My friend just moved into Bedford Square Apartments . . . 2 bedroom flat to share with a mate at 150GBP each . . . pretty pricey, but not for being able to roll out of bed, stepping out of the door and being at school. But really, one need not be that close to get into the area quickly. Takes me 20-25 minutes by bike from Hackney. It is a pretty sweet ride along Regent's Canal, through Angel, and then through Bloomsbury a bit. Once you get used to it, it is a piece of cake. Try to start familiarizing yourself with the areas . . . and gumtree is an excellent place to find flats.
1250 pounds??????????? only for the flat??????? as a student you can get buckinham palace for that. anyhow really you dont need a flatmate even less a roomate and you should not worry you will find a good place and vey lose to the AA, maybe Bedford Square apartments (mentioned above) or somewhere around Russell Square.
However because you will spend a lot of time in the AA working for your masters I recommend you to find a place not so close to the school. Maybe as Luis mentioned, 15 minute cycle ride away or perhaps a 30 min walk for those days when you dont fell like taking a train or bus. This is good because you will have a chance to see London. I know people that after doing DRL or LU say that they know nothing about the city and I think that is a very bad mistake. The AA and London work together, the AA lacks many resources that any university would provide and is only the experiences that living in London can give you what makes up for the elements lacking in the school, which is a very European way of educating people actually.
just curious,
what are these people that graduated from AA are doing now?
can you elaborate on what resources the AA is lacking? do you mean housing facilities, libraries? thanks fo the advice about the cycling, it'll come in handy.
Dude, stay away from central London, bedford square, russell sq. etc. it's so damn boring... got find a flatshare in a loft in Shoreditch/Hoxton instead. you'll meet some cool people and see what's London is all about. the area around the AA is tourist hell and soho is a shithole so instead of staying there spend a bit of time travelling to school it's well worth it. Bus 55 from Old St to the AA is something like 20 min so commute shouldnt be really be an issue. and 1250 pounds a month is an insane amount to pay. if you're really ready to pay that price then you can get yourself a kickass loft in east london and live like a king.
I agree with Doberman. And reiterate, cycling makes the city come alive. You see faces and places, the narrative of the city. Also saving (literally) thousands of pounds. This of course depends on not having your bicycle stolen too regularly, or buying second-hand "disposable" steeds.
Let me third that . . . I was feeling trapped by London until I started riding. the city instantly becomes tiny compared to how it was before the cycle. I live right by Victoria Park in Hackney/Bethnal Green Area. My cycle ride is along Regent's canal every morning. After Regent's Canal, John Street is a short downhill away. Very nice spot (m flat), and I pay around 80ppw for just rent. It is more than what I wanted to pay, but I say that about everything in London. I live with three others in a converted (i.e. gentrified) school. I have heard of people paying 150ppw for the same area . . . it is key to look around and take your time in finding a place . . . great spaces can be had for a decent price in a decent location.
The bike theft thing is key. I actually brought my bike from the US. It is one that my wife's dad put together from an olg Fuji frame . . . road bike style, pretty fast. It does not look like much, but it kicks ass. I think the low profile looks keep it from getting nicked. My friend bought a bike at Brick Lane Sunday morning markets (all of the bikes are stolen), got it nicked a few days later. He bought another not so cool looking one, and he got hit by a car a week later. Gotta be careful, but also, drivers can get out of hand, so a helmet is key . . . also lights, hi-viz gear, etc. Luckily, I have not had my bike stolen (knock on wood) and, while I have come close to running into a few car doors opening, I have not been hit.
Luis, is that the school just on the south side of Hackney Road, opposite City Cafe 2, with the funny tricorn tower behind it and Lion Mills over the wall from the car park?
Nice on the Fuji frame. I ride fixed-wheel Condor, covered in electrical tape to keep it from thieving eyes.
Cycling also means that you don't have to interact with the human detritus that hangs around the exits to underground stations, door to door transport. And yes, you do have to be quite savvy to the traffic, but that said, London, since the bombings, is full of novice cyclists and the car drivers are more aware than they are in most other cities.
sorry guys but unless you hang in camberwell, hackney/shoreditch is as trendy as all hell. the east end is as try-hard-hip as the theatre district is boring.
do you deny the quaint 'look how groovy luvverly we are-fingers up to the harvey nick's crowd as we cruise jaguar shoes' of all the st. marten's kids, and the aa losers who WISHED they looked like st. marten's kids.
camberwell- come and have a go if you think you're hard enough
Funny Luis, i live in a converted school as well in Hackney too (hackney central, mare st area)
snowi, it's st MartIn's (note the spelling), and no one cares about theese kids anyway. cant deny that shoreditch can be a blast, even though i agree with you that there can be some real twats hanging out there. but it's one of the best areas in london to go out and hit on some hot scandinavian chicks. camberwell, give me a break please....
Camberwell only if you are too cheap, or not gay enough, for Vauxhall. Those are the acceptable excuses.
Hackney has got some cool, and you can walk home from Shoreditch, but then there is Clapton, Dalston, and De Beauvoir to negotiate if you don't live on the Southern (Bethnal Green) edge.
I recommend the finest of the Queen's London Boroughs, the LBI. Islington. There are enough slums to keep it urban / cheap, but with less murders per mile than Hackney. It is also walkable (from Angel/Barnsbury/Exmouth Market) to Bloomsbury. There are some great bars, dozens of restaurants, performance spaces, cute parks, traditional Georgian terraced facades, transport (which Hackney lacks), cute girls, cute boys.
Farringdon & Clerkenwell are the centre of the Architecture profession.
If you are under 20 and take no pleasure from personal hygiene, Camden is perfect.
A nice pair of slacks worn with a rugby shirt and baseball cap will keep you comfortable in Clapham or Fulham.
Stepney Green, Mile End & Whitechapel, busy, truly urban. You will appreciate the metal bars on your ground floor flat. However there are some lovely streets of two storey london brick terraces, and some great spaces by the canal.
Hampstead, Chelsea, Kensington, Holland Park, Mayfair, Bayswater, Putney.
thats right and coming back to the 1250 a month if you want convenience and a 20 minute walk to the AA you cant beat Marylebone hahaha!
This has to be the best thread about describing Central London's boroughs
The reason for that is that the richest burroughs are generally the ones that house the highest density of retail/ companies whose contribution to local taxes is very high. As a result, the cost of the council tax for people who live in these areas is significantly reduced. ironical indeed... that's social justice for you.
i love this thread. and when i say i love it, is only because it's the coolest city on the planet right now and never gets its mention here. That, and it's keeping out nevermore (you sir, are wired way too tight)
PsyArch you've missed your calling as a timeout editor. The great unwashed of Camden indeed.
i'm waiting for someone to tell us that the only vibe left in the city is in Wapping (the only way is by FERRY!). I stand by Camberwell, and I AM skint, skint. And it's not over-run by angry/bored white kids in hoodies that terrorize Clerkenwell, Kentish town. The mix of cultures keeps everybody in check, and that's a good thing.
£1250 a month? extravagant - you can get an entire rowhouse for yourself, and rent out studio space (bonus!).
or go over the top in Marble Arch
I agree with you about London being one of the coolest cities on the planet right now. too much fun... people dont really know about it because those visiting all go to the Leicester square, get ripped off and think there's nothing else to see or do. god how i dislike the west end.
right snowi !......My feelings are really hurt ,I'm missing so much fun on this thread.
sure ! the coolest city on earth,
till recently the coolest city in the planet had to close down its bars/pubs by 11pm...But of course one can always stare at buckingham palace or get lost within Harrods or Marks and spencer !
i don't drink and m&s isn't for me - a swishy walmart. getting liquored 'n fallingdowndrunk has never meant legitimacy for me (malmo is amazing; i got SO hammered). never been to the palace but i did visit eden.
nothing personal nevermroe, but you do tend to dominate the boards Ty Domi style. is there crosschecking in cricket?
i think most are closed at 11 pm however there's a new regulations being discussed to allow 24 hour drinking. at that point, saturday nights are def alright for fighting
snowi....I dominate the boards ?...,Im not sure if that was meant as a compliment or as subtle sarcasm.I'll take it as the former since I dont know and dont care about what or who is Ty domi (?)
anyways
each megacity has its drawbacks and plus points and I do agree that the nightlife scene cannot be a sole gauge to measure the vibrancy of a city and but to give you an example,
In my city(Mumbai)..the pubs, bars are just warming up at 11 pm...The closing time for most is 1-30 am or 2 pm ..some go on till 4-5 am and some are open 24 hours.
and even if you come out at 2am in the nite, you can find a nice place to eat ,not too far away.
quite a contrast to a supposedly dynamic world city like London.
snowi....I dominate the boards ?...,Im not sure if that was meant as a compliment or as subtle sarcasm.I'll take it as the former since I dont know and dont care about what or who is Ty domi (?)
anyways
each megacity has its drawbacks and plus points and I do agree that the nightlife scene cannot be a sole gauge to measure the vibrancy of a city and but to give you an example,
In my city(Mumbai)..the pubs, bars are just warming up at 11 pm...The closing time for most is 1-30 am or 2 am..some go on till 4-5 am and some are open 24 hours.
and even if you come out at 2am in the nite, you can find a nice place to eat ,not too far away.
quite a contrast to a supposedly dynamic world city like London.
nightlife in london is amazing. pubs close at 12 on weekends, bars at 2 or three and then you can go clubbing until all hours anyway. just as good as mumbai... the 24 hours licencing will probably make things even crazier but i don't really see any need for that anyway.
24 licensing (for pubs, clubs, and shops) came into effect a few months ago. The arcane laws that closed most pubs at 11pm were a hangover from the last world war when it was felt that letting people drink freely would lead to drunkenness at work. As if...
Whoever said Marylebone, good call. About the nicest of the truly central areas with a real village feel to the high street. Better than Belgravia and, due to some idiosyncracies in the space syntax, quite free of tramps and tourists.
What's the difference between a "pub" and a "bar" in London? Here on this side of the pond, the terms are interchangeable.
I agree with the clubbing there... I was able to check out a few clubs whilst in London, and found a very good scene. (Alas, I think I've pretty much outgrown clubbing in general now. Give me a nice quiet pub with lots of dark wood and a huge fireplace... The old Palladium at UPenn (RIP) is my gold standard.)
for some reason i cant seem to get bored of clubbing, not that i do it very often anyway but dropping pills once in a while still appeals to me, how immature from me, i know, i know...
the way i would describe the difference between a pub and a bar is that it's all in the decoration. pubs have quite a traditional feel and an early-ish licence whereas bars are usualy trendier and design-oriented and close later. iit's mostly a question of atmosphere even though i know some pretty wild pubs. typically a night out in london would involve a pub, a bar and a club (in that order) and then depending on your luck some sweet creature willing to share a laugh or an after party or both or some other crazy random plan... man, i can't get bored of that city, gotta grow up a little maybe...
what would u say are the up and coming areas in london...?
with re-development happening all over the place, its difficult to tell where is a good/cheap place to buy... that might be prove a worthwhile place to in the future.
much of the stuff south of the river is pretty much taken too- yuppies have even moved in what were total no-go areas...
it feels like theres hardly a place in london (unless you head to the burbs)
De Beauvoir, fairly slummy, but full of art (Established & Sons show) and new developments. It's the area on the left up Kingsland Road from the Old St. Hackney Rd, SHoreditch High Street Junction. The closest part of Hackney to the City.
Also Finsbury Park, the market has already risen, but with the Eurostar coming to Kings Cross (two stops away), mainline train and huge bus terminus, decent architectural stock, nice terraced streets, it's a no-brainer.
South of the river continues to improve, but even Bermondsey is now taken. Vauxhall has the pink pound influx, but whatever happens on that side of the river, it's still Sarf London.
On an unrelated subject... do anyone of you london people know anything about chipperfield's office, what it's like how they pay, how hard it is to work there. i'm a grad student in the states but i'm sort of set on trying to work there after graduation... any thoughts?
Dillup, i think they're somewhat busy right now...
i saw ads for project architects, etc at www.bdonline.co.uk - its a somewhat medium/big office so im sure they have a decent turnover (for entry level people, id imagine 1 or max 2 years... )
probably not the easiest place to get your foot into, but probably not that hard if you're dedicated.
YES LONDON LONDON!!!!
Ok its so good they didn't have to name it twice. Definately the place to b living right now- A classic chaotic city, but definately gravitating toward the future- and the thru design capital right now! Woo Hoo!
As for areas to live in the design areas have been pretty comprehensively covered- around hoxton shoreditch dalston the prices have been slowly racking up recently- though as someone said it does pay to spend a while looking for something and talking to friends of friends- or ringing dodgy mobile numbers if you want to pay less- its a word of mouth market for something special.
I had a great time living in Hackney- big warehouse etc, and the cycling was fantastic- the canal is a great connector. The area may shift a little with the new tube line being built but you have a few years yet.
Dockalnds and all the 8-'s fakery is still crap and there is no atmosphere. The dated DLR is slower than walking but if you are up for big cycling and a crap barratt home- it is pretty cheap- more like £60 or less but not so good for getting home after late nights.
Not a particularly design area but worth consideration for price is finsbury park/manor house area. pretty cheap good housing stock, greta night buses a few tubes, and a predominantly turkish area- so great food and endless 24 hour vegetable shops which have always mystified me.
London is so popular now that it is pretty hard to have an up and coming area- because people are paying massive amounts to live anywhere. But since you are only renting I would say maybe go for a last push in kings cross. Most of the prostitutes have gone- and you can watch in fascination as every last drop of the area is gentrified and wiped squeaky clean for the arrival of eurostar. its also really close to the aa (15min walk) and its kind of a fun area...
steer clear of camden- its a tourist shithole, full of washed up failed hippies, teenage goths, and low grade drug peddlers. it has a few pubs and bars though.
as for fun and drinking it was always possible to drink in soho till about 3 in the morning if you knew where to look, so its till about 5 now, and you can now buy alcohol 24 hours legally. as before it was always possible...
so fun fun, and it is expensive but its like any city, once you live in it you learn how everyone affords it- where is good an cheap etc.
I am also moving to London this fall to attend the AA. Anyone know anything about my spouse getting a work permit... or even being able to work over there?
I am also moving to London this fall to attend the AA. Anyone know anything about my spouse getting a work permit... or even being able to work over there?
I am also moving to London this fall to attend the AA. Anyone know anything about my spouse getting a work permit... or even being able to work over there?
PsyArch is correct. From my experience, coming from America, my wife applied as a student dependant (ha!). She is able to work up to 40 hours per week or something like that, while I am able to work 20 hours a week, although the job I have is not so many hours. One thing to get around is the National Insurance Number . . . kind of the chicken or the egg thing, you need a job in order to get a national Insurance Number, and many places will not give you a job without it. There is a good website that answers a lot of this visa stuff, but it is mainly focused at Americans coming to the UK.
Feb 27, 06 6:03 pm ·
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moving to london?
I'm planning on moving to london this fall. Anyone looking for a roomate? AA Landscape Urbanism...
Nearer the time, there is always plenty of accomodation to be found on gumtree.
How close do you need to live, what is your budget, and do you cycle?
My friend just moved into Bedford Square Apartments . . . 2 bedroom flat to share with a mate at 150GBP each . . . pretty pricey, but not for being able to roll out of bed, stepping out of the door and being at school. But really, one need not be that close to get into the area quickly. Takes me 20-25 minutes by bike from Hackney. It is a pretty sweet ride along Regent's Canal, through Angel, and then through Bloomsbury a bit. Once you get used to it, it is a piece of cake. Try to start familiarizing yourself with the areas . . . and gumtree is an excellent place to find flats.
hopefully not more than 1250 a month. I'd like to live pretty close if possible, and yes i cycle.
1250 pounds??????????? only for the flat??????? as a student you can get buckinham palace for that. anyhow really you dont need a flatmate even less a roomate and you should not worry you will find a good place and vey lose to the AA, maybe Bedford Square apartments (mentioned above) or somewhere around Russell Square.
However because you will spend a lot of time in the AA working for your masters I recommend you to find a place not so close to the school. Maybe as Luis mentioned, 15 minute cycle ride away or perhaps a 30 min walk for those days when you dont fell like taking a train or bus. This is good because you will have a chance to see London. I know people that after doing DRL or LU say that they know nothing about the city and I think that is a very bad mistake. The AA and London work together, the AA lacks many resources that any university would provide and is only the experiences that living in London can give you what makes up for the elements lacking in the school, which is a very European way of educating people actually.
just curious,
what are these people that graduated from AA are doing now?
can you elaborate on what resources the AA is lacking? do you mean housing facilities, libraries? thanks fo the advice about the cycling, it'll come in handy.
Ditto about the 1250 pounds/ month ..
thats way too much .. I think if you vould get a moderate room... then you probably could use that money for the whole month- all expenses
work for your Masters! muhahahahaha :-D
Sorry, nothing constructive to add here...
If you are not from Europe, spend what you don't spend on London rent on cheap flights to European cities at the weekends.
Book (flights) well in advance, they cost UKP30-50 return and if you end up not using the ticket, it's no huge financial loss
Paris, London, Rome, Milan, Munich, Amsterdam etc.
^^ i like the sound of that !!
Actually, for UKP1250/month you can have my house and I'll go do the travelling for you.
with furniture ?
Travelling with furniture? You must be crazy.
No .. no .. he meant if your house came with the furniture !! ..
in'it?
Ye get me?
Dude, stay away from central London, bedford square, russell sq. etc. it's so damn boring... got find a flatshare in a loft in Shoreditch/Hoxton instead. you'll meet some cool people and see what's London is all about. the area around the AA is tourist hell and soho is a shithole so instead of staying there spend a bit of time travelling to school it's well worth it. Bus 55 from Old St to the AA is something like 20 min so commute shouldnt be really be an issue. and 1250 pounds a month is an insane amount to pay. if you're really ready to pay that price then you can get yourself a kickass loft in east london and live like a king.
I agree with Doberman. And reiterate, cycling makes the city come alive. You see faces and places, the narrative of the city. Also saving (literally) thousands of pounds. This of course depends on not having your bicycle stolen too regularly, or buying second-hand "disposable" steeds.
Let me third that . . . I was feeling trapped by London until I started riding. the city instantly becomes tiny compared to how it was before the cycle. I live right by Victoria Park in Hackney/Bethnal Green Area. My cycle ride is along Regent's canal every morning. After Regent's Canal, John Street is a short downhill away. Very nice spot (m flat), and I pay around 80ppw for just rent. It is more than what I wanted to pay, but I say that about everything in London. I live with three others in a converted (i.e. gentrified) school. I have heard of people paying 150ppw for the same area . . . it is key to look around and take your time in finding a place . . . great spaces can be had for a decent price in a decent location.
The bike theft thing is key. I actually brought my bike from the US. It is one that my wife's dad put together from an olg Fuji frame . . . road bike style, pretty fast. It does not look like much, but it kicks ass. I think the low profile looks keep it from getting nicked. My friend bought a bike at Brick Lane Sunday morning markets (all of the bikes are stolen), got it nicked a few days later. He bought another not so cool looking one, and he got hit by a car a week later. Gotta be careful, but also, drivers can get out of hand, so a helmet is key . . . also lights, hi-viz gear, etc. Luckily, I have not had my bike stolen (knock on wood) and, while I have come close to running into a few car doors opening, I have not been hit.
Luis, is that the school just on the south side of Hackney Road, opposite City Cafe 2, with the funny tricorn tower behind it and Lion Mills over the wall from the car park?
Nice on the Fuji frame. I ride fixed-wheel Condor, covered in electrical tape to keep it from thieving eyes.
Cycling also means that you don't have to interact with the human detritus that hangs around the exits to underground stations, door to door transport. And yes, you do have to be quite savvy to the traffic, but that said, London, since the bombings, is full of novice cyclists and the car drivers are more aware than they are in most other cities.
sorry guys but unless you hang in camberwell, hackney/shoreditch is as trendy as all hell. the east end is as try-hard-hip as the theatre district is boring.
do you deny the quaint 'look how groovy luvverly we are-fingers up to the harvey nick's crowd as we cruise jaguar shoes' of all the st. marten's kids, and the aa losers who WISHED they looked like st. marten's kids.
camberwell- come and have a go if you think you're hard enough
Funny Luis, i live in a converted school as well in Hackney too (hackney central, mare st area)
snowi, it's st MartIn's (note the spelling), and no one cares about theese kids anyway. cant deny that shoreditch can be a blast, even though i agree with you that there can be some real twats hanging out there. but it's one of the best areas in london to go out and hit on some hot scandinavian chicks. camberwell, give me a break please....
Camberwell only if you are too cheap, or not gay enough, for Vauxhall. Those are the acceptable excuses.
Hackney has got some cool, and you can walk home from Shoreditch, but then there is Clapton, Dalston, and De Beauvoir to negotiate if you don't live on the Southern (Bethnal Green) edge.
I recommend the finest of the Queen's London Boroughs, the LBI. Islington. There are enough slums to keep it urban / cheap, but with less murders per mile than Hackney. It is also walkable (from Angel/Barnsbury/Exmouth Market) to Bloomsbury. There are some great bars, dozens of restaurants, performance spaces, cute parks, traditional Georgian terraced facades, transport (which Hackney lacks), cute girls, cute boys.
Farringdon & Clerkenwell are the centre of the Architecture profession.
If you are under 20 and take no pleasure from personal hygiene, Camden is perfect.
A nice pair of slacks worn with a rugby shirt and baseball cap will keep you comfortable in Clapham or Fulham.
Stepney Green, Mile End & Whitechapel, busy, truly urban. You will appreciate the metal bars on your ground floor flat. However there are some lovely streets of two storey london brick terraces, and some great spaces by the canal.
Hampstead, Chelsea, Kensington, Holland Park, Mayfair, Bayswater, Putney.
PsyArch has got the lowdown pretty spot on.
thats right and coming back to the 1250 a month if you want convenience and a 20 minute walk to the AA you cant beat Marylebone hahaha!
This has to be the best thread about describing Central London's boroughs
Ironically the richest neighbourhoods, those in Westminster, pay the lowest council tax in the whole country! (I think - certainly of London)
The reason for that is that the richest burroughs are generally the ones that house the highest density of retail/ companies whose contribution to local taxes is very high. As a result, the cost of the council tax for people who live in these areas is significantly reduced. ironical indeed... that's social justice for you.
i love this thread. and when i say i love it, is only because it's the coolest city on the planet right now and never gets its mention here. That, and it's keeping out nevermore (you sir, are wired way too tight)
PsyArch you've missed your calling as a timeout editor. The great unwashed of Camden indeed.
i'm waiting for someone to tell us that the only vibe left in the city is in Wapping (the only way is by FERRY!). I stand by Camberwell, and I AM skint, skint. And it's not over-run by angry/bored white kids in hoodies that terrorize Clerkenwell, Kentish town. The mix of cultures keeps everybody in check, and that's a good thing.
£1250 a month? extravagant - you can get an entire rowhouse for yourself, and rent out studio space (bonus!).
or go over the top in Marble Arch
I agree with you about London being one of the coolest cities on the planet right now. too much fun... people dont really know about it because those visiting all go to the Leicester square, get ripped off and think there's nothing else to see or do. god how i dislike the west end.
right snowi !......My feelings are really hurt ,I'm missing so much fun on this thread.
sure ! the coolest city on earth,
till recently the coolest city in the planet had to close down its bars/pubs by 11pm...But of course one can always stare at buckingham palace or get lost within Harrods or Marks and spencer !
i don't drink and m&s isn't for me - a swishy walmart. getting liquored 'n fallingdowndrunk has never meant legitimacy for me (malmo is amazing; i got SO hammered). never been to the palace but i did visit eden.
nothing personal nevermroe, but you do tend to dominate the boards Ty Domi style. is there crosschecking in cricket?
So how late are the pubs in London now open? Inquiring minds want to know.
i think most are closed at 11 pm however there's a new regulations being discussed to allow 24 hour drinking. at that point, saturday nights are def alright for fighting
snowi....I dominate the boards ?...,Im not sure if that was meant as a compliment or as subtle sarcasm.I'll take it as the former since I dont know and dont care about what or who is Ty domi (?)
anyways
each megacity has its drawbacks and plus points and I do agree that the nightlife scene cannot be a sole gauge to measure the vibrancy of a city and but to give you an example,
In my city(Mumbai)..the pubs, bars are just warming up at 11 pm...The closing time for most is 1-30 am or 2 pm ..some go on till 4-5 am and some are open 24 hours.
and even if you come out at 2am in the nite, you can find a nice place to eat ,not too far away.
quite a contrast to a supposedly dynamic world city like London.
snowi....I dominate the boards ?...,Im not sure if that was meant as a compliment or as subtle sarcasm.I'll take it as the former since I dont know and dont care about what or who is Ty domi (?)
anyways
each megacity has its drawbacks and plus points and I do agree that the nightlife scene cannot be a sole gauge to measure the vibrancy of a city and but to give you an example,
In my city(Mumbai)..the pubs, bars are just warming up at 11 pm...The closing time for most is 1-30 am or 2 am..some go on till 4-5 am and some are open 24 hours.
and even if you come out at 2am in the nite, you can find a nice place to eat ,not too far away.
quite a contrast to a supposedly dynamic world city like London.
nightlife in london is amazing. pubs close at 12 on weekends, bars at 2 or three and then you can go clubbing until all hours anyway. just as good as mumbai... the 24 hours licencing will probably make things even crazier but i don't really see any need for that anyway.
24 licensing (for pubs, clubs, and shops) came into effect a few months ago. The arcane laws that closed most pubs at 11pm were a hangover from the last world war when it was felt that letting people drink freely would lead to drunkenness at work. As if...
Whoever said Marylebone, good call. About the nicest of the truly central areas with a real village feel to the high street. Better than Belgravia and, due to some idiosyncracies in the space syntax, quite free of tramps and tourists.
What's the difference between a "pub" and a "bar" in London? Here on this side of the pond, the terms are interchangeable.
I agree with the clubbing there... I was able to check out a few clubs whilst in London, and found a very good scene. (Alas, I think I've pretty much outgrown clubbing in general now. Give me a nice quiet pub with lots of dark wood and a huge fireplace... The old Palladium at UPenn (RIP) is my gold standard.)
for some reason i cant seem to get bored of clubbing, not that i do it very often anyway but dropping pills once in a while still appeals to me, how immature from me, i know, i know...
the way i would describe the difference between a pub and a bar is that it's all in the decoration. pubs have quite a traditional feel and an early-ish licence whereas bars are usualy trendier and design-oriented and close later. iit's mostly a question of atmosphere even though i know some pretty wild pubs. typically a night out in london would involve a pub, a bar and a club (in that order) and then depending on your luck some sweet creature willing to share a laugh or an after party or both or some other crazy random plan... man, i can't get bored of that city, gotta grow up a little maybe...
God, I need to get back to London... I visited for a week in 2001, and I've been itching to get back there ever since.
LiG, I've had that itch, but I got mine in Barcelona.
You need some cream from the doctor.
what would u say are the up and coming areas in london...?
with re-development happening all over the place, its difficult to tell where is a good/cheap place to buy... that might be prove a worthwhile place to in the future.
much of the stuff south of the river is pretty much taken too- yuppies have even moved in what were total no-go areas...
it feels like theres hardly a place in london (unless you head to the burbs)
any insight, anyone?
De Beauvoir, fairly slummy, but full of art (Established & Sons show) and new developments. It's the area on the left up Kingsland Road from the Old St. Hackney Rd, SHoreditch High Street Junction. The closest part of Hackney to the City.
Also Finsbury Park, the market has already risen, but with the Eurostar coming to Kings Cross (two stops away), mainline train and huge bus terminus, decent architectural stock, nice terraced streets, it's a no-brainer.
South of the river continues to improve, but even Bermondsey is now taken. Vauxhall has the pink pound influx, but whatever happens on that side of the river, it's still Sarf London.
Suburbs? not a chance.
On an unrelated subject... do anyone of you london people know anything about chipperfield's office, what it's like how they pay, how hard it is to work there. i'm a grad student in the states but i'm sort of set on trying to work there after graduation... any thoughts?
thanks
the guy is a minimalist so i would expect the pay to follow his style...
Dillup, i think they're somewhat busy right now...
i saw ads for project architects, etc at www.bdonline.co.uk - its a somewhat medium/big office so im sure they have a decent turnover (for entry level people, id imagine 1 or max 2 years... )
probably not the easiest place to get your foot into, but probably not that hard if you're dedicated.
YES LONDON LONDON!!!!
Ok its so good they didn't have to name it twice. Definately the place to b living right now- A classic chaotic city, but definately gravitating toward the future- and the thru design capital right now! Woo Hoo!
As for areas to live in the design areas have been pretty comprehensively covered- around hoxton shoreditch dalston the prices have been slowly racking up recently- though as someone said it does pay to spend a while looking for something and talking to friends of friends- or ringing dodgy mobile numbers if you want to pay less- its a word of mouth market for something special.
I had a great time living in Hackney- big warehouse etc, and the cycling was fantastic- the canal is a great connector. The area may shift a little with the new tube line being built but you have a few years yet.
Dockalnds and all the 8-'s fakery is still crap and there is no atmosphere. The dated DLR is slower than walking but if you are up for big cycling and a crap barratt home- it is pretty cheap- more like £60 or less but not so good for getting home after late nights.
Not a particularly design area but worth consideration for price is finsbury park/manor house area. pretty cheap good housing stock, greta night buses a few tubes, and a predominantly turkish area- so great food and endless 24 hour vegetable shops which have always mystified me.
London is so popular now that it is pretty hard to have an up and coming area- because people are paying massive amounts to live anywhere. But since you are only renting I would say maybe go for a last push in kings cross. Most of the prostitutes have gone- and you can watch in fascination as every last drop of the area is gentrified and wiped squeaky clean for the arrival of eurostar. its also really close to the aa (15min walk) and its kind of a fun area...
steer clear of camden- its a tourist shithole, full of washed up failed hippies, teenage goths, and low grade drug peddlers. it has a few pubs and bars though.
as for fun and drinking it was always possible to drink in soho till about 3 in the morning if you knew where to look, so its till about 5 now, and you can now buy alcohol 24 hours legally. as before it was always possible...
so fun fun, and it is expensive but its like any city, once you live in it you learn how everyone affords it- where is good an cheap etc.
have fun
I am also moving to London this fall to attend the AA. Anyone know anything about my spouse getting a work permit... or even being able to work over there?
I am also moving to London this fall to attend the AA. Anyone know anything about my spouse getting a work permit... or even being able to work over there?
I am also moving to London this fall to attend the AA. Anyone know anything about my spouse getting a work permit... or even being able to work over there?
Amaning, that depends on where you come from / how many passports she carries / who you know / what she is prepared to do...
PsyArch is correct. From my experience, coming from America, my wife applied as a student dependant (ha!). She is able to work up to 40 hours per week or something like that, while I am able to work 20 hours a week, although the job I have is not so many hours. One thing to get around is the National Insurance Number . . . kind of the chicken or the egg thing, you need a job in order to get a national Insurance Number, and many places will not give you a job without it. There is a good website that answers a lot of this visa stuff, but it is mainly focused at Americans coming to the UK.
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