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152 | DESTINATION GUIDES<br />
London<br />
UK<br />
The Old Queen’s Head’s<br />
delightfully named “Pimp<br />
my Chocolate” range,<br />
with a choice of biscuits,<br />
marshmallows and<br />
caramel, plus Baileys,<br />
whisky or a fl avoured<br />
liqueur. This pub is also a<br />
super live music venue,<br />
and features pub quizzes<br />
every Tuesday and<br />
comedy nights too.<br />
LIVE MUSIC<br />
Ronnie Scott’s (47 Frith<br />
Street, W1, tel: 020 7439<br />
0747) This iconic jazz bar<br />
guarantees an excellent<br />
night’s entertainment,<br />
and throughout the<br />
festive period opens its<br />
doors at lunchtime too.<br />
Sit back and relax with<br />
a warming bourbon<br />
while listening to artists<br />
including Joe Stilgoe and<br />
Natalie Williams (7–9<br />
December) and Ray<br />
Gelato and The Giants<br />
(14th–19th, 21st–23rd<br />
and 28th–30th).<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Corbet Place (The<br />
Old Truman Brewery,<br />
Hanbury Street, E1, tel:<br />
020 7770 6028) Come<br />
here for lively Latin<br />
nights on Wednesdays<br />
and Thursdays, and<br />
a top range of DJs at<br />
the weekend. Why not<br />
pop along midweek to<br />
admire the dancers and<br />
have a go at polishing<br />
your steps in an early<br />
class, too? Thursday<br />
is Brazilian Forro night<br />
and the front and back<br />
terraces serve up<br />
delicious, authentic<br />
pastels (Brazilian<br />
pastries) – the perfect<br />
fuel paired with<br />
a caiparinha to give you<br />
the energy to dance all<br />
night long.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Covent Garden<br />
is a prime area for a little<br />
High Street shopping<br />
in the city, but at this<br />
time of year, the Piazza<br />
is the perfect place to<br />
pick up last-minute<br />
Christmas presents.<br />
With the harmonies<br />
of Christmas carolers<br />
as your soundtrack,<br />
browse the stalls and<br />
the Real Food Market for<br />
gourmet treats for the<br />
big day. And, if you need<br />
any more incentive,<br />
there’s also a children’s<br />
workshop and an<br />
exciting light installation.<br />
WINTER<br />
WONDERLAND<br />
GO Winter<br />
Wonderland in Hyde<br />
Park boasts London’s<br />
largest ice rink, a<br />
German Christmas<br />
Market, Santa’s Grotto<br />
and, new for this year,<br />
Zippo’s Christmas<br />
Circus (open<br />
10am–10pm, until<br />
3 January, winter<br />
wonderland.com).<br />
www.studioedge.co.uk<br />
SEE This Christmas,<br />
head to the Southbank<br />
Centre and see Sandi<br />
Toksvig’s Christmas<br />
Cracker – a variety<br />
performance held<br />
from 15–24 December.<br />
A host of big-name<br />
acts are due to<br />
perform, including<br />
Ronnie Corbett, for<br />
this hilarious, festive<br />
singalong featuring<br />
parodies of famous<br />
Christmas tales,<br />
including A Christmas<br />
Carol (southbank<br />
centre.co.uk).<br />
ESCAPE Rub<br />
shoulders with the<br />
next generation of<br />
world leaders and<br />
revolutionary scientists<br />
in Cambridge, about<br />
50 minutes away from<br />
the capital by train<br />
or car. Visit the iconic<br />
university buildings,<br />
enjoy a brisk wander<br />
along the banks of the<br />
river and consider going<br />
punting – although it<br />
might be a little too<br />
cold! Join the throng<br />
of students and hire<br />
a bike to get you from<br />
shop, to restaurant,<br />
to pantomime<br />
performance before<br />
jumping the train<br />
back home.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
Wish you had a<br />
shorter postal address?<br />
One, London, is the<br />
address of Apsley<br />
House, the Duke of<br />
Wellington’s former<br />
residence, set on Hyde<br />
Park Corner.<br />
Amy Dennis<br />
Lyon<br />
France<br />
DIALLING CODE +33<br />
CURRENCY €<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk on arrival<br />
for special easyJet<br />
infl ight rates.<br />
Holiday Taxis<br />
(easyJet.holiday<br />
taxis.com) take you from<br />
home to the airport, then<br />
city or destination.<br />
TAXI<br />
The journey takes<br />
about 30 minutes<br />
and the fare to the<br />
centre is about €55.<br />
Catch the Satobus<br />
from outside Le<br />
Centre, Place Sud to<br />
Part-Dieu or Perrache<br />
stations, which connect<br />
with the metro. Buses<br />
depart every 20 minutes<br />
from 6am–11.20pm.<br />
Tickets: €8.40 single;<br />
€15.20 return.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 Délices<br />
et Sens (19 Rue Gentil,<br />
tel: 04 7829 1562) Enjoy<br />
a fi xed menu boasting<br />
a delicious variation of<br />
fl avours and dishes<br />
at this eatery in the<br />
centre of town.<br />
UP TO €30 Le Damier<br />
Des Brotteaux (68<br />
Cours Vitton, tel: 04<br />
7852 1865) Dine under<br />
the impressive ceiling,<br />
decorated by artist<br />
Thèodore Lévigne at<br />
this great restaurant<br />
and marvel at the works<br />
of art and beautiful<br />
interior between each<br />
delicious mouthful.<br />
UP TO €50 La Mere<br />
Jean (5 Rue des<br />
Maronniers, tel: 04<br />
7837 8127) The friendly<br />
and attentive waiters<br />
guide you through the<br />
fantastic menu pointing<br />
out the many tempting<br />
house specialities.<br />
EXCLUSIVE Auberge<br />
de l’Ile (Place Notre<br />
Dame, Ile Barbe, tel:<br />
04 7883 9949) Pull<br />
out all the stops at this<br />
renowned fi ne-dining<br />
establishment. Situated<br />
on the island in the<br />
middle of the River<br />
Saône, this is an idyllic<br />
location and one of<br />
France’s best guarded<br />
Michelin-starred secrets.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY L’Albion<br />
(12 Rue Sainte Catherine,<br />
tel: 04 7828 3300)<br />
A friendly local pub<br />
offering great ales in a<br />
homely atmosphere,<br />
at this time of year the<br />
tinsel will be out and the<br />
celebrations in full fl ow.<br />
LIVE MUSIC Ninkasi<br />
(267 Rue Marcel<br />
Mérieux, tel: 04 7276<br />
8900) Ninkasi is one of<br />
the city’s most popular<br />
venues offering live<br />
rock, jazz and DJ sets,<br />
plus home-brewed beer<br />
served until late.<br />
LATE & LIVELY Le<br />
Woodlands (32 Quai<br />
Arloing, tel: 04 7883<br />
6080) The DJ spins<br />
pop, rock and indie<br />
tunes in two large<br />
rooms. At weekends the<br />
student crowd barely<br />
Indian designer Jyoti Apte’s new collection<br />
is now available exclusively from online<br />
jewellery boutique Studio Edge. Jyoti casts<br />
each silver leaf seperately ensuring each<br />
necklace is absolutely unique.<br />
breaks away from the<br />
dance fl oor until dawn.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP From designer<br />
to high street, you’ll<br />
fi nd the best gift ideas<br />
in the parallel streets of<br />
Rue de République and<br />
Edouard Herriot. Don’t<br />
forget to zig-zag the<br />
side streets for some<br />
hidden boutiques.<br />
SEE The worldrenowned<br />
Fête des<br />
Lumières conjurs<br />
up an explosion of<br />
innovative light and<br />
sound installations<br />
throughout the city<br />
– the streets, its façades<br />
and local landmarks are<br />
all treated to a splash of<br />
colour (5–8 December,<br />
lumieres.lyon.fr).<br />
GO Place Carnot in the<br />
second arrondissement<br />
hosts the great annual<br />
Christmas market till<br />
24 December. Festive<br />
chalets with crafts and<br />
fl avours from far and<br />
wide are brought for<br />
all the town to enjoy<br />
(marche-noel-lyon.fr).<br />
ESCAPE The Vercors<br />
Massif, a mountainous<br />
ridge two hours from<br />
Lyon, offers activities<br />
for both sporty types<br />
and those in search of a<br />
cultural day. Check out<br />
the views over Grenoble<br />
and enjoy a bit of skiing.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
The Festival of Lights<br />
draws in four million<br />
visitors to see 80<br />
different light projects<br />
and more than eight<br />
million candles displayed<br />
on the townsfolk’s<br />
window ledges.<br />
John Brown
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