Saturday 14 February 2015

I'm in the mood for dancing...

I haven't been writing about books much lately, but don't worry, this isn't because I've gone off books - I don't think I'll ever stop being a bibliophile. On the contrary, reading books is still often the best part of my day and I'm reading a cracking one at the moment, but I'm currently a bit stuck for new ideas for book posts on here [I think they're brewing away in my subconscious though], so I've been writing a lot about travel and living in London - two subjects which I love exploring.

I went to a fantastic club last week, and had the best time [in fact I'm going again tonight, which is unusual for me] and that got me thinking about my favourite London nightspots. These places won't suit everyone [they mainly play R'n'B and pop] but I think they're very good at what they do:

1. Babble, Mayfair

This is the affordable way to experience Mayfair's nightlife. Whilst other Mayfair clubs are outrageously priced and so snooty they won't even let you in unless you're super wealthy [cough, Mahiki, cough], Babble is actually free to get in to if you get there before 10pm and has a happy hour, which runs from 5pm to 8pm every day! It may be small, but it wasn't too crowded when I went and it's aesthetically pleasing and it feels grown-up.  The music is spot on - you won't be able to stay in your seat, you will find that you absolutely can't resist the urge to dance when you come here.



2. Metra, Leceister Square

It's 6 years since I went to Metra, so it might be absolutely awful now, [apologies if it is] but when I last went, it was my idea of clubbing heaven. The DJ and I seemed to be kindred spirits, because every song he played, I loved. I didn't hear one dud song that night. Metra may be expensive to get in [I'd advise booking in advance] but once you're in, it isn't pretentious [at least it wasn't] and there's ample room to move around in [which is a must for me...as I can be a very flamboyant dancer]. Metra was so good I stayed until 5am!



3. Be at One, Soho

Me and my friends like this bar so much that we all went there a bit too much, and now we're taking a little break from it. This is such a welcoming place, really lively and fun. If anyone thinks Londoners are just a bunch of cold fish, they should come here - we'll show you just how warm and inviting we can be! The staff like to dance and get involved too, no surly faces here!



4. The Ice Wharf, Camden

Camden might be a trek to get to [unless you live there], but it does have an atmosphere that's all its own. I always tell people they can't see London without visiting Camden - it's usually my first port of call when showing friends around. The Ice Wharf has the kind of feel of a really great hostel - its international, its bustling and its cheap. Been to numerous great parties here - it's so good, I'd advise staying here, you really don't need to move onto another venue, even though technically it's more of a bar than a club...but that's just semantics, as you can dance until your feet fall off if you so chose here.





Loving the Electric blue of the Ice Wharf - with my friends. Apologies for the blurriness.

5. Vodka Revolutions, Clapham Junction/ Clapham Common

I love both of these Revolution bars - I love the different flavoured vodka, I love how they have a sizable dancefloor, I love that there are loads of great pubs and bars near both, making it easy to get pre-drinks in without having to schlep for miles. And once again, I love the music - there's such a party feel in both Revolutions, and the best birthday I ever had was my 26th, which I had at the Clapham Common one. It was a happy, happy night [Pharrell was playing a lot that evening...]





   Me and my friend Elaine getting in a party mood at Revolutions!

No comments: