Places To Be In 2011

This year I have dabbled with checking in at every train/tube station I boarded or disembarked at, every Starbucks I visited and even a few random shops and malls but other than a free glass of wine at Albannach and a free margarita at Mestizo it has been quite unrewarding. I don’t think the UK is really embracing it; at least businesses may not be. I still get the satisfaction, in a map-geeky way, of seeing all of my check-ins mapped out [albeit, not very accurately] for the year. But most of all there is the statto like totting up of places visited in the past 12 months. I did it last year and I’m about to do it again. Poor compensation for my lack of blog posts over the past two months but here goes. Outside of London there is a prominence of venues in Brighton, Lichfield and Birmingham; mainly because I visited Brighton 8 times, Lichfield 4 and Birmingham twice during the year. Plus a few check-ins in Rhodes [Greece]. Lets start with pubs & bars. 141 of them this year [compared to 145 pubs, bars and restaurants in 2010] with in excess of 150 revisits to a total of 37 of them.

Pubs & Bars
Lion & Lobster, Brighton
The Prince Regent, Herne Hill
The Steam Passage Tavern, Islington
The Marquis Of Granby, Westminster x 20
Baltic, Southwark
The Hoop & Toy, Kensington
Grand Union, Brixton x 7
Hawley Arms, Camden
Bar Vinyl, Camden
Sloe Bar, Euston x 2
Duke Of York, Lichfield
Shoulder Of Mutton, Lichfield
The Poet, Herne Hill x 2
Marquis Of Granby, Covent Garden x 3
St.Stephen’s Tavern, Westminster x 2
The Prince Albert, Brighton
Long Bar at The Sanderson, Bloomsbury
Ritzy Bar/Coffee x 11
Purl, Marylebone
Byron, Wardour St.
Bonapartes [now Sloe], Victoria x 7
Slug & Lettuce, Victoria
Red Lion, Westminster
Silver Cross, Westminster x 2
The Railway, Tulse Hill x 16
Jewel, Piccadilly
The Ship, Wardour Street x 3
Commercial, Herne Hill x 2
The Windmill, Brixton
White Horse, Brixton
Mason’s Arms, Battersea Park x 2
Cafe Rouge, Victoria x 3
Nell Of Old Drury Lane, Covent Garden
Hive Bar, Brixton x 4
Prince Regent, Marylebone
The Grazing Goat, Marble Arch
Canton Arms, Vauxhall
Pub On The Park, London Fields
Dove Freehouse & Kitchen, London Fields
Anda Da Bridge, Hoxton
Bluu, Hoxton Square
All Bar One, London Bridge
Revolution, Clapham x 3
The Holy Drinker, Clapham
The Florence, Herne Hill x 7
The Black Prince, Kennington
Freemasons Arms, Covent Garden x 2
Coach & Horses, Brixton
Asia De Cuba at St. Martins Lane Hotel
Concrete Bar, South Bank x 3
The Goat, Clapham
National Theatre Terrace Bar
The Plough, Whittington, Staffordshire
Prince Of Wales, Wimbledon x 2
Morpeth Arms, Pimlico
White Horse & Bower, Westminster
The Distiller, Hammersmith
Westbourne House, Westbourne Park
The Vale, East Dulwich
Black Cherry, East Dulwich
Village East, SE1 x 2
Hide Bar, SE1 x 2
The Trafalgar, Kings Road
Bar Room Bar, Birmingham
The Shakespeare, Birmingham
The York, Islington
The Old Rooms, Weymouth x 2
Pulpit Inn, Portland Bill
George Inn, Weymouth
The Ship Inn, Weymouth
Three Horshoes, Burton Bradstock
Ilchester Arms, Weymouth
Queens Hotel, Weymouth
The Only Running Footman, Mayfair
The Iron Duke, W1 x 2
The George, Wardour St.
Cafe Rouge, Birmingham x 2
Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden Bar, SE1
Somerset House Bar
Royal Festival Hall Bar
Prince Of Wales, Kennington
Crown & Greyhound, Dulwich Village
Tommyfield, Kennington x 2
Inn The Park, Westminster
British Lion, Folkestone
The Heart & Hand, Brighton
Sussex Yeoman, Brighton
Grand Central, Brighton
The Windmill, Clapham Common
White Swan, Pimlico
The Star, Burntwood
Horse & Jockey, Lichfield x 2
Loose Box, Westminster
The Regent, Kensal Rise
Founders Arms, SE1
Albannach, Trafalgar Square x 2
The Clarence, Westminster
Ravensbury Arms, Mitcham x 2
Rosendale, West Norwood x 2
The Harp, Covent Garden
Pullens, Herne Hill x 2
SW9 Bar, Brixton x 2
Zig Zag Cocktail Bar, Rhodes x 3
Oasis Bar & Pool, Rhodes x 3
Lee Beach Bar, Rhodes
Elephant On The Hill, Clapham
Red Peppers, Birmingham
Lamb & Flag, Covent Garden
Cross Keys, Chelsea
Pillars Of Hercules, Soho
Seven @ Brixton x 6
Shaker & Company, Euston x 2
Chelsea Potter, Chelsea
The Scene: Worlds End, Chelsea
White Hart, SE1
The Prince Of Wales, Walton-On-Thames
Ashley Park Hotel, Walton-On-Thames
White Hart, Tulse Hill
Travellers Tavern, Victoria
The Regent, Balham
Sun & 13 Cantons, Soho
Burlington Arms, W1
St. Stepehen’s Tavern, Westminster
Museum Tavern, Bloomsbury
The Clarence, Mayfair
The Ring, Southwark
Casa Morita, Brixton
Upstairs At The Ritzy
The Bowling Green, Lichfield
The Rose, Vauxhall
Aqua River Brasserie, Vauxhall
The Prince, Brixton
The Prince Of Wales, Victoria
The Eagle, Brighton
Lots Road Pub & Dining Room, Chelsea
The Phene, Chelsea
Bonds, Mayfair
Barley Mow, Mayfair
The Abbeville, Clapham
Sloe Bar, Paddington
The Chequers, Marlow
Scootercaffe, Waterloo x 10

So, last year I counted pubs, bars and restaurants together, but this year I’ve separated restaurants, cafes, and similar [such as ice-cream parlours]. 102 of them; with 80 return visits to 24 of them. A lot of the pubs were eaten in and a lot of eateries were just drunk in but I’ve tried to put them in the category that I most likely used them for! It may not always be correct.

Restaurants & Cafes
Franco Manca, Brixton
Kavah, West Norwood x 12
Benito’s Hat, Covent Garden x 4
Laughing Gravy, Southwark
Pizza Express, Herne Hill x 2
Brazas, Brixton x 7
Hache, Camden
Ed’s Easy Diner, Euston x 2
Zeen, Euston
Lido Cafe, Herne Hill
Trinity, Clapham
Speedy Noodle, Brixton
Dim T, Victoria x 3
Byron, Covent Garden
L’eto Caffe
Opera Tavern x 3
Satay Bar, Brixton
The Orange, Pimlico x 2
Thai Square, Trafalgar Square
Gail’s, Clapham
Bueno Sera, Clapham x 2
Cut Bar & Restaurant, Southwark x 7
Spuntino, Soho
Rosie’s Deli, Brixton
Gastro, Clapham x 2
Regency Cafe, Pimlico x 5
Brown’s Bar & Brasserie, Victoria x 2
Cubana, Waterloo x 2
La Tasca, Victoria x 2
Riding House Cafe, Fitzrovia
Churchill Rooms, House Of Commons x 2
Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Clapham
Gino’s, Mitcham
Me Heart Sushi, Swiss Cottage
Tiny Robot, Westboourne Park
The Lane Cafe, East Dulwich
Picasso [RIP], Kings Road
Steak House & Grill, Kings Road
Cote Brasserie, Birmingham x 2
Little Bay,Belsize Park
Yalbury Cottage, Dorchester
Cafe Blue, Weymouth
Perry’s Restaurant, Weymouth
Rossi’s Ice Cream Parlour, Weymouth
The Ice Creamists, Covent Garden
Dri Dri at Saint Martin’s Lane Hotel
Time For Tea, Weymouth
Barbican Lounge
Marie’s Cafe, SE1
No 67, Peckham
Mother Mash, W1
Imli, Wardour Street
Cinnamon Club, Westminster
Electric Cafe, West Norwood
Fox & Grapes, Wimbledon
Hand In Hand, Wimbledon
Park Terrace Restaurant at The Royal Garden Hotel, Kensington
Byron, Leicester Square
Brixton Space, Brixton x 4
Culture Grub, SE1
Mermaid Cafe, Folkestone
Homeground, Folkestone
Googies Art Cafe, Folkestone
Mermaid Cafe, Folkestone
The Winery, Burton
African Kitchen, Euston
Paradise By Way Of Kensal Rise
The Scene: Worlds End, Chelsea
Federation Coffee, Brixton Village x 4
Honest Burgers, Brixton Village
Pitt Cue Co, South Bank
Riverside Terrace Cafe, South Bank
Giraffe, Gatwick Airport
Cafe Rouge, Gatwick Airport
Kavos Mare, Rhodes x 6
Lighthouse Taverna, Rhodes x 2
Dama Dama, Rhodes x 3
Spitaki Restaurant, Rhodes
Asklipio, Rhodes
Caprice Cafe, Rhodes
Casa Sibilia, Brixton Village
Jose, SE1
The Plough Bar & Kitchen, Clapham
Eliots Cafe, SE1
Mestizo, Euston
Byron, Chelsea x 2
Palm Court Brasserie
Pizza Express, Victoria
Peyton & Byrne, St. Pancras
Kentish Canteen, Kentish Town
Prezzo, Broadstairs
Bella Italia, Strand
Cafe Castello, Tulse Hill x 2
Paramount Restaurant, Centre Point, W1
Byron, Gloucester Road
Nam Po, Euston
The Breadroom, Brixton
Preto, Victoria
Hummus Brothers, Wardour St
Hand & Flowers, Marlow
Temple Teas, Marlow
Satay Bar, Brixton

Other than piling on calories over the year I have also checked in at 56 art and photography related events in 2011 as well as 24 visits to the opera or theatre but only 8 gigs and 7 club nights and only 8 visits to the cinema.

Art & Photography
Venice: Canaletto & His Rivals, National Gallery
Bridget Riley, National Gallery
London Art Fair, Islington
Wildlife Photographer Of The Year, V&A
Shadowcatchers, V&A
Clash, Proud Gallery, Camden
An Evening With Gilbert & George, Shaw Theatre
Hinterland: The Space In Between, Capital Culture
Martin Creed: Mother,Hauser & Wirth
Robert Mapplethorpe: Night Work, Alison Jacques Gallery
Affordable Art Fair, Battersea x 2
Affordable Art Fair, Hampstead
Antony McCall: Vertical Works P3, Marylebone
Pick Me Up, Somerset House
Susan Hiller, Tate Britain
British Art Show 7, Hayward Gallery
London Print Fair, Royal Academy
Rhythms Of Emotion, Capital Culture
Summer Exhibition [Buyers Day], Royal Academy
Anita Klein Private View, Bankside Gallery
Anita Klein Private View, Menier Gallery
Anthony Frost: Ohio Buzz [Private View], Advanced Graphics, SE1
The Shape Of Things To Come, Saatchi Gallery
Lazyhill Gallery, Dorset
George Shaw: Sly and Unseen Day (inc. artist talk), South London Gallery
John Craxton, Tate Britain
Egon Schiele, Richard Nagy Gallery
Matthew Day Jackson, Hauser & Wirth
Derek Mossop, Camera Club
Twombly & Poussin, Dulwich Picture Gallery
Gallery 27, Cork Street
Hay Hill Gallery, Cork Street
Medici Gallery, Cork Street
Urban Art Fair, Brixton
Folkestone Triennial
The Vorticists, Tate Britain
Miro, Tate Modern
Tracey Emin, Love Is What You Want
Show Me The Artists, Capital Culture
Lucie Bennett Private View, Menier Gallery
Portico Gallery; Lambeth Open, West Norwood
Art London, Royal Hospital Chelsea
Michael Muller & Sage vaughn, Outsiders Soho
Rolling Stones: The Decca Years, Proud Chelsea
Minotaur, Old Vic Tunnels
Cory Arcangel, Lisson Gallery
Pipilotti Rist, Hayward Gallery
Grayson Perry: Tomb Of The Unknown Craftsman, British Museum
Nothing In The World But Youth, Turner Contemporary, Margate
Eyestorm Pop-Up in the Mayfair Hotel
Street Fighting Man, James Hyman Gallery
Oramics To Electronica, Science Museum
The Art Of Mapping, The Air Gallery
Gerhard Richter, Tate Modern
Invader, Outsiders Soho
The Tate Stores, Bermondsey

Theatre & Opera
Deathtrap, Noel Coward Theatre
The Antonioni Project, Barbican
Vernon God Little, Young Vic
Anna Nicole, Royal Opera
Terminus, Young Vic
Frankinstein, National Theatre
Cause Celebre, Old Vic
Silence, Hampstead Theatre
Uncaged Mokeys, Hammersmith Apollo
Kafka’s Monkey, Young Vic
Damnation Of Faust, ENO
Government Inspector, Young Vic
American Trade, Hampstead Theatre
School For Scandal, Barbican
Mr Happiness & The Water Machine, Old Vic Tunnels
Where’s My Seat, Bush Theatre
Spymonkey, Udderbelly, SE1
Two Boys, ENO
Richard III, Old Vic
One Man, Two Guvnors, Adelphi
Jerusalem, Apollo Theatre
Hamlet, Young Vic
Orpheus In The Underworld, Young Vic
The Ladykillers, Gielgud Theatre

Films
Tron Legacy, IMAX
Black Swan, Ritzy
Source Code, Clapham Picturehouse
The Skin I Live In, Ritzy
Kill List, Ritzy
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Ritzy
Attack The Block, Roxy, SE1
Sound It Out, Ritzy

Music [Clubs & Bands]
The De Rella’s, The Prince Albert, Brighton
The Dead Beat, The Windmill, Brixton
Ryoji Ikeda: Datamatics [ver 2.0], Barbican
The Haunt, Brighton [who?]
The Globe, Brighton [Go Bang,Kev & Rob] x 4
Stay Sick, Concorde 2
The Dead Beat, Green Door Store, Brighton
Go Bang!, Green Door Store, Brighton
Underworld, SW4
Warpaint, HMV Forum
DeadMau5, Millbank Tower
Plastikman Live 1.5, Brixton Academy
Allo Darlin’, Upstairs At The Ritzy

Unsurprisingly I only found time to read 16 books and listened to a total of 37 new albums [mostly on Spotify], but maybe they are lists for another day. Other random places that I checked into on Foursquare over the year [not including the aforementioned railway stations and Starbucks, which I have since deleted from my history] include;

Brixton Farmers Market x 12
West Norwood Feast x 5
Broadway Market
Beamish & McGlue, West Norwood
East Dulwich Deli
Green & Blue Wines, East Dulwich
Greensmiths, Waterloo
Daunt Books, Marylebone
Brockwell Park x 23
Hackney City Farm
Belair Park, Dulwich Village
London Fields
London Chocolate Festival, South Bank
Real Street Food Festival, South Bank
IKEA x 2
Disco Dungeon, Brighton
Barclays Bike Hire
Bullring Shopping Centre
The Mailbox, Birmingham
Pallington Lakes, Dorset
West Bay, Dorset
Chesil Beach, Dorset
Pirate Adventure Mini Golf, Weymouth
Waterloo Quarter Food Festival
St James’s Park
Folkestone Leas Lift
Creative Quarter, Folkestone
Ms. Cupcake, Brixton x 2
London Honey Festival, South Bank
Oddbins, Kennington [which, strangel,y still exists]
Castle Deli
Yotel, Gatwick Airport
Chrysanthi Apartments, Pefkos, Rhodes
Lardos Beach, Rhodes
Al Badr, Brixton 2
Brixton Pound Goes Electric, Electric Brixton
Blackbird Bakery, Herne Hill
Sesami, Herne Hill
Ghost Bus Tour London
Cheese & Wine Festival, South Bank
Balham Farmers Market
Shell Grotto, Folkestone
Bauble Blowing, Zest Gallery, West Brompton x 2
Barber Of Seville, Brixton

Right, I’m off to wash my anorak; enjoy the rest of the year, I’ll try to report in with something less statistically dull very soon!

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