No, this post isn’t about that masked magician we see on TV showing us how he makes a tractor trailer disappear.

London has some of the world’s best hidden and secret cultural experiences.  And we’re here to dish it all out.  There’s some pretty cool sutff here and it’s only in London.

Becoming a VIP has never been this easy.  And we’re giving you the scoop.  Laden with exclusive offers, secret sales and invitation-only events to London’s West End, West End VIP has a dedicated online portal that will give you automatic celebrity status.  The biggest stores, hotels and restaurants on Oxford Street, Regent Street and Bond Street have joined forces to offer killer deals.  Like scoring two VIP tickets to Les Miserables and an overnight stay at the Mandeville Hotel with complimentary afternoon tea.  Woot.

Skip from the lights of the West End to a more hidden (and slightly darker and creepy) venue for London theatre.  The St Pancras Church crypt is currently staging Warnings, ghost stories from British scholar M.R. James.   Members of the audience are invited to freely wander through the darkness, with the possibility of chance encounters, other-worldly images and terrifying surprises. 

Their slogan is Tell No One.  Secret Cinema attracts film fans looking for the latest in grounbreaking film making.  This secret society of sorts meets once a month in some of the oddest venues in London.  Screenings have been held in derelict theatres, rooftops, five star hotel parking garages and graveyards.   You need to be quick on the pulse if you want to sign up for the cinema.  The mystery locations are revealed the day of the screening.

So, there you have it.  Some of London’s best kept secrets.  Do you have any to share??

London is a perfect spot for gastronomic gallivanting.  Listen, we’ve all heard it before.  London just doesn’t have good food.  Well, to all you naysayers…I object!  It’s only in London that you’ll find everything from the world’s first organic pub to one of the most renowned food markets around. 

On my last visit to London, I visited the city’s oldest food market, Borough Market.  It’s made up of 70 stalls and stands where producers from all over Britain bring a plethora of fresh produce including fish, meats, veggies, ciders, cheeses, breads, etc.  Not to be missed is a restaurant called Roast. It’s pretty much built inside the market.  Their Welsh Rarebit is out-of-this-world. 

Jump across town to the world’s first organic pub, The Duke of Cambridge.  It’s been around over 140 years and features dishes like butternut squash, almond and mascarpone and whole baked red mullet with haricot beans. Pair that with one of their organic lagers.  Sigh.  Since 1998, their menu has been locally sourced from independent producers.

For foodies looking for a view that’s just as stunning the resturant’s menu, check out The Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie.  It’s situated on the eighth floor of the Oxo Tower. The Restaurant menu is stylish and creative – top quality ingredients beautifully presented with an innovative twist.  Take the loin of cod with red pepper and a chorizo puree or the wood pigeon with open walnut ravioli.  Open kitchen, live jazz and and speedy service.  Check, check and check.

Stick a fork in me, I’m done.

Bats, cats, toads, and rats. We bring to you freakishly scary things unique to London. Yes peeps and creeps, we take you to the darkest, creepiest, most spine-chilling of London’s offerings. Get ready, you’re about to be spooked! (insert evil cackle here)…

Prepare to be haunted. London Ghost Tours is sure to satisfy your taste for the paranormal. Journey to secret, hidden and historic places, to uncover and experience the spooky and sinister world of Haunted London. Venture down old alleyways and abandoned graveyards.  And who better to lead you to these eerie places than Richard Jones, the author of many writings on haunted Britain. Jones offers an unrivalled (and perhaps disturbing) level of experience and expertise when it comes to the capital’s darker history. 

Wander through the historic Tower of London and don’t be surprised if you hear a hair-raising scream or gasp when something (or someone) brushes past you. Sitting on the banks of the River Thames, the Tower is known to be inhabited by tortured souls, who were executed  in the tower over the years. Legend has it that an inexplicable bear also roams the Tower of London. You have been warned.

Ready for a full-on ghost encounter?  Take a trip into history and visit the Ten Bells Pub, associated with none other than Jack the Ripper.  This chilling legend horrificly and famously murdered Mary Kelly, his last victim, after she left this pub. Live-in staff whose bedrooms are on the upper floors of the building, complained of alarming encounters with a ghost. Dare you? And if you just can’t get enough of the Ripper, travel back to the year of 1888 when one of the worlds most infamous and dangerous serial killers stalked the streets of London with Mystery Walks. Be ready to discover things about London’s horrible history you never knew existed.

Still blood thirsty? Then grab a pint and enjoy lunch at The Gungastropub, said to be haunted by Admiral Horatio Nelson himself. Afterwards, head to the Queen’s House in Greenwich, believed to be terrorised by a mischievous child-ghost who pinches visitors’ bums, and a lady in grey who watches proceeding from the balcony. Better be on your best behaviour then!

We hope you live to tell the tale…

- Danielle McKinlay, Contributing Editor

Set jetting.  It’s a term we like to use here at VisitBritain and was actually first coined by travel writer Gretchen Kelly.  It’s a trend of travelling to destinations (bascially, film sets) first seen in movies.  Catchy, isn’t it?!  And it’s only in London where you can set jet until you cry uncle.  Really.  The city is one big movie set – from enchanted locales seen in films like The Duchess and Shakespeare in Love to sites of epic fight scenes in features like Sherlock Holmes and James Bond. 

Historic Greenwich is a great place to start.  Located just 20 minutes from Central London, Greenwich is chock full of places to set jet.  Take Greenwich Park, which was used in the recently released film The Wolfman starring Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins.  

Nearby you’ll find the Old Royal Naval College.  It was here that Kiera Knightley shot scenes from The Duchess and where one of the weddings from the 90’s hit Four Weddings and a Funeral was filmed.

Hop west to London’s South Bank, which has been the stomping grounds of wizards, ghosts and gangsters.  Westminster Bridge, for example, was were Harry and friends zip away on their broomsticks in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  The bridge has also appeared in the adaptation of Alan Moore’s V for Vendetta.  And I just had to put this one in…Westminster Bridge was where Glenn Close saw everything (inlcuding buses) in spots.  Yup, 102 Dalmatians was filmed here.

Down the river, there’s Tower Bridge.  (Not to be confused with London Bridge, btw).  It’s so iconic and has been in films dating all the way back to the 1950’s.  We saw it as the backdrop in Laurence Olivier’s Richard III (1955) and 60 years later in the final fight scene in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes.

Tip Off  - Visit London is running an Only in London sweeps where you can enter to win 1 of 3 prizes.

This week on Unlabelled Britain, we’re pulling out some ideas on things you can only do in London.

Marketing in East London

London’s East End.  The former fringe district turned uber-cool hip destination.  Comparisons to Brooklyn’s Williamsburg might be inevitable, but not entirely apt.  For example, how many Sunday markets can you name in Brooklyn within walking distance of themselves?  Still thinking?  Well in East London, the Art meets West vibe is alive, innovative, and accessible.

London has a huge collection of markets, and it’s not just about food, but also art, fashion, and flowers.  And I’m just going to say it, Sunday is the day to hit East London.

Get off the tube at Liverpool Street and walk over to Old Spitalfields Market. It’s not your final destination but a chance to warm up  on the market atmosphere only found in London.  Independent designers are selling unique one-off pieces.  There’s some vintage mixed in for good measure as well.  Also, look for the stand selling Jersey Rock Oysters. When I was there in November, these were the meatier than my usual Blue Points and had a well balance briny flavor.

Next head off to nearby Brick Lane and the Old Truman Brewery for Sunday(Up) Market.  Imagine about 400 purveyors of vintage and designer clothing crammed into and old brewery factory building, then throw in some art exhibitions and a few stalls offering tastings of Brick Lane’s curry houses.   Taste here only, because lunch is right outside at the Rootmaster Bustaurant.

Out on the Brick Lane side, all you have to do is cross the street to end up in Backyard Market, which equals even more vintage clothes, but check out the vintage decor and furniture place on your left as you enter the alley that leads here.  Having trouble finding it?  Listen for the UK funk that led me there the last time.

Next, winding Brick Lane and take a detour right on Cheshire Street.  The boutiques here are where you’ll find some great unique designer items and memorable “un-souvenirs, ” including the vintage robot shop.  Also,  we’ll say it again, the Laden Showroom, or any of the tons of vintage shops along the way – are also worth a visit.

Now it’s time to pick up the pace, because the famed Columbia Road flower market is only open until 2pm. Map it on google or look for signs to the market at the intersection where Brick Lane meets Bethel Green Road.

After all that, you’re hauling a lot of stuff, and possibly still hungry…that’s why you’re stopping off at Cargo on the way back to Liverpool Street station.  This is a good chance for a snack at the restaurant and an opportunity to check out the live music set for the night.

We won’t even get into nightlife in this post. Nor will we mention the hundreds of stalls at Petticoat Lane Market, or  Borough Market (it’s a little south). Both are also vital markets that are worth a stop – but you’re already carrying too much.

Looking for more ideas? Here’s a few, and a few more.

Tip Off  - Visit London is running an Only in London sweeps where you can enter to win 1 of 3 prizes.

London has an East Village too.  And it just turned two – so have second.  The stellar Shoreditch club is on 89 Great Eastern Street.  Not only known for its acclaimed mix of top-notch and newby DJ talent,  East Village also has an award winning menu.  For those who worship int he house of  music, East Village is famous for its annual Good Fridays.

Get a feel for the beat by downloading one of their live DJ sets.

More info on the East Village and other clubs, check out the list of top DJ bars in London.

Snatch, the 2000 British gangster film starring Brad Pitt, Benicio del Toro and Jason Streatham, is a cult-classic no doubt; however, no one was using the word ‘franchise’ when talking about Guy Ritchie’s work a decade ago.

Fast forward ten years, and franchise is on the tip of all tongues when speaking of Mr. Ritchie.

Of course, during the last decade, Guy Ritchie has married, started a family with, and divorced the world’s most famous pop star Madonna. He has directed gangster classics like Revolver and RocknRolla, and has slowly but surely torn away from being Mr. Madonna to a success businessman in everything he aims to achieve. The consummate Londoner, Ritchie loves his city, which features not only as the backdrop for his various business interests, but also as a main character in each of his films.

London plays a leading role alongside Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in Ritchie’s recent release Sherlock Holmes, for example. This film was clearly written in such a way as to create the perfect film franchise for the foreseeable future and the films two stars have both publically expressed their interest in subsequent films. Ritchie is even rumoured to have put production work on film adaptation of DC Comic ‘Lobo’ on the back burner in order to start filming Sherlock Holmes 2.

Quite the band of brothers, Downey, Jr.  and Law are close friends of the Ritchie, and are often seen ‘down the pub’ with him, as they say. Not just any pub, of course. Ritchie co-owns famous London pub, The Punchbowl, a key hangout for international A-listers from Justin Timberlake to Sting. Ritchie is looking to recreate the Punchbowl in America. Twice. With possible locations in New York and Los Angeles, Ritchie is so confident in their appeal that he is not only looking to franchise the pub, but also the beers and served inside it. A brewery linked to his London pub may soon be producing beers with clever names like “Bitta Ritchie” and “Punch Bowl Ale.”  A brewery, pub franchise and multi-million dollar film franchise are not quite enough for Ritchie either, it seems.

Word on the street is, Guy is looking to start a record label, Punchbowl Records, having already signed on the Punchbowl Band as his house band at the pub. Stella McCartney, one of Madonna’s nearest and dearest, is such a fan of Ritchie’s first signed band that she booked them for her Paris fashion show. Justin Timberlake has also performed with the band.  

Whether or not Guy Ritchie’s world domination is planned, he is certainly well on his way. Despite a down-trodden 2009, with not one but four possible franchises on the horizon it looks like 2010 is coming up Ritchie.

- Jessica Ainlay, contributing editor

No secret to London fashionistas,  the iconic Brick Lane store, The Laden Showroom is celebrating 10 years of supporting & retailing up and coming fashion design talent.  Over the past short decade, a whole host of celebrities have frequented the store in search of hidden gems from indie producers.  It was also a stop on our recent blogger trip exploring the lesser known side of fashionable London.

The store stocks over 75 designers which include Bonnie, Chandelier, Collect, Connected Generation, Duke & Duchess, Flamingo, Glow, Gonsalves & Hall, JARLO, Love Milly, Orion London and Miss Milne.   Labels you may not be familiar with but are certainly worth making the trip over for.  But then again – starting feb 22nd –  The Laden Showroom will be launching a new on-line site.    Here’s a sneak preview of what gives the shop its pizazz:

More info and how to get there : The Laden Showroom.

It’s often said that the British have a festival for everything and it really is quite true. From the biggest gather of literary stars to the best beers – there’s a festival for everyone in Britain.  He’s a list of the coolest that I could find.

Hay-on-Wye Literary Festival

Hay-on-Wye is an interesting place in itself – it’s literally a village completely made up of bookstores. Antique books, collectible books, detective books, sci-fi books – Hay-on-Wye has it all thanks to the eccentric bookstore owner in town, Richard Booth. Hay-on-Wye has other 30 bookshops – including fields of books under tarps.

Having become a center for Bibliophiles in Britain, the town has now become home to the annual Guardian Hay Festival of Literature & Arts – often called the Woodstock of the mind which brings in the biggest stars of the literary world.

This year’s Hay Festival will be held from May 27th to June 6th.   More Information on the Hay Festival Website.

Edinburgh Fringe

This festival is rather hard to describe. It’s the world’s largest arts festival but what exactly does that mean? It means that for 3 weeks in Scotland anything goes as far as art is concerned. During the festival you can experience a mixture of theatre, comedy, music, dance, exhibitions and much more.  What many don’t realize is that there are also two other huge concurrent festivals happening in Edinburgh at the same time, the Military Tattoo and the Edinburgh International Festival.

This year’s Edinburgh Fringe will be held from August 6th to August 30th. More Information on the Fringe Website.

Great British Beer Festival

In America our national pastime is baseball. In Britain it’s beer. Drinking and appreciating beer, usually down at the ‘local’ – that’s pub for those that don’t know. So, it only makes sense that the Brits have an entire festival dedicated to everything beer.

Join beer lovers from all over Britain and sample over 500 beers, ciders and perries and various other international beers (yes, even continental ones).

This year’s Great British Beer Festival will be held from August 3rd to August 7th. More information on the website.

Great British Cheese Rolling Festival

Once a year, the brave and the bold gather for what is possibly the strangest festival on the British Calendar. They gather to chase a roll of cheese down a hill. And it’s quite competitive and quite dangerous!

Check out this video for proof:

Looks a little too painful for this Anglophile! This year’s Cheese Rolling Festival will be held May 31st.

The Great Dorset Steam Fair

Long before the gas engine became part of our daily lives, the world ran on steam and not just in trains. Steam Engines were used throughout Britain and they changed agriculture, industry and daily life.

The Great Dorset Steam Fair is the largest gathering of genuine antique working steam engines. It’s a grand day out and a great way to appreciate amazing British engineering.

This year’s Great Dorset Steam Fair will be held from September 1st to September 5th.

English Heritage Festival of History

If knights in armor, GI’s in uniform or people dressed as Victorians interest you – then this is the place to be. The English Heritage Festival of History is the largest gathering of historical re-enactors in Britain and brings together more than 1,000 costumes enthusiasts for a great day out.

This year’s Heritage Festival will be held on July 17th and 18th.

More Festivals, including music and culture, and the top 10 for 2010 are coming up on Transatlanticism.org.

Contributor – Jonathan Thomas, Anglotopia

Glasgow is one of those cities that isn’t too large that you’ll bound to get lost in the mix.  And, it isn’t too small that you get tired of seeing the same art gallery over and over again.  Bottom line, Glasgow is just right.  On the last day of the trip, my blogger peeps all agreed that we merely scratched the surface of a city chock full of modern art, quirky style and warm-hearted locals.  Could we ask for more?  Check out some of the pics I took during our visit.

 This is a shot of a gallery at Trongate 103.  It’s a new arts resource center.  This exhibition is called Myscape, which is described as “a journey into the autistic architectural landscape.”

Cute brooches at Myscape.  I’m kicking myself for not buying one…or eight.

Very cool piece from Trongate’s gothic kinetic art display. 

I’ve been to Glasgow a few times before and I always make a stop to the Glasgow School of Art.  I went on a tour of the school.  C.R. Mackintosh at his best!

 The front entrance to GSA.  The details are fantastic.  I mean, can you imagine walking through these doors as a student and not being inspired??

 Just a typical Sunday afternoon on Buchanan Street.  Glaswegians love to shop.  Even the little ones!

 Eggs benedict for brunch at a really chill West End eatery – Cafezique.  I loved how one of the gang described my dish- “Those eggs are so photogenic!” I agreed.