TRAVEL

Stories by LOUISA LIM

Britain in 2010 is going to be hot, hot, hot — and no, we’re not talking about the effects of global warming.

louisa@thestar.com.my

English writer Samuel Johnson wasn’t just harping on empty rhetoric when he wrote, “When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life. For there is in London all that life can afford.”

But to rely solely on Johnson’s quote would be a mistake, for there is much more to the UK than London.

Why, you ask? Because as the winter weather makes way for the springtime sun, the rising temperatures and blooming flowers aren’t the only thing that will have Britain and its lucky inhabitants go “Cor, blimey!” each year.

Scores of hotel openings, eccentric bookshops, flirting tours, retro fashion shops, vegetarian paradise updates, new festivals and quirky galleries are set to make British cities sizzle more than before.

And before you brush aside any talk of high-budget holidays, here’s a fascinating fact to rejoice in: a ranking of the most expensive places in the world has shown that Britain has fallen from second to 20th place, due to stabilising or falling prices.

So the economic tumult has its advantages after all! While this isn’t guaranteed to last, it sure is a great excuse for a much-needed, albeit short-term, R&R.

If that’s not enough reason, London is officially launching its London Cycle Hire Scheme from summer 2010, when Mayor Boris Johnson and Transport for London (TFL) will make cycles available 24/7. Talk about a cheap, fun workout! All you need to do is put on those walking (or pedalling) shoes and work up an intrepid spirit, because it’s time to venture further afield.

To get you started, here is a rundown of some of the newest and hottest places to hit in Britain.

Rockin’ retail

Yes, Christmas may have left us with thinly-lined pockets but there are just too many hot stores to check out throughout the country! The High Street Retro Centre in Hastings takes 60s retro furniture and clothing to the highest level, with top pieces from the 60s and 70s era.

It’s all about boutique shopping with the newly opened “Folk” clothing store at The Old Truman Brewery, as well as “Cube Store” at the Boiler House, which includes the UK’s first ever pop-up shop from celebrated Parisian design house, Colette.

My Sugarland in Islington is a vintage clothing boutique opened by stylist Zoe Lern, offering established and emerging designers and your very own personal stylist.

But let’s not forget the blinding bling. Jade Jagger has opened her first shop in Notting Hill, Jade Jagger Studio, which promises luxury jewellery and fashion. Annoushka jewellery shop has opened in Cadogan Gardens in London, run by British jeweller Annoushka Ducas.

Last but not least, nature-lovin’ chicks will go ga-ga for Ascension, the new eco-friendly boutique in St Christopher’s Place with organic cotton bedding, Fairtrade denim, naturally dyed clothing and guilt-free beauty products. Green is, after all, the new black!

Do you read this?

Even if you find bookstores boring, you might still love The Book Club (TBC) in Shoreditch. This is one of those rare cases when the name doesn’t say it all, since TBC offers many other joys apart from books, like newspapers, beer, poetry, film, cocktails, lunch, brunch and storytelling.

Heading down a similar path is the nearby Kaleid Editions, a publishing company and exhibit space for artists.

In Old Towne’s George Street, Hastings, is Boulevard Books — a bookshop by day, Thai café by night. You dine on authentic Thai cuisine at tables interspersed throughout the bookshelves. If that isn’t clever, we don’t know what is.

Dieting is for doozies

To all weight watchers, instead of starving yourself silly, why not go vegetarian? And no, synthetic-tasting tofu does not qualify as food in Britain. Ever heard of Veggie pub grub or healthy high-class veggie dining? Britain has both!

The George in Brighton is 100% fingerlickin’ with its all-veg pub food, while Terre-a-Terre and Food For Friends in the nearby Lanes offer a much more sophisticated vegetarian fare. In addition, all Punch Taverns in London have added vegetarian fish and chips, a must-try even for non-vegetarians.

Another perennial problem: veggies are often excluded from the oh-so-nice Tasting Menus, or fraught with beetroot and goat cheese creations. But enter the Berkshire-based Vineyard at Stockcross. This Hotel Restaurant of the Year with two Michelin stars has saved the day by creating a new Vegetarian tasting menu!

Meanwhile, those who aren’t overly concerned about their health can also jump for joy with the opening of several new breweries. The new Brewery Visitor Centre and Museum in Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire, retells the history and science of brewing through the years with interactive activities and a place to eat and enjoy a pint.

Back in London, The Old Brewery in Greenwich, which has been reconstructed from the original brewery dating back to 1717, will open in March with a bar and a restaurant.

Celebrate good times

British humour? Always hot. The Leicester Comedy Festival is on from Feb 5-21 with big name acts and emerging talent second only, according to some, to the Edinburgh Fringe. During the same week, from Feb 3-6 is the Dartmouth Comedy Festival that promises buckets of laughter.

Loved Dirty Dancing? Birmingham will see the International Dance Festival in April with an eclectic mix of dance which will include the National Ballet of Cuba, Strictly Come Dancing and C!RCA circus show.

Oh, what would life be without music? Those who agree should check out the year-long Music Village Festival, during which international artists will be flown into London in a series of festivals, museum exhibitions and artistic collaborations.

Art lovers should check out The London Art Fair from Jan 13-17 showcasing contemporary British art pieces at the Business Design Centre.

Discover Young Hackney, meanwhile, is a festival of workshops and “taster sessions” by creative professionals in music, dance, radio, art, photography, fashion design, singing, film and theatre launching at the Hackney Empire from January to February.

Flirt like a pro

Master the art of seduction with Cour-tea-san De-Light at the Met Bar of the Metropolitan Hotel. They are running seduction courses together with lingerie brand The Modern Courtesan, offering cocktails and some sexy edutainment.

They have teamed up with handbag designer LuLu Guinness to create a LuLu’s Tea with an Afternoon De-Light menu of designs from her upcoming Autumn/Winter 2010 collection.

Tired of tea? Try the Flirting & Walking Tour of London, a 90-minute tour of flirting hotspots of central London with social anthropologist-cum-relationship expert Jean Smith.

From working on your game to working on your inner 50s icon, 40 Winks is hosting wildly popular TART evenings — girls only — where you can discover and dress like a 50s starlet all whilst enjoying tea and cakes, sandwiches with old-fashioned fun, fashion and frivolity.

Then there is the Boom Boom Club in the city. At the “BBC” each week, a daring rock-n-roll cabaret is hosted by Dusty Limits, a well-known neo-cabaret scenester while the burlesque is curated by Miss Vicky Butterfly.

Proud Cabaret has also opened in the heart of the city. The basement has a speakeasy feel with velvet curtains, mirrored VIP area and entertainment from jazz, to burlesque and DJ sets. Sexy!

Here to help

Here are some surprising statistics: British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Boyd McCleary, says, 60% of Malaysian tourists who visit the UK explore no further than London. With so many things to see and do around the country — whether it’s traipsing through the fairytale township of Chester or hiking the lush, green valleys of the Lake District — it’s a shame that they don’t.

To help make it easier for first-time visitors to navigate their way out of the big city, the national tourist board for the UK, Visit Britain, has launched their new Brit Agent programme.

“Ninety-five travel agents from 14 local travel agencies have just completed the BritAgent e-learning programme and are now Certified Brit Agents trained to maximise the value of a Britain holiday, match activities with travellers’ interests, and prepare exciting itineraries to make the vacation even more memorable,” says McCleary.

“We’re upscaling the travel agents to meet the growing number of Malaysians travelling to the UK, which stood at about 92,000,000 (Jan-Sept 2009, International Passengers Survey) last year, despite it being a difficult period for all.”

Not only that, this whopping figure is expected to surge in the next three years when Britain brims with activity from the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games to the Cultural Olympiad.

In 2010, Wales plays host to the Ryder Cup, the third biggest sporting event after the Olympics and the World Cup.

England will hold a once in a lifetime event — “Illuminating Hadrian’s Wall” — and Scotland’s Edinburgh International Festival and Fringe promises to be even bigger and better in 2010.