Next week, on Tuesday 14th, will mark the religious holiday of Saint Valentine.

Traditionally a Roman Catholic feast day that celebrated martyrs, often named Valentine, it is now most commonly associated as a day for lovers! Many write declarations of love in cards or give gifts of chocolates and flowers on the day but how about treating your loved one to a day out in London?

Here are a few of the best spots for UIC lovers to explore the city together…

Ice Skating
Enjoy twirling around the ice together at two of London’s outdoor ice rinks that are still open; Broadgate in the City and Canary Wharf.
(Tickets from £9)

Tower Bridge
Enjoy the views across the Thames after the steep climb up together.
(Tickets £5.60)

London Eye
Why not enjoy a romantic ride on the big wheel? For 25mins you can take in the sights across the city and then take a walk along the Southbank stopping for a drink in the OXO tour bar.
(Tickets from Tara for only £18)

Kew Gardens
You and your lover can take a stroll around the Royal Botanical Gardens. Explore glasshouses, landscapes and 250 years of history at the world’s most famous garden. (Tickets £11.90)

And for those of you stuck for a gift, check out some of London’s best chocolate shops…

L’Artisan du Chocolat
89 Lower Sloane St or at Selfridges

Maison du Chocolat
49 Piccadilly

Montezuma’s
51 Brushfield St

Discover the London you won’t find in the guide books! The ALTERNATIVE LONDON TOUR takes you on a two hour walk through London’s vibrant East End. The tour covers some of the interesting history and culture of the Spitalfields, Banglatown and Shoreditch areas as well as showing you what is happening now in London’s creative hotbed.

Although this is more than just a London street art tour, you are guaranteed to see a huge range of street art from some of the World’s finest artists. Covering around 50 artists per tour and due to the nature of the art it is constantly changing and evolving, which guarantees that it always feels fresh. The guide’s knowledge of the street art scene is second to none, as is their passion for the local area. This makes for a great day or evening out for tourists and locals alike.

This is a free tour but booking is essential so visit www.alternativeldn.co.uk

Don’t forget, this week we are visiting the London Aquarium on Tuesday, the Halcyon Gallery on Wednesday to see the spectacular work of Dale Chihuly and the ultimate LostinLondon International student night on Friday at Cafe de Paris.

Tara
x

Need something to do this weekend? Well you are sure in for a treat! Here is a selection of my top events in London…

Winter Wanders
Join any of these 50 free guided walks taking place across the capital and beyond as part of Walk London’s annual ‘Winter Wanders’ weekend. Among the walks you can choose from this weekend, several focus on East London under the title ‘Walking Towards the Games’. Details of times and starting points are available on the Walk London website, which also has downloadable maps of suggested walks you can follow on your own at any time. www.walklondon.org.uk

Chinese New Year at Trafalgar Square
10.15am: Parade starts on Rupert Street
11.30am: Parade finishes on Rupert Street
12 noon: Opening ceremony on main stage in Trafalgar Square, where Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Stanley Tse, President of Chinatown, will perform the Dotting of the Eye ceremony, which will bring the dragons and lions to life
12 noon-5.40pm: Display by more than 100 performers, including the Chen Brothers
5.40pm: Fireworks finale in Trafalgar Square

Charles Dickens; Life and Legacy
A display to mark the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Dickens (1812-1870), the famous British author. Paintings, photographs, drawings and engravings, including portraits of the author, his family and influential contemporaries, chart the progress of Dickens’s life and the legacy of the characters he created. This exhibition is at the National Portrait Gallery in Trafalgar Square and is free entry.
For more information visit www.npg.org.uk

Have a great weekend everybody!

Tara xx

Today is Chinese New Year and it is one of the most important of the traditional festivals marking the end of the winter season. The Chinese calendar is lunisolar and each year is represented by one of the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac, and 2012 is the year of the Dragon.

A week of celebrations will start today with the main London celebrations taking place this weekend.

Within China, regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese New Year vary widely. People will pour out their money to buy presents, decoration, material, food, and clothing. It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red colour paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of ‘good fortune’ or ‘happiness’, ‘wealth’ and ‘lomgevity’.

On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers. Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes. The Chinese New Year tradition is to reconcile, forget all grudges and sincerely
wish peace and happiness for everyone.

Why not take a break after studying English this week and join in the festivities? The main events will take place in and around Trafalgar Square on Sunday 29^th January.

Chinese New Year Timings

• 10.15am: Parade starts on Rupert Street
• 11.30am: Parade finishes on Rupert Street
• 12noon:
  Opening ceremony on main stage in Trafalgar Square, where Mayor of London Boris Johnson and Stanley Tse, President of Chinatown, will perform the Dotting of the Eye ceremony, which will bring the dragons and lions to life
• 12noon-5.40pm:
  Display by more than 100 performers, including the Chen Brothers
• 5.40pm: Fireworks finale in Trafalgar Square

Tara xx