Helen's reviews
Review of Leaders Estae Agents
24 Oct 07, 18:02
Poor Customer Service 
I was so disappointed with Leaders customer service. I was recently searching for a flat in the Croydon area, and anyone who has ever done the same will know just how crazy this housing market is. Flats come and go on the market within hours, largely due to it's proximity to London and the great transport links. I viewed a flat I liked and the agent was really great and so helpful. I went away and wanted to put an offer in to rent the property and the person in the office who I dealt with was so unhelpful and did not play by the rules the other agent had outlined to me. They were unhelpful and rude and really left me doubting estate agents. I had better experiences with other agents in the same area.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Cafe Belge
24 Oct 07, 17:54
Cafe Belge 
Cafe Belge Canterbury is part of a small chain of mussel restaurants in the South East. It is famous for it''s offer of '50 different ways to eat mussels'. I must admit it is very impressive. The restaurant is located in the Westgate area of the town and is a real hide-away for locals, as tourists rarely venture this far down the high street. I have been twice and both times have been a real delight. The food is always very fresh and the portions are generous. despite the 50 ways to have mussels I normal opt for the old favorite of mussels in a cream, white wine and onion sauce - it never fails me. The mussels are always served with both bread and fries and though delicious it is always so filling. Cafe Belge does offer options that are not fish related for those who are not keen on seafood. They have a great menu for starters and also puddings, my personal fav being the Toblerone fondue. A big draw to Cafe Belge has to be their extensive range of Belgium beers. They offer the most extensive selection I have seen this side of the Channel. I would recommend sampling their strawberry beer or even the coconut - yummy! The staff are really friendly and always make you feel important and valued. On your first visit they offer you the chance to sample their more unusual beers for free - which is a nice touch. Overall a lovely little restaurant.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of SCP
21 Oct 07, 20:33
Design Wonderland
From the moment I walked into this shop I was sold, it is amazing. It screams cool from every wall.
SCP showcases contemporary design at it's best. The carefully selected items are arranged in colourful and sleek concepts imitating airy loft spaces.
The selection of stock is diverse from sofa's and tea towels to laptop bags and mugs. The staff are friendly and helpful and the shop has a great atmosphere.
This place could bankrupt you, but the things sold in here are so good, and so stylish I think I could cope with it. A great place for a house warming present, or if you just fancy something other than Ikea.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Sweet
21 Oct 07, 19:50
Yummy Cake! 
This little bakery is situated in an ideal location - you have lovely brunch in one of the many great places then wander over to Sweet for, you guessed it - a sweet!
It can get very busy in here due to the fact that they offer hot food to take away, and it requires cooking so crowds of people can form. However if you just want a yummy sweet treat to take away then it is great, in and out in no time.
They offer an eat in section and the array of food looks really fresh and tempting. The window is filled with cakes and impressively whipped meringue's - great for a treat but beware the cakes are quite expensive!
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of The Cuban
17 Oct 07, 10:15
Great Place with Great Atmosphere!
The Cuban has been open about a year, and what a year it has been, this place was the very thing that Canterbury had been screaming out for. It is fresh, funky and full of life. I am not much of a sit the local pub kind of gal so this place really excites me. It is a Cuban themed restaurant, bar and cocktail lounge. The ingredients in the drinks are always very fresh, the wine list is diverse and the cocktails are hand made with care. The same detail is put into the very tasty food. Fresh ingredients combined with great seasoning make every meal I have had here delicious. The Cuban chicken with the Mole rub is divine and well worth a try. As is the tapas style starters that they offer. The only downside to this place is the bar gets so busy - it is ridiculous. Staff are so attentive to the drinks they make you can easily spend 20 mins waiting for your next drink. Also I suppose it has to be mentioned, it is expensive. By this I mean compared to other places in the area. To be honest you pay £6 for a cocktail but you the amount of alcohol you get is a lot. The cosmopolitans could blow you away! Great place for people of all ages, go for a mid week night out as it gets very busy at the weekends.
0 out of 0 people found this review helpful.
Review of Pout
16 Oct 07, 18:06
Beautiful Cosmetics, delightful Packaging!
Pout is one of the less known cosmetic companies on the market. However this is not reflective of it's quality.
The shop it's self is lovely and really kitch. The cosmetics are laid out is colour concepts and themes helping you choose what products you are after.
The staff are all very knowledgeable and always putting makeup on willing browsers. The packaging is the secret marketing strategy of this company. It is a case of 'who cares what the products are like when they look so pretty'. Well surprisingly the products do match the packaging and I would say Pout is similar to Benefit in that the products they sell are fun, but yet very functional.
A really buzzing shop that often results in an unexpected sale.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Jurys Clifton Ford Hotel
16 Oct 07, 17:37
Good Central Hotel
Finding an affordable hotel in London can be a chore, it is an even bigger chore when you are trying to find a hotel that is affordable and has a pool.
Clifton Ford ticked all the boxes and was very reasonable. A friend and I stayed here for the night and when we arrived we instantly received an upgrade due to a booking error on their behalf.
Don't get me wrong the rooms and the hotel itself is nothing special, no unique features or cutting edge design here, but is functional. It is located within spitting distance from Oxford Street and the rest of central London, which is great when time is not on your side.
The rooms were a tad dated, but perfectly clean and quite spacious considering the the cost per square meter in central London.
They best feature of this 4 star hotel was the health club attached to it, well underneath it (it is in the basement). It offers a pool, sauna, steam room and jacuzzi and gym - all of which is offered to guests for free.
Breakfast was also thrown into the price we paid. I must admit the dinning/breakfast room was terribly dated with plastic plants and a faux French theme. However the food was quite good.
You would be hard pushed to find something of the same quality in such a good location for the price - a great base for a London stop over.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Review of Tinseltown
15 Oct 07, 10:55
Amusingly Bad! 
This place amuses me, I can't take it seriously and I think it is this attitude that keeps me from hating Tinseltown.
This crazy place is located in a dark basement, quite off putting at night, however at the end of the long dark stairwell there is light and a buzzing atmosphere (sometimes) I have only been twice and both times have been for desert and milkshakes - what it does best. Tinseltown is the type of establishment that gets better the later into the night you go. I have been here after a gig at 2 am and the atmosphere was much more lively as opposed to when I went at 7pm.
The much debated food is not the best, even the milkshakes. It is all average and I think the food, drinks and atmosphere is reminiscent of Brighton Pier mixed with a passing funfair.
Don't expect too much and you won't be disappointed by this place. If you want tacky novelty comfort food then it ticks all the boxes.
Remember to see the funny side of it.
1 out of 1 person found this review helpful.
Review of Fara Charity Shop
13 Oct 07, 00:41
This is the Cream of the Crop! 
If I were the richest person in the world I would still seek out an original bargain. This is the cream of the crop of all charity shops. I am reluctant to review this place as I fear that others will cotton on - and I will loose all the great designer lovelies that fill the rails.
This shop is rammed with designer clothes at cracking prices, Prada coats for £30, Cacharel dresses for£20 and Reiss skirts for £6. This is unlike most luxury charity shops in that, the designer items that they have are not really dated and reminiscent of the early 1990's (the power dressing era that is best forgotten)
I love this place and always walk out with bags of bargains, from Office shoes to MaxMara knitwear. Prices are reasonable and the staff are friendly.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.
Review of Whitechapel Art Gallery
12 Oct 07, 23:21
Unique Gallery, Awesome book Shop!
This gallery is very dramatic, and makes real impact. The building is lovely and adds to the striking feel of the gallery. Once you step inside you feel transported to somewhere quite abstract.
Loaded with conceptual modern art, fantastic installations and a beautifully designed cafe make the Whitechapel well worth a visit.
It is so close to the tube station - making it really accessible. However for me the best thing about this gallery is the fantastic book shop. I could peruse the shelves and stands for hours flipping through their eclectic array of books. It also sells art work and prints varying in price ranges.
It does get quite busy a weekends so beware! Well worth a look though.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.