Although, there is a limited number of walk-ins every day, advance timeslot booking recommended to avoid disappointment.
‘Let It Go’!
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Disney pop up experience is an annual tradition in Covent Garden. Sadly, we had to survive last year was without theatre shows, so naturally, there was no Disney experience either.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
That’s why this year’s pop us is bigger and better than ever because this “is a much-needed dose of fun where guests can enjoy the craft and beauty of our productions.” – said Fiona Pearce, marketing director at Disney Theatrical.
‘Be Our Guest’
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The experience is free for everyone to walk around and enjoy the behind the scenes of Disney Theatrical Productions’ timeless shows.
You will see original costumes, props, and puppets from The Lion King, Aladdin, Mary Poppins, Beauty and the Beast, and the highly anticipated upcoming show, Frozen (the musical is launching this August).
There are plenty of photo opportunities to shine on your Insta, interactive games and workshops, PLUS special events not to be missed.
‘Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance.’
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Lots of different techniques are used to create a range of fabric and costumes for the shows. Digital printing, weaving, beading, embroidery and tie-dying just to name a few.
Here are some mind-blowing facts about the shows:
There are more than 232 puppets in The Lion King
There are 22 hand-beaded corsets, each of them consists of thousands of individually sewn beads in The Lion King
More than 40,000 Swarovski Crystals make Elsa’s Ice Palace sparkle
In Frozen, 75 wigs are used during show nightly
It took 41 days for a person to bead Elsa’s Ice Dress
154 costumes are on stage during the show, Frozen
Ready for your next adventure? Visit London Wonderground, a Summer Playground with comedy shows, modern circus, dinosaur world, vintage rides, city beach, outdoor bars and much more.
Being promoted by such A-listers like Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, Planet Hollywood is a world-famous dining and entertaining spot in the heart of London.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Since located in West-End theatre district, they have a special “Pre-Theatre Menu” available when you book it through an on-line theatre and meal deal.
The Ambiance
A life-sized Terminator statue welcomes you on your arrival.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The walls are decorated with props and costumes from famous blockbusters such as Star Wars or James Bond.
The venue is airy and comfortable, not overcrowded with too many tables and chairs.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Large screens show interviews and trailers of upcoming movies to keep you entertained while sipping your movie themed cocktail.
Don’t forget to head up the stairs to see the wall of handprints and signatures. Place your hand over the handprints of such legends like Silvester Stallone or George Clooney and have fun with comparing the size of your hands.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
Private Hire
There are three themed rooms to be private hired.
Bond Room
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The 007 themed room is decorated with impressive props from famous Bond movies, such as Goldeneye, Live and Let Die and Moonraker.
Union Jack carpet, kaleidoscopic walls with famous hands created exclusively for Planet Hollywood London. The British Room plays tribute to the legends of British cinema, and TV legend memorabilia from Love Actually and Chariots of Fire just to name a few.
Swimming pool design carpet and diving board tables. This is the Cabanas Beach Bar themed room from where you can enjoy perfect view across the entire venue.
The Food
I tried Teriyaki Grilled Salmon with white rice and vegetables. The presentation was beautiful, the salmon was super tasty, and the vegetables were fresh and crunchy.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
My dessert was a White Chocolate Bread Pudding. This dessert was served hot with mouth-watering vanilla ice cream, bourbon sauce and whipped cream. Yummy!
Photo: Urban Adventurer
I couldn’t resist the legendary Chocolate Comet Supernova Shake and regret nothing. It looked just like in those photos on social media and was just as delicious as it looked.
Photo: Urban Adventurer
The waitress who served me was super friendly and the service was quick and efficient.
Had a great time there. Thank you, Planet Hollywood! I’ll be back.
After spending half of the Summer in lockdown, it’s time to hit the city again.
Here are 11 activities after lockdown you don’t want to miss.
The Little Mermaid Cocktail Experience
Source: pexels
Venue: Secret London Venue
When: Various times on Thursdays-Sundays from September (select date during booking)
Age restriction: 18+ with valid ID
Dress code: Casual but costumes and fancy-dresses are very welcome
Duration: Approx. 90 minutes
Theatrical cocktail experience in a secret London venue transformed into a stunning underwater world.
Deep dive into the world of old fairy tales and let yourself immerse into the mystical world of mermaids. Discover the hidden cave with glimmering pearls and uncover secrets and solve mysteries.
When: Various from 5 July to 31 July 2020 (find schedule here)
Age restriction: Please, check the certification of the movie you want to see
Runtime: Approx. 2 hours
Enjoy a contact-free movie magic on a 40-foot screen. Tons of movies to choose from. From Pixar Animation films to superhero movies to heart-warming timeless classics. All from the comfort of your vehicle. Order your food and drink online and enjoy a delivery service straight to your car.
When: Various dates from 20 July to 9 Nov | MONDAYS ONLY
Time: Start from 6pm
Age restriction: 18+
Dress code: Face paint & neon accessories provided
Duration: Approx. 1 hour
UV lights, reactive body paint and various music will help you to get into the groove at Queen of Hoxton disco room on every Monday. Cool face paint and glowing accessories provided. NO EXPERIENCE necessary.
When: Various dates and times from 4 July to 30 Dec
Duration: Approx. 2 hours
Age restriction: 18+ with valid ID
DUO London’s best bartenders will show you step-by-step how to make 5-star 100% Insta-worthy cocktails. You will make 2 Instagrammable cocktails, 2 of DUO shooters, plus you will receive a welcome drink on your arrival.
If it’s not enough, the best mixologist of the day will take home a small prize.
NOTE: Seating is unreserved. You can find a seat on first come first serve basis.
Celebrating the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great organist Luis Vierne (1870-1937), St Paul’s Cathedral is featuring six symphonies organ recitals under the Dome of the Cathedral.
Go behind the scenes and explore the design and process of the most innovative sneakers from 3D printed to self-lacing to 100% recyclable. Discover brands and style icons that have shaped sneakers scene such as Nike, Puma or Adidas, and meet the newest releases such as MSCHF Studio’s ‘Jesus Shoes’.
The Dumpling Fest is dedicated to Asian delicacy and will bring 8 stations with local food traders, tons of dumpling samples, a world-class pop up bar and top-notch London DJs. Make sure your tray is always full.
Where: Start at Hackney City Farm and end on Brick Lane
When: Play from Tuesdays to Sundays between 11am to 4pm
Duration: 2-4 hours
NOTE: Smartphone with Internet access needed to play the game
13 riddles are waiting to be solved, each of them are local secret or curious story. As you play, colourful hidden gems will be revealed and wonders of Brick Lane will be explored.
Play in group of up to 5 people or solve all the mysteries on your own.
A night to remember the late Amy Winehouse and her legacy. Enjoy Amy’s heart-touching music from her Frank & Back to Black albums performed with a talented live band.
St Katharine Docks welcomes vessels from all over the world since the 10th century, when King Edgar decided to reward his 13 knights with lands. Those lands later became St Katharine Dock.
The History
In the 18th century Merchant William Vaughn lobbied to increase the dock’s capacity to be able to import more goods.
In 1836 the St Katharine Docks was redesigned and become able to handle more goods faster then any other sites in the world.
An additional warehouse was built in 1858, called the “i”. This warehouse is what we call Ivy House today.
In 1940 St Katharine Dock becomes famous by its valuable cargos such as wine, tea, perfume, indigo, spices, marble and more.
Interesting Facts
In 1985 Earnie Wise made the first mobile phone call with a 5KG Vodfone VT from St Katherine Docks, outside the Dickens Inn.
In 1999 the first river boat service arrived at St Katherine Piers and the Docks further built its reputation by becoming an elegant dining spot.
Today
Today St Katharine Dock is a hidden gem and a heart-warming contrast of the nearby attractions.
Walking through the maze of the dock admiring the old and new ships and yachts and discover the nearby cozy restaurants and bars is a great way the spend the day.
What to Do
From coffee with friend to dining with family to late night shopping, St Katherine Docks offers plenty of choices to spend your free time.
The Docks offer regular events and experiences throughout the year, for example, you can go behind the scenes to see how Dock Masters spend an average day, if you’re a boat or yacht owner, you can get help to prepare for winter or explore Lady Daphne, the most famous of London’s classic wooden barges still sailing.
Privileges
Psst…there are plenty of special offers around. You can apply for an SKD Privilege Card and get discounts from nearby shops and restaurants if you’re living or working around St Katharine Docks or a boat owner.
The Dickens Inn
On your visit, don’t forget to stop for a craft beer and a traditional fish & chips at The Dickens Inn.
The Dickens Inn is a traditional English pub that was restyled and reconstructed from an 18th century warehouse.
Interesting fact: the pub was opened in 1976 by Cedric Charles Dickens, grandson of the famous author Charles Dickens. He said: “My great grandfather would have loved this pub.”
The Medieval Banquet
The gates of The Medieval Banquet simply cannot be missed: two life-sized armours are guarding the gates, and it’s irresistible to take a selfie with them.
The Medieval Banquet is famous for their immersive medieval theatre-dining experiences.
You can even hire costumes and pretend you’re a royal guest, a wench or a knight just returned from the battlefield.
Travel back in time and find yourself in the days of kings, queens and knights. Dance with a unicorn or let acrobats entertain you. Just don’t pretend you’re not hungry. (wink)
See St Katharine Docks in full Christmas glory and learn about Gloriana The Queen’s Rowbarge, built for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
We stuck at home during COVID-19 lockdown. Many of us living alone and running out of things to do at home.
By now we have deep cleaned the whole flat, re-organised our stamp, coin and anime figurine collections and watched a ton of movies.
So, what now?
I collected 12 cool things to keep yourself entertained while self-isolated. All FREE.
1. Participate in Composing Contest
Tarento Productions is running a contest: ‘A Song for Our Time’. Participants have to compose an original song to be recorded by West End stars and a virtual choir.
Anyone can participate with any background.
The winner song will be chosen by Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown.
Although the deadline is a bit tight, why not give it a go?
The Getty Museum in Los Angeles challenge their Twitter followers to choose 3 things at home and recreate a famous artwork using those 3 items only, and share the photos with them on Twitter.
Find an artwork – a Romanian sculpture or a famous painting – recreate it and have fun: http://www.getty.edu/art/
To help creative people inspired and engaged with photography, Nikon has made ALL of their online photography courses for FREE for the entire month of April.
Normally those courses cost between $15-$50. Each class are held by professional photographers to give in-depth knowledge of the best practices from landscape photography to children photography.
8. Take Swing Dance Lessons and Blend Your Own Cocktail
Cahoots is an underground themed bar, bringing their visitors for a time travel to the 1940s. While the bar is closed, they cannot serve you their delicious signature cocktails, like Vera Linn but they still can show you how to prepare the homemade version of them.
Step into Tutankhamun’s tomb and enjoy the London exhibition virtually on YouTube. While the exhibition is closed till the end of April, they created an amazing virtual tour video to showcase the best parts of the exhibition.
Amblin Entertainment has collected more than 100 videos of Oscar Galas from the past five decades. Watch the best moments of Jurassic Park, E.T., Jaws and Gladiator stars winning Oscar.
12. Go for Virtual Tour to NASA, Van Gogh Museum or San Diego Zoo
No need to step outside. Visit the best museums, galleries, zoos and more online. Go for an incredible virtual tour to Van Gogh Museum to Netherlands, take a look into the animals’ everyday lives in the San Diego Zoo or go extra-terrestrial tour and visit NASA.
Last chance to dive into the magical world of Disney in 21 Long Acre, Covent Garden. The FREE Disney Summer Pop Up exhibition showcases the extraordinary masks and costumes from The Lion King and Mary Poppins West End musicals, you can pose with Aladdin’s magic lamp, play retro Aladdin games and enjoy a Frozen ‘Let it go’ photo experience. Join the bite-size interactive introduction of the masks, puppets and costumes on display, and learn interesting secrets about theatre costume making.
Kids can participate in workshops every day, while both kids and grown-ups have a chance to try the “Circle of Life” virtual experience on weekdays.
Meet the Artists of the Most Famous West End Musicals: Aladdin & The Lion King
If it is still not enough, you can meet the actors and actresses of West End musicals: Aladdin and The Lion King (see schedule and availability here). Enjoy a LIVE performance, get a FREE poster and have a chance to get autographs and photo with the artists.
Hurry up! The exhibition closes on 1st September!
Click here to find detailed information about the exhibition.
The newest Godzilla adaption has finally rumbled into the cinemas, but the film divides the audience. If you google it, you will find rates from two stars to four stars. I suppose this is because Godzilla is one of the many films people only can love or hate. (I personally like it very much. How about you?)
Dr. Ishiro Serizawa (Ken Watanabe) is one of the few characters who return from 2014’s Godzilla for Godzilla – The King of Monsters. Watanabe gives one of the most powerful performances in the film, especially at the very end (no spoiler here!). Watch movie trailer.
About Ken Watanabe
Ken Watanabe is a well-known Japanese actor. You most likely know him as Katsumoto from The Last Samurai or the Chairman from Memories of a Geisha. If you’re living in London, you have probably heard about one of the most successful theatre plays last year: The King and I.
Well, The King and I was the Oscar-nominated actor, Ken Watanabe’s first theatre play. The play became so successful that after the performance session had ended, The King and I was played in cinemas all over the UK.
Here in London, we are lucky enough to meet such actors like Ken Watanabe personally if we are ambitious enough and invest a little time and energy into it. (wink)
Here is my story.
Since I am a huge fan of Ken Watanabe, I decided to give it a chance and went to London Palladium’s back door to meet him and his partner in the play: Kelli O’Hara. I arrived at the theatre around 9:00 pm. The performance ended at 9:30 pm but the earlier you arrive the better chance you have for an autograph and (maybe) a selfie.
Important: If you want an autograph from a well-known artist at a theatre, you have to purchase a program book beforehand (it usually costs £5) because they sign nothing else, but the program book and the tickets related to the actual show. If you just want a selfie, don’t worry about the book, though. Please, keep in mind, however, that not every actor and actress are happy to take selfies. Please, be understanding with them.
I was waiting at the back door for a good half an hour with another 50 or so fellow fans. Finally, the cast appeared. Ken Watanabe looked quite worn out, but he was still happy to take selfies with his fans and give autographs.He even thanked me to come (what a gentleman!)
Later that Summer he also appeared for a Q&A at HYPER JAPAN Festival.
Kelli O’Hara was likewise friendly. She smiled all the time; she greeted her fans and was happy to take selfies.
Takao Osawa, who is a very famous actor in Japan, wasn’t that willing. He seemed just wanted to disappear silently, but his efforts to escape from the scene without being noticed produced the funniest moment in that evening. Actor Osawa just tried to dissolve into the crowd but his Japanese fan girls spotted him immediately and literary started to run after him, chasing him till the end of the theatre building, screaming. Osawa seemed didn’t want to believe he had been recognised, so he made a few more attempts to escape until he finally found himself totally be surrounded by screaming girls.
Going to the back doors of theatres in the middle of the night and waiting for your favourite celebrity sometimes can really turn into an unexpected adventure as you will see it in my next blog post, which will be about meeting Tom Hiddleston. Sometimes it turns into a funny situation with a happy ending, sometimes it turns to disappointment. One thing is for sure: it will become a memory for a lifetime.
Ready for your next adventure? Follow me for more tips, adventures and first-hand stories.
Signature from Ken Watanabe
Signature from Kelli OHara
Selfie with Ken Watanabe
Selfie with Kelli O'Hara - Copy
The King and I - London Palladium
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