third in which I've had my wife with me, so we were in a situation where we were on second tier sights, making this one easier to prioritize. We were also staying in Shoreditch. Hence, the proximity was working in our favor as the museum was walkable. On the other hand, if you are a crime buff or a mystery buff in addition to being interested in social and cultural history, you might elevate this sight to a must-see. It is done well enough to be both entertaining and informative.

I didn't take a lot of pictures of this great little museum because that would ruin it for those…read morewho like these types of places. Nice little souvenirs to take home. Museum takes you through the whole Jack the Ripper murders. Mind you it is a three story museum and more information in the basement. Lots to look at, and it brings you closer to what happened.

Let's face it, I love everything that is A. outdoors B. Free C. encourages consuming adult…read morebeverages and eating. I was over the moon when the stars aligned to offer an event that included free outdoor cinema on a gorgeous night, and the film choice was Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox. This event -- where in the film was projected from atop their signature narrowboat, across the canal and onto a screen -- was not their usual offering. It was a special event that included a chance to go on to the boat and see the actual puppets used in the film and speak to someone involved in the making of the film. The boat, a 12-seater work boat refurbished as part of a community/art project, usually gives waterways tours, screens documentaries and workshops (according to their web site, how you would host a workshop on a tiny boat I have no idea). A large (but not obnoxiously large) gathering of people -- some in foxy fancy dress -- settled into the grassy area, many bringing food, blankets and beverages, and all behaved -- no incessant talkers or wild children). The film and sound quality was excellent with no issues thoughout. I am happy to have participated in such a great event, and applaud the efforts of those involved to offer their community something that was fun and celebrated historic London features (the waterways) while also at the same time offering a cool movie that was filmed in that same area. The program only lasts until the end of the summer, and there are only a handful of events left. If you're intrigued by this unique community project, best get off your duff and check it out while you can.

Can you keep a secret guys?? Not many people seem to have noticed it yet, but a year and a half…read moreafter the Olympics there's some exciting stuff going on in Stratford again... Yep living near the Park is paying off nicely at the moment - my new local council swimming pool is none other than the Aquatics Centre! It's been open to the public for the last few weeks and I have to say it's a pretty special venue - I still get tingles every time I walk in. It's £4.50 per swim session for an adult and there's an easy peasy online system to book in advance. There are 2 full size pools inside - the Competition Pool for the hardcore swimmers and the Training Pool where they separate the lengths into two 25m sections. Personally I found a 50m pool to be ridiculously long in real life (my superwoman stamina is a err work in progress) so I tend to do laps in the 25m lanes. You choose a pool and a start time online but it's pretty lax once you're in, and you can stay as long as you like. The water is a nice slightly warm temperature and it's usually a uniform 1.2m depth all the way along (though somehow they can change the depth of different sections - the mind boggles!). It's not all lanes - there are also sections of the pool roped off for 'fun' as well as swimming lessons. Also saw signs for a total wipeout stylee 'Splash Time' for kiddies at weekends that sounded like great fun if anyone wants to lend me a child?! The reason it misses a 5th star is that the changing rooms and shower facilities are just not that great. It's spacious yes and there are plenty of cubicles, hairdryers and lockers, but the layout is a little confusing (quite a wander from the lockers to the female showers), they seem to have too many staff/cleaners milling around not doing much, and the showers themselves seem temperamental and need you to wave a hand past every 3 seconds. Is this how Michael Phelps showered?! (*pauses to enjoy the mental picture*) Ahem. Yeah I expected better. So remember to bring your own towel+toiletries, a plastic bag for your wet cozzie (I haven't spotted a drying machine yet) and a £1 coin for the lockers. And please only tell your special friends - the nicest thing at the moment is that it isn't too busy on weeknights! See you there :)

The swimming pool itself is great, most of the time quiet, you can choose your line depending on…read morehow fast you want to swim so that you don't get disturb by other people while swimming. The changing space however is really poor for this kind of aquatics centre - you can really tell you're just meant to come, quickly change, swim and leave. There are few showers and they are quite temperamental. The lockers and cubicles are just not that comfortable to use. So it's a very good pool, but come there for exercise only and not hoping for a full spa experience!

This place is actually a disused chocolate factory which now houses a variety of artists' studios…read more They have open weekends for the public twice a year and it's worth going up there on these days even if you're not thinking of buying. The next open weekend is actually next week, on Saturday the 5th and Sunday 6th July so I timed this review well, didn't I?! The building itself is fabulously preserved and none of the studios are empty. I can imagine it is a great place to work. I understand that they have recently enlarged the space to include more studios so there will be even more stuff to look at. I don't have a lot of disposable income but even I have found some gorgeous things to buy here, including pottery and jewellery. The artists very kindly put out nibbles so you can stuff yourself while you're looking at their work.

This is a fabulous set of studios, hidden off the busy Stoke Newington Road in Stoke Newington,…read moreHackney N16. Twice a year they open their doors to the public. Here's the latest one: 'It's winter time again and Open Studios are nearly upon us. There are 25 Studios at The Chocolate Factory and we will be opening our doors for one weekend only. It's a great chance to see the artists and their work, see what's new, grab some bargains and enjoy a browse. Don't forget your Christmas Shopping too! The studios are a real find off the busy Stoke Newington Road: A Cobbled yard with hanging baskets and an oasis of pots and plants set the scene for this thriving community of artists and designer makers. Follow us on Facebook for more info: Search The Chocolate Factory N16'

Omg yes! So much yes!!! Please love me and have me back!…read more Went here for the moulin rouge and i was blown away by the performance. Loved the costumes, the songs, the participation.

Empire Strikes Back- The first time I had been to a Secret…read moreCinema Experience and it was a right good laugh. I am not into the whole dressing up thing but my mate got me some goggles and a Star Wars scarf. I am glad I did as everyone was all Star Warsed up. Firstly you are taken into a made up spaceport ushered by actors then they whizz you off to another film set from Star Wars. The whole point is that it's a secret so I am not going to spoil it but will update the review when it's finished. They make you put your phones in silver bags and are turned off so I don't have any photos. Well worth going though.

We visited Immersive Gamebox today and we played the Alien Aptitude game experience! We had so much…read morefun. It is located very close to Southwark Tube Station and to Nando's. We checked in and our greeter was fantastic! They also have plenty of lockers to store belongings in. The waiting area is nice too and there is a wide choice of drinks available. The box that we played in was fantastic and the screens were excellent and really interactive. There are four different games included in the Alien Aptitude experience and every single game was so fun to play! Each game was so thoughtfully designed . The rules for each game was explained clearly and presented in a way that wasn't overwhelming. We had such a great time and the time goes so quickly! The gif at the end is so fun to make as well! Thank you so much to Immersive Gamebox for giving us an A+ experience and we cannot wait to return for many more happy memories. I would highly recommend visiting Immersive Gamebox.

So much fun! Had to add a little gaming fun to counter all the history my children were…read moreexperiencing on our trip to London from California. A couple of items... my children 14 & 10. Like all other pre-teens and teens, they love to game. I joined them during the gaming session, which was about 1.5 hrs for both games, Tetris and Squid Games! Note that you will be moving around your space quickly. Jumping, stepping forward, backward, side to side, and toucing the walls as you play. You will get thirsty. No problem! They offer drink order and delivery to the room where you have a shelf to keep your drinks. Personal items: You can not keep on the floor or room with you. They will get in the way. No worries. They provide free lockers. It has been 2 days, and we are still talking about the fun we had there. Tried to get another trip in but may miss out. However, I learned there is one in Los Angeles, Ca. Will absolutely make the drive up from San Diego, Ca, (~2 hours) to play again! Thanks for the amazing family memories!

This is a great shopping outlet with so many food places and also retail store too. I came here…read moreeveryday during my work trip to London because it was near my hotel. My work was inside the O2 arena which is inside this outlet too. I went to Nandos, Five Guys, Chiptole, German Kabob and a Thai restaurant. I also did some shopping here as well at Adidas, Hot Chocolate, Sunglass Guys and other stores. The arena is located right here you enter the outlet.

The O2 is a full experience. Shopping, restaurants, multiple venues for concerts/musicals/etc. It…read moreis just across the promenade from the bus station and a perfect place to spend a rainy day. It was reminiscent of the Planet Hollywood Mall except it is [semi]circular. There is a Wetherspoons located on either end (yay!) as well restaurants that specialize in worldly cuisines. I went for the first time to see my favorite boy band, Five, on their reunion tour. A 20,000+ person capacity arena in the center of a "mall" is wild. The arena had great sound, and even though I was in the upper tier stage-left, I had a clear view of the stage. For a first time visitor, it is important to note that the upper tier is very steep. I was only in the 2nd row from the ledge, so I did not have any issues with vertigo/motion sickness. However, I would personally avoid seats near the top because I know I would have issues. There is a separate merch store outside the area to avoid crazy lines once you enter the arena. You can bring small packages and pursues inside but they made others rent a locker to place large packages and jackets. In addition to the arena, there is a smaller venue that was simultaneously hosting a K-Pop concert and the dinner venue for Mamma Mia! I wish I would have arrived when the shops first opened as I could have easily spent an entire day wandering around. If you are visiting London and have the opportunity to see a show at one of the venues, I highly recommend making a day of it!

A small theatre running mostly avant-garde shows, The Yard fits right into Hackney Wick. It's a…read moretwo-minute walk from the overground station and accessible by a number of bus lines. The theatre also has a bar and restaurant, so you can eat and drink or snack before or after seeing a performance. Theatre seats are hard but cushioned, and the space is sharply raked so all spots have a good view of the stage. The show I saw had booming sound and colorful lighting and both were well supported by the venue's lighting and sound rigs. You can bring drinks from the bar into the theatre if you want to sip while watching. While I didn't order any food, the fully-vegan menu looked great. Prices seemed reasonable and things coming out of the kitchen smelled good. There's also outdoor bench-style seating so you could even come to The Yard just for a vegan North African meal with a beer from one of the nearby breweries.

From the owner: The Yard Theatre, recently voted 2nd Best Theatre in London by Time Out, is a space to explore new…read moreideas, to nurture new talent and to share new experiences. Built using recycled and reclaimed materials, The Yard sits within a converted warehouse in East London's Hackney Wick. The Yard has quickly earned a reputation for programming and developing risk-taking work by new artists. Work that has been discovered and developed at The Yard includes Michaela Coel's Chewing Gum Dreams, which toured internationally, including to the National Theatre's Temporary Theatre, and has now been made in to an E4 television series. The Yard's production of Alexander Zeldin's Beyond Caring was named as one of The Telegraph's top five plays of the year in December 2014 and transferred to the National Theatre in April 2015. Alongside the theatre, The Yard bar hosts acclaimed music events, welcomes food residencies from a diverse mix of chefs, and stocks local brews and drinks.