Coca Cola Christmas truck is in London

If there is a brand that knows how to do clever and great marketing campaigns that is Coca Cola. It is not only a drink, it is a way to live, to think, to enjoy. And, of course, it is an essential drink on Christmas. 

Its iconic Christmas truck is on tour since the 28th of November. It started its adventure at Elgin and, after visiting 42 locations, it is in London.

Harrods

The 30th President of the United States Calvin Coolidge said that "Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas". But he forgot one thing, because Christmas is a time to spend money.

If you didn't finish your Christmas shopping yet, you are in time to visit one of the London's Big Five department stores: Liberty, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges, Fortnum & Mason and, of course, Harrods.

And if, like most of the population, you don't have budget to shop in these stores, you can also enjoy the awesome windows that all of them have prepared for this special holidays.

Last year, Harrods Christmas set was inspired by the classic British steam train. On 2014, this emblematic store "celebrates Christmas with The Land Of Make Believe, a fantasy winter tale where magical mice arrive at Harrods to help Father Christmas transform the store ready for the festive season..." Designers like Zuhair Murad, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen have worked for the store this season.

Feeling like in Howarts

Platform 9¾ at King’s Cross

Everyone knows that London is one of the best settings for cinema. Awarded films, successful TV series and impressive documentaries have been filmed in the English capital. But, maybe, one of the best examples is J.K.Rowling's masterpiece, Harry Potter's saga. 

Many scenes from these magical movies were shot in central London. To see the most famous place to get into Hogwarts, you need to go to King’s Cross. In this station you'll find the mysterious platform 9¾. But Leadenhall Market, Borough Market, the Australia House, Westminster Underground Station or the Great Scotland Yard have been chosen to be part of the movies too.

Christmas Jumper Day

On the 12th of December you can join the woolly revolution. The only thing that you have to do is to wear a Christmas Jumper and make a donation to help Save the Children's project. On the past two years, the organization raised more than £1.6 million. Are you going to participate in this third season? 

But the British are not the only ones supporting this proposed. The UK government is going to double each donation, up to £5million, and all this money will help them to "save mothers' and babies' lives through their work in Kenya".

Around this project, Save the Children has developed more events to help them to raise money and make a little bit of fun. 

Join them and make the world better with a sweater.

Mile End Road, c. 1920

Trinity Almshouses, Mile End Road, c. 1920

The magical Winterville is open

Winterville opened today, for the very first time, at Victoria Park. This new town can be a great alternative to Winter Wonderland. It has "an outdoor Ice Rink, Horse-Drawn Carriages, a Fairground, Ferris Wheel, an On-Site Pub, a Wall of Death, a Food Hall, a Christmas Market with a twist, Street Food traders, a Craft Beer area and more Bars than you can shake a yuletide stick at". You will enjoy with the Cabaret, the Comedy, the Pantomimes and the Live Music. Everything will be possible in East London. 

Do you live in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets or in the E9 Hackney postcode area? Winterville wants to thank to his neighbours with some discounts. Check online and buy your tickets in advance.

If you want to live a perfect experience and you don't want to miss anything, plan your visit before going. And remember that Winterville will only be open until the 1st of January.

Merry Christmas!

Paddington Goes to Town

It was 58 years ago when Michael Bond bought a bear, as a present for his wife, at Selfridges. At this time nobody knew it but on that Christmas Eve, on 1956, Paddington was born.

The teddy bear was the source of inspiration for Bond. In only ten days, he wrote the first book in which Paddington, named after Paddington station, was the main character. On the 13th of October of 1958 A Bear Called Paddington was published.

Nowadays, Paddy has become a classic member on children's literature and Bond's books have been translated into more than 30 different languages.

Next Friday, 28th of November, Paddington will be brought to the big screen. The film, by the director Paul King, is the perfect movie to enjoy this Christmas with the entire family.

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

On Friday 21st November, begins again Winter Wonderland, one of the main attractions in London. The Christmas market will be open from 10 am to 10 pm every day, except on Christmas Day, until the 4th of January. 

Hyde Park will become the perfect entertainment for the entire family. Ice skating, shopping, the Bar Ice, Santa Land, the Magical Ice Kingdom, amazing attractions... Everything is ready to embrace Christmas.

But Winter Wonderland is not the only Christmas market in the capital. A new festive treat will be taking place in Victoria Park from the 2nd until the 31st of December. Winterville will have an ice skating rink, the House of Fairy Tales, food, drink, pantomimes, a roller disco and much more.

And of course, you can't miss the traditional Southbank Centre Christmas Market. It is the best option to enjoy a succulent mince pie and a mulled wine while you are delighted with an incredible view.

What are you waiting for? Wrap up warm and enjoy Christmas

Regent Street Christmas Lights

At 5 pm, coinciding with the switching on the lights in Regent Street, Christmas officially started in London. From 12 am to 6 pm, the street was closed to traffic and all the visitors could enjoy all the activities that the hosts prepared for the entire family. 

The event was presented by Jamie Theakston and Emma Bunton, from London's Heart Breakfast, and it was promoted by the film Night At The Museum: Secret Of The Tomb.

At 4 pm, the great show began with the live performance of Jessie Ware, The Jack Pack, The Jersey Boys and Union J. After them, Mark Owen, Gary Barlow and Howard Donald, from Take That, turned on the lights. The party season starts.

Remembrance Sunday and Poppy Day

Next Tuesday will be a day to remember and to honor all the members of the army who have died while they were in duty. The Poppy Day. 

And we celebrate it this exactly day to make it coincides with the end of the confrontation of World War I at the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month on 1918. After six hours, the armistice was signed in a railway carriage in the Forest of Compiegne, France. With the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the 28th of June of 1919, the War was officially ended.

On the Remembrance Sunday, United Kingdom celebrates two minutes of silence. This period start and end with the firing of an artillery piece. In London, some of the main commemoration points will be held in Whitehall, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Big Ben.

Bonfire night

Today we are celebrating one of the most important festivities in the UK and some countries of the Commonwealth. Since the Gunpowder Plot, which took place on 1605, it is a tradition to commemorate the Guy Fawkes failure with fireworks displays. 

The Year of the Bus Sculpture Trail

If last summer we went all over the city looking for 50 book benches, this month we have a new tour commissioned by Transport for London in partnership with London Transport Museum and the capital's bus operators. 60 bus sculptures were placed all around the city to mark the Year of the Bus. 

All the figures (measuring 2.5m long, 1m high and 0.5m wide) are organised in three trails which were installed on the 20th of October. For the fourth path we need to wait until Christmas time.

HippopoThames at St Katharine Docks

At the beginning of September, coinciding with the launching of the inaugural Totally Thames season, HippopoThames, the 21 metre wooden river horse sculpture, arrived at South Bank. From there, and during 28 days, he was anchored at the Battersea Power Station.

Now, the Hippo has decided to swim down and sail the Thames. St Katharine Docks will be his home from the 29th of September until the 3rd of November.

The artist, Florentijn Hofman, is well known for his large works. One of his most important sculptures, a 26 metre high inflatable yellow rubber duck, has been travelling around the Globe since 2007.

And thanks to this Dutch artist and his friendly pet, not only we had fun but we also learnt that hippos inhabited these waters a long time ago.

London Bridge, 1890

 London Bridge, 1890
(Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

Germany: memories of a nation at British Museum

Volkswagen Beetle Type 1, 1953

Germany, the country where the biggest forced migration in Europe’s history took place, will be the new protagonist at the British Museum. The exposition Germany: memories of a nation will be open from the 16th of October until the 25th of January in the Room 35. The display will gather around 200 objects that will showcase the history of this country from the past 600 years. 

The exhibition coincides with the commemoration of the D-Day, the start of the Great War and the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall (the 9th of November, 1989). It will be planned around four different themes: floating frontiers; empire and nation; arts and achievement; crisis and memory.

The show will display the technological, historical and art achievements that defined Germany's development. Gutenberg, Hitler, the Bauhaus artists, Kafka, Martin Luther and Napoleon are just some of the protagonist of this spectacular exhibition.

Liverpool Street Station, circa 1890

 Liverpool Street Station, circa 1890

The Open House London 2014

Lutine Bell.  Lloyd's of London Building

The Open House weekend is on. It is the perfect chance to explore for free over 800 buildings in London. Londoners pass by modern, old, or weird constructions every day but today you will have the last opportunity to visit all of them from inside.

To get ready, print the latest Open House London newsletter, buy the guide or download the app to enjoy this great experience.

But where to start? It happens in London wants to recommend The Leadenhall Building, also known as The Cheesegrater, and the Lloyd's of London Building.

Scotland says NO

4.2 million Scottish voters have decided to stay part of the United Kingdom. A 55.3% of the voters have said No, while a 44.7% of the electors wanted Scotland to become an Independent Nation. 

The poll is over and the decision was taken, but the Government have to still solve the problem. An alarming rate, almost half of the population, doesn't feel identified with the UK. 

So today it is the best day to launch this new quiz. Where is it?

Ming dynasty at British Museum

The porcelain in just de beginning...

Cambridge Circus, 1890

Palace Theatre at Cambridge Circus, 1890
(Photo by London Stereoscopic Company / Getty Images)

Art by Squiddy Johnson

London is the capital of multiples races, colours, faiths, languages and cultures. It's the city of the musicals, the theatres, the pubs and the street art. Only a few cities in the world can compete with London in terms of the amount of graffiti they have. 

Everyone who has ever walked around London, even if it has been just a little bit, knows about the master of the street art, Banksy. But, obviously, he is not the only artist in the capital.

Today I want to dedicate this space to Squiddy Johnson's drawings. Because the graffiti is not only a male thing and she is the prove.

The Craft Breweries

"Founded in 2010 by Derek Lamberton, Blue Crow Media is an independent publisher dedicated to creating thoughtfully designed and carefully curated apps, maps and more." His last job, created in collaboration with DeskBeers, is The Craft Breweries. 

This exceptional map shows over 50 of London's craft breweries and includes some information, like year of foundation and location. Thanks to this work you can notice the fast grown of the craft beer in the city.

If you want one for yourself, it's available to buy it for £12.50 in their website, at Stanfords or Material Gallery.

Cheapside, 1890

Cheapside, 1890

The Tower of London and the WWI

The Tower of London moat is turned scarlet this August to commemorate the first full day of Britain's participation in the First World War. An installation by ceramic artist Paul Cummins and setting by stage designer Tom Piper will be on display from today until the Armistice Day, on the 11th of November, when the last poppy will symbolically be planted. 

“Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red” consists of 888,246 red ceramic poppies. Each of the individual flowers represents one of the allied victims of the First World War. Besides, during these days, the names of the 180 combatants who were killed in the War will be read before a bugler plays the Last Post.

From today it will be possible to buy one of them for £25, although the poppies will remain in place until November. The installation is planned to raise more than £15m for service charities. (Confederation of Service Charities, Combat Stress, Coming Home, Help for Heroes, Royal British Legion and The Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association). 

Books about Town

It is great to always have a good book in your hands. Also, in summer, what can be better than enjoying the sun and the city while you delight yourself with a wonderful reading?

The wind in the willows. Kenneth Grahame

The National Literacy Trust, to celebrate London's literary heritage and encourage reading, has scattered 50 book benches all over the Capital. These masterpieces will be displayed until the 15th of September and they will be auctioned on the 7th of October at the Southbank Centre.

Each bench has been designed by a different artist and they are all dedicated to books, authors or characters. 

If you want to see all of them you should follow the four trails around The City, Greenwich, Riverside and Bloomsbury. The organization has also planned performances, book giveaways, quizzes and more events.

Imperial War Museums

The Imperial War Museums reopened on Saturday, to mark the centenary of the World War One, after completing the first phase of its plan. We had to wait six months but the £40 million project, designed by the architects Foster and Partners, is concluded. 

Prince William and David Cameron officially opened the IWM and the new "First World War Galleries" last Thursday.

IWM, formerly called the National War Museum, was founded on the 5th of March, 1917, and the museum was opened in the Crystal Palace by King George V, Prince William great-great grandfather, on the 9th of June, 1920. The Duke of York, later known as King George VI, reopened the IMW on Lambeth Road, its present location.

The Bank of England, c. 1890

 The Bank of England in Threadneedle Street, London.
 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company)

Keep Calm and Carry on

The Second World War officially started with the German invasion of Poland on the 1st of September, 1939. Two days later, United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany.

It was an uncertain year and the population lived under the threat of impending invasion. To maintain the morale, the British government designed, from the 27th of June to the 6th of July, three posters with a very simply style. The symbolic crown of King George VI, an effective font and a powerful slogan. 

Two of them were produced by His Majesty’s Stationery Office and posted in shop windows, public transport and notice boards across all Britain.

The Coffee Houses

It was in the Muslim monasteries near Mocha, Yemen, in the middle of the 15th century, where the coffee seeds were roasted and brewed for the first time. 

By the 16th century, the coffee was not only a drink in Arabia but in all the Middle East, Persia, northern Africa and Turkey. 

Decades later, and thanks to the British East India Company, coffee became popular in England too. The Jamaica Coffee House, opened in 1652 by Pasqua Rosee, is the oldest one. Located in St Michael's Alley, in the City of London, is still opened after more than three hundred years.

The artist Adam Dant wanted to pay homage to these popular places with a new map. “I’ve always wanted to do a map of the Coffee Houses, because it marks a moment when intellectual activity had a parity with mercantile activity. They called them the penny universities”. And he explained, as well, that "there were thirty here in these streets behind the Royal Exchange, until a fire that started in a peruke shop burnt them all down. The only reason we know where they all were is because somebody was commissioned to draw a map of them, assessing the damage.”

Now you have another reason to get lost in between the beautiful and ambiguous passages and courtyards of the City.

The Tour de France

The Tour de France, one of the world's biggest annual sporting events, arrived this Monday to London. The first stage of the competition took place last Saturday, 4th of July, from Leeds to Harrogate. The bikers departed on Sunday, 5th of July, from York and arrived to Sheffield after they went across 201 kilometres.

The third stage, and the last one that occurred in the UK, started in Cambridge, it passed through Essex and, after 155 kilometres, the competitors finished on the Mall, London.

The race went through some important landmarks including the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Tower Bridge, Tower of London, the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

Bangor St, Kensington, c. 1900

Bangor St, Kensington, c. 1900

The Banksy Tunnel

Located under the platforms of Waterloo station, in Leake Street, is the Banksy Tunnel. An authorised graffiti area that turns the street every day in a different exposition with new projects and artwork. A great opportunity for the street artists to practise, while you can get the chance to see them in action.  

But this project could not be possible without Banksy, the Bristol artist who stirred up a new way to do art.

The Cans Festival took place in this same scenario from the 3rd to the 5th of May, 2008. Dozens of artists coming from all over the world, invited by Banksy, covered all the tunnel with innovative murals. Images of Madonna, Boris Johnson, the Queen, Britney Spears, etc, were removed after the event. But still now, this area it's a free place to create.

The River Thames, 1937

Working boats on The River Thames, 1937

The World Naked Bike Ride

One of the most original events took place yesterday in London. The World Naked Bike Ride is the biggest naked protest in the World. It's a celebration of the bicycle, the environment and the human body and a protest against the car, the oil dependency and the vulnerability of the cyclist. 

Over half a million journeys by bike are made every day in London, according to The Economist. But the capital is not a safe place for cycling. Between 2006 and 2011, 439 cyclists were killed in traffic accidents in Greater London. The worst year was 1989, when 33 people died.

In 2003 Conrad Schmidt conceived The World Naked Bike Ride. The first WNBR event in 2004 was a collaboration between the WNBR group and Manifestación Ciclonudista in Spain. That year, 28 cities celebrated this kind of protest. In 2010 it took place in 74 cities, in 17 different countries.

The first race of this year, in the UK, was celebrated in Portsmouth, the 24th of May, and it will draw to an end in Clacton, on the 19th of July. The London race had six different assembly points. The north side set off from Marble Arch, Regent's Park and King's Cross and they were merged together in Piccadilly Circus/ Haymarket. The two south columns, Clapham Junction and West Norwood, met at Vauxhall Bridge. And all of them plus Tower Hill riders converged on Westminster Bridge to reach Wellington Arch, where the race finished.

Piccadilly Circus, c. 1900

Piccadilly Circus, c. 1900

Hammersmith Bridge, 29th March 1939

29th March 1939: Hammersmith Bridge in London,
sealed off after an IRA bomb attack.
(Photo by H. F. Davis/Topical Press Agency/Getty Images)

Paul Julius Reuter

Edgware High Street, 1890

1890 Edgware High Street, London.
(Photo by Fox Photos / Getty Images)

Buckingham Palace, 1888

London Royal residence, Buckingham Palace, 1888
 (Photo by London Stereoscopic Company / Getty Images)

The International Day of the Book

Today, 23rd of April, we are commemorating the International Day of the Book. This event was celebrated for the first time on 1995 and it is organised by UNESCO to promote the reading. The exception is United Kingdom that helds the World Book Day on the first Thursday in March. That's because it is also St George's Day, the National Saint's Day of England. 

UNESCO did not choose that day randomly. The 22nd of April, 1616, the Spanish novelist Miguel de Cervantes died in Madrid but he was buried on the 23rd. Every year, to commemorate his work, Don Quijote is read during two days in Alcalá de Henares, the city where the poet was born. But also, Catalonia celebrates 'The Day of the Rose' since at least 1926. In that day it's a tradition to exchange a rose and a book.

Inca Garcilaso de la Vega and Josep Pla also died on that same day while Maurice Druon, Manuel Mejía Vallejo and Halldór Laxness were born.

They're gonna live forever. Oasis exhibition

Twenty years to the day since Oasis shot to stardom with Supersonic (released the 11th of April, 1994), a free exhibition dedicated to the English rock band opened in Shoreditch. Chasing The Sun: Oasis 1993 - 1997 is taking place at the Londonewcastle Project Space from the 11st until the 22nd of April. 

The showing takes us to their meteoric career through three albums: Definitely Maybe, (What's the Story) Morning Glory, and Be Here Now.

This exhibition includes original pictures taken by Jill Furminovsky, Paul Slattery, Tom Sheehan, Kevin Cummins, and Jamie Fry. The exposition also displays the instruments they played on their first few albums, awards, stage costumes, a Manchester City flag, vintage merchandise or Noel Gallagher’s handwritten lyric sheets.

Ludgate Hill, c. 1920

Ludgate Hill, c. 1920

London Marathon

Photo: The Telegraph / GETTY IMAGES

The Polytechnic Marathon, also known as Poly, was the oldest regular marathon in Europe. It was held in London from 1909 to 1996.  

Inspired by the New York Marathon, the Olympic champion Chris Brasher and the athlete John Disley founded the current London Marathon. Its first edition was celebrated on 29th of March, 1981.

Nowadays it's not just a sport event. The Virgin London Marathon is one of the World Marathon Majors. Giving back, in 2012 it was the largest marathon with 37,227 runners finishing the race and more than 900,000 people have completed it since it was organized for the first time. But it's not only sport and fun because this competition has raised more than £500m for charity so far.

Worcester' and the Cutty Sark, 1953

'Worcester' and the Cutty Sark, 1953 Henry Grant

Oxford against Cambridge

Oxford and Cambridge have been training all year to face each other this weekend and today, at 5.55pm, one of the oldest sporting games in the world was celebrated: the 160th Boat Race.

The race is 6.8 Km long and it took place over the River Thames, from Putney to Mortlake. The itinerary is better known as the Championship Course and it has been used since 1845 with only three exceptions. In 1846, 1856 and 1863 the race was held in the opposite direction. 

This year Oxford University won by 11 lengths, the biggest margin of victory since 1973. With this triumph they achieve their fifth victory in seven years. 

Cambridge had the heaviest crew with 2.6kg per man more than Oxford, but they had the youngest team, 24 against 26 years old. Unfortunately, and besides the two teams had strong squads, the two oar of the Cambridge boat hit the seven oar of the Oxford boat. It was a disaster for Cambridge. The oar number two, Luke Juckett, was devastated.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park opens to the public

After a two-year transformation, at last, the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has opened to the public. On Friday, Prince Harry and Mayor Boris Johnson were the guests of the site but it was on Saturday, at 10 am, when Londoners could visit and explore the whole parkland, 560-acres, for the fist time.

Although the north area and the Copper Box Arena opened last year, it was this weekend when the south side and the Ancelor Mittal Orbit, with its 375ft-high, were accessible. 

This is part of the London 2012 Games' planning. A great east London landmark and a reference place for all Londoners.

In June the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre will be open, where the European Hockey Championship will be hosted in 2015. The new roof for the Olympic stadium will be finished to celebrate the Rugby World Cup next year and the last piece of the puzzle will be completed in 2016 with the West Ham stadium opening.

The Coffee Art Project

Coffee and art have a strong bond. Do you know which one is it? 

The Coffee Art Project connects these two concepts with an excellent competition. Different artists created their unique masterpieces with the 'coffee' or 'coffee shop' theme. They could use diverse techniques as painting, photography, design, drawing, sculpture... 

The best artwork will win £1,500 and this work will appear on the labels of Coffee by Tate for 12 months. Another five shortlisted runner-up will receive a prize with value of £250 and also there will be a special London Coffee Festival Visitor Award. All of them will be announced on the 6th of April at London Coffee Festival.

Wych St, c.1890

Wych Street, c.1890

Pancake Day

Are you ready? So grab your frying pan and be prepared for the race because tomorrow, 4th of March, it's Pancake Day. 

Picture: Metro

Also known as Shrove Tuesday, it's always celebrated the day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. It's a good opportunity to use eggs, sugar and milk before the 40 days of fasting. This is an important tradition in United Kingdom but in Ireland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada too.

One of the most important entertainment in Shove Tuesday is the Pancake Races. The tradition say that one woman from Buckinghamshire was so busy doing pancakes in her kitchen that she didn't heard the church bells. When she realised that she was late, she started running to get to the church in time while she was carrying her frying pan and the pancake. Since then, this races are became popular.

Robert the Engine

This is the 0-6-0 saddle tank locomotive, works number 2068, named Robert. It was built in 1933 by the Avonside Engine Company, a builder of industrial locomotives established in Avon Street, Bristol, between 1864 and 1934. It was used at the Lamport Ironstone Mines Railway in Northamptonshire.

"After the railway closed in 1969, Robert worked on a number of heritage railways before being acquired by the London Docklands Development Corporation as an example of a twentieth century industrial steam locomotive and it was displayed at the site of the former Beckton Gas Works, once the largest producer of 'Town Gas' in Europe".

The London Borough of Newham bought Robert in 2000 and they moved the 80-years-old steam-locomotive in front of Stratford Station. Eight years later, it was shunted off to the East Anglian Railway Museum at Chappel and Wakes Colne, near Colchester, where it was cleaned and repainted.

Fetter Lane, c. 1910

Fetter Lane, c. 1910

Walls Ice Cream Vendor, c. 1920

Walls Ice Cream Vendor, c. 1920