We decided to go to Dans le Noir? after a friend’s recommendation. The concept is quite simple really – you have your dinner in complete darkness where you are guided and served by blind people. The reality is really not that simple.
© Black?
All Hallows’ Eve is approaching, time to get dressed up and spooked out. What better way to get close to someone than when you’re petrified or drinking a novelty Halloween cocktail. Trick or treat you date to London’s best original Halloween nights, and to save you the research we’ve got the list right here. Read on for our top Halloween 2013 date ideas in London.
One of The London Date Guide’s favourite London shows, Faulty Towers Dining Experience is celebrating the first birthday of their London West End residency!
This globe-trotting show featuring Basil, Sybil and Manuel opened in London’s West End last October, immediately selling out and winning five-star reviews. And now it’s celebrating its first birthday at Charing Cross with a whole month of special events and surprises. If you fancy seeing the show between 1 October and 21 December 2013 you can save £5 per ticket by simply quoting HAPPYBIRTHDAYBASIL when booking. We also have a competition to win a pair of tickets to see the show, read on!
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I’ve been slightly cynical about the Shard since it’s been open. Believing it to be over-priced and over-hyped I’d resisted going up. This came to an end last weekend when my date insisted we go up to one of the bars for one drink to see the view.
Chocolate Week is upon us once again! You can discover chocolate as you’ve never tasted it before with Chocolate Week events at Gaucho restaurants across the UK from 14th – 20th October 2013.
Gaucho’s Chocolate Week events combine the British love of chocolate with Argentina’s renowned beef and Malbec to create a series of memorable and delectable dining experiences for guests. This includes complimentary Malbec chocolates for all diners, Malbec and Chocolate Masterclasses, Chocolate Cocktail Evenings and an innovative Chocolate Week Menu.
In my humble opinion, the sign of a good first date is longevity and if you get a kiss at the end of it. Sure this may be a base way of looking at it but once you’ve grown bored of the box ticking and the social analysis, all that matters on a first date is two things: Do you get on? And, do you fancy them? The rest can wait till next time.
Last night was one of the best nights I’ve had in London for ages. Fact.
Having booked tickets to see the Book of Mormon months ago, I was thrilled to realise this week that the blessed day had finally arrived.
This light and airy cafe sits in the super swanky Inter Continental Hotel on Park Lane. As soon as you walk through the doors to this 5* hotel you feel like you’re somewhere special. Strolling through this decadent hotel to the back we arrived at the Cookbook Cafe where we were greeted by the friendly wait staff who promptly seated us.
I have been wanting to see this show ever since its burst into theatreland in 2011. Luckily I ended up coming to see it on a date a few weeks ago and it was definitely worth the wait. It’s been a runaway hit ever since it started in the National Theatre and though it’s changed theatres, it’s never stopped its run.
We’re lucky that London’s West End offers some of the best theatre productions in the world so you really have no excuse not to see some shows while you’re living here. There are a lot to choose from though and if you’re thinking of taking your date to one but don’t know where to start then we’ve listed our tops pics – we can guarantee that none of these will leave you disappointed…
I’d heard great things about Matilda so I was absolutely delighted to be surprised on one recent date with tickets to go see it!
As soon as I walked into the theatre, I knew it was going to be a fun show. Blackboards with pictures and witty remarks adorn the walls as you walk up the staircase and in the bar. We decided to make the most of this and enjoyed a drink in the bar before the show.
Though I’m not a vegetarian I tend to prefer dishes that don’t include meat so I was delighted to be taken to Vanilla Black for Valentines Day, a Michelin recommended vegetarian restaurant near Chancery Lane.
This restaurant is seriously well hidden – despite using my iPhone and following Google maps we ended up going in a big circle and taking multiple wrong turns so we turned up a little late for our booking. We were warmly welcomed though when we finally arrived and given a choice of tables. This place is sophisticated but understated class, with stylish yet muted décor and romantic low lighting.
It’s almost here…the big V Day. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
We realise that Valentine’s Day can be pretty expensive and you feel forced to splash out on cliched dinners, trendy bars or top shows. It doesn’t help either that all the above have been known to hike up their prices for Valentine’s Day as they know people will pay for it. But here at LDG we love a bit of Valentines and we know that most of you will be looking for something a bit different. Here are just a few thoughts for you to mull over…
Being brought to One New Change shopping centre near St. Paul’s on a date left me feeling a bit sceptical about how successful this evening was going to turn out as it is quite a sterile area and the city not being my favourite area of London. Luckily, I was brought here for good reason – to come to Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen.
I have to admit that I didn’t know much about Kennington before I was brought here on a date other than most of the shops are estate agents, but trust me, it’s got some great pubs.
We started our date at the cosy Prince of Wales pub in leafy Cleaver Square. As soon as I came in I felt like I was in a countryside village pub as it was quiet, snug and has that rural quality about it. As the weather was good, we spent most of our time sitting outside enjoying the autumn sunshine. I especially liked the little touches in this pub like the flower pots sitting on the window ledges and Victorian adverts on the wall.
Voted the most romantic restaurant in London by The Times, romance is very the theme of this restaurant.
Set in on corner of the historically rich Bleeding Heart Yard, the restaurant is part of the Bleeding Heart collection of eateries. Walking downstairs to the historic oak panelled dining room, we were immediately impressed by the décor and warm candlelight. The restaurant has a cosy atmosphere and is filled with lovely little touches which added to the ambience, such as the heart painted onto the butter, and the heart stencilled onto the window.
Perched at the top of the Hilton on Park Lane, Galvin at Windows is nothing short of stunning.
You’ll start your evening in one of the futuristic lifts which will whisk you up 28 floors in a matter of seconds.
Tipped as one of London’s most romantic restaurants, in the heart of the west end in busy covent garden, Clos Maggiores is a sanctuary of romance and calm.
I was taken here on a date and I have to admit, when I first saw the beautiful conservatory, I was pretty awestruck. Split into two different decors, Clos Maggiores starts with a dark, wooden, Edwardian feel to it which although it interesting, is nothing compared to the magic of ivy and twinkling fairy lights in the conservatory.
Famed as being the oldest restaurant in London, Rules is hidden on a backstreet behind Covent Garden market.
As soon as you enter, you’ll notice the warm and wonderfully old-fashioned atmosphere, not to mention the professionalism of the staff. Though impressive at all times of the year, it’s at Christmas that Rules has that special buzz about it when it’s decked out in old-fashioned Christmas fayre.
