Originally the Player's Club was the Premier friday night spot in East Ham (ok so it was the only…read moreFriday night spot in East Ham). You'd have to ensure to get there by 10pm in order to get in (security lock the gates when they reach capacity). The dress code was classy, the music would keep you rocking until chucking out time, and if you just fancied grabbing a leather couch and people watching you could. Thisngshave changed a bit since the early days - the club has now been renamed and the clientele is a litte rougher than before. Still - the music is as good as ever, and it's a great way to start a local night on the town. Worth passing by if you're ever in the neighbourhood.

Can you keep a secret guys?? Not many people seem to have noticed it yet, but a year and a half…read moreafter the Olympics there's some exciting stuff going on in Stratford again... Yep living near the Park is paying off nicely at the moment - my new local council swimming pool is none other than the Aquatics Centre! It's been open to the public for the last few weeks and I have to say it's a pretty special venue - I still get tingles every time I walk in. It's £4.50 per swim session for an adult and there's an easy peasy online system to book in advance. There are 2 full size pools inside - the Competition Pool for the hardcore swimmers and the Training Pool where they separate the lengths into two 25m sections. Personally I found a 50m pool to be ridiculously long in real life (my superwoman stamina is a err work in progress) so I tend to do laps in the 25m lanes. You choose a pool and a start time online but it's pretty lax once you're in, and you can stay as long as you like. The water is a nice slightly warm temperature and it's usually a uniform 1.2m depth all the way along (though somehow they can change the depth of different sections - the mind boggles!). It's not all lanes - there are also sections of the pool roped off for 'fun' as well as swimming lessons. Also saw signs for a total wipeout stylee 'Splash Time' for kiddies at weekends that sounded like great fun if anyone wants to lend me a child?! The reason it misses a 5th star is that the changing rooms and shower facilities are just not that great. It's spacious yes and there are plenty of cubicles, hairdryers and lockers, but the layout is a little confusing (quite a wander from the lockers to the female showers), they seem to have too many staff/cleaners milling around not doing much, and the showers themselves seem temperamental and need you to wave a hand past every 3 seconds. Is this how Michael Phelps showered?! (*pauses to enjoy the mental picture*) Ahem. Yeah I expected better. So remember to bring your own towel+toiletries, a plastic bag for your wet cozzie (I haven't spotted a drying machine yet) and a £1 coin for the lockers. And please only tell your special friends - the nicest thing at the moment is that it isn't too busy on weeknights! See you there :)

The swimming pool itself is great, most of the time quiet, you can choose your line depending on…read morehow fast you want to swim so that you don't get disturb by other people while swimming. The changing space however is really poor for this kind of aquatics centre - you can really tell you're just meant to come, quickly change, swim and leave. There are few showers and they are quite temperamental. The lockers and cubicles are just not that comfortable to use. So it's a very good pool, but come there for exercise only and not hoping for a full spa experience!

This Regatta centre is awesome (especially if you've come here to practice/ take part in dragon…read moreboat racing!) http://www.lclionsclub.co.uk/#/2013-programme/4560417477 The centre is a couple of minutes walk from Royal Albert DLR station, and has a 2000m course, changing rooms, lockers lots of dragon boats and a restaurant upstairs. I think someone mentioned a gym as well, but I didn't wander in there. I came down here to practice with team mates from the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (we were a corporate team, so only had one practice before race day.) The awesome team, Raging Dragons instructed us, gave us lots of helpful advice and showed us how not to make too much of a fool of ourselves on the water. They (the Raging Dragons) mentioned that they are always looking for new members, so if you live near here and fancy getting fit in a fun, slightly splashy way, get involved! http://www.ragingdragons.co.uk/ (They said training was on Thursday nights and Sunday mornings.) *I have a feeling dragon boat racing is a very good way to improve arm and tummy muscles if you don't mind the ache the following day!*

Omg yes! So much yes!!! Please love me and have me back!…read more Went here for the moulin rouge and i was blown away by the performance. Loved the costumes, the songs, the participation.

Empire Strikes Back- The first time I had been to a Secret…read moreCinema Experience and it was a right good laugh. I am not into the whole dressing up thing but my mate got me some goggles and a Star Wars scarf. I am glad I did as everyone was all Star Warsed up. Firstly you are taken into a made up spaceport ushered by actors then they whizz you off to another film set from Star Wars. The whole point is that it's a secret so I am not going to spoil it but will update the review when it's finished. They make you put your phones in silver bags and are turned off so I don't have any photos. Well worth going though.

If you haven't checked out Heartbreak Hotel yet you need to pull your finger out as you only have a…read morefew weeks left. I don't want to go into too much detail to ruin anything but the actual experience itself takes about an hour with a chance to hang around and have a few drinks before and after. I can't think of anyone that it wouldn't be suitable for (you have to be over 18 to attend) and the other 2 people I went with (as well as a few people that I spoke to afterwards) all thought the same. Great entertainment and definitely recommended

Let's face it, I love everything that is A. outdoors B. Free C. encourages consuming adult…read morebeverages and eating. I was over the moon when the stars aligned to offer an event that included free outdoor cinema on a gorgeous night, and the film choice was Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox. This event -- where in the film was projected from atop their signature narrowboat, across the canal and onto a screen -- was not their usual offering. It was a special event that included a chance to go on to the boat and see the actual puppets used in the film and speak to someone involved in the making of the film. The boat, a 12-seater work boat refurbished as part of a community/art project, usually gives waterways tours, screens documentaries and workshops (according to their web site, how you would host a workshop on a tiny boat I have no idea). A large (but not obnoxiously large) gathering of people -- some in foxy fancy dress -- settled into the grassy area, many bringing food, blankets and beverages, and all behaved -- no incessant talkers or wild children). The film and sound quality was excellent with no issues thoughout. I am happy to have participated in such a great event, and applaud the efforts of those involved to offer their community something that was fun and celebrated historic London features (the waterways) while also at the same time offering a cool movie that was filmed in that same area. The program only lasts until the end of the summer, and there are only a handful of events left. If you're intrigued by this unique community project, best get off your duff and check it out while you can.

My kids love sky zone, best place to burn some energy and spend time with friends. recommendread more

E6 flip out is the worst one I've ever been to and I've been a few times thinking maybe it's a bad…read moreday but the service is awful , the do not have any care at all for hygiene ! They let as many people in as possible to the point it's just dangerous! The staff are unhelpful and are so slow at getting families booked in ! I tried to complain to the manager and he was clearly high ! Just awful every single time I've been ! My 3 year old was constantly being injured as there was so many people in facility even down to spectators there wasn't even any space to stand and watch the children ! Minus stars ! Do recommend the Brent Cross venue as it's a lot cleaner and staff are a lot more helpful

We were here for a work volunteering event so we were employees for the day. This was the first…read moretime hearing about a zoo in the city... and it's free! I was very impressed to know this even existed. We got a chance to feed all the animals and clean their pens (the less glamorous bit). Was very lovely to interact with the animals and I will definitely come back with my nieces.

Oh where oh where do I start?…read more Paradise. Honest. Nothing could be more refreshing for the spirit than to spend an afternoon looking at comical rare breed chickens with enormous polkadot mohican/judge's wig hairdos, fat delicious looking pigs with obscenely massive yawns and rabbits which are just, you know, lovely. Soft and that. Who's weekend would not be improved by stroking a huge fluffy llama, tickling a baby cow or patting the teddybearish head of a silly great big sheep? All the better if feeling hungover and cranky. I have a thing for goats, and there are 3 types here, so happydays. You can pet their utterly mad old/young heads, laugh endlessly at their antics and feed them grass pellets (50p a bag). There's a petting zoo type yard with a cafe, education centre, stables,and a riding school, set within a lovely little green park, where the other (best) animals look happy in their fields. If, like me, you're a fan of nature/city juxtapositions in one sweeping view, you'll appreciate the cool weirdness of being in what feels like the countryside, and spotting Canary Wharf blinking behind the Llama that you are feeding. I felt very smug and clever when I guessed that somewhere this big and well resourced had to have been sponsored by all the big banks etc when Canary Wharf was developed, and sure enough, a plaque in the yard confirms it. When you've had your fill of fluffy, bristly, absurd, feathered and oinking creatures, head to the cafe. Staffed by volunteers, there are always several fresh cakes on offer, all the usual hot drinks and a few wholesome lunch options such as pancakes with cheese and spinach and tomato and basil pasta. The cafe is littered with newspapers, sofas, children's toys and softly glowing vintage lamps. It's boho/shabby chic, probably organic and contains some very well dressed toddlers and parents, but not in a twatty way at all. Cosy enough to flop off your shoes, curl up and read a paper on a cold winter's afternoon. When we were last there I had still-hot-from-the-oven scones, cream and jam. Oh my. If I sound evangelical about this that is because I am, it is brilliant, and you must go.