2010 April | Online Travel

April 9, 2010

London’s Best Jazz Venues

Filed under: London, Music — admin @ 2:26 pm

Ronnie Scott’s

Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in Soho was founded in 1959 by legendary tenor saxophonists Ronnie Scott and Pete King. It became quickly well-known for its friendly air and for inviting the top musicians of the day to come and play. With a roving crew of house musicians and a good reputation among visiting jazz players, it wasn’t uncommon to see a group of jazz greats from both sides of the Atlantic jamming, hanging out, and playing great music.

Today, Ronnie Scott’s is a cozy venue that feels more like a house party at times than like a club. The acts are generally top-notch, though some have remarked that they tend to host established musicians rather than a more underground scene. If you’re interested in tried-and-true great jazz however, Ronnie Scott’s is the place to be!

Vortex

The Vortex Jazz Club originally formed in 1987 on Church Street. David Mossman, an ex-taxi driver and jazz afficionado, wanted a place where local jazz musicians could come and play every night. Thus, Vortex soon became well-known among Londoners as “London’s listening jazz club.” Mossman had an ear for jazz, and many of the performers he invited to play went on to become national and international stars in their own right.

In 2005 the club moved to the Dalston Culture House, but the philosophy remains the same – invite local underground jazz musicians every night to play at a well-respected club. It has received consistent top reviews, so if you’re interested in hearing styles that you’ve never heard before, check out the Vortex!

The Swan at the Globe

This jazz club hasn’t been around that long, but it already has a reputation as one of the top venues for live jazz as well as excellent food and atmosphere. The Swan is on the swankier side of jazz, not so much a dive or a grungy bar scene as it is a cool, happening scene with tables and a stage. Located at 21 New Globe Walk in Bankside, The Swan is host to a variety of live acts, focusing mainly on vintage jazz and older styles of music. That doesn’t mean they don’t host newer musicians as well – check their website for showtimes and dates. Make sure you book in advance, especially if you’be booked into a London hotel, as this hip spot is usually sold out days ahead of a show, especially if it’s by a popular performer.

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The World’s Tallest Hotels

Filed under: Hotel Reviews — admin @ 2:24 pm

The world has no shortage of skyscraping hotels. Readers may be surprised, however, about the names and locations of the world’s tallest ones. The Baiyoke Tower II, for example, also known as the Baiyoke Sky Hotel, ranks as the fifth tallest in the world. Located in the Ratchathewi district of Bangkok in Thailand, Baiyoke reaches a height of 304 meters with 85 above-ground floors. This mixed-use building became the tallest building in both Thailand and Southeast Asia upon its completion in 1997. With its 673-room hotel situated between the 22nd and 74th floors, it is one of Bangkok’s most famous buildings.

The Baiyoke Sky Hotel is surpassed by the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel in Dubai by just a mere 5 meters. The Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, completed April 15, 2000, stands at an architectural height of 309 meters with 56 floors above ground. It is the second-tallest completed all-hotel building in the world, eclipsed only by the Burj Al Arab hotel (also in Dubai). It boasts has 40 luxury suites that comprise 10 percent of its total room count.

The Burj Al Arab Hotel, otherwise known as the Chicago Beach Hotel, comes in at number three at a height of 321 meters. Built in 1999, the Burj Al Arab has 60 above-ground floors and an impressive 24 meter helipad projecting 210 metes above the ground. It is one of the world’s tallest structures to use a membrane facade. Excluding mixed-use buildings like the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai and the Ryugyong Hotel in North Korea, it is the tallest operating hotel building in the world. It is both a national landmark for the United Arab Emirates and one of Dubai’s more famous buildings.

Weighing in at number two is the Ryugyong Hotel in Pyongyang, North Korea. Also known as the “105 building” or “Capital of Willows”, this hotel is 330 meters tall with 105 floors currently under construction. For several years it was incorrectly listed at 300 meters. This hotel reached its full architectural height in 1992, but remained a concrete shell for years until construction resumed in 2008, as the Korean government continues to solicit $300 million US dollars for investment in a new structural system. The Ryugyong Hotel is pyramid-shaped building with a 75-degree slope. It is the first building outside of New York and Chicago to boast more than 100 floors.

Literally rising above all other hotels is the Rose Tower. This Dubai contender holds the top number one spot with a height of 333 meters and 72 floors. Constructed in 2007, it is also known as the Rose Rotana Hotel. Contrasted with other hotels, it sports a postmodern architectural style with a curtain wall, glass facade of dark blue and light grey colors. The Rose Rotana Hotel has restaurants, exercise facilities, sauna, and swimming pool. A 9-level car park is connected from the rear of the building by pedestrian bridge. This is the world’s tallest operating and occupied hotel.

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Eating Out in Brighton: Top 5 Restaurants

Filed under: Restaurants, UK Holiday — admin @ 2:23 pm

Brighton is a quaint English town nestled on the coast in East Sussex and is known for its hip and happening nightlife. With over 400 restaurants to choose from, eating a good meal in Brighton is not hard to do. The variety of international cuisines available in Brighton is vast and includes Thai, French, Italian, and Japanese, to name a few. Local specialties such as fish and chips are plentiful and visitors will find a plethora of cosy local pubs. In fact, Brighton has been honoured with several food awards and certainly has no shortage of fabulous restaurants bound to entice a variety of tastes.

If Japanese cuisine is among the choices for the evening’s fare, consider a trip to Pompoko on Church Street. Pompoko is authentic, cheap and well-loved. The portions are ample, especially considering the price with most meals coming in at less than a fiver. Everything on the menu is bound to please; of special interest are the Ebi Fried Prawns and the Chicken Nanban Don. As a bonus, diners can bring carry in their own alcohol and stay late thanks to the extended hours.

The vegetarians in the crowd will undoubtedly love Terre a Terre, a busy little down-to-earth restaurant on East Street. The ambiance is of chic refinement and the people watching is superb. The wait staff is friendly and the food is so good that even the carnivores won’t miss meat at this meal. Vegetarian fare is anything but cliche at Terra a Terre so tuck in for some of the best food in Brighton. Try the Jerusalem Artichoke Souffle and save room for dessert.

Seafood is the quintessential food of Brighton and there is no shortage of seafood restaurants, but the best is The Regency Restaurant. Although they do have a varied menu, the Fish and Chips is the stand-out at this historical restaurant. The prices are great, the wait staff is professional and the view is fantastic.

On those nights when nothing but a plate of pasta will due, head to Al Duomo, a rustically charming true Italian eatery in the Pavilion Building. This popular restaurant caters to large groups with its private rooms and hearty meals. Dishes are served when they are ready, so some may have to nosh on some bread while they await their own meal. If price is a concern, don’t be shy and ask for the prix fixe menu.

Located in my Hotel Brighton, Table offers classic British fare along with local favourites. The atmosphere is hip and friendly and dining on the terrace makes the meal even better. The menu is quite diverse and features a selection of fresh seafood daily. The value is superb; especially considering that Table is located in one of the classiest Hotels Brighton has to offer. Diners who order the Sunday Pot Roast will leave wishing every day was Sunday.

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London’s Most Expensive Dining Experiences

Filed under: London, Restaurants — admin @ 2:22 pm

If you’ve ever eaten at a well-known posh restaurant, then you know what it is like to pay a pretty penny for a meal. On the high-end facade of London, it is not difficult to drop £100 simply by wandering around the Old Smoke. So if you fancy what are typically considered the most valuable dishes in London, be prepared to pay a gracious amount for them.

If you happen to find yourself in Oxford Circus, you’ll discover a restaurant by the name of Sketch — The Lecture Room and Library, by chef Pierre Gagnaire. While there, you will likely be paying over £100 for dishes like the John Dory and scallops, or goose aguillette. The ‘new French’ style of cuisine has held its excellent reputation for several years.

World-renowned chef Gordon Ramsay also appeals to the costly pallet. This fine dining establishment offers a famous fillet of turbot with cep sauce, or a roasted loin of Highland venison. As expected, this feast of an experience will also likely leave you at least £100 less than before. Forget cheap hotels, Gordon also holds the rights to one of London’s other most expensive restaurants, at the Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair. Here you can take in a Casterbridge beef carpaccio with horseradish ice cream, or a cold malt chocolate fondant.

Another famously high-priced dining location is Le Gavroche, also in Mayfair. Le Gavroche is a highly-respected location, known for housing an elegant style and the offering the very best of French cuisine. For upwards of about £95 per person, you can order a foie gras with a crispy pancake of duck with cinnamon, or roasted pineapple with vanilla and rum, over white pepper ice cream for dessert.

Further down the road, of the Mayfair area, you’ll find Phillip Howard and Robert Weston’s The Square. Also being previously rated one of the best in London by several notable critics, you can find yourself spending also between £100 and £160 on each person dining. While there, you may order the terrine of foie gras with rhubarb and orange, and a brillat-savarin eheesecake for dessert.

So if you’ve got a taste for the finer things in life, a cheap hotel may be required in your next London stay. And although there are plenty of high-end shops, hotels, & fine dining experiences around town, most of these restaurants are among the finest in the world.

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