If you’d fancy a trip a bit further out of the Big Smoke then these day trips might be the right thing for you. But maybe you have just moved here and find the idea of hanging around in Brighton all by yourself not all that tempting – in that case the London International Students Meetup is your first address to find people from all over the world to escape the city for a day with.

Last but not least with the summer coming up music festivals are just around the corner. Find everything worth knowing about Glastonbury and others here (including how to pull at festivals).

To help you find the right one (festival I mean) here a brief outlook on this year’s festivals:

Madame De Sade is Under Fire at the Wyndham (picture courtesy of haryoung on Flickr)

WATCH OUT!! CONSIDER THIS BEFORE YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY!!!

I’ve read reviews about this show and most of them have not been pleasant. However, Dame Judi Dench is in this play and she is usually a “can’t miss” in the West End. No one can dispute her acting genius.

I haven’t gone to see this show because tickets have, initially, been hard to find.

Here are some reviews of the show by local London papers:

“The new show at the Wyndham’s looks beautiful, like a moving gallery of portraits by Joshua Reynolds. At one point, Judi Dench convinces you she might be wearing an entire priest’s vestiary, bedecked as she is with surplus frocks and surplus surplices, and bits and bobs, and a wig that might have walked off the shelf at a Crufts bring-and-buy sale…You leave this play wishing, disgracefully, that he’d had a little more success.” — Michael Coveney, The Independent– Read the rest HERE

“Michael Grandage’s success has been founded on his directorial brilliance and impeccable taste. But I fear his judgment may have wobbled in choosing to revive this discussion-drama written by Yukio Mishima in 1965…Judi Dench is also the perfect embodiment of outraged propriety as the heroine’s mother. Frances Barber as a steaming sexpot, Deborah Findlay as a pious baroness and Jenny Galloway as a surly servant all do admirable work…It’s just the play that strikes me as decadent romanticism.”–Michael Billington, The Guardian– Read the whole review HERE

“…Grandage, the king of atmosphere, has picked a play which is all mood and no motion…There are mesmerising moments, full of snakish charm. But despite its lack of real whips and chains this is truly a fetish-play, too obscurely in love with pain to dominate the broad stage.”– Caroline McGinn, Time Out–Read the whole review HERE

Outfit one.

Outfit two.

Outfit three.

Here is what a few ladies thought about these three outfits.

For evening/theatre/dinner, you can try this posh loose dress style. It can be worn with black tights, as is on the picture or even with skin tights. But i would prefer black thick tights with a pair of thick high heels.

For partying, try a simple, but funky dress such as this one bellow. Its like a little black dress, but with a twist.

 (orignal images, by Sonida Goraj)

I suppose some of you might not have recognised Rembrandt’s self-portrait. It’s ok: people know everything expect what they don’t know and know nothing except what they know. I didn’t know that painting before I saw it. But, as you know, there are exceptions in the world. I’m 100% sure that you have seen this painting one time or more in your life.

Yes. It’s Him. Vincent Van Gogh. If you had been to National Gallery as I suggested some posts ago, you would have seen people standing in front of Gogh’s Sunflower or Chair. You must have wondered why you couldn’t find his portrait!

This beloved self-portrait is well kept in The Courtauld Gallery. Unfortunately, you can’t get in here for free like National Gallery or National Portrait Gallery. But, as I told you right before, there are exceptions. One exception you should use is this: ‘Free Mondays until 14.00′ which I used last time I went.

The Courtauld Gallery has wide range of paintings from Monet and Renoir to Seurat and Gauguin. It is nice that you can take pictures of paintings you like if you don’t use flash.

As usual, your map!

Creative Commons Right reserved by photographers and Neul Saem Ha

On the flip side, however, we sort of waste our time taking picture of ourselves meaninglessly continuously. Well, if you type self portrait in flickr, you should be able to find very creative ones. Maybe one of you readers is one of them?

Anyway, even before digital camera age, there was self-portrait even though they were not as popular and easy as now. Thankfully, one of my favourite self-portraits is in London. I can assure you this will be one of yours as well.

Self portrait by Rembrandt, (1661).

Familiar? Want to look at it closer? Do try Kenwood House! Kenwood House is located in the Hampstead Heath, which is one of highest places in London and is near to Hampstead Heath tube station.

Before you go there, let me tell you one thing really important. Do go there whilst weather’s nice because Hampstead Heath is basically a park. Would you go to a park whilst it’s raining? No!

Oh! Another thing. Map!

Gerhard Richter Portraits exhibition is held at National Portrait Gallery until Sunday May 31st.

Gerhard Richter was born in Dresden and brought up in a middle class family. Due to his family members’ involvement in the Nazi movement during his childhood, Richter has strong hatred toward any forms of ideology. This attitude led him to leave the school at the age of 16 and this means his art works have certain aspects of anarchism.

Interesting this about Richter is that he’s different from American artists, who wanted to make their art works as pure as possible, in those days. There is no ideal art in his view. Anything ordinary can be art for him. Even though lots of critics and the audience tried to get something extraordinarily artistic out of his works, he tells them that his art pieces are all from things around him. Nothing more, nothing less.

Now, let’s talk about this exhibition you should go! It’s not just because this exhibition is one of London Time Out’s Recommended exhibition list!

This exhibition will consist of his non programmatic style photographs. If we were to make a theme of it, it should be blurred snapshots. We are used to blurred images because anyone can do it with the Photoshop. Still, if you go there and see them, you wouldn’t say they can be easily done. Richter distorted pictures before you and I did and you’ll see why Adobe put this kind of effects in Photoshop.

Here’s the map you can use to get there.

Now here is a website that will blow your mind. It includes all sorts of designs from, Scarves, Jackets, T-shirts, Long Sleeve, Head Gear, Jeans, Punk Polo, Hoodies.

It includes designer tattoo t-shirts.

They  have a sales section, which helps you decide on cheaper options of for their items. It is useful if your on a tight budget. And you can change your method of currency, the pricing, it can be in euros or pounds etc.

You can order any of there items on and they will be delivered to your door. You can’t find such designs as these on the high street. Moreover you can even have a gift solution through this site, meaning you can bye gifts for some and have them delivered to your door or the person you are thinking of giving the gift to. All you have to do is register. Its great if your a abroad student, and thinking of sending someone back home a gift.

Take a moment of your time to visit this website and have a look at it. Its really worth it.

Yanik- 25 - “No, not my style, never been into skinny jeans. Scared of the fashion police.”

Murray-18- “I like the shirt, just not the jeans, or the shoes. It looks good on him, i don’t know it would look as good on me”

Kane-19- “I like the jeans and the shirt. I would wear the boots with the outfit too.”

Tom-19-“I wouldn’t be seen wearing that kind of outfit, but i don’t wouldn’t mind wearing it though, if it suited me.”

Borough Market open Thursday 11am-5pm, Friday 12pm-6pm and Saturday 9am-4pm

I myself could visit a London market everday of the week and never get bored. So when I sponataneously decided to visit Borough Market one Saturday afternoon, I was anxious to see how it compared to the other markets I’ve been to.

To say I was on cloud 9 would be an understatement. The Artisianmarket complete with fresh produce, meat, fish, cheeses, breads, pastries and my personal favorite, homemade sangria, feels like you have stepped back in time smack down into 19th Century London.

“ANY BOWL FOR A POUND!” The plump cockney farmer shouts as the crowds pass by. “Fresh olives! Get your olives!” Another man announces.

Meanwhile you are trying to keep up with all the tempting scents and adorable booths lined up under old brick archways. You are bound to find something that tickles your fancy whether it be fresh mulled wine or even homemade “ostrich meatballs!” The Market is conviently located around the corner from London Bridge.

Borough Market sees its share of tourists, but it is primarily flooded by locals doing their weeks worth of food shopping. If you have any appreciation for food whatsoever you will love the fresh gourmet food found in Borough Market.

If you are looking for a quick bite, the market is known for the best ‘Steak Sandwich.’ There is almost always a queue for this delicious lunch. Often customers will get their food to go and stroll through the market, however there are many cafe style table to have a sit down meal.

Borough Market combines my two favorites: great food and a great place to walk around. So be a true Londoner for a day and head down to the market, open Thursdays, 11am to 5pm, Fridays, 12pm to 6pm and Saturdays 9am to 4pm.

Nearest Tube Stop: London Bridge