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Merry Christmas to MOAMG readers: Find out the best of London over Christmas
Just a short blog post to wish Memoirs of a Metro Girl readers a Merry Christmas. Hope you get to spend time with your loved ones and ignoring your diet for a few days and enjoying some good food and drink.
This year, I am taking the rare step to actually leave London for Christmas. It will be strange as I always look forward to the city being so quiet after the mass exodus – this year I will be part of said exodus.
To those people staying in London for the festive period – or perhaps you’re a visitor coming to the capital for Christmas – here’s a few ideas of what’s on around town. Of course, most things are closed on Christmas Day.
– Visit the Winterfest light festival at Wembley Park.
– Check out the last few weeks of Olafur Eliasson’s interactive art exhibition @ Tate Modern.
– Follow the Snowman sculpture trail in London Bridge.
– Watch a festive film on ice at Big Screen on Ice at QUEENS.
– Enjoy the contemporary art at the Sculpture in the City exhibition in the City of London.
– Go skating on one of London’s outdoor ice rinks.
– Find out where London’s festive terraces, pop-ups and Christmas cocktails are.
– Check out one of London’s pantomimes, ballets and Christmas shows.
Wishing all readers of Memoirs of a Metro Girl a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
See you on the other side of the decade!
Metro Girl
x
P.S. Or if you’re ready for January 2020, find out what’s on in London then.
Happy New Year! A look back on blogging in 2018
Memoirs Of A Metro Girl’s #2018bestnine on Instagram
Happy New Year! In the last few days of 2018, many of us have been taking stock of what has happened in the past 12 months. I’m definitely ready for a new year to begin, although with some trepidation with how Brexit will change the UK and our economy.
I’ve been able to devote a lot more time to my blog this year so have enjoyed delving into some history of some lesser known London buildings. Going forward with my blog in 2019, expect to see more restaurant and bar reviews, history pieces, what’s on guide and more exploring of my hometown.
Wishing all my readers a very Happy New Year and see you in 2019 for more London adventures.
Metro Girl
P.S. If you still haven’t sorted your New Year’s Eve plans, check out my guide on where to see in 2019.
Merry Christmas to MOAMG readers and some tips if you’re staying in London
Wishing all Memoirs Of A Metro Girl readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
I would just like to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas wherever you will be. As usual, it will be another traditional Christmas with my family in my hometown of London.
For those who are staying in the capital over the festive period, here’s a few ideas of things to do:
– Bring the family – or relive your childhood – at The Snowman Experience at Winter Wonderland.
– Sip on a Christmas cocktail from one of these London bars and festive pop-ups.
– Or if you fancy a spot of ice-skating at one of London’s many pop-up rinks, check out where to go here.
– For a guide to what’s on in London this Christmas, click here.
– Why not check out some of the capital’s Christmas lights and decorations.
– Or if you need some ideas of how to see in the New Year, click here.
See you in 2019 for more London fun and frolics!
Metro Girl
Happy Christmas to my readers (and a few tips if you’re staying put in the capital)
Wishing all Memoirs Of A Metro Girl readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Wishing readers of Memoirs Of A Metro Girl a Happy Christmas
Wow, what a year! Here we are again, it’s Christmas Eve and we’re all ready for some down time to relax. If you are working over Christmas, I feel your pain, I’ve worked Christmas Day before and it’s tough working while getting major FOMO.
It’s that time of year when London gets the quietest it can. A mass exodus leaves the capital’s population dramatically shrunken with many bars, restaurants and shops closing up for days. I was out having Christmas drinks with some friends last night and was loving how quiet it was and easy to get a seat everywhere we went.
Wishing all my readers a merry Christmas and hope you’re having a good one wherever you are. I’ll be having another London Christmas as usual, still no white one is sight.
If you’re staying in the capital over the festive period, here’s a few things on around town if you do venture out:
- Try a spot of ice-skating on one of the capital’s pop-up ice rinks, including one on a rooftop with a view of London’s skyline, Skylight.
- Get merry this Christmas with a festive cocktail from one of these London bars.
- For a general guide to what’s on in December, check out this post.
- Party with Santa’s naughty elves with live music, winter warmers, street food and more at the South Pole Saloon.
- Start planning your New Year’s Eve with my Metro Girl’s guide to the best parties in town.
See you in 2018 for more exploring the capital!
Metro Girl
Happy New Year! A look back on Metro Girl’s 2016 of blogging
Here’s to a sparkling new year
Happy New Year! It’s that time of year when we look back and reflect on the past 12 months. Well, it goes without saying that 2016 is going to be one year that stands out in the history books years from now. The huge volume of celebrity deaths, the shock Brexit and Trump results, among other events, have provided plenty of things to talk, lament and worry about.
In terms of my blog, it has continued to grow and the feedback and engagement I get from my audience is encouraging. Every new year since I launched MOAMG back in 2012, I wonder how long I can keep my blog going. Well for now, I am still enjoying it as much as ever and documenting my exploration of my hometown so expect plenty more posts in 2017.
Taking my listings guides out of the equation, here’s Metro Girl’s most popular blog posts of 2016.
- Artist Julian Opie creates new permanent artwork for Carnaby as Lumiere London kicks off
- Revisit the romance and energy of Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo + Juliet with Backyard Cinema
- Beyond The Waterfall: Take a boat trip to a magical cocktail bar at Westfield London this Christmas
- Trade Union review: London’s most versatile day and night destination opens in Wapping
- St Katharine Docks: A hidden oasis in the centre of London
Wishing all my readers a very Happy New Year and see you in 2017 for more London adventures.
Love Metro Girl
Hills, pasteis and ginjinha | Explore the many charms of lovely Lisbon
Review: A mini break in Portugal’s capital, with highlights and tips.
Torre de Belem, the 16th century fortress in the seaside suburb of Belem
Sorry Barcelona, I think you may have lost your place as my favourite city in Europe. After seeing some fabulous Insta-photos of Lisbon over the past year, I finally booked a break in the Portuguese capital. Outside peak times, you can get incredibly cheap flights to Lisbon with Easyjet and Ryanair, while hotels in Lisbon offer very good value compared to most Western European capitals.
The ruins of the 14th century Convento do Carmo, damaged in the 1755 earthquake
Lisbon is a compact city, spread across seven hills overlooking the River Tejo. As a result, you’ll find many stairs, elevators and funinculars to help you get up and down the different levels. Many tourists opt to stay in the neighbouring old districts of Baixa or Rossio. We used Air BnB to find a three-bedroom apartment in the Mouraria region, with two balconies giving views of the Castello and Martim. We were just one flight of stairs away from Praça Martim Moniz, where we could pick up the historic 28 tram and or it was a few minutes walk to the lovely Rossio square.
During your time in Lisbon, you’ll expect to rely on various modes of transport to get you up and down the many hills. We rode the Ascensor da Gloria, a funicular railway line which connects Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto. It was a tight squeeze on the tram car as it climbed the steep slope, passing by the houses and street art. Just near the car stop is the Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara, a small park with great views of Lisbon. A short walk in the neighbouring Chiado district are the stunning ruins of the Convento do Carmo (Carmo Convent). Built in 1389, it was significantly damaged by the 1755 earthquake. Today, what’s left of the Convent – walls, columns and other monuments – is open to the public as a museum. Meanwhile, not far from the Convento is the Elevador de Santa Justa, an neo-Gothic street elevator built in 1902 connecting the lower streets with Carmo. Unfortunately, when I was visiting it was partially covered in scaffolding for maintenance so I didn’t get to see the full beauty of the designs. Read the rest of this entry
Happy New Year! A look back on Metro Girl’s 2015 of blogging
Happy New Year! It’s at this time of year that a lot of us look back and reflect on the past 12 months. I’ve been doing the same and looking back over all my London discoveries and adventures this year. I would like to thank all the people who have read, shared and commented on my posts this year. I blog on the side of a demanding full-time job so admittedly it is very tricky at times to juggle both. It is down to your feedback and response which spurs me on when I have moments where I think I don’t have time to do both.
Taking my listings guides out of the equation, here’s Metro Girl’s most popular blog posts of 2015.
1) Lose your head in a good book: False Ceiling at Leadenhall Market.
2) Nice to see ewe: Follow the Shaun In The City trails around London.
3) Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings review: Brunch and bottomless cocktails… what’s not to love?
4) Open House London 2015: Highlights and advice on how to make the most of the weekend.
5) St Bartholomew’s Gatehouse: A rare survivor of 16th century London.
Wishing all my readers a very Happy New Year and see you in 2016 for more London adventures.
Love Metro Girl
Wishing readers of Memoirs Of A Metro Girl a Merry Christmas
Wishing all MOAMG readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Would just like to wish all my readers a very Merry Christmas wherever you will be. As for me, it will be another traditional London Christmas with my family (have given up expecting to see a white one in my lifetime!).
For those who are staying in the capital over the festive period, here’s a few ideas of things to do:
– Visit the London Eye for a special festive adventure above the capital with Christmas cocktails or skate in their pop-up ice rink.
– Sip on a festive cocktail from one of these London bars.
– Or if you fancy a spot of ice-skating at one of London’s many pop-up rinks, check out where to go here.
– For a what’s on guide to what’s on in London this Christmas, click here.
– Or if you need some ideas of how to see in the New Year, click here.
See you in 2016 for more London fun and frolics!
Metro Girl
Happy New Year! Metro Girl looks back on blogging in 2014
Seeing London from The Shard at a Silent Disco was the most popular post this year
Yes, it’s that time of year again when most of us reflect on the past 12 months. Personally, 2014 was one of my best years in… well years and I hope 2015 will equal it. No doubt there will be many more restaurants and bars to review, history to discover and festivals to party at. Memoirs Of A Metro Girl has really grown in 2014, having over doubled my traffic in the past six months so I’m grateful to all the readers that have taken the time to read and share my posts.
Taking my listings guides out of the equation, here’s Metro Girl’s most popular blog posts on 2014.
1) Silent Disco at View From The Shard: Shaking your booty at 800ft
2) Secret Cinema presents Back To The Future review: Great Scott, I’ve gone back to 1955!
3) Swiss glockenspiel in Leicester Square: The last survivor of the Swiss Centre
4) Who do you sphinx you are? The history behind the camel and sphinx benches on Victoria Embankment
5) Duck & Waffle review: A pretty fabulous brunch on the 40th floor
Wishing all my readers a very Happy New Year and see you in 2015 for more London adventures.
Love Metro Girl
Happy 1st Birthday to Memoirs Of A Metro Girl
Memoirs Of A Metro Girl turns one today!
One year ago today, I finally made a long-held fantasy of becoming a blogger a reality. I’ve worked in the media, and more specifically online, for over a decade and was eager to fulfil my passion for my other interests outside work. Anyone who has read my blog, won’t take long to realise I’m a vehemently proud and patriotic Londoner. I had an amazing childhood in the city, am loving working and playing here during my career years… and health and finances permitting, hope to retire here too. This blog has made me find out more about the city I live in and has inspired me to utilise my free time more.
Over the past 12 months, I’ve reached many milestones, have had thousands of hits and am currently at over 200 Twitter followers. I really appreciate all the support of my readers by sharing, retweeting and ‘liking’ my posts. However, I am still striving to grow my blog and reach even more readers, so if you like what you see, please tell your friends, family and colleagues about MOAMG.
Here’s my top five most popular blog posts of the past year:
Follow the Wenlocks: Olympic discovery trails around London. August 2012
Can lampposts be fashionable? The myth of the Coco Chanel street lights. February 2013
Rock ‘n’ rollin’ at the Rivoli: Jive Party at a 1950s ballroom. November 2012
Inside out: A rare chance to step inside the Lloyd’s Building at Open House. September 2012
Ooh la la! Crazy Horse cabaret comes to London with Forever Crazy. October 2012
Thanks for the continued support.
A Metro Girl in London
Memoirs Of A Metro Girl 