Every Friday throughout June and July ZSL London Zoo will open its door after-hours, inviting Londoners to unleash their wild side. Party ‘animals’ will be treated to some late-night entertainment with this adult-only event. For visitors travelling from outside of London, a number of cheap London hotelsnear to Richmond Park can be found on LondonTown.com.

Permitted to stay up late too, the animals will be the stars of the show. With more than 750 species atLondon Zoo, visitors will be able to coo at the penguins, admire the big cats, burrow with the meerkats, get up close and personal with the monkeys, and much more. The evening will also give access to the brand new Tiger Territory, the five star £3.6 million home for the Sumatran tigers. Plus, there will be a chance to learn more about the animals with a range of talks, demonstrations and feeding opportunities.

Aside from the animals there will be much more to keep guests entertained: the aquarium will play host to improvised comedy, there will be Twisted Cabaret in the amphitheatre, a Silent Disco, a carousel, an incredibly short film festival and roving performances. Visitors can also have their faces painted and are encouraged to wear their wildest animal costumes.

Food can be found at the international street food festival, which boasts around 21 food vendors, and alcoholic beverages can be bought at a number of pop up bars, including a champagne bar and a Pimm’s stall.

Read about all the best events in London for the rest of 2013 by downloading a free copy of London 2013: The Annual, LondonTown.com’s pick of events, openings, anniversaries and experiences.

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In 1912, workmen in London discovered buried beneath a cellar in Cheapside one of the greatest collections of Tudor gold and jewellery ever found. Known as the Cheapside Hoard, this beautiful pile of priceless jewels and gemstones will go on display in its entirety from October 11 th at the Museum of London for the first time in more than a century.

The Museum of London is located in the Barbican arts centre near Farringdon, a short train journey from the Eurostar terminus at St Pancr as International. Its home near the City of London means it is within walking distance of some of London’s most important tourist destinations, all of which are listed on LondonTown.com. Visitors to London can find a wide selection of hotels near Kings Cross and St Pancras on LondonTown.com.

The Cheapside Hoard exhibition uses new research and state-of-the-art technology to showcase the wealth of insights the Hoard offers on Elizabethan and Jacobean London as a centre of craftsmanship and conspicuous consumption at the crossroads of the Old and New Worlds. It will also explore the mysteries that remain, lost among the cataclysmic events of the mid-17th century: who owned the Hoard, when and why was it hidden, and why was it never reclaimed?

The hoard was discovered by builders who, according to one witness, ‘discovered a heavy mass of clay found a building in Cheapside. It was like an iron football, and they said there was a lot more of it. Sticking in the clay were bright gleams of gold. When they had gone, we went up to the bathroom and turned the water on to the clay. Out fell pearl earrings and pendants and all kinds of crumpled jewellery. That was how the famous hoard of Tudor jewellery, the Cheapside Hoard, was discovered.’ The workmen who uncovered the hoard were said to have been paid a hundred pounds each, after which they disappeared and weren’t seen at work for months.

As well as the Cheapside Horde, the Museum of London covers the whole story of London from prehistory to the present day with particularly strong artefacts covering Roman London, the Middle Ages, Victorian London and the Suffragettes. It is found in Barbican, just a short stroll from some of London’s historic Roman-founded City of London, which is dominated by St Paul’s Cathedral but also contains numerous other small galleries and museums as well as a wide selection of pubs and restaurants, many of which are located in some of the oldest buildings in London.

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The astonishing success of the British Museum’s stunning Life And Death In Pompeii And Herculaneum has ensured the London museum remains one of the most popular in the world. Visitors can still pick up tickets for the Pompeii show, but there’s also plenty of other treats to be seen in the museum if you want to get even more value out of your visit. Travellers can also use LondonTown.com to book their accommodation as there is a wide range of London hotels near Euston, just a short bus ride from the British Museum, to suit all budgets.

If travellers to London are keen on seeing Pompeii, tickets are still available via the British Museum website, and there is also a huge selection of special events looking at different aspects of the exhibition, including a free film screening (Pompeii’s Last Day on July 3rd) and a Roman fresco painting workshop (£35, June 15th). See the museum’s website for details of this and other events.

The British Museum also has a free exhibition opening on May 30 looking at Asian Propaganda, which explores political art from the Far East since 1900. Visually rich and dramatic, this exhibition covers early revolutionary messages (1900–1930), the Asia-Pacific War (1931–1945), post-war reconstruction (post-1945), new society (up to 1976), and includes key propaganda devices, such as the use or subversion of tradition and the insertion of propaganda into daily life. Later in the year, the British Museum will have a major exhibition on Colombian Gold (from September 12th), featuring hundreds of stunning examples of gold jewellery and objet d’artsborrowed from the Museum of Gold in Bogota.

The museum is open every day for visitors keen to see its extraordinary general collections, which include incredible artefacts from Ancient Egypt, Rome and Greece, Africa, the Middle East as well as fascinating items illustrating the early years of Britain itself, from Roman London, through the Anglo-Saxons and Tudor London to the present day. For more on events that are taking place at the British Museum, see LondonTown.com.

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Having found a new Shoreditch-based rooftop, The Forza Win team are back for another run. Launched last summer, the rooftop pizza restaurant was a sell-out success with its three-course meal, drinks and live entertainment formula. For anyone hoping to find a hotel in the Shoreditch area, a number of cheap London hotels can be found on LondonTown.com.

The pop up restaurant launched in London with a summer pizza-based event and, due to its overwhelming popularity, created a winter version too, which provided guests with a hearty cheese fondue and warming cocktails. Now, they’re back for a third time and have partnered up with Pizza Pilgrims, the street food company that has taken London by storm.

Upon arrival, to an east London location that is kept a secret until booking, guests are greeted with a welcome drink and seated on large communal tables – tickets are limited to a small number each night, making this an intimate and friendly evening. They are then treated to a tempting Italian starter, a Neapolitan pizza tasting menu, cooked on woodfired ovens by the Pizza Pilgrims, and plenty of wine. The evening concludes with an indulgent dessert and live entertainment, this year a host of new bands and performers will provide the entertainment. They’ve also launched an ‘after’ venue this time round, so guests can party post Forza until the early hours of the morning.

The restaurant will run from 30 th May to the end of September and is currently taking bookings. For the three-course meal, drink on arrival and live entertainment, guests are charged £30.

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For sports fans, June in London means one thing: Wimbledon (24th June to 7th July 2013) which entices the world’s top players to the All England Tennis Club in SW19 and in 2013 the competitors will have an even bigger incentive to win with prize money increased by 40% over last year to a total of £22.6million, an increase of £6.5million.

But visitors coming to London in June will find much more in the city than Murray mania. There’s a world of entertainment outside Centre Court this month and now is the time to book a hotel in London where the city’s theatres, museums, galleries and sporting venues are gearing up for a busy summer season.

On the London stage, Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe appears in The Cripple of Inishmaan, Sex And The City’s Kim Cattrall stars in Sweet Bird of Youth at The Old Vic, and comedian Lenny Henry returns to serious drama in Fences. Rufus Norris directs The Amen Corner at The National Theatre where Mission Drift opens at The Shed this month.

At Shakespeare’s Globe The Taming of the Shrew and Macbeth open this month, and there’s more from The Bard at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre which continues with The Winter’s Tale, reimagined for a younger audience. The theatre also stages Pride and Prejudice in the year Jane Austen’s much-loved novel reaches its 200th anniversary.

Playwrights take over in the Open Court Festival, and if you like your theatre experimental, Punchdrunk – past masters in the art – present The Drowned Man at a secret location.

Benjamin Britten’s 100th anniversary celebrations continue with the English National Opera performing Death in Venice , with several concerts within the City of London Festival – the War Requiem at St Paul ‘s Cathedral stands out among them – and with Gloriana at the Royal Opera House where Verdi’s bicentenary is marked by a powerful production of Simon Boccanegra. In other opera news, the hotly anticipated London premiere of Philip Glass’s The Perfect American opens this month, and west London ‘s wonderful Opera Holland Park opens with a double bill directed by Lindsay Posner.

At Sadler’s Wells dance highlights include RIOT Offspring, The Forsythe Company, and the popular annual Sadler’s Sampled which returns for two weeks towards the end of the month. And for the traditionalists, the English National Ballet performing Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall will not disappoint.

Tate Britain dedicates a long overdue solo show to LS Lowry and presents two British painters, Patrick Caulfield and Gary Hume, in parallel. The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, designed by Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto this year, are highlights of the summer arts calendar, supplemented by worthwhile exhibitions on Collecting Gauguin, The Discovery of Paris, and A Crisis of Brilliance which includes some of the most well-known British artists of twentieth century.

If you’re in the market to buy, head to prestigious art fairs Masterpiece London and Olympia International Fine Arts & Antiques, or – if the budget is more modest – the Affordable Art Fair and New Designers Exhibition. For those feeling the austerity pinch there are free exhibitions on Vermeer and Music at the National Gallery and the Illustration Awards at the V&A.

June also brings a host of summer fetes, fairs and free festivals including Open Garden Squares Weekend, Taste of London, the Kew Fete, The Monocle Country Fayre, More London Free Festival and, from 21st to 29th June, the Greenwich + Docklands International Festival – nine days of outdoor theatre, dance and street acts; most of it free.

The city-wide 15-day Shubbak Festival, backed by the Mayor of London, encompasses nine exhibitions – including the ICA ‘s Points of Departure – and 40 events including free family events and a series of Shubbak Festival Concerts at the Barbican.

Artist and activist Yoko Ono curates this year’s Meltdown Festival which includes performances from Siouxie, Iggy and the Stooges, Patti Smith and Peaches. Other musical highlights include Hampton Court Palace Festival – where Sir Cliff Richard and Jools Holland play – as well as concerts by Green Day, The Stone Roses, Kings of Leon, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna, Maroon 5, Robbie Williams, and Canadian singer-songwriter Michael Bublé who starts a ten-night residency at London’s O2 on Sunday 30th June.

In sport, top international cricket teams gather for the ICC Champions Trophy with the opening rounds and first semi-final played out at the Oval where later in the month England play New Zealand in two T20 fixtures. Wimbledon is all well and good but earlier in the month there’s the AEGON Championships at the Queen’s Club. Also in leafy west London is Polo in the Park at the Hurlingham Club, three days of polo and Pimm’s, while Royal Ascot is more of a society than a sporting event.

At Westminster Abbey, where The Queen was crowned this month 60 years ago, there’s a special Coronation Jubilee Concert on Thursday 13th June while Trooping the Colour on Saturday 15th June marks The Queen’s official birthday – one of the few opportunities you’ll get to see the troops in full ceremonial gear.

For these and more must-see events in London beginning in June 2013, go toLondonTown.com where a host of useful information is supplied, giving those planning to visit the city all the information they need in one online location. With over 18 years of experience, the website is the place to go to for informative and unbiased reviews on everything you need to know about the UK ‘s capital city.

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The London Literature Festival begins at the Southbank Centre this month and runs from Monday 20th May to 5th June 2013 and for visitors travelling to London to see the likes of AC Grayling, William Dalrymple, Cerys Matthews and the largest ever gathering of world poets now is the time to book a London hotel to ensure you don’t miss out on these must-see events.

The festival launches with the Man Booker International Prize Readings and includes appearances from high profile speakers like actor and author Rupert Everett who, on Saturday 25th May 2013, talks about being Oscar Wilde, the nature of reputation and his best-selling memoirs, his highly-acclaimed bestseller, Red Carpet and Other Banana Skins, and his new memoir, Vanished Years.

Audrey Niffenegger, bestselling author of The Time Traveler’s Wife, discusses her life as a writer and an artist and introduces her latest work, The Raven Girl, an illustrated fairy tale which receives its world premiere in London this month as a ballet for the Royal Opera House choreographed by Wayne McGregor. Raven Girl will be performed in a Mixed Programme with George Balanchine’s Symphony in C from 24th May until 8th June 2013 and tickets are still available.

Other high profile personalities appearing at the festival are presenter and writer Melvyn Bragg who launches his new novel, Grace and Mary, at London Literature Festival on Wednesday 22nd May, Tom Dixon who launches his new book, Dixonary, with an illustrated talk on Wednesday 29th May, and Tracey Thorn, one half of the band Everything but the Girl, who talks about her candid memoir Bedsit Disco Queen on Sunday 2nd June 2013.

There’s also a chance to see the six shortlisted authors for the Women’s Prize for Fiction (previously the Orange Prize), including Hilary Mantel, Barbara Kingsolver and Zadie Smith reading and discussing their work at Queen Elizabeth Hall on Tuesday 4th June 2013.

To find out more of the best events in London this summer go to LondonTown.com where a host of useful information is given including the latest listings for all types of events from opera and classical music to pop music and nightlife. With over 18 years of experience, the website is the place to go to for informative and unbiased reviews on everything you need to know about the UK ‘s capital city.

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The most anticipated election exercise and swearing in ceremony has been concluded in Kenya. Kenya ushers in a new President and Deputy President. In a rare appearance from other swearing in ceremonies the Excellencies and their spouses kneeled down in public to pray for guidance, direction and wisdom to govern the Republic of Kenya. This is indeed a landmark event that will go down in History being the first election under the new constitution holding 6 new elections at once.

In the words of the Deputy President Hon. William Ruto the tourism industry is supposed to be one that receives the highest number of tourism arrivals in the country comparing to the arrivals in the Malaysian country. The investors in the tourism industry endeavor to see significant growth in terms of economic and job creation opportunities.

The President of the republic of Kenya has vowed to fulfill his promises as per the manifesto of the Jubilee coalition by also creating an enabling environment for business. Also stating that those guilty of poaching and destruction of our natural resources are not welcome in the society as they are a d destructive blow to Kenya’s tourism . Those threatening the peace and security of Kenyan citizens will not be tolerated in the country as a matter of resolute. The president also stated that his government will support local enterprises by buying Kenyan and will support the regional trade and removal of all non-tariff barriers in the East African community to established total integration.

Celebrating 50 years of independent the new government will be scrutinized from every angle as work begins on the 9 th April, 2013, regardless of the political parties, urging all Kenyans to move forward together upholding the words of our national anthem build on building peace, service and brotherhood, aspire each day to the dignity from hard work spirit on anthem and constitution.

The Kenya National Anthem lyrics

Kiswahili

Ee Mungu nguvu yetu;Ilete baraka kwetu;Haki iwe ngao na mlinzi;Natukae na undugu
Amani na uhuru;Raha tupate na ustawi.

Amkeni ndugu zetu;Tufanye sote bidii;Nasi tujitoe kwa nguvu;Nchi yetu ya Kenya;Tunayoipenda;Tuwe tayari kuilinda

Natujenge taifa letu;Ee, ndio wajibu wetu;Kenya istahili heshima;Tuungane mikono
Pamoja kazini;Kila siku tuwe na shukrani

English

O God of all creation; Bless this our land and nation; Justice be our shield and defender; May we dwell in unity; Peace and liberty; Plenty be found within our borders.

Let one and all arise; With hearts both strong and true; Service be our earnest endeavour; And our homeland of Kenya; Heritage of splendor; Firm may we stand to defend.

Let all with one accord; In common bond united; Build this our nation together; And the glory of Kenya; The fruit of our labour; Fill every heart with thanksgiving.

The President Uhuru Muigai Kenya has told Kenyans to go back to work and the Kenyan people agree to the fact that it’s time to go back to work with a bang.

Tours and Safari Companies such as cruzeiro-safaris.com who have experience a setback in visitors flow due to the prolonged election period have to embark on the back to work scenario. They have brought with them vast experience in the tourism industry as positively reviewed by guest on trip advisor link.

Their safaris and tours packages range from city day trips/tours to long safaris and also accommodation to the self catering private and luxury lovers.

So anytime one can book and reserve for the high season without having to wait for the last minute due to disappointments. We reckon that there will be business booming during the months of June, July , August, September and October 2013 in Kenya. Tourist are also anticipated by the Kenya Tourist board and Ministry of Tourism to flow in large and massive numbers to Kenya and cruzeiro-safaris.com is ready and capable to serve the tourist and increase the number of reviews from the current to over 200,000 within a short span of time. How is this possible? Cruzeiro-safaris.com is embarking on making international contracts with travel agents to re-sell their product on a commission basis or affiliate and is believed that also the home-based travel agents will join in the program. One thing that one should know is that cruzeiro- safaris.com is a member of the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO) and is also bonded with membership no. 377, thus one is assured that there are in safe and capable hands.

The year is definitely starting well and hopes it ends well as well with the Kenyan residents also travelling during the December holidays of 2013. Unlike other years the year 2013 promises a bumper harvest in the coast beach of Kenya in terms of hotel accommodation. Some hotels are fully booked during the days of 22 nd Dec to 3 rd January, 2014. This is so encouraging and as usual the hotel rates almost double up but still people are able to pay to the cost of Kshs.35000 (USD435-Roe80.0) per double per night on half board, as compared to the normal rates of Kshs.15000(USD187-Roe80.0) per double per night on half board on normal days. The coast has other attractions as well such as the dolphin tracking tour, dinner at the floating restaurant, tamarind dhow dinner and other safaris going to Tsavo west and east and Amboseli.

Luxury link: http://www.cruzeiro-safaris.com/index.php/safari-twiga

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Often regarded as a rural-based charity for the older generation, The National Trust is being given a radical reworking to engage the capital and a younger audience with London’s built heritage, history and outdoor spaces. The 117-year-old charity actually launched in London and will be reminding visitors of this with the London Project, an eclectic programme of one-off events that will span arts, culture and the urban green environment. Visitors travelling from outside of the capital can find some great London hotel deals on LondonTown.com.

The London Project will commence on the 18th May with a partnership with Chelsea Fringe, the annual alternative garden festival. The programme includes the planting of 35 mature fruit trees in Chamberlain galvanised bin, creating Octavia’s Orchard at the Southbank Centre as part of the Festival of Neighbourhood;a night time Fox Watch walk in central London, a chance to track the capital’s nocturnal neighbours; an open performance on twitter,inviting writers to collaboratively create a chorus of tweets in the early hours of the morning; and Wild about London, a 24 hour event at Osterley Park welcomes specialists to share their knowledge on ancient trees, birds, bats and insects.

This will be followed by two nights of immersive film parties with Amy Grimehouse at Sutton House in Hackney and The Art of Dining’s latest pop up, which will take place across three London National Trust venues and combine art, theatre and fine dining. Further highlights include a festival of London beers and micro-breweries at Morden Hall Park, a croquet boules and garden games weekend with 200-year old games maker Jaques, and party masters The Last Tuesday Society hosting two events at Carlyle’s House.

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As part of their 2013 tour, Muse are set to take the stage at London’s Emirates Stadium for two nights this May. The musical heavyweights are renowned for their ambitious hybrids of rock, opera, classical and electronica, and now they’re set to bring this to the stage with what’s likely to be another epic tour. For anyone travelling from outside of London, a number of cheap hotels in London all in close proximity to the Emirates Stadium can be booked on LondonTown.com.

Released in 2012, the band’s single ‘Survival’, the first to be released from their sixth studio album ‘The 2nd Law’, became the official song for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and its dramatic and cinematic lyrics blasted out of speakers across London to gee on the athletes. However, with its humour and over-the-top madness, the single received mixed reviews. The album followed and offered a madcap fusion of progressive rock, strings, pop melodies and dubstep. Performing tracks from this album as well as their earlier hits, these live shows are likely to deliver the band’s trademark extravagant displays.

The Muse gigs, which take place on 25th and 26th May 2013, will be followed a week later by Green Day, who are also performing at the stadium and will be supported by All Time Low and the Kaiser Chiefs.

Stay informed on all the best music events happening in London through 2013 by downloading a free copy of London 2013: The Annual, a guide to all the top events, anniversaries, openings and experiences in the capital throughout this year.

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They say that life begins at 40 – although some of the musical legends heading to London this summer obviously got the memo 20 years too late. With the likes of Chris de Burgh, Donnie and Marie and The Stranglers having all graced the London stage so far this year, several more blasts from the past are set to treat audiences to a trip down memory lane – starting with guitar guru Eric Clapton, who starts a five-night residency at the Royal Albert Hall this Friday (17th May 2013).

Blending numbers from his Yailbirds and Cream back catalogue with some of his recent blues and honky-tonk solo offerings, Clapton celebrates his 50th year as a professional musician with five nights at the prestigious venue, which he once described as “my front room”. There’s certainly no reason to cry about this journeyman dropping into the Royal Albert Hall this summer – and he’s not the only one.

Former Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler – alongside Clapton hailed as one of the greatest guitarists of all time – plays six special nights to promote his latest albumPrivateering from 27th May to 1st June; while the renowned genre-bending musician Elvis Costello picks up the baton with two nights with his band The Imposters for the continuation of their 13 Revolvers tour (4th & 5th June). Fans travelling into London to attend any of these classic concerts can book their accommodation through LondonTown.com, where there’s a wide range of Hotels in London for all kinds of budget.

The O2 Arena welcomes a number of timeless acts this summer too with New Wave synth-poppers Depeche Mode playing two nights on 28th and 29th May before the multi award-winning American singer Barbra Streisand, one of the most successful entertainers in modern entertainment history, plays back-to-back concerts on 1st and 3rd June. Later in the year at the former Millennium Dome, fans will be given the chance to see Fleetwood Mac on tour for the first time since 2009 with four consecutive nights (24th-27th September).

Marking 35 years since the release of their classic album Rumours , this much anticipated tour from the alternative blues pop-rockers will see original members Mick Fleetwood (drums) and John McVie (bass) joined by guitarist and singer Lindsey Buckingham and singer Stevie Nicks for what could be the musical event of the late summer. Before Fleetwood Mac, outdoor festival fans will hope there’s no need for a rain mac when Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band headline alongside The Black Crows at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park for Hard Rock Calling on 30th July. The Boss will also bring his heartland stadium rock to Wembley on 15th June, where he’ll no doubt don double denim while playing material from his latest hit album, Wrecking Ball.

Other acts from yesteryear to keep an eye out for this summer include the evergreen Sir Cliff Richard at Hampton Court (22nd June) and the Simply Red flame-haired soul singer Mick Hucknall at the Hammersmith Apollo on 28th June. All these gigs are featured on a special London’s Golden Oldies feature on LondonTown.com, the capital’s leading events website.

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Fresh 1800 Restaurant & Bar at the Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, Chicago announces the introduction of live music every Wednesday night by the Chicago-based vocal duo Frank & Dave. For the first time, guests can listen to live music as they sip their drinks in the bar area of Fresh 1800. This free music event is ongoing and takes place every Wednesday from 6pm to 9pm.

Frank & Dave have been performing their vocally driven, harmony rich music around the Chicago area since 2002. The duo performs a mix of their own guitar powered songs with classic rock favorites and current pop hits. Since forming over a decade ago, Frank & Dave have released three albums: Two for the Show (2002), One for the Money (2006), and their latest release of all original songs, Different Roads. Over the years, Frank & Dave have gained a faithful fan base, gigging as openers for bands such as the Australian rock band, Little River Band, and performing their well-crafted songs and covers at intimate clubs and venues across Chicago.

The Fresh casual lounge offers burgers and beer for guests to watch the latest game and small plates for those craving a late evening snack to pair with their cocktail. Fresh Bar’s live music sessions with Frank & Dave make Hyatt Regency Schaumburg, Chicago a destination every Wednesday night.

Fresh 1800 Restaurant & Bar creates French-inspired, seasonal cuisine using the freshest ingredients available in the Chicago area. The hotel’s signature restaurant offers a gourmet menu that includes seasonally inspired, hand crafted dishes that are enhanced by fresh herbs and vegetables from the property’s backyard garden. Guests can also visit Fresh Bar, a casual lounge located adjacent to the restaurant and relax with a signature cocktail or choose a bottle from the extensive wine list. Fresh Bar offers burgers, small plates, a selection of beers and large flat screen Tvs ideal for viewing sporting and major television events.

For more information about Fresh 1800 Restaurant & Bar and live music performances, call 847.517.6930 or visit http://schaumburg.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/Fresh1800.html.

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Following the popularity of her single Video Games on YouTube, Lana Del Rey became an overnight success and was one of the most talked about acts of 2012. Now, the American singer-songwriter is returning to London to perform two nights at the Hammersmith Apollo. For anyone who’s travelling to the concert from outside of the capital, a number of London Hotels are bookable through LondonTown.com.

After her launch into the spotlight, Lana went on to perform some spellbinding performances at last year’s summer festivals and won a number of awards: the Q Award for Best New Thing, GQ Award for Woman of the Year, an EMA for Best Alternative Act and a Brit Awards for International Breakthrough Act and International Pop Female Solo. While her studio album Born to Die sold more than 3.6 million copies worldwide, placing it at the fifth best-selling album of 2012.

Since then, Lana has begun working on her third studio album and has recently released thesingle Young and Beautiful, which is being used as the kick off single for BazLuhrmann’s 2013 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby.

Keep up to date with all the top events happening in London throughout 2013 with London 2013: The Annual, the best events, openings, anniversaries and experiences in the capital this year.

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Opened on 9th April 2013 with its first production Table, The Shed at the National Theatre now launches its second offering,Bullet Catch. The temporary performance space, which is a distinctive red wooden box designed by award-winning architects Haworth Tompkins, takes residency on London’s South Bank while the National’s Cottesloe is being refurbished. To book a pre-theatre dinner, visitors can browse a number of nearby London restaurants on LondonTown.com.

Written and performed by Rob Drummond, Bullet Catch is a dark one-man show that sees Drummond attempt to catch a bullet fired from an automatic pistol with his teeth. First conceived in 1613, Bullet Catch is regarded as one of the most dangerous illusions that a magician can attempt. In fact, it’s rumoured that more that twelve magicians, assistants and audience members have been killed since its 17th century conception, and even the great Houdini was too afraid to add it to his repertoire. Now, direct from his sell-out run at Edinburgh’s Fringe, Drummond is bringing the show to London, with the opening night on 21st May 2013.

With the initial idea of integrating magic and theatre, Drummond created this show in the hope that he could form a real relationship with audience members without the usual limitations. Starring as his alter-ego William Wonder, Drummond also incorporates mind reading and levitation into the show, making it a multi layered production that keeps the audience gripped throughout.

Stay informed on all the best events happening in London throughout 2013 with London 2013: The Annual, a guide to LondonTown.com’s pick of the best events, openings, anniversaries and experiences in London throughout this year.

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Serving up its annual dose of world class literature, the London Literature Festival returns to the Southbank Centre this May with its most ambitious programme to date. With an exuberant mix of spoken word performances, exciting new collaborations, workshops and talks from international writers and thinkers, it will be 17 days of thought provoking entertainment. Visitors travelling for outside of London can find a number of Cheap London hotels near the Southbank Centre on LondonTown.com.

Recognising its host city, this year’s festival will centre on the theme of London with a number of special walks, runs, talks, participation and performances. Highlights include a series of specially commissioned poems by poets connected to London, Poems on the Underground to celebrate 150 years of the tube, writer Craig Taylor with his One Million Tiny Plays About London, and award-winning author China Miéville unearthing some of London’s lesser known literary visionaries.

With more than 100 events programmed, there will be a number of headliners throughout the festival, such as Jarvis Cocker, who will dissect what it means to be famous; Lionel Shriver, discussing her new novel Big Brother; Rupert Everett, disclosing the secrets of his memoirs; and a rare appearance by James Salter, who will present his latest novel and discuss an illustrious literary career. Award-winning author and visual artist Audrey Niffenegger will also attend to introduce her latest novel The Raven Girl, a gothic fairytale that has been turned into a new ballet for London’s Royal Opera House.

Further features on the bumper programme include fairytale walks, word games, a poetry extravaganza and a mass sing-along with Cerys Matthews.

Find out about all the events taking place at the Southbank Centre this summer with LondonTown.com’s Summer 2013 on the South Bank article.

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Following its launch last year, London Wonderground makes a welcome return this summer. Placing a giant spiegeltent and outdoor adult playground on London’s South Bank, it will provide five months of Coney Island-style attractions and cabaret performances. This year’s headline act, Limbo, is presented by the people behind last year’s Cantina and promises to be another spellbinding show. Visitors travelling from outside of the capital can conveniently book aLondon hotel through LondonTown.com

Hoping that London is once again treated to some sunshine, the weekend line-up features a number of other al fresco events. Celebrating Mr Punch’s 351st birthday, St Paul’s in Covent Garden will host the May Fayre and Puppet Festival, a gathering of puppeteers, folk musicians, dancers, clowns and jugglers. While Chiswick House offers it owns family friendly May Fayre with a day of crazy golf, garden games, toddler activities and a circus workshop, providing the chance to master balloon modelling, plate spinning and stilt walking. One of London’s busiest streets, Regent Street will also indulge in outdoor revelling with The World on Regent Street. Welcoming communities from all across the world, there will be the chance to feast on premium cured meats from Argentina, witness Chinese Kung Fu demonstrations, join in the carnival with Trinidad and Tobago’s rhythm for dance competition and try AussieMite savoury cupcakes.

The Rocky Horror Show’s 40th Anniversary UK Tour comes to London this weekend, which sees X Factor’s Rhydian and Emmerdale’s Roxanne Pallett perform timeless classics Sweet Transvestite, Damn It Janet and the pelvic-thrusting Time Warp. And, the Clerkenwell Vintage Fashion Fair celebrates its 4th anniversary with a day of selling vintage fashion, accessories, textiles and homewares.

Acclaimed London-based neon-artist Chris Bracey is given his first UK solo exhibition at the Scream Gallery, which displays work that explores the themes of heaven and hell, morality and spirituality and the role they play in society. More artwork can be found at the 20/21 International Art Fair, which returns for its fifth year with affordable art by big names on an international scale.

On Saturday east London will be given an injection of live music with the Sound Tracks Festival, a unique event that welcomes more than 40 bands to perform on London’s overground trains and a number of venues in Dalston, Hoxton, Peckham and Rotherithe.While Sunday provides a day of 80s films at the Riverside Studios, which will screen four of the best films from acclaimed director John Hughes, including The Breakfast Club and Ferris Buellers Day Off.

Keep up to date with all the best events in London every weekend with LondonTown.com’sSomething for the Weekend mailer, a guide to the top ten events each week throughout 2013.

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The Southbank Centre is being transformed into a blossoming neighbourhood filled with allotments, Thames-view gardens, fruit trees, a sandy beach, local pub, murals and flags this summer as the Festival of Neighbourhood comes to town. Running until Sunday 8th September, the summer-long bonanza aims to explore the concept of what makes a good neighbourhood and what it means to be a good neighbour.

From 1st June 2013, Southbank Centre will come alive with neighbourly activity, greenery and colour – with allotment projects and a shade garden opening up on the roof of Queen Elizabeth Hall and more than 20 mature fruit trees lining Festival Terrace connecting Waterloo and the Thames. 60 wheelbarrows will be planted as mini gardens while herbs grown on the Riverside Terrace will be used by the chefs of Royal Festival Hall’s café. Neighbourly pop-ups will include a fruit and veg stall, a traditional pie shop, a community-based café run by the caffeine cyclers at Look Mum No Hands!, and a series of weekly food markets.

Artists Bob and Roberta Smith will adorn the roof of Royal Festival Hall with a series of flags while the undercroft of the Queen Elizabeth Hall will become Beanotown – an imaginary neighbourhood representing the hometown of Dennis the Menace – in the 75th anniversary year of The Beano comic. Visitors taking in London’s newest central neighbourhood this summer can make a weekend of it by booking their accommodation with LondonTown.com, where there’s a wide range of London hotels to suit all budgets.

Although the greenery will not be unveiled on the South Bank until the start of June, the Festival of Neighbourhood got underway over the bank holiday weekend with Chorus, a three-day singing celebration which kicked off with a Saturday lunchtime mass rendition of Jerusalem on the Southbank’s Riverside Terrace.

Other cultural highlights of the festival include London Wonderground(until 29th September) and the Udderbelly (until 14th July), the UK premiere of lumberjacks-inspired circus show Timber! (10th-31st July), the world premiere of ZooNation’s Wizards of Oz dance rejig, Groove On Down The Road (10th August – 1st September), Yoko Ono’s Meltdown (14th June – 23rd June), London Literature Festival (20th May – 5th June) and the Hayward Gallery’s Alternative Guide to the Universe (11th June – 26th August).

Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of the Southbank Centre, said: “Last summer Southbank Centre ‘hosted the world’ in order to celebrate the ideals of the Olympics and Paralympics. This year we focus on neighbourhoods; both our own – telling the story of Southbank Centre as a neighbourhood, a place of intimacy, friendship and community – and others farther afield.” The Festival of Neighbourhood is one of many summer events featured on the LondonTown.com’s London events pages.

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On Monday 13th May, the public will get its first taste of Tate Britain’s newly refurbished galleries as a major £45 million renovation project reaches its conclusion in time for the 2013 summer season. Visitors will be invited to walk through time as they progress through a sequence of 20 rooms that represent the story of British art from the last 500 years to the present day in a continuous, chronological display.

The new display, entitled Walk Through British Art,will include artworks from 1540 to the present day, with iconic works by heavyweights such as Bacon, Constable, Hirst, Hockney, Hogarth, Gainsborough, Lowry, Millais, Riley, Spencer, Stubbs and Whitereadon show alongside some less familiar artists. As well as these BP British Art Displays, Tate Britain will also dedicate new areas to William Blake and Henry Moore as well as the on-going focus on the world’s greatest collection of the work of JMW Turner in the Clore Gallery.

A number of temporary Focus Displays will run seasonally, looking more deeply at particular artists, themes or types of work from all periods. The Focus Displays for the Spring to Autumn 2013 season include British Conceptual artist Keith Arnatt (1930-2008), contemporary oil painter Rose Wylie (b.1934) and an in-depth look at John Constable’s famous 1817 painting, ‘A Cornfield’. For the first time at Tate Britain, three will also be a gallery devoted to photography.

Visitors at Tate Britain arriving from outside the capital and looking for a cheap hotel in London this summer can conveniently book their accommodation on LondonTown.com, where there’s a wide range of London hotels to suit all budgets. One of London’s most popular museums and galleries, Tate Britain was opened in 1897 and is visited by around 1.5 million people every year.

Besides the chronological rehang, there is a busy summer of activity at the Milbank museum. From 5th June, Tate Britain pairs the celebrated British painter Patrick Caulfield with the contemporary artists Gary Hume in two overlapping exhibitions, before it becomes the first major London museum to mount an exhibition of LS Lowry’s landscapes since the popular Lancashire artist’s death in 1976.

Summer visitors will also have until 2nd June to take in ‘Looking at the View’, an exhibition that examines the changing way more than 50 British artists, including Tracey Emin and Turner, have tackled landscape. London’s summer of art is on display in a special online Summer 2013: Art in London feature on LondonTown.com, which looks at all the major exhibitions taking place in the capital’s main galleries and museums.

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La ganadora del X Factor, Leona Lewis, actuará dos noches en el Royal Albert Hall de Londres el miércoles 8 y el jueves 9 de mayo. Descubierta por Simon Cowell en el exitoso programa televisivo del 2006, esta tímida y modesta chica del east end londinense se convirtió en artista con varios discos de platino y ha sido nominada para los Grammy en tres ocasiones, además de conquistar América y demostrar que es uno de los mayores éxitos de Cowell hasta la fecha.

Leona nos deleitará con temas de su tercer álbum “Glassheart” durante dos noches en el Royal Albert Hall como parte de su gira de 16 días de duración, aunque es de esperar oír las baladas que la hicieron famosa, incluida su tema debut “Bleeding Love” y “Run” que fue el tema de portada de Snow Patrol en el 2007.

El Royal Albert Hall es uno de los auditorios más versátiles de Londres por donde pasa la mejor música y eventos deportivos de la capital, además de galas, banquetes, bailes y la famosa serie Proms. Entre las cantantes famosas que han actuado en él se encuentran Kylie Minogue, Adele y la también ganadora del X Factor Alexandra Burke.

Las entradas van desde 35 a 65 libras y quien quiera disfrutar de la noche en la capital puede consultar el alojamiento disponible en LondonTown.com con una amplia oferta deLondres Hoteles.

El Fifty Four Boutique Hotel en Queen’s Gate está a solo unos minutos del auditorio en una mansión eduardiana convenientemente ubicado entre las estaciones de metro de Gloucester Road y South Kensington con fácil acceso al resto de Londres. Las dobles tienen actualmente un fabuloso descuento del 65% con precios desde tan solo 105 libras.

Si se busca el lujo, el Baglioni Hotel London ofrece dobles deluxe con un fabuloso descuento del 45% desde tan 305 libras. La influencia italiana se puede ver en este hotel londinense perteneciente al grupo de hoteles boutique Roman, que cuenta con su propio restaurante italiano.

¡Así que disfrute de una noche en la capital con Leona Lewis y LondonTown.com!

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La sexta serie anual de conciertos Zurich Internacional regresa este mes de mayo para celebrar la obra de uno de los grandes genios de la música clásica, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

El Cadogan Hall de Londres acogerá una serie de tres conciertos en la que una gran selección de orquestas y solistas rendirán tributo al compositor. Pavel Kogan, mundialmente reconocido como uno de los mejores directores de orquestra del siglo veinte, pondrá el broche de oro a tan anticipado evento.

Este ciclo dará comienzo el viernes 10 de mayo, día en el que la Orquesta Sinfónica del Estado de Moscú, junto a la pianista Tatiana Kolesova, interpretará una selección de las obras más reconocidas de Tchaikovsky, entre ellas el Piano Concerto No. 1 y la Sinfonía Número 4. En la segunda noche, el 14 de mayo, se interpretarán las Variaciones de un Tema Rococó, Francesca da Rimini o la dramática Quinta Sinfonía.

Estas series concluirán el lunes 20 con una gran selección de piezas como el Concierto para Violín y la Sexta Sinfonía la “Patética”, además de la Polonesa y Vals de Eugene Onegin.

De reciente construcción, el Cadogan Hall de Londres se sitúa en el corazón del barrio de Chelsea. Pese a una discreta inauguración en el año 2004, esta sala de conciertos se ha convertido con el paso los años en una de las salas de música clásica más importantes de la capital británica, con una gran oferta de eventos y artistas de renombre mundial.

Además de su oferta musical, la zona de Chelsea ofrece muchas alternativas. Para visitantes que planeen asistir al Tchaikovsky Cycle, el portal LondonTown.com ofrece una serie de descuentos en hoteles Londres de la zona, con excelentes accesos a la sala y a otras zonas de la ciudad.

El Sloane Square Hotel London se sitúa literalmente a unos metros del Cadogan Hall en Sloane Square, el estiloso epicentro de Chelsea. Reservando a través deLondonTown.com, es possible ahorrarse hasta un 49% en habitaciones de matrimonio.

Hasta un 55% de descuento se ofrece en el No. 11 Cadogan Gardens, un exquisito hotel de cinco estrellas situado en unos alrededores espectaculares.

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Cultural icon Yoko Ono takes the reigns of this year’s Meltdown Festival, for which tickets go on sale to the general public on Thursday 2nd May – Southbank Centre members can purchase from Monday 30 th April. The festival takes place across ten days with a number of music and visual arts events. So, for those travelling from outside of London, a number of great London hotel deals can be found on LondonTown.com.

Celebrating its 20 th anniversary, the alternative music festival has become one of London’s cultural highlights of the year. Yoko Ono, who celebrates her own 80 th birthday this year, will bring a lifetime of achievement in music, visual art and peace activism to the occasion.

The two bookmarking weekends of the London festival revolve around different themes. The first of the two (15-16 June) is a subject that’s close to Ono’s heart, an activism weekend. With special guests such as Guerilla Girls and the launch of Let’s Start a Pussy Riot, it will be two days of talks, debates, films and performances. While the closing Future Weekend (22-23 June) provides the chance to evaluate and debate some of the challenges society faces in today and tomorrow’s political decisions.

Having also featured on the Sundance London programme, electro-rock goddess Peaches has been handpicked by Ono to perform twice in Meltdown. Her first appearance will see Peaches perform Ono’s iconic Cut Piece, a ground-breaking piece of performance art in which the protagonist has their clothes cut off by the audience. Having first been performed by Ono in 1964, the piece was considered quite shocking. Since then, Ono has staged the piece in numerous countries and has encountered different audience reactions dependant on the culture. Peaches will then appear later in the festival to perform a number of tracks from her own back catalogue.

Further festival highlights include a performance from Iggy & The Stooges, the return of Siouxsie and her band – her first live outing in five years – and a rare show from Yoko Ono Plastic Ono Band, which is led by Ono’s Son, Sean Ono Lennon. There will also be a silent disco and a BFI film programme screening a selection of Yoko Ono’s favourite films, including some by John and Yoko.

Keep up to date with all the best London events in 2013 by downloading a free copy ofLondon 2013: The Annual, which also covers the top openings, anniversaries and experiences.

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