Qype: London Stansted Airport in London

London

This is bocoming the airport that I use the most when in London. I’ve slept on the floor here, eaten numerous meals, stood in lots of queue’s shopped a little, used the toilets, been through customs and generally done all the things you do at airports. And this one just seems to work quite well. Of course things are overpriced, of course you’d love shorter queue’s but they are not worse than you would expect.
Getting there is relatively easy, although I would like it if their was a bus from north London or if the last train bothered to stop in Tottenham hale.
Generally a very functional place.
Check out my review of London Stansted Airport – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: muscle works gym in London

London

For what it is, this Gym is great. No classes. Men only. Just all about getting strong and fit. There is a large mix of ages and races, very big people and much smaller people. I really like it. It’s just a stripped down back to basics place with no money wasted on fancy reception centres or unwanted extras.
There is a huge number of machines over two floors, with doubles of everything and maybe twenty different things for cardio work.
I have hardly ever had to wait for a turn on anything.
Instruction and induction were non-existent however. This is kind of cool but a little worrying from a safety perspective.
Check out my review of muscle works gym – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Mediterranean Supermarket in London

London – Food & Drink – Convenience Stores

Convenient and local with not a bad selection of food and fruit and vedgies that are generally quite fresh. Sort of like every single other giant off licence or very small supermarket.
Friendly staff and they have the added attraction of a little deli for meats and olives and other mediterranean turkish treats.
I’m prepared to walk a few extra metres to get to this place.
Check out my review of Mediterranean Supermarket – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Hamdys News in London

London – Shopping – Newsagents

This place has generated more interest than building the Nando’s on Church st. I know about it because they proudly display the articles on their shop window, along with the giant sign “Porn Free Newsagent.” Apparantly this place has no material of a sexual nature for sale, and successfuly brought action against their magazine supplier when they tried to force them to sell the stuff.

Hurray for that many people would say. Well I’m the kind of person that would much rather a Free Porn newsagent than a Porn Free one. But I do respect their decision to make a moral stand. What turns it all into a pile of sanctimonious hot air for me is that they continue to sell cigarettes and products of a gambling nature. If they just didn’t sell porn and kept quiet about it then good for them. But if you are going to whack up a great big holier than thou sign on your window then I think your morality is open for a little bit of public scrutiny. And if I had a choice between my kids gambling, smoking or looking at a girly magazine, i’d say bring on the chicks.
Otherwise a good newsagent.
Check out my review of Hamdys News – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Coach & Horses in London

London – Pubs & Bars – Pubs

I can’t fault this place. It’s all things to all people. Not a huge place but well laid out with not too many lounge suits and a good mix of small and large tables. I particularly like the swivel chairs at the bar for when I come in here by myself.
Sort of a trendy bar, sort of has a stokey street culture feel to it (especially on the tables out the front) a quality Thai restaurant, a live music venue and the best place to watch sport anywhere around. Friendly staff and very local to me.
Would love the beer to be a bit cheaper but I guess £3.30 a pint is about standard now, and you could always load up at the spoon across the road before you come in. Very popular so can get crowded.
Check out my review of Coach & Horses – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Three Crowns in London

London

Extremely popular, very close to me but I almost never go here. They got this place right when the designed it. It really is like a better version of a Slug and Lettuce or any gastro pub really, particularly one you might find in much posher neighbourhoods like Islington.
It’s got a huge indoor space divided between a large restaurant area and loungy pub section. I haven’t been into the restaurant bit. Mostly because I’ve seen the menu and I simply have no interest in paying ten pounds or more for sausages and mashed potatoes – no matter what fancy words they give to their products.
The pub section gets really full later on in the evening and it’s spread out nicely amongst broad lounge sweets and tables and chairs. If my parents were visiting or I was on a date (Both very remote possibilities) then this would definitely be the pub for me.
Check out my review of Three Crowns – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Benjamin Chemist in London

London – Health – Pharmacies & Medical Supplies – Pharmacies

You’d think you’d have nothing to say about a chemist. And that’s very true. They all do much the same thing in much the same way. Accordingly this one is no different. All the little things you need are there. Even some curious little vibrating things in the condom section which I really wouldn’t have expected.
I have one issue with this place though – actually it’s a greater issue about living in the UK as opposed to Australia. It relates to the ability to certify or notarise a document. This means that someone looks at the original and then at your copy and puts a little stamp on it to say they are the same thing.
In Australia this service can be done easily and simply by pharmacists, doctors, nurses and a great list of other people. Basically registered professionals. This has not caused our world to fall apart.
Over here, officially this service can only be done by a JP, or Magistrate. But in actual fact it CAN be done by almost all the people that can do it in Australia.
I went in here to have some documents notarised and the pharmacist made a huge fuss about it. He eventually agreed to do it, like we were both in cahoots to rob a bank or something, but insisted that I put a ten pound donation in the charity box per document. Getting those documents done was very important to me, it would enable me to work and contribute to society. His role is to facilitate this process. As far as I’m concerned extorting money out of me to perform a necessary social service is extortion. How does he know what I give to charity or how much money I can afford without starving?
As I say, otherwise a decent chemist.
Check out my review of Benjamin Chemist – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Lemon Monkey Ltd in London

London – Cafes & Coffee Shops

This place completes the trifecta of hippiness, the Bermuda triangle of herbal tea or the axis of beret wearing art graduates that forms the middle path of Stoke Newington. It’s the pointy bit of the isosceles triangle with the farmers market and fresh and wild making the other corners.
It’s amazing no-one built a tea shop like this here before, as it’s clearly found a very appreciable customer base. A very well organised organic kitchen type venue with tea’s and coffee’s and all types of new age snackery. Meat being still an option as long as it’s organic. It’s a sizeable space with chairs out the front, and a room out the back coming off the main area. Along with the meals they sell food produce, alcohol and advertise regular events like food tasting and even live music.
It’s not a place for me but I think it’s a smart business move. Last time I went I had to share a table with some middle aged nice people. My espresso was cold and I noticed the overheating was making the display of cheese melt. I was unsure of whether it was table service or not and it had that no one can complain cause we are all so happy feel to it like a yoga class.
Very good but very bad.
Check out my review of Lemon Monkey Ltd – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: 19 Numara Bos Cirrik II in London

London – Restaurants – Turkish

I love this place. It’s my preferred Turkish restaurant on the high st, and there are quite a few of them. I love the open style grill where food is cooked in front of you. I like the meat dishes, the casseroles, the bread and the pizza. The service is excellent and it’s overall a very clean and stylish venue. My one big problem, and the reason I don’t go here very often, is that as I buy so many kebabs from city kebab just down the street, it’s hard to convince myself, and much harder still to convince my wife, that when we want to go out for a fancy sit down meal, that Turkish is what we are looking for. And that’s a shame, because this is a restaurant with high standards.
Check out my review of 19 Numara Bos Cirrik II – I am gotiges7 – on Qype

Qype: Stokie’s in London

London

This is a real locals pub. I go here mostly to watch sporting events as they have about 5 or 6 large TV screens around the venue. The beer is relatively cheap for the area and there are quite a number of comfy booth type seats. It’s a bit of a blue collar bar and you can here some really interesting views on politics and sport. It can get rowdy on game days and it might not be a good idea to be vocal for the other team at these times.
I noticed today that they have put a new sign up saying that it is for over 25’s only. Late at night there is a lot of drunken behaviour that spills onto the streets and I think they are trying to address this.
Check out my review of Stokie’s – I am gotiges7 – on Qype