Escapism is the answer

Good grief, I've got a temper on me tonight. Too many variables, too much to think about, too many egomaniacs around me and too little clarity about what on earth I want to do with myself this coming year. I found out M was going on some enlightenment intensive course this weekend to try to find himself, but I think I'll go for the simple escapism option instead. Seems easier and a whole lot more enjoyable.

So to that end I am going to book tickets to see Tango Por Dos again. It's on at the Peacock till the end of Feb, and is quite possibly the most sexy, life-assuring, uplifting piece of dance I've ever seen. It's funny, I thought of it for the first time in ages on Saturday, as S and I watched the finale (from separate parts of the room, of course) at the Masque of the Red Death and I was remembering how much I love dance. And then there I was this morning, picking up a coffee, when I saw a flyer suggesting the show is on again. Bring it on. I'm there.

I am also deeply excited about a delicious weekend escape from London at the end of Feb. Alistair Sawday may be a bit weird, and a little too chatty for my liking (if I'm staying somewhere I'm not necessarily looking for some new best friends in the owners) ((god that makes me sound horrible. it's my mood. forgive me)) - but whatever, it's thanks to him that we found the amazing looking Pump House in Suffolk, complete with telescope, stream and starry skies. Can't wait.

Countryside, how novel

I've heard there's this thing called 'the countryside', involving mud, narrow roads, and a lot of trees. So today R and I ventured out of town in a quest to find the New Forest. We failed on that front, but did however manage to land on the Devil's Punchbowl*, a mere hour from London. V cool. And *very* cold. A bracing walk marked the start of our inaugural SPARK awayday. Unfortunately R got a nasty dose of acid reflux on a particularly taxing hill, but apart from that, the day passed delightfully. Felt v uplifted by how beautiful the English countryside was on such a blue-skied, crisp day.

Still, such rural idyll is a bit of a disappointment on the opening hours front, as we discovered when we tried to get a much needed lunch at 2.15pm, only to find that all the pubs stop serving at 2pm, and fully close between 3 and 5pm, bar the Two-for-One somewhere near Greatham (found thanks to a combination of AQA and SatNav, hurrah). We hid in here until about 6.30pm, at which point the influx of local Christmas parties all got a bit too much and we scurried back to the Big Smoke, grateful for our urban existences and all that they bring.

* random facts about the Devil's Punchbowl. 1. It is owned by the national trust, which I must join, but not as much as English Heritage. 2. It's called that thanks to a myth about the devil hurling lots of mud at the god Thor, leaving a bloody big hole in the ground. 3. It is one of the BBC's seven man made wonders. fascinating.

Tower of London

One of those places that you just start to take for granted as a grown up living and working in London. But I've just seen that they have started to do twilight tours, which sound super. I know they sometimes do gigs there too - it still grates that I missed the Pet Shop Boys one I had tickets for two years ago. Hey ho. Most excitingly, I read this morning that there is going to be yet another ice rink there: but this one looks amazing - it's set up as the moat. Fabulous. Running from 24th Nov until 13th Jan. Not to be missed. The Tower's also been in the news recently for appointing the first woman beefeater for 522 years. Well done, Moira, I salute you.

Floating my boat

When I was 13 I remember taking my first trip along the Thames to the Tower of London with my impossibly miserable (even compared to me) French exchange. Nothing made her happy. But I adored the boat trip, and it's one of the first times I remember thinking how great London is. Since then I've tramped up and down the Thames in London on a regular basis - from Thames Ditton through to Greenwich by foot - between Teddington and Kew is gorgeous; around Limehouse on the north bank, and Rotherhithe on the south bank is magical. I didn't realise until I moved to the gritty penthouse earlier this year how much the river bends. A good disruptor of the north/south divide argument.

There are loads of ways of playing on the thames which I haven't yet done but would like to. The trips around Kingston and Hampton Court look great. The tate-to-tate boat (ok, I've done that one lots but would happily do it again and again). The boat to the new O2 dome, which I'd also like to see. Oh and also those Rib boats which tear up and down the river, for any time when speed is what you're looking for.

But as I found out not so long ago, Regents Canal is another waterway that snakes its way through the city - and one that I've explored much less. Really want to go on this - a mercifully commentary free trip (if I want to know, I can read) offered by the London Waterbus company. They even do a day-long trip through 12 locks...

Actually, more reasons to go to Hammersmith

As I was writing about the Lyric, I kept on thinking of other things that are good about Hammersmith. So before I write the whole place off, other things I like about the place:

Riverside Studios. Great double bills on sundays. nice bar overlooking the river, that is much less crowded than some of the manky, chip-stinking, toff-stuffed pubs further down. I've always wanted to live near somewhere like this - art, film, music, good coffee - mmm yes please

The walk from Hammersmith Bridge (which actually I really like too, nice and green) down towards Barnes. Pretty pretty.

The Polish Cultural Centre. Great food, a lot of vodka and tends to stay open pretty late. bring it on.

The vintage fashion fairs put on at the bunker-like town hall every now and then. I fantasise about being one of those people who know what to buy at these things; sadly, I just tend to wander around paralysed by the fear of wanting everything and knowing nothing.

So - more reasons to hang out in Hammersmith than Bromley then. Hardly a ringing endorsement but not bad, given I'm generally a bit allergic to west London...

Kew Gardens

How have I never been here? Something to rectify asap I think.

Rye

Queen's best 1970s song was about this place, loads of inter-war arty lesbians lived here, so it's clearly a place I'm going to like. A total pig to get to, but once there it's kind of fun. Very near Camber Sands, which has a cool hotel and fantastically sandy beaches with excellent dunes which you can hide and snog in.

Box Hill

Well if it was good enough for Jane Austen's characters, it's good enough for me. Great views, and less than an hour from Victoria.

Groombridge Place

Although I got rave reviews from M about this place (he went to a wedding there) I won't hold that against it, as it does sound cool. It's near Tunbridge Wells in Kent (another strike against it, but again... let it go...), and is the most fantastic stately home with the usual amazing manicured gardens. And an enchanted forest, says the website. According to my friend T, it was bought by a wealthy American, which is what saved it from going to ruin, and for some reason that's been lost in the mists of time, it is a detour for the people who participate in the vintage car rally that happens every year...