Rachael's reviews
Review of The Royal Albert Hall
28 May 08, 13:11
A classic venue! 
This is a wonderful venue...a huge classic building with enduring appeal. They get all the best gigs. I have seen a ballet, a charity comedy ball and the Cirque du Soleil here and all were equally brilliant. The theatre space is adapted for each performace, with the majority of the action taking place at the front with semi circular seating, though they have put on pop up central stages and all sorts. Every Londoner should, and probably will, check something out here.
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Review of IndigO2
23 May 08, 13:00
Brilliant venue!
This is a really cool venue, I went to see Prince here on his recent tour where every night was a different set – so decided to go twice! The sound was excellent, though I have heard from other people that depending on where you sit, the sound can be a bit muffled. Saying that, I sat at the front of the stage once, then at the back and the sound was equally excellent from my point of view. The stage was central and everyone seated around it, a very unique and fun experience, though the staging arrangement will vary with each band that play there. Ever since this venue opened it has attracted loads of huge names – I am looking forward to Michael Jackson who is rumoured to be playing later this year.
Once you get in you find a parade of restaurants – like Nando’s and Wagamama’s - and bars outside of the gig arena so you can grab something to eat before the show, though there are queues for every single one usually. Still, it’s nice to have the option and if you plan ahead you can get there in time to beat the crowds. The 02 Arena is by far the best use of the dome space since it opened!
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Review of The Sanctuary
06 May 08, 17:34
Just like it's name...
This place is wonderful, you get to it through a passage at the back of the street-facing shop, and as soon as you step you feel as though you are entering a real haven. Everything is so tranquil and the design of the place is lovely. Apart from the changing rooms (where you can feel a bit cramped if visiting in a busy period like an evening) the space is exceptionally well used. And the different relaxation rooms are beautifully designed, from the koi carp lounge (where loads of fish swim under your feet –you can cross over on small footbridges) to the extreme chill out vibe in a darkened attic room with reclining loungers and gentle music playing. The spa features such as the Jacuzzis, saunas and steam rooms are lovely too.
Then you’ve got the treatments, which can be pricey but worth it for the experience. Always check the website if you are planning to go for a group outing, as they often have special package offers on for different parts of the day or current month. From facials to toning skin wraps to massage – you’ve got so much to choose from and all the treatments I’ve had are great – the facial and reflexology combination session is particularly good! It is good to know you can get all the products they use in high street stores like Boots.
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Review of Gleneagles
03 May 08, 10:33
Truly 5 Stars
Gleneagles is the most luxurious hotel I've stayed in yet. Located within full view of picturesque mountains just oustide of the city of Edinburgh, it is perfect for special occasions and romantic getaways. Myself, I was actually there overnight on a two day work conference so did not get to make the mpost of the surroundings and outdoor activities. But the interior is just beautiful - spacious rooms with two TVs, bathrooms with free standing baths and double shower attachments (a 'drench' one and a movable head with nearly as much power), hard wood furnishings and huge comfortable beds. There is an old part and a new part to the hotel, and finding your way around can be a challenge. Aim to get a room with a balcony with mountain views...it's gorgeous.
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Review of Kernow
27 Apr 08, 13:58
Lovely friendly place
This is a great cafe, the best in Hampton Wick. It's a great place to relax with your meal - clean, comfortable and the staff are so friendly and full of conversation as well as being efficient. Though the cafe gets busy at lunchtimes, they give you the personal feel that you'd expect from this villagey part of town. So I'd recommend trying to miss the peak time rushes and taking your time in there. Beautiful, deep filled sandwiches and great coffee.
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Review of The Fighting Cocks
27 Apr 08, 13:14
Outside The Box on Mondays
I forgot to mention the comedy club here at the Cocks on a Monday night - which is completely brilliant and always worth a visit. They have had some big names down there of late - Russell Brand, Frank Skinner and Stephen Merchant. Other names like Lee Mack and Russell Howard gig there fairly regularly. Also commendable are their regulars who return time and again to give the audience a great night of new material. The compere Maff is a straight talking funnyman in his own right and has grown the club fantastically well since it began there a few years ago...many nights you have to book in advance for, or you simply won't get in. So it is highly advised to get on their mailing list. And you need to go every week really - as the biggest names often pop up on the night unannounced! A couple of beers at this fresh Monday comedy night is perfect to counteract those back to work blues and to ease you into the rest of the week.
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Review of Harts Boatyard
27 Apr 08, 12:54
Not your average bar!
This is a beautiful bar, a perfect site for lazy summer weekend afternoons to sit by the river and eat and drink. And you really could not get closer to the water, to the rear you find decking on which to sit outside with your friends, with a close up view of the charming Raven's Ait Island, a tiny isle in the middle of the Thames accessible by a two minute ferry ride. The wines at Hart's Boatyard are lovely and smooth and the beers are great, Grolsch on tap. There is a nice big car park outside. Inside, the decor of the place is exquisite with wooden floors, comfortable chairs and sofas, high ceiling beams and tasteful modern art on the walls. It is spacious and welcoming and just exudes class, everyone who lives anywhere near Kingston needs to check this place out!
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Review of G & E Jewellers
19 Apr 08, 20:04
Lovely range to choose from
The two gentlemen who run this shop are very friendly, they know their onions and exude an old-fashioned, couteous sense of service. The jewellery is beautiful grades of silver and gold, and there is a large range of necklaces and bracelets to choose from. It is worth a visit if you are seeking something special at a decent price.
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Review of Noodle Express
19 Apr 08, 19:51
Great Asian Fusion Restaurant
This is really cheap and cheerful, great value for money. I like the open, airy and light space of this place. The people are as sunny as the restaurant, the service is quick and food delicious. You can choose between Chinese, Japanese and Thai dishes, all really lovely. Go go go!
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Review of Tesco Stores
19 Apr 08, 18:35
Hypermarket more like!
This Tesco is now so huge it is way more than a supermarket - hypermarket is probably more the word. Since it's first being built over two decades ago, it has had a few makeovers to increase capacity and ease of flow round the store. A few months ago was the biggest refit yet, with a whole new floor being added, and a moving travelator that magnetises your trolley wheels (very special!) up to the 2nd floor. Here lives a huge clothing range, alongside electrical goods and other sections - furnishings, indoor and outdoor party goods and who knows what else, it's so big I've not even explored the whole space yet.
If all you're looking for is food, it's all neatly laid out on the ground floor so you don't have to touch upstairs if there's no need. The annoying thing about constant store makeovers is that items keep being moved around, though the signposting is good in this Tesco. Plus, I doubt they'll be moving things again in the near future after this huge addition. They have also erected screens to advertise certain offers, and the ads are accompanied by tranquil music - especially in the most fraught aisles so as to soothe the nerves of people prone to trolley rage :)
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Review of The Photographers Gallery
19 Apr 08, 17:30
Wonderful gallery
This is a free, small exhibition of creative photographic work which is an absolute haven in the middle of one of London's busiest tourist areas. I have never gone in there and not liked what they are displaying. If you lean or have ever leaned towards conceptual photography at all, take a break from the posing shots of the average facebook profile to go here and be re-inspired by the work of thought-provoking artists that uphold what photography should be about. Combine with a visit to the National Portrait Gallery which is just up the road.
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Review of London Aquarium
18 Apr 08, 13:03
Brilliant Aquarium
The London Aquarium is awesome in its design. Upon going in you have a Ford Ka which is filled with water and marine fish…very cool! They may have updated the car now as this is an old model – but I haven’t been for a few years. What I know will not have changed is the huge aquarium rooms which take your breath away. They are about 3 storeys high and massive in volume, and give the appearance of hidden, forgotten underwater caves, with gargantuan statues of Mayan-style heads embedded in the ground. They have so many species of underwater life – this is a really great place to learn about marine life, it is something the South Bank should be most proud of, much more than the London Eye!
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Review of The Hampton Court Palace
18 Apr 08, 13:01
A-mazing!
Hampton Court is one of the Royal Palaces and located in a great area for visiting. It lies away from the more popular Buckingham Palace and the manic tourist hustle of Central London, in the opulent, green Surrey suburbs. A good part of the Palace is open to visitors, so there is much to view. Henry VIII lived here, there is an exhibition dedicated to him and his Great Hall is one of the highlights. All sorts of seasonal events take place here, there is an ice rink at Christmas time. It also features a maze and beautiful surrounding gardens, for which you can pay separately and enter without having to pay full whack to get into the Palace itself. The maze is a lot of fun, especially for children.
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Review of The British Museum
18 Apr 08, 13:00
A must-see
The British Museum is amazing, you will see upon arrival the scale of the interior, on viewing the Parthenon-like entrance to the building. When you visit this place you really are overwhelmed by a sense of British history. You discover what a bold and explorative nation we have been, and ruthless in our taking what we like from where! Whenever I go I rarely get past the Egyptian and Greek rooms, as the artefacts on display here cannot be passed by easily or quickly! Some of the relics are copies but others are not – some so huge you cannot fathom how on earth they were moved and shipped over here.
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Review of The Cricketers
12 Apr 08, 17:43
Genius Thai Food!
The Cricketers is a great live music venue with a big stage, whose upstairs space I hired out for a big birthday party. They also have comedy and quiz nights, so a lot goes on... But the best thing about it by miles is the in-house Thai restaurant, 'Kai's Thai' which is genuinely amazing and really good value. The yellow and green curries with coconut rice are delicious, and the starters are beautiful, and the starters! Minced chicken on toast with sweet chilli sauce!! You can be guaranteed a delicious fresh meal here for a great price. The owner is a real character, what could be construed as stand-offishness we put up with because his food is so beautiful :)
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Review of Tate Modern
09 Apr 08, 20:56
An impressive structure
I have been to the Tate Modern about ten times and still have not seen it in its entirety. It is incredibly vast, well laid out and home to the best of modern works. The installations in the Turbine Hall on the ground floor are my favourite - they get more and more adventurous, I particularly enjoyed the re-creation of the Sun and the atmosphere it projected (everyone lying down in quiet appreciation as if it were the real thing come down to visit us). The earthquake crack was very well done too, I thought it was funny that people were falling down it and getting upset - it is indicative of people's lack of common sense. I hope it doesn't prevent them from further building of installations you can get close to. The stylish chutes, too, were visually interesting interactive artworks. More of those, please. Although there is so much more to sample, video, audio and digital pieces, if you only see the Turbine Hall and whatever current delight resides, you've won. (It is free entry after all.)
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Review of London School Of Diving
09 Apr 08, 12:10
London's best scuba diving!
These guys are excellent, very professional and friendly. Their facilities are great and they teach scuba diving from beginner up to instructor level. Open water teaching sites range from Cornwall to the Red Sea. Scuba diving is something everyone should try - book a course immediately!
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Review of Back To Health Chiropractic Clinic
09 Apr 08, 11:17
Kingston's No 1 Wellness Centre
Back to Health is a chiropractic wellness centre, a real haven in the heart of Kingston. Dr Daniel Rainbow is a brilliant chiropractor in a friendly, professional and educational office. They work wonders. Go and pay them a visit, it will be one of the best things you can do.
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