• Added: 12th of September 2008
• Area: Covent Garden
• Category: Food and Drink

London WC2H 9PU
020 7240 7539

bristle said
One of the last remaining Covent Garden gems
Forget the Opera House, forget CG Market, forget the buskers, the bars, the restaurants and pubs.
The Tea House is what Neal Street could (and should?) be famous for. One of the earlier start-ups after the old Market left Covent Garden.
The selection of high quality real teas is vast - a good range of Darjeelings and green teas and some delicious Oolongs and Silvertips.
Still, most of the customers seem to be attracted by the huge selection of smelly, fashionable 'fruit' teas. Others come for the unusual collection of tea pots, cups, mugs and accessories.
This is one shopping destination that should be on every visitor's 'must do' list for Covent Garden.
Owned and managed by CS, the Queen of Covent Garden. Long may it continue (and CS, of course).

• Added: 12th of September 2008
• Area: Covent Garden
• Category: Bars and Pubs

London WC2B 5RR
020 7379 7446

bristle said
Beer & Cheese
Nice, lively and unusual atmosphere. Conveniently located just off the beaten Long Acre track.
The variety of Belgian beers is excellent, with many on draught and very well kept.
Should really have tried their wines, but who wants to risk these if you can drink such superb beers?!
When we last visited, we discovered the subtle combination of large cubes of medium-mature Dutch Gouda cheese and a dark, warm Belgian brew.
The snack menu is great if all you want is just a quick bite and a few beers. Everything is cooked to order by kitchen staff who know their stuff. Haven't been able to fault them once.
Lowlander is a good example of what Covent Garden actually needed - a non-pretentious bar with prices that are high enough to keep it 'select' and not hideously expensive either.
It is also a huge improvement over the sports bar that was here before!

• Added: 12th of September 2008
• Area: Leicester Square
• Category: Restaurants

London WC2H 8HL
020 7836 8635

bristle said
Food is good, but staff could try harder
Not a bad place to have an authentic Indian meal, but by no means my favourite curry den.
Mela has gone for the more popular, brighter, open style - gone are the cosy, dim corners of yesteryear. There is bright, 'Indian' artwork on the walls.
It is well worth seeking out the special offers and meal-deals that Mela's owners use regularly - that way you end up paying a fair price for a good Indian meal in the heart of London.
Overall, the style is a bit bland - too many 'fused' flavours, not enough distinction.
To give them credit, the Mela gang finds it tough going in this location, yet they persevere. The surrounding streets used to have an awful drugs problem, with blatant crack dealing under your nose.
Once inside, however, the warmth of the Indian sub-continent takes over and after a few btls of Cobra you've already forgotten what Shaftesbury Ave is like.

• Added: 12th of September 2008
• Area: Covent Garden
• Category: Stations and Transport

London WC2E 9JT
020 7222 1234

bristle said
run a mile....
Does what it says on the tin, but only just.
This is a mega-busy tube station and not exactly a pleasant experience.
OK, it gets you up to street level from a crowded tube train, but the lifts are horrid, the people who get off at this station are even worse, and when you finally get to the surface, you're faced with an endless row of dodgy rickshaws, illegal street traders, yawn-inducing mime artists and shops that are horrendously expensive.
Is it worth it? No. Would you use this station again? Not until they change the recorded voice in the lifts from an Australian female to a real Londoner.

It's worth knowing that Leicester Square station is only a very short distance away, but so much more comfortable (and safer?) to alight. A brisk walk up Long Acre is all that it takes to get to the tat of Covent Garden.

• Added: 11th of September 2008
• Area: Bristol
• Category: Arts and Culture

Bristol BS8 1LN
0117 922 3571

bristle said
Interesting and getting better
This free, local museum has exhibits from all over the world and from the West Country.
The more modern displays are great - many are inter-active and have some stunning antiquities.
There is also an interesting wildlife section, with lots of stuffed birds and mammals - there are some stunning eagles and other birds of prey in the upstairs galleries.

On our last visit, the travelling Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition was on display - WOW! Some of the most amazing nature & wildlife photographs you will ever come across. Pity this isn't a permanent feature of the Museum.
Staff are helpful and the giftshop does a roaring trade - it has a massive selection of post cards and a good range of books.
Allow at least 3 hrs, or explore selectively in stages over a year.

• Added: 11th of September 2008
• Area: Bristol
• Category: Sightseeing and Attractions

Bristol BS1 5RR

bristle said
Stunning views and great exercise
Forgotten the nr of steps to the top viewing platform, but worth the effort.
The views are magnificent and you can walk around and view Bristol's skyline from every angle.
The tower commemorates the 'discovery' of Nth America by John Cabot, who sailed from Bristol. But what about the Vikings? They beat old John to it by a few centuries!!

Brandon Hill nature reserve, at the base of the tower, is worth a visit in its own right. It is alleged to have common lizards, but I've not managed to spot any (yet).
This little oasis also makes a perfect picnic spot - great views, great walks (especially up-hill) and lots of grassed areas.
All you need then is a bit of sunshine ;-)

• Added: 11th of September 2008
• Area: Bristol
• Category: Sightseeing and Attractions

Bristol BS1 5TA
0117 926 4879

bristle said
A serene oasis
Beautiful building with an outstanding nave and impressive acoustics.
Still not too commercialised, free-or-donation entry, in superb condition. You can tell how wealthy Bristol must have been in its former sea-faring days just by looking at its cathedral!
A lovely, hidden gem is the Refectory at the rear. Not just great home-cooked food, but you can eat out in the pretty church yard if the weather is good (which occasionally it is in Bristol).
Adjacent to a lively secondary school, so it gets rather noisy at lunchtime.
Of particular note is the magnificent organ - the free lunchtime organ recitals are wonderful.
Avoid the place during official events/services. At all other times this is a beautiful, quiet, oasis of calm in a busy city.

• Added: 11th of September 2008
• Area: Bristol
• Category: Arts and Culture

Bristol BS1 4RN
0117 925 1470

bristle said
Eagerly awaiting its replacement...
Closed at the moment and being transformed into the £30M (give or take a few million) new Museum of Bristol.
The former Industrial Museum was always good fun on the annual 'Doors Open Day' - all the steam-driven trains, cranes, vehicles and boats would be out, there would be hands-on activities for children and there would be lovely bus rides on an old, green double decker Bristol Bus.
It would be great if some of the old exhibits are coming back to the new MoB - the stage coach, omnibus and Concorde fusilage will be sorely missed.
It's great to have such a non-pretentious, free tourist attraction (and to know that it is managed by the local Council!).
Bring on the new MoB!

• Added: 11th of September 2008
• Area: Bristol
• Category: Sightseeing and Attractions

Bristol BS1 5TT
0117 915 5000

bristle said
endless fun
Explore - at - Bristol is a great place for any 8-14 year old, and even most others who are young at heart.
It is the best hands-on science exhibition outside of London and it's hard not to be totally absorbed in the many experiments you can get your hands on.
This is not a place for the faint hearted - noise levels are high, the pace is fast, but the fun-factor is very high.
The venue itself is close to the harbourside and within easy walking distance from Temple Meads railway station, the centre of town, bus links and other useful destination places.
We found that it will easily take 3-4 hours to try and explore every item and exhibit.
The Planetarium is a brilliant 'bonus' (and gives you a chance to sit down and recover a bit from the hustle-bustle!)

• Added: 11th of September 2008
• Area: Covent Garden
• Category: Cafes and Coffee Shops

London WC2H 9PA
020 7836 6345

bristle said
No longer!
Sadly, Frank's Cafe closed recently, after almost half a century of serving market porters, local residents, tourists, day-trippers, office workers and anyone in between.
Salvatore and Mena run a wonderful, traditional 'greasy spoon', but were eventually priced out of the market.
The rent on their modest cafe premises had risen to a ridiculous level and it was no longer realistic to work such long hours, keep everyone happy, pay the landlord, and make a living.
With Frank's going, Covent Garden has lost not only a nice, easy-going cafe, it has lost part of its history. When Neal Street was full of market warehouses and ancillary trades, Frank's was there. When it changed into a fashionable shopping street, Frank's was still there, doing what it had always done.
Unfortunately, Neal St has become a victim of its own success. Without Frank's it is just like any other over-priced Covent Garden retail street: soul-less.