Several times a year, the folks at Secret Cinema will create rich and immersive experiences, based around popular movies. These experiences will last several hours, before closing out with a screening of said movie. I’ve been abused by prison wardens from The Shawshank Prison, I’ve haggled with Jawas at Mos Eisley Space Port, I’ve watched Marty McFly outrun Biff on his skateboard, and I’ve watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. If you’re in town when one is on, it’s well worth grabbing a ticket.
Punchdrunk are an amazing immersive theatre company responsible for shows like Sleep No More in New York (still running) and the Drowned Man In London. Their latest show, The Burnt City, is meant to be the biggest experience yet, so well worth grabbing tickets if you’re around.
Foodies love Maltby Street Market, a tiny and packed lane under a series of train arches in East London. This place has slowly started making its way onto the tourist map, so can get quite busy at peak eating times. So try and come early to beat the rush.
Borough market is a great place to wander around and soak up the atmosphere. There are a tonne of great food and produce places in the market, so come on an empty stomach. Once you’re done buying all kinds of goodies (the donuts from Bread Ahead are arguably the capitols best) you can wash it down with a drink from Monmouth Coffee, or a spot of shopping at the original Paul Smith Store.
Another great weekend market, this place has yet to be discovered by tourists, so has a real local feel. We tend to walk along the Canal from Bethnal Green, grab breakfast and one of the many great cafes, then wander through the market sampling the wares. We always come home with some great snacks, usually brownies or cookies.
If you’re wanting to work off the jet lag while you’re in town, Arch climbing has not one but two great climbing centers almost next door to each other. If I’m going for a boulder in London, this is almost certainly where I’ll head. Let me know if you;re game ands I may just join you.
This yoga and fitness gym in Shoreditch is my partner's favorite. It’s a cool space, and a tonne of interesting classes to attend. They’ve also got a great little shop if you left your yoga pants at home or are dying for a kale salad or a turmeric juice.
The centres for all things yoga - regular and drop in classes, juice and raw food, yoga kit, massage, pilates. The main centres in Kingly Court Soho and Camden are stunning purpose built studios where some of the top teachers in the country lead classes, workshops and talks.
Kicking of the now global phenomenon of massive sober raves, Morning Gloryville started in here in East London and just keeps growing, encouraging superstar DJs and selling out over and again. It does what is says on the tin. Early morning raving, complete with glitter, dressing up, smoothies, coffee and energy snacks for sale, but with no booze, drugs or bad attitudes. Even if the very idea sounds horrific or baffling it is worth going and giving it a go for the sheer energetic magic the team and crew cast over a crowd of pre-work Londoners, truly turning them into shiny happy (slightly sweaty) people who go off grinning into their day.
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