Results tagged “soho”

In search of London’s best sandwich since sliced bread more ›

Nudged into action by the launch of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, Londonist embarks on an eco eating crawl. more ›

Undoubtedly, the atmosphere, warmth and buzz are the best things going for this northern Italian newcomer. Indeed, it's wonderful to see - Venice's answer to the ever growing roster of world "tapas" - making an appearance in this low key Soho setting and being served by such friendly and competent staff. At £20 a head for a sufficient number of plates, desserts and a couple of beers, Polpo's a good spot to keep in mind for casual outings with friends who like to share bites. more ›

Here's one to file under “H” for “huh?” - this coming Sunday the 7th of March, Profile (Soho's very yellow and fairly trendy bar/cafe/diner) will be launching Psychic Sundays, a “free and fun night of foretelling for everyone to enjoy”. From 6pm onwards, tarot psychic Marco will offer 10 minute future predicting sessions for Profile's customers. The readings will be on a first come, first served basis. Another Psychic Sunday is lined up for the 21st and then every second Sunday of the month. Is an American-style meal with a bit of esoteric freebie fun in the cards for you this Sunday? more ›

Tim Key and Jonny Sweet managed to leg it from last summer's Edinburgh festival with most of the silverware on offer, scooping Best Newcomer and the Comedy Award respectively. In February, the two former Footlights are bringing the shows which won them such acclaim to the Soho Theatre. With this weather you can almost believe you're in Edinburgh during midsummer anyway. more ›

Ed Aczel has a problem. Lots of problems, really. Including that he hasn't done any preparation for this show. But none of these are insurmountable with the aid of a flip-chart and an emergency jigsaw puzzle, as he explains in his show cunningly entitled Edward Aczel Explains All The World's Problems... And Then Solves Them Taking the audience on a ramble through the history of climate change, the financial crisis, the War of the Spanish Succession and comedy in general, a stoopingly shuffling Aczel urges us in mumbled patter to lower our expectations. For the British - a nation which queues up for days and pays through the nose to go to Wimbledon, but still takes an umbrella - this is difficult. With a little encouragement - or rather, discouragement - from Wittgenstein though, we're there. more ›

Warning to all fair-weather coffee drinkers: you will not find any mention of your beloved gingerbread lattes, peppermint mochas, or any other holiday themed beverages here. The Algerian Coffee Store is certainly not the place to go if you fancy a casual sit-down. more ›

133. Soho's death bird Lieutenant James Morgan found the blackout in Soho unsettling. Shadows from war-torn buildings seemed like eerie spectres as he traipsed the street in search of the office of the family lawyer. They'd moved premise,s so this cold November night in 1940 was a particularly odd one as he walked the labyrinth of alleyways. When he finally found the building, he entered and was pointed upstairs to the office of Mansell who he'd been in contact with for many years. On reaching the top of the stairs he noticed a mural showing a building resembling the one he was in. In front of the building stood a couple and above their heads appeared to be a coat of arms showing a large bird-like form. more ›

Londonist's favourite home-grown jewellery designer (OK, Anna Lou's pretty cool, but does she have a piece in the Museum of London? No.) has got a new home. more ›

Newbie Soho eatery, Food Secret, invited Londonist along to a lunchtime press event yesterday allowing us to have a go at their “bold new concept in fast food.” After sampling some nibbles as well as a massive “tailor made” salad, we walked away pleased enough with our experience but wondering if the place had the right ingredients for the long run. more ›

While you spent the weekend enjoying a slovenly lay-in and debating whether to dine on eggs benedict or full English for brunch, a dedicated group of writers were busy hammering calloused fingertips at well-worn keys in order to turn out the 24-Hour Book on time. more ›

Ah, harvest festivals, a time to dig out the corned beef from the back of the cupboard, shove it in a cardboard box along with some other unwanted groceries, and thrust it upon some unsuspecting OAP whilst singing 'All things bright and beautiful'. more ›

One of the last remaining scars from the Blitz in central London is to be healed. Ham Yard, behind Piccadilly Circus, was never redeveloped after a sound drubbing from the Luftwaffe in the 1940s. Now, boutique hotel operator Firmdale have announced plans to build a £60 million hotel on the site. The company currently own six London hotels, two of which will be sold or leased-back to raise funds. The new hotel will cater for the luxury market and become the firm's flagship property. more ›

The street names and the landmarks are all there, though many have also now gone. The busy and diverse crowds are also livening up the streets but the colours have gone and everything has the drab greyness of post-war Britain and its ‘pea-soupers’. The smells are different too. Stronger and earthier. Everything you know seems there but somehow it's not quite the same. "At once a history, a memorial and a love story", Up West by Pip Granger manages to be all of these things as it draws on the lives and testimonies of those who lived in the West End of London in the 1940s, 50s and 60s. more ›

The Twittering types are tweeting that another fire is raging in Soho, this time at what looks to be the O Bar on Wardour Street. A video shows some pretty sizeable flames leaping from the building, though it's believed that the fire has now been brought under control. After the Dean Street fire last month, is it just a coincidence that one of the more technologically switched-on parts of the capital is again breaking this story? Perhaps it's all those iPhones and Blackberries being plugged in too long. more ›

Londonist tagged along to the Blaqua opening extravaganza last Thursday in Soho, where a sea of loud (but in a tailored, contemporary and stylish sort of way) shirts paraded about Newburgh, Carnaby a few other select Soho streets, announcing the news that males indeed are allowed to don shirts with colourful patterns and funky designs. As the march wound its way round to the new Blaqua retail space, Londonist was most impressed with their range of men's shirts, suits and accouterments and were glad to see a bit of flash and fun being thoughtfully applied to manly menswear. Blaqua has had a retail space in Forest Hill for sometime but the new shop in Soho marks a move to the forefront of the London fashion scene. Located at 9 Newburgh Street, the shop has been open about a month with last week's official launch confirming that this fresh take on how a guy ought to dress is ready to take London by storm. Visit www.blaqua.net for more information. more ›

When you’re sick of talking bollocks down the pub, or if you think your opinions are worth more than a sandwich filler between the next round of Bacardi Breezers and closing time, why not try out a ‘salon’? more ›

Over 100 firefighters were called out to a blaze in Soho's Dean Street this afternoon. Much of eastern Soho was cordoned off, including the westbound side of Oxford Street. Latest word is that the fire was caused by a faulty air conditioning duct at 76 Dean Street. No one is thought to have been injured in the fire. more ›

A fire broke out in Dean Street, Soho, at around 2pm this afternoon. Details are still sketchy, but it seems that around 60 firefighters are battling the flames, which began in a four-storey building; one unconfirmed report says that the fire was caused by a portable air-conditiooing unit, another suggests that it began in the basement. There are hundreds of tweets flying around on the subject, with all the usual speculation and rumour surrounding the odd kernel of actual eyewitness report. A thirty second video clip of the fire can be seen here, in which the situation appears to be pretty serious, and as more details come in we'll update you further. As of 3.45pm, it is not believed that anybody is trapped in the building, which is owned by a company called Future Capital. Update - pictures of the blaze here. more ›

Londonist was recently invited along to a press lunch at Soho Japanese restaurant Satsuma. We had the Satsuma Bento, which at £16.90, filled us up with salmon and tuna sashimi with chicken yakitori, prawn katsu, vegetable roll and seafood salad. One of eight savoury sounding bento options, it was certainly delicious and more than ample but at a price that’s a bit above what we’re accustomed to paying for a quick and decent Japanese lunch in Central London. However, we should make note of the £5 lunch special that’s on at the moment (check the Satsuma website for details). more ›

Unable to get your hands on Albertopolis Disparu, the pint-sized pamphlet of steampunkery recently given away by the Science Museum? Tonight author Tony White will read out the tale of laser-zapping zeppelins over South Kensington at an evening of London short stories. Head over to Dick's Bar at 23 Romilley Street, Soho for 7pm. As well as White, you'll also hear from authors Will Ashon, Lana Citron, Matthew De Abaitua and Selena Godden. The event is the latest from weekly literary salon The Book Club Boutique and will also feature live music from the resident band and DJ. Entry is free and the wordsome frolics go on until midnight. more ›

Trannies, dandies and sexual adventures in a dingy Soho basement? How could we resist? The underground screening room of The Photographers' Gallery couldn’t be a better setting for viewing the latest work by Jordan Bateman; a series of short films interviewing Soho residents, commissioned by the gallery and ArtSway. The small room becomes even more intimate as the darkness closes around you and the screen counts down to the first of three films. more ›

Remember that old Bros track? Oh yes, WE saw you bopping away there so you clearly do. more ›

Construction has begun on the Hackney Ikea Warehouse new media centre for the Olympics. During the games, the 84,000 sqm shed will accommodate over 20,000 media folk. more ›

Adorable Cat Cake decorations found in a window along Shaftesbury Avenue. more ›

With Ghetto, Sin, Mean Fiddler, Metro, the Astoria and The End all having already pulled their doors firmly shut in the name of Crossrail, we're beginning to wonder if the alternative West End scene has any life left in it as yet another venue announces it's closure. This time it's the seriously overpriced but undeniably glitzy Soho Revue Bar falling not to a train track, but to the recession. more ›

People can get in lots of trouble for saying that good things can come out of recession, but no doubt about it, the legacy of the last was not all bad. Here we start 2009 with the first of our uplifting investigations into the silver lining behind the cloud. more ›

If only my lawn was emo.. by Martin Deutsch. more ›