The archery session takes place on the top-floor basketball pitches at the Downside Centre near Tower Bridge (nearest to London Bridge underground). The have-a-go sessions take place around once a week and up to twelve people can join in each one. At £20 for 90mins, it is really good value for money!
On an organisational front, 20/20 Archery do an alright job. I felt let down the first time, when the notification about the change of time was sent to the incorrect email address, and we didn't find out until we actually turned up on the day. Although they didn't question rearranging the session to another date, when I tried to book this, the first set of options I was sent had either already passed or were fully-booked. I did eventually confirm a good date and the right email address, but even then when I emailed to check everything was still going ahead the day before the session, I didn't receive a reply.
However, when it did come to the 19th (the rebooked session), the experience itself was truly excellent!
With ten people in our session, there was plenty of space on the archery pitch. After being roughly measured for bow and arrow size, donning an armguard and getting some basic safety instructions, we were off!
One thing that cannot be criticised is the amount of time spent shooting arrows, which is what we all went there to do. They have a good system where the A-half shoot, then the B-half, arrows are collected and then you start from the beginning, meaning very little time is lost to faffing around or bringing arrows up and down the pitch.
However on the flip side, this did mean that there wasn't much time put over to technicalities, skills or helping people correct and improve their shooting. As a newly-discovered archery aficionado, I didn't mind this and definitely valued the lack of delays, however for anyone not having as much success (**cough** Sian **cough**) we agreed that a bit more assistance would have made for a more satisfying experience.
The session finished with a 15-arrow scoring competition, where shots were added up over five rounds. After a staunch battle, we had the two stocky guys in third and second (with mid-70s scores) and... me with the top score of 83!
This is for you if...
You just want to try something different and exciting. I would recommend this if you have siblings visiting, if you want to spend an afternoon with friends or even just for the experience. You don't have to be big and strong to have a good time, or find out you're a good archer!
Recommendations
If you're even just thinking about trying archery, do it. I went with friends, and would probably recommend this, but everyone was really friendly so if you did go alone then I'm sure it would still be a lot of fun.
This is the first Something New that I have decided to continue - 20/20 offer training courses from beginner right up to expert, and you can just go and shoot as part of the club. If you enjoy the have-a-go session but want more coaching, this is the way to go. Robin Hood, eat your heart out!
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Friday 7 October 2011
Hey, that dude was shot with an arrow! Let's go that way.
What: Archery
Where: 2020 Archery nr. London Bridge
Who: Me,Will (out due to injury) Sian & anyone else who fancies it (book in advance, info below)
When:Saturday 15th October @ 10.30am EDIT - now moved to Saturday 19th November at 4.30pm
Why: I want to be Robin Hood.
PS. If anyone does want to come, drop an email to enquiries@2020archery.co.uk to see if they have any places left. Cost is £20 for the Have-A-Go archery session.
Where: 2020 Archery nr. London Bridge
Who: Me,
When:
Why: I want to be Robin Hood.
PS. If anyone does want to come, drop an email to enquiries@2020archery.co.uk to see if they have any places left. Cost is £20 for the Have-A-Go archery session.
Sunday 2 October 2011
Fish Pedicure
I had some company for this new venture, in the form of Helen! A bit of a pamper and the prospect of a good chat were too tempting to refuse.
The Garra Rufa fish has many names - doctor fish, nibble fish, physio fish, reddish log sucker... They live mainly in the river basins of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran and are particularly popular for treating skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis, as they only consume dead areas of the skin, leaving the healthy skin to grow.
It was only in 2010 that the first fish pedicure spa opened in the UK, in Sheffield's Meadowhall shopping centre. London now has several fish pedicure treatment centres; I found this one through a simple Google search. Malika is on the bottom floor of the One New Change shopping centre by St Paul's. It's only a small shop with glass frontage onto the rest of the shopping centre - I'm not sure it would be as pleasant on a busy day with shoppers bustling everywhere, but on a quiet Sunday afternoon it was nice and peaceful.
The way the treatment works is you sit with your feet in a big aquarium containing lots of the gentle Garra Rufa fish. Once the fish notice that lunch has arrived, the pedicure begins! They swim about and nibble their way around your feet and toes. The sensation is the first surprise. It tickles, it's a bit like light pins & needles, or tiny electric shocks. The fish don't have teeth, so they can't bite you, but you can still feel them munching away, which is a little disconcerting, especially because they seem to really enjoy swimming between your toes!
Without any hesitation, I would recommend a fish pedicure. The treatment is relaxing, cooling and perfect for the morning after a night in stilettos or after a long day at the office. We had a 25-minute session - I don't think anything shorter than this would really have any demonstrable benefits - and it was nice to sit, chat and have my feet tickled by the fish. My feet are normally in a terrible state - I abuse them with everything from ridiculous high-heels to covering miles in hiking boots. Are they any better after the pedicure? They definitely feel good and do look better, although I think it would take many more sessions to make them perfect. It's a very gentle pedicure and I think my time and money would be better spent on a good podiatrist. That said, I will definitely be going for another fish pedicure at some point!
However, I won't be going back to Malika. The place does have some positives - free champagne or wine for treatments of 25mins & over (although we settled for a comforting cuppa) and there is a discount for groups (20% off for pairs, 25% for three/foor people). While it is conveniently positioned for the City, our experience was that they seemed unsure of how to provide a truly complete service. It is advertised as 'up to 100 fish' but I would estimate we had maybe 30 each... At the end of the treatment session, as other people came in, we were pretty much forgotten about. There were no towels provided or anywhere to sit and put shoes back on.
This is for you if...
You have sore, tired feet which need a bit of TLC. Those with ticklish feet, beware! Just perfect for a mid-shopping break to take the weight off your feet.
Recommendations
I think this is something that everyone should try at least once, if only to enjoy the sensation on your feet. It is relaxing and great to go to with friends; if you go alone, take a book or magazine.
The Garra Rufa fish has many names - doctor fish, nibble fish, physio fish, reddish log sucker... They live mainly in the river basins of Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran and are particularly popular for treating skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis, as they only consume dead areas of the skin, leaving the healthy skin to grow.
It was only in 2010 that the first fish pedicure spa opened in the UK, in Sheffield's Meadowhall shopping centre. London now has several fish pedicure treatment centres; I found this one through a simple Google search. Malika is on the bottom floor of the One New Change shopping centre by St Paul's. It's only a small shop with glass frontage onto the rest of the shopping centre - I'm not sure it would be as pleasant on a busy day with shoppers bustling everywhere, but on a quiet Sunday afternoon it was nice and peaceful.
The way the treatment works is you sit with your feet in a big aquarium containing lots of the gentle Garra Rufa fish. Once the fish notice that lunch has arrived, the pedicure begins! They swim about and nibble their way around your feet and toes. The sensation is the first surprise. It tickles, it's a bit like light pins & needles, or tiny electric shocks. The fish don't have teeth, so they can't bite you, but you can still feel them munching away, which is a little disconcerting, especially because they seem to really enjoy swimming between your toes!
Without any hesitation, I would recommend a fish pedicure. The treatment is relaxing, cooling and perfect for the morning after a night in stilettos or after a long day at the office. We had a 25-minute session - I don't think anything shorter than this would really have any demonstrable benefits - and it was nice to sit, chat and have my feet tickled by the fish. My feet are normally in a terrible state - I abuse them with everything from ridiculous high-heels to covering miles in hiking boots. Are they any better after the pedicure? They definitely feel good and do look better, although I think it would take many more sessions to make them perfect. It's a very gentle pedicure and I think my time and money would be better spent on a good podiatrist. That said, I will definitely be going for another fish pedicure at some point!
However, I won't be going back to Malika. The place does have some positives - free champagne or wine for treatments of 25mins & over (although we settled for a comforting cuppa) and there is a discount for groups (20% off for pairs, 25% for three/foor people). While it is conveniently positioned for the City, our experience was that they seemed unsure of how to provide a truly complete service. It is advertised as 'up to 100 fish' but I would estimate we had maybe 30 each... At the end of the treatment session, as other people came in, we were pretty much forgotten about. There were no towels provided or anywhere to sit and put shoes back on.
This is for you if...
You have sore, tired feet which need a bit of TLC. Those with ticklish feet, beware! Just perfect for a mid-shopping break to take the weight off your feet.
Recommendations
I think this is something that everyone should try at least once, if only to enjoy the sensation on your feet. It is relaxing and great to go to with friends; if you go alone, take a book or magazine.
Saturday 1 October 2011
Gone Fishin'
What: Fish Pedicure
Where: Malika, One New Change shopping centre
Who: Garra Rufa fishies
When: Sunday 2nd October 2011 at 2.30pm
Why: To give my feet a bit of love and the fishes some lunch
Where: Malika, One New Change shopping centre
Who: Garra Rufa fishies
When: Sunday 2nd October 2011 at 2.30pm
Why: To give my feet a bit of love and the fishes some lunch
Monday 19 September 2011
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
L'histoire en bref
Three men of different standing find themselves aboard the mysterious craft, the Nautilus. They are: Professor Pierre Arronax, a learned man; his manservant, Conseil; and a whaler by the name of Ned Land. Inside the Nautilus and guided by the infamous Captain Nemo, they commence an exploration of the seas of the world, from the Red Sea to the South Pole.
Vingt mille lieues sous les mers
Originally written in French by the sci-fi author Jules Verne, this copy was published by HarperCollins in 2010 and, in places, the translation does leave something to be desired. The admission in the preface is that the first translations of the original manuscript were inaccurate and politically censored. This version is probably extremely accurate but, at times, the reader can tell that it is not an original English text and, as such, while making sense, it is perhaps literarily flawed.
The sea is everything. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert where man is never alone, for he feels life quivering around him on every side.
One thing to say about the book, is that it certainly mentions a lot of life. Lists of flora and fauna, classified from kingdom to species, are riddled throughout the novel. This is one of the things that probably posed quite a problem for translators: on the one hand, the biological basis of these passages makes it easy to translate, as you simply follow the science; on the other hand, how do you make such a direct and phylogenetically analytic text poetic and pleasing to read?
I admit that the constant references to various kinds of fish did become a little mind-boggling and, at times, led to certain passages being skim-read. Except in modern scientific texts, I think it is rare to find a novel containing such in-depth analysis, although at the time when the book was written in 1870, Darwin's oeuvre was still fairly new to the world, so I can see that a novel containing such detailed descriptions of the animal kingdom would have been chronistically à la mode, perhaps.
Thus, then, in the bosom of the immense ocean Captain Nemo's entire life was passed, and he had even prepared his grave in the most impenetrable of its depths. There was always in him the same implacable and ferocious defiance towards all human society.
The character of Captain Nemo is an intricate and bewitching one. As captain of the Nautilus, he is at the same time the rescuer, captor and educator of the three land-dwellers. It was hard for me to read about him and not imagine the Nemo portrayed by Naseeruddin Shah in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen; however the film version is without doubt a more likeable fellow. The Nemo of the book is hard, resolute and disregards the freedom of his "captives". We never learn his origins, simply that whatever they are, they took his entire family from him, making him angry and hell-bent on revenge, attacking the mysterious ships that are somehow linked to this past. However, he shows a love for his crew and absolute remorse when even a single member is lost to him. He puts his own life at risk to save a simple pearl-diver and gives the gold he recovers from the sea to the poor and needy. He may hoard artefacts of the world, but does not take or remove the gigantic pearl, but instead observes its growth and appreciates the beauty of the natural phenomenon. For the majority of the book, the overwhelming impression is that the captain wishes to be left alone, untarnished and unaffected by the hypocrisy and corruption of world powers. It is only at the end that revenge seems to engulf this mysterious and engaging man.
This is for you if...
You want to read a piece of history. It is one of the first science novels from an author who became the 'Father of Sci-Fi' by pioneering the genre. If you're looking for a holiday read, stick to popular pulp fiction - that's where I'll be returning next.
Recommendations
At some point, read something classic. Even if it is only to appreciate the ease and intrigue of modern literature!
Three men of different standing find themselves aboard the mysterious craft, the Nautilus. They are: Professor Pierre Arronax, a learned man; his manservant, Conseil; and a whaler by the name of Ned Land. Inside the Nautilus and guided by the infamous Captain Nemo, they commence an exploration of the seas of the world, from the Red Sea to the South Pole.
Vingt mille lieues sous les mers
Originally written in French by the sci-fi author Jules Verne, this copy was published by HarperCollins in 2010 and, in places, the translation does leave something to be desired. The admission in the preface is that the first translations of the original manuscript were inaccurate and politically censored. This version is probably extremely accurate but, at times, the reader can tell that it is not an original English text and, as such, while making sense, it is perhaps literarily flawed.
The sea is everything. Its breath is pure and healthy. It is an immense desert where man is never alone, for he feels life quivering around him on every side.
One thing to say about the book, is that it certainly mentions a lot of life. Lists of flora and fauna, classified from kingdom to species, are riddled throughout the novel. This is one of the things that probably posed quite a problem for translators: on the one hand, the biological basis of these passages makes it easy to translate, as you simply follow the science; on the other hand, how do you make such a direct and phylogenetically analytic text poetic and pleasing to read?
I admit that the constant references to various kinds of fish did become a little mind-boggling and, at times, led to certain passages being skim-read. Except in modern scientific texts, I think it is rare to find a novel containing such in-depth analysis, although at the time when the book was written in 1870, Darwin's oeuvre was still fairly new to the world, so I can see that a novel containing such detailed descriptions of the animal kingdom would have been chronistically à la mode, perhaps.
Thus, then, in the bosom of the immense ocean Captain Nemo's entire life was passed, and he had even prepared his grave in the most impenetrable of its depths. There was always in him the same implacable and ferocious defiance towards all human society.
The character of Captain Nemo is an intricate and bewitching one. As captain of the Nautilus, he is at the same time the rescuer, captor and educator of the three land-dwellers. It was hard for me to read about him and not imagine the Nemo portrayed by Naseeruddin Shah in the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen; however the film version is without doubt a more likeable fellow. The Nemo of the book is hard, resolute and disregards the freedom of his "captives". We never learn his origins, simply that whatever they are, they took his entire family from him, making him angry and hell-bent on revenge, attacking the mysterious ships that are somehow linked to this past. However, he shows a love for his crew and absolute remorse when even a single member is lost to him. He puts his own life at risk to save a simple pearl-diver and gives the gold he recovers from the sea to the poor and needy. He may hoard artefacts of the world, but does not take or remove the gigantic pearl, but instead observes its growth and appreciates the beauty of the natural phenomenon. For the majority of the book, the overwhelming impression is that the captain wishes to be left alone, untarnished and unaffected by the hypocrisy and corruption of world powers. It is only at the end that revenge seems to engulf this mysterious and engaging man.
This is for you if...
You want to read a piece of history. It is one of the first science novels from an author who became the 'Father of Sci-Fi' by pioneering the genre. If you're looking for a holiday read, stick to popular pulp fiction - that's where I'll be returning next.
Recommendations
At some point, read something classic. Even if it is only to appreciate the ease and intrigue of modern literature!
Saturday 3 September 2011
And the next round is: Classic Literature
What: Read a classic book
Where: Mostly on the tube, shuttling backwards and forwards to work
Who: A little bit of M. Jules Verne
When: Hoping to manage it in a week...
Why: I love pulp fiction (not the film, although that is also good) but sometimes you have to try and raise your game. Hence I shall put down my crime novels and pick up "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" - let's see how it goes!
P.S. I realise this is somewhat less of a New Thing, but I also currently have a New Job to contend with, so it'll do for now...
Where: Mostly on the tube, shuttling backwards and forwards to work
Who: A little bit of M. Jules Verne
When: Hoping to manage it in a week...
Why: I love pulp fiction (not the film, although that is also good) but sometimes you have to try and raise your game. Hence I shall put down my crime novels and pick up "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" - let's see how it goes!
P.S. I realise this is somewhat less of a New Thing, but I also currently have a New Job to contend with, so it'll do for now...
Tuesday 12 July 2011
Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition
The Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition is an annual event where cutting-edge research projects from all different scientific and technological fields are made available for the general public to find out more about. This year it was held at the society's London base, Carlton House Terrace, with 22 different exhibits, most of which included interactive games or experiments, all of which had experts to simplify their techniques for science-simpletons like me...
The place was quite busy, with lots of families out to enjoy themselves and learn a bit; here's a few things I learnt from the exhibits I tried to get to grips with: -
Speaking & Listening in a Noisy World
- This is all to do with following a single speaker when another voice/s are interrupting. The experiment used previously gathered data and also the results of everyone who'd tried it out at the exhibition.
- Young children find it difficult to listen to a speaker when one other voice is also present. However they can concentrate on one voice over a crowd of interrupters much better.
- The ability to concentrate on the single voice peaks around age 19-20. We could follow the instructions of the lady's voice when the man's was six times louder! (Although this might say more about our ability to ignore what men are saying :P)
How Nature Dresses to Impress
- There are butterflies which change colour when their wings are wet. This is not to do with their actual colour, but the structure of the wings themselves.
- The same can be said of iridescent shells; the water affects they way they reflect light
Graphene: Unexpected Science in a Pencil Line
- A layer that is only one atom thick, which scientists want to use in future technology
- It was referred to as "2D", which bugged us (as it can't be, really)
Raiders of the Lost Amp
- A heat difference can be used generate power.
- My unanswerable question: if you had a separate power source, which got the two sides to their differing temperatures, could you then turn that power source off and use the energy generated by the heat difference to power the heat difference...??
Combating the Superpests: the Battle to Save our Food
- Greenfly are evil, not only because they eat our food & become practically invincible, but also because it makes my skin crawl and itch just to look at them...
21st Century Traffic Control: the Invisible Referee
- "Phantom jams" are annoying when driving, but surprisingly satisfying when viewed from above
- I was the fourth best person (that hour, on that day) at directing traffic around some junctions!
Geometry & Light: the Science of Invisibility
- If the refractive index of an object is the same as whatever surrounds it (e.g. water) then it is essentially invisible!
- Dutch men don't just hand out invisible marbles to anyone; apparently it helps if you are a small, cute kid. Dammit!
Facing up to Faces: Perception from Brains to Robots
- We all have an "average face" in our mind's eye; when we look at a person, we compare their face to that average face, and it's the differences that help you to recognise and remember them
- You know the smile recognition software you get in cameras? The rubbish one that can't detect a smile unless you've figuratively split your face ear-to-ear? There are people being paid to develop that.
Interactive Bionic Vision
- For people who can't see, because the photosensitive cells in their eyes don't function, but where the receptors to the brain are intact: they have developed a (3mm) microchip that can be inserted into the eye, that allows the user to see shades! This used to be a 9 x 9 pattern of dots, but it is now much more detailed.
- For those who can see, but not very well: MAGIC GLASSES! They have two cameras (one on each side) which look forward. The image they pick up is shown on the glasses' lenses, which are LCD screens. The dual images picked up allow the wearer to perceive depth!
Guns, Knives and Bombs: Spotting Weapons in Baggage X-Rays
- If you are asked to spot one thing in a collection of items, you can have quite a high success rate (91.7%, woohoo!)
- However, if asked to spot one of two possibles in a collection, the success rate drops dramatically (33.3%, boooooo!)
- Different materials show up as different colours in baggage x-rays; bombs are a different colour from guns. As scanners are looking for one of two different things, it makes it harder to spot.
- Airport queues may grow longer, as scientists are recommending baggage is scanned twice by different people - one looking for knives/guns, one looking for bombs/explosives.
Trauma Surgery: the Science of the Bleeding Obvious
- GCSE Double Science Award (2003-2005) can help stop you looking like too much of an idiot :D
- When you cut yourself, you bleed. You stop bleeding because of something called Fibrin and Platelets. In trauma patients, the body produces something called Protein C, which breaks down the fibrin, meaning bleeding does not stop! This is why so many trauma patients bleed out.
- They are developing a chemical that could be administered to major trauma victims early on, which would slow down the actions of Protein C, allowing many more to make it to the operating theatre where their wounds can be repaired.
- Seemingly regardless of age or appearance, doctors in scrubs can be quite yummy.
This is for you if...
You like playing with interactive experiments and learning the basics of modern science projects. I certainly found it a very entertaining few hours!
Recommendations
Take a friend. The exhibits can be quite busy and you can end up waiting around if you want to use the interactive things or chat to the experts, so it's good to have someone to discuss *science* with while you wait.
Leave enough time! I could definitely have spent much longer there (especially with the trauma doctor...)
The place was quite busy, with lots of families out to enjoy themselves and learn a bit; here's a few things I learnt from the exhibits I tried to get to grips with: -
Speaking & Listening in a Noisy World
- This is all to do with following a single speaker when another voice/s are interrupting. The experiment used previously gathered data and also the results of everyone who'd tried it out at the exhibition.
- Young children find it difficult to listen to a speaker when one other voice is also present. However they can concentrate on one voice over a crowd of interrupters much better.
- The ability to concentrate on the single voice peaks around age 19-20. We could follow the instructions of the lady's voice when the man's was six times louder! (Although this might say more about our ability to ignore what men are saying :P)
How Nature Dresses to Impress
- There are butterflies which change colour when their wings are wet. This is not to do with their actual colour, but the structure of the wings themselves.
- The same can be said of iridescent shells; the water affects they way they reflect light
Graphene: Unexpected Science in a Pencil Line
- A layer that is only one atom thick, which scientists want to use in future technology
- It was referred to as "2D", which bugged us (as it can't be, really)
Raiders of the Lost Amp
- A heat difference can be used generate power.
- My unanswerable question: if you had a separate power source, which got the two sides to their differing temperatures, could you then turn that power source off and use the energy generated by the heat difference to power the heat difference...??
Combating the Superpests: the Battle to Save our Food
- Greenfly are evil, not only because they eat our food & become practically invincible, but also because it makes my skin crawl and itch just to look at them...
21st Century Traffic Control: the Invisible Referee
- "Phantom jams" are annoying when driving, but surprisingly satisfying when viewed from above
- I was the fourth best person (that hour, on that day) at directing traffic around some junctions!
Geometry & Light: the Science of Invisibility
- If the refractive index of an object is the same as whatever surrounds it (e.g. water) then it is essentially invisible!
- Dutch men don't just hand out invisible marbles to anyone; apparently it helps if you are a small, cute kid. Dammit!
Facing up to Faces: Perception from Brains to Robots
- We all have an "average face" in our mind's eye; when we look at a person, we compare their face to that average face, and it's the differences that help you to recognise and remember them
- You know the smile recognition software you get in cameras? The rubbish one that can't detect a smile unless you've figuratively split your face ear-to-ear? There are people being paid to develop that.
Interactive Bionic Vision
- For people who can't see, because the photosensitive cells in their eyes don't function, but where the receptors to the brain are intact: they have developed a (3mm) microchip that can be inserted into the eye, that allows the user to see shades! This used to be a 9 x 9 pattern of dots, but it is now much more detailed.
- For those who can see, but not very well: MAGIC GLASSES! They have two cameras (one on each side) which look forward. The image they pick up is shown on the glasses' lenses, which are LCD screens. The dual images picked up allow the wearer to perceive depth!
Guns, Knives and Bombs: Spotting Weapons in Baggage X-Rays
- If you are asked to spot one thing in a collection of items, you can have quite a high success rate (91.7%, woohoo!)
- However, if asked to spot one of two possibles in a collection, the success rate drops dramatically (33.3%, boooooo!)
- Different materials show up as different colours in baggage x-rays; bombs are a different colour from guns. As scanners are looking for one of two different things, it makes it harder to spot.
- Airport queues may grow longer, as scientists are recommending baggage is scanned twice by different people - one looking for knives/guns, one looking for bombs/explosives.
Trauma Surgery: the Science of the Bleeding Obvious
- GCSE Double Science Award (2003-2005) can help stop you looking like too much of an idiot :D
- When you cut yourself, you bleed. You stop bleeding because of something called Fibrin and Platelets. In trauma patients, the body produces something called Protein C, which breaks down the fibrin, meaning bleeding does not stop! This is why so many trauma patients bleed out.
- They are developing a chemical that could be administered to major trauma victims early on, which would slow down the actions of Protein C, allowing many more to make it to the operating theatre where their wounds can be repaired.
- Seemingly regardless of age or appearance, doctors in scrubs can be quite yummy.
This is for you if...
You like playing with interactive experiments and learning the basics of modern science projects. I certainly found it a very entertaining few hours!
Recommendations
Take a friend. The exhibits can be quite busy and you can end up waiting around if you want to use the interactive things or chat to the experts, so it's good to have someone to discuss *science* with while you wait.
Leave enough time! I could definitely have spent much longer there (especially with the trauma doctor...)
Friday 8 July 2011
The name's Bond. Covalent Bond.
And for my next trick...
What: Summer Science Exhibition
Where: Carlton House Terrace, London
Who: The Royal Society
When: Sunday 10th July
Why: To learn a bit more about chemistry and biology ;) and physics I spose... Plus it has free entry.
What: Summer Science Exhibition
Where: Carlton House Terrace, London
Who: The Royal Society
When: Sunday 10th July
Why: To learn a bit more about chemistry and biology ;) and physics I spose... Plus it has free entry.
Wednesday 29 June 2011
Pole Dancing
This was a one-off tester course, aiming to introduce pole dancing or "pole" to absolute beginners. Run by a lovely lady called Nicky, it lasts an hour and costs £15.
The dress code is top, shorts and, in order to achieve the perfect strut, a sexy pair of heels. Unfortunately, combine this outfit with an amateur ability on the pole and floor-to-ceiling mirrors, the heels are the only sexy thing about it!
After a brief warm-up, you start off with an epic strut around the room, working the hips and heels to their best. Then it's time to take up The Pole. It's a bit nervy at first, but after a while everyone relaxes into it and just starts to enjoy themselves! On learning how to "ripple", we all find it surprisingly difficult not to end up just thrusting the pole in a ridiculous manner - stick that bum out to get a good curve!
Of course, it's all about the spins with pole. We did three spins in this class: -
1. "Fireman" climbing spin
2. Falling spin
3. Crossed ankle falling spin (I would call this one the Ankle Killer...)
These moves are painfully funny when you're practising them, but so much fun when you get them right! The feeling of spinning round the pole helps you forget that you're carrying your entire body weight in your arms...
This class is about showing you some moves and the possibilities of pole. If you go on to take one of PDS's courses, you learn moves as part of a routine, gradually increasing the complexity of and flexibility required for the moves. You can take a course from Levels 1 to 10, learning how to climb the pole and go upside down, right up to the exotic moves of the pros! However, given the amount of bruising and muscle pain today, I think I'll save Level 1 for another week :S
This is for you if...
You like a good giggle and own a pair of heels. You don't have to have rhythm or style, just a bit of Attitude!
Recommendations
I would recommend going along with a friend - the rest of the class were really up for it, but having someone else to laugh at is always good.
Heels can be any height or type, but do the warm-up in bare feet. No one likes jogging in heels, oooooh no.
And finally, if you bruise like a peach, expect to be black and blue next day!
Tuesday 28 June 2011
Doing Something New
A telling moment: By chance, you meet an old friend. Conversation can be awkward to begin with, but you've not seen them in a while, so there should be plenty to talk about, right...? Mild pleasantries about work, home and friends out of the way, however, and you start to wonder: -
"What have I done since we last met? What is new with me?!"
It was a moment such as this which was the instigation for me to start my personal Do Something New adventure.
My concept: to do something new! Find something (anything!) you've not done before or for a long while, find a class and get involved. They might be sports, arts projects, places - anything I have the desire to do but have not yet had the chance to experience!
My location: with its myriad activities, classes & courses, London is the perfect setting for this venture.
My plan: a few times a month, to sign myself up for some new adventures!
My starting point: pole dancing.
What? Pole Dancing
Where? Barbican
Who? Pole Dancing School
When? Tues 28th June
Why? Why not!
"What have I done since we last met? What is new with me?!"
It was a moment such as this which was the instigation for me to start my personal Do Something New adventure.
My concept: to do something new! Find something (anything!) you've not done before or for a long while, find a class and get involved. They might be sports, arts projects, places - anything I have the desire to do but have not yet had the chance to experience!
My location: with its myriad activities, classes & courses, London is the perfect setting for this venture.
My plan: a few times a month, to sign myself up for some new adventures!
My starting point: pole dancing.
What? Pole Dancing
Where? Barbican
Who? Pole Dancing School
When? Tues 28th June
Why? Why not!
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