As a part of a family weekend, we visited Monopoly Lifesized, and this is what we thought.
We had good fun and played on the city board but…
Price for six was £307 and we discussed at the end and decided it was expensive for what it was. In total there were four teams of six so 24 people in the room with four staff for the entire game. If you were a group of less than six you may be put with another group. Each team had a playing piece, our playing piece was great throughout the game. Some rooms were small and tight for 6 adults standing. The game lasted 90 minutes and we were kept busy the entire time. We did really well (we won) but some families with young children didn’t do so well with winning properties by completing the activities set. Some of the tasks would have been too high up for smaller children to read and complete.
The decor was great, and the game could be absolutely amazing if some adjustments were made.
The prize for winning was £5 to spend on pictures only, they take the pictures and are £20+, this seems a little pathetic and tight considering the cost and we didn’t use it.
Staff on entry and in the shop were ok but I felt like just a number to them and that they just wanted us in and out, a real shame as the characters were brilliant.
I booked a table at the Top Hat the restaurant and bar and I spent £57 for, 3 Pepsi, 2 cocktails, a glass of champagne and a red bull.
It was good fun we just felt it was expensive for what it was, and I was then sent a link to get 25% off my next visit the day after we visited!
Made during the pandemic, between 2020 and 2021, Grayson Perry’s elaborately decorated bronze bell marks this unprecedented period whilst celebrating London’s great bells and their long history in marking time, mourning death and celebrating life.
You can visit Founders Hall to see the Covid Bell and more during this years open house including Sunday 11th September, Wednesday 14th September, Thursday 15th September and Friday 16th September.
So half term is here and if your looking for something extra special to do last minute then check out Today Tix great priced tickets for top London Theatre Shows, I can highly recommend The Lion King 🦁 and so many others too, I currently have my eye on Frozen ❄️ maybe I should take my beautiful niece? 👸🏼
I get asked a lot about how I travel to London so here are some tips for you if you’re going for a day trip to London.
Having used the train on many occasions and experiencing the rising costs I wanted to share with you alternative ways to that you can travel to London (I travel from Canterbury in Kent).
Drive, Park and Uber Boat – Park & Glide
This is a cost efficient way to take the family. You can purchase a ticket online for parking at the O2 car park 3 and the Uber Boat from Greenwich Pier. Included in the price is the River Roamer Ticket to hop on and off all day across all of the Thames Clipper Piers. It’s a great way to start exploring London along the River Thames – keep your eyes open for iconic landmarks.
Parking at the O2 is something that I have done many times, I normally used the Station Car Park but currently this is closed or was the last time I went a couple of weeks ago. You can still park in the O2 car parks they will just direct you to an alternative car park often the Car Park for events is used in the day. You will get a ticket as you enter the car park and pay on exit.
Parking at the O2 – non-event parking charges detailed at the bottom of the page.
A short walk to North Greenwich tube station where you can get your tube to anywhere you wish. Tube Map available here.
I use the Tube Map app to plan my journeys when I am in London.
There is now a emissions charge for vehicles that don’t meet the required standards to drive in London and surrounding areas (the area keeps expanding). So you will need to check if your vehicle meets emissions and safety standards required to drive in London, or if you need to pay a daily charge. The zone have extended and I would recommend checking each time you visit to avoid being caught out and receiving a penalty. Check your vehicle.
Nestled in London you will find the hidden gem of Little Venice, a beautiful area and perfect for taking a relaxing canal boat up to Camden Town.
There are a variety of boat trips that you can take, we took the London Waterbus Company from Little Venice to Camden Market and then on our return we went on Jason’s boat, the trip takes approximately 45 minutes each way.
The London Waterbus Company has a traditional narrowboat with large slide to open windows, with a friendly knowledgeable crew providing a good sightseeing talk.
Jason’s canal boat is open sided but can be more enclosed to provide protection if needed. The boat is steeped in history and now has a diesel engine to power it rather than the horses that once would have pulled it. With the friendly crew providing a sightseeing talk from Little Venice to Camden but no commentary on the Camden to Little Venice (although you can request if you would like).
The canal boat trip will take you on a leisurely journey through some iconic landmarks, The 248 meter Maida Hill Tunnel into Little Venice, Regents Park & London Zoo, Cumberland Basin & Primrose Hill and Camden Market.
As you drift through the canal at London Zoo you might catch a glimpse of a warthog or African wild hunting dog. You will also see the zoo’s Snowdon Aviary is currently being renovated to accommodate the zoos Columbus monkeys and African parrots’ walk-through exhibit, so I’m sure in the future you might see some and hear some during your trip.
There are many magnificent mansions along the canal bank with stunning landscaped gardens including that of Grove House designed by Decimus Burton and built by James Burton.
Every section of the journey is different from the modern graffiti, bridges, the power station and the nature living in and along the canal.
A brief history
The Regents Canal opened in 1820 linking the Grand Union Canal at Little Venice and the River Thames at Lighthouse. The Regent Canal completed a link that enabled canal boats to go all around England including major trade hubs in Birmingham and Manchester.
As the transportation system changed over time the use of canal boats for moving goods dramatically declined, they became neglected and saw little use by anyone. These canals are now flourishing with people using them for all different purposes. There are water sports companies like The Pirate Castle are utilising the canal for kayaking, paddle boarding and canoeing. Beautiful old canal boats are being renovated for living in and being used to provide leisure trips to locals and tourists. There is also a selection of canal boats being utilised for dining, including The Grand Duchess.
Things to Do
At Camden Lock you can explore the famous Camden Market, set in a former warehouse, now offering a delightful selection of street food from all corners of the world alongside a selection of shops and market stalls selling all sorts of wares from vintage items to handmade goods. If you venture further into Camden Town along the High Street, you will find the buildings covered in bold art and signs, they are truly wonderful to see with even the big brands joining in with the local art vibe. You could also check out the Buck Street Market which is a new Eco-Focused Market.
At Little Venice you could treat yourself to a tea or coffee at the Floating Boater Café which is based in the same area where the tour boats leave from. Or Maybe book for a show on The Puppet Theatre Barge which is currently at Little Venice from 11th September – 7th November 2021. You could also take the short walk along the canal towards Paddington where you will find some wonderful, converted canal boats offering food and drink including, The Darcie & May Green, The Cheese Barge and The Grand Duchess. There are also other restaurant and drinks options along the bankside like Zizzi and The Union Paddington.
We opted for a drink on the Darcie & May Green which was lovely and a bite to eat from Bar Torelli which was delicious I would recommend both.
If you are looking for somewhere in London a little different to explore, steeped in history with a mix of modern then head up to explore the Little Venice and Camden Market areas.
Go Boats – You can hire these from Paddington a great fun experience where you can captain your own boat. There are several locations that you can hire a GOBOAT including Paddington where you could explore the section of the Regents Canal between Paddington and Camden whilst enjoying your very own picnic on board.
Coexistence- we can live together successfully. The day Mum and I stumbled upon these beautiful herds of elephants in Green Park London 🐘. Think we may need to take another trip to see them again anyone coming?
Check out the CoExistence website, simple things mean we can live in harmony. I try to make my garden a haven for wildlife with simple things, a part of the garden that we do not mow, a bee drinking tray, a small bird bath. These things are simple and inexpensive why not try something different for wildlife in your garden this year.
P.S. I would love to bye one of these elephants don’t think I have the space or money right now 😉🐘
I had always wanted to visit Kew Gardens and finally I managed to get there. I went with my Mum, Aunty, Sister in Law and Cousin. It was my sister in laws birthday so I packed a small cake and some prosecco to celebrate and just crossed my fingers that it would survive the train ride.
When we arrived at just after10amthe queue was small; I had a 2 for 1 card so I used this to save on the entry price. The 2 for 1 card is from the Gardeners World Magazine (May issue) and comes with a guide of all the places its valid; these run out fast in the shops so you may have to do a little searching or ask your newsagent to get one in for you.
Currently there is a glass art exhibition throughout the gardens and as soon as you enter after the admission booths you will see a beautiful glass sculpture. I have to say that the glass art was a real highlight so beautifully integrated into the gardens.
At first we decided to opt for the large glass houses as it was a little chilly and we wanted to warm up a little. We certainly did, it was humid and the plants were stunning. As we walked through the plan house you could feel the change in the temperatures as you moved through different world zones.
There are multiple indoor sections around the grounds including the temperate house, Kew Palace and the kitchens.
There was a fantastic looking children’s play area that was due to open in May, the only problem I can see with this is that the children may not want to leave.
We stopped for lunch at The Victoria Gate Cafe, it was absolutely packed and the queuing/food ordering system was chaotic. We managed to grab a table inside but we were one of the lucky ones. Overall the price and quality of the food was good and we all enjoyed our lunch.
We stopped later in the afternoon for the birthday cake and Prosecco which survived the journey very well. There were plenty of places to have a picnic or just take a seat around the gardens.
I can honestly say that there is so much to see that to see it all in one day is asking a lot, we did a great job clocking over 10 miles whilst we were there.
I would highly recommend at least one trip to Kew Gardens, I know that I would like to go back again later this year and I know that they do a light show a Christmas in which is on my list of things to do.
My Jones Life 