The Deal:

Fulham FC v Blackburn Rovers football match at Craven Cottage for £15 from KGB Deals.

Why I bought it:

Having lived in London for over 6 years, it was quite incredulous that I had not been to a football match! The deal was good, and the game was local. So why not, I said.

Getting my ticket:

Here’s where I ran into a bit of trouble. For some reason when I bought the deal, the wrong address was recorded. This resulted in me not receiving my ticket, which I did not realise until two days before the game. In a panic, I contacted KGB Deals who was able to sort it out for me and I was able to pick up a re-printed ticket at the game.

The game:

It was awesome! So much fun! I’m normally not big into sports, but I do enjoy going to live sporting events. Games are just much more interesting when you are watching live.

The seat I got was in the neutral section behind the goal, a bit far back but I didn’t mind because I could see everything. The match was sold-out and there were quite a few Rovers supporters amongst the Fulham crowd. Fulham won in the end, 3-2.

Conclusion:

Great day out, I would definitely get it again.

Check out current London Activities daily deals to save 50% – 75% off fun things to do in London!

The Deal:

A massage technique workshop for partners/friends that was to be held on a set date as well as a 60 minute massage each, purchased from Keynoir.

Why I bought it:

I’ve always wanted to take a massage course, maybe because whenever my boyfriend complains that he has a sore back and would like me to massage it, I never know what to do! My “massage” consists of kneading with my fists and squeezing with my fingers, while moving them around in circles.

When I saw the deal, I snapped it up quickly because not only was it a course for two (so I can also benefit from him picking up some massage techniques) but it also included a 60 minute massage each.

Booking the Deal:

Booking the massage appointment was a breeze. I thought the massage had to be on the same day as the course, but it could be anytime so I simply booked it for the day before the workshop. This was so I knew what proper massage felt like (haha) – it my first time having a professional massage.

Part I – The Massage:

Pure Massage is just a short walk away from Fulham Broadway station. I got there ten minutes before my appointment, and was given a short form to fill out. My masseuse came to meet me right on the dot and brought me downstairs to a private room which instantly made me feel at peace. She asked me what sort of massage I wanted and gave me a choice of oils. Then she popped out of the room briefly while I undressed.

The next hour went by blissfully. I could hear her breathing from time to time; and there seemed to be some sort of a rhythm, during some parts it almost felt like she was doing a dance. I left feeling extremely relaxed and looking forward to the workshop.

Part II – The Workshop:

The workshop took place in the basement of an Italian restaurant in Putney and was 3 hours long. There were quite a few people, all of whom had purchased the deal. Beata Aleksandrowicz, who has been acclaimed in the Sunday Times as one of the best known in the field of massage therapy, led the workshop and started by explaining how important the human touch was and that you should never give someone a massage when you are in a hurry or a bad mood.

We started with the shoulders, worked our way down the back, down the arms and worked on the hands (feet are done the same way), then back up to the neck and face. I discovered that I really enjoyed having my arms massaged, had absolutely no idea how sore my forearms were (probably from using the computer) and I particularly liked the hand massage. Beata said that it is lovely to have your hands massaged, even for just 5 minutes right before going to sleep. That sounds pretty good to me, although it hasn’t happened yet.

Conclusion:

The whole experience was fantastic, everything from start to finish. From booking the appointment, the actual massage, the fun and educating workshop, to the lack of hard sell at the end. The deal was £120 which isn’t cheap however considering a Pure Massage starts at £73 for a 60 min massage, the massage itself was worth it.

Pure Massage offers massage courses which are based on their ’12 unique Principles of Massage’.

Check out current Spa daily deals to save 75% off your next massage!

I went to the National Portrait Gallery last Friday night to see the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize. It’s been a few years since my last visit to the Portrait Gallery and this was a good reason to re-visit!

The gallery is open until 9pm on Thursday and Friday evenings which is good for those that work late. On the evening I went, there was a tour that started at 7 which was included in the ticket price. The guide explained that this competition was open to both professional photographers as well as amateurs and students. There were nearly 6000 entries, and the judges picked the winners without knowing the entrants’ names and backgrounds.

The photographers explored different themes, and most of the photographs told a story. The 2010 winner of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize went to a photographer called David Chancellor who photographed a 14 year old American girl on horseback coming back from a hunt in South Africa.

One of my favourite photos was the one of the lady with a scarf. For me, it was reminiscent of the famous National Geographic’s “Afghan girl”. I also liked the mother/daughter photos. Be warned: there are some shocking photographs as well.

If you like contemporary photography or if you are an aspiring photographer (like me!), then this is definitely worth checking out. Admission is £2 and it runs at the National Portrait Gallery until Feb 20.

Not sure about you, but I’ve spent way too much money over the Christmas holiday. With all the present buying, eating out (and of course shopping the sales) I can’t help but feel a bit cash poor this January.

If you’re looking for some London eating on the cheap, here are a couple of places on my radar:

Bill’s Cafe, Restaurant and Store – newly opened in Covent Garden, Bill’s offers delicious food along with being a green grocer. Right now you can get 20% off your entire bill if you book a table for dinner from 5pm onwards between Sunday and Thursday and mention that you saw the deal on the website.

Wok to Walk – I purchased this Wok to Walk deal from Groupon a couple of months ago but haven’t had the chance to use it yet. Fresh and nutritious food that is cooked in front of your eyes and served to you in minutes – sounds good to me! Its location in the middle of Soho sounds pretty convenient to me too, especially if you have theatre tickets and are pressed for time. I will write a review after I have visited this London eatery.

Don’t forget to check out the current London eating deals to save 60% off your next meal out!

Photo Credit: Time Out

I recently signed up for a 10 day bikram yoga pass at the incredible price of £15 at the Hot Bikram Yoga studio in Fulham. (What’s even more incredible is the fact that I managed to go 6 times over the 10 days!)

I tried bikram yoga a few years ago, but felt so dizzy and nauseous during the class, I didn’t think it was for me. However I decided to give it another go, after reading more about the benefits it can offer.

Some people who have suffered from pain for years have managed to eliminate it completely by practising bikram yoga regularly. It is also great for detoxing as well as improving your flexibility and posture.

The First Class

I went on a Sunday afternoon, and got there about 15 minutes early to make sure I had enough time to register which consisted of filling out a quick form. Shoes were to be taken off in the foyer I was told, and all belongings were to be left in the change room although I could bring my wallet and mobile phone into the studio.

Before even stepping into the hot room, I could smell feet and B.O. But don’t worry, you quickly get used to it. Before the class started, the instructor called out all the first timers and I was happy to see that I wasn’t the only one.

The first bikram yoga class seemed to crawl by I have to admit, and I nearly panicked several times because I felt like I couldn’t get enough air in my lungs. The goal for beginners is just to stay in the room for the whole 90 minutes and I was glad I was able to do that. If at any time you feel dizzy, then simply sit down and breathe slowly until your heart beat slows down.

2nd and 3rd Class

I was starting to become more familiar with the series of 26 postures and knowing what to expect next helps a lot. Surprisingly, I already found myself improving! The first class I was teetering all over the place but by the end of the third class, I was learning to “lock” my knee which did not come naturally to me.

I no longer watched the clock and left each bikram yoga class feeling exhausted but happy.

End of the 10 Days

I had a different teacher nearly every day and learned something new every single class, whether it was the specifics of a pose or the reason why we had to do something. I found that I was able to really focus and concentrate on staying in the present while listening and following the instructions.

By the end of the 6th class, I could already see improvements in some of my poses which was incredibly motivating.

Things to Know

• The room is very hot and you will sweat the whole time you are in there. If you are a beginner, you want to stay away from the back corner.
• Anything cotton will be extremely wet and heavy. A lot of girls simply wear a sports bra and shorts. Guys normally go topless and just wear shorts.
• It’s normal to feel dizzy or nauseous the first few times. You can sit down at any time but only drink water in between poses so you don’t distract your neighbours.
• The hot bikram yoga classes are extremely packed during week nights (you’d be surprised at how many people can fit into that room!)
• You will need a towel for the class and if you plan on showering or rinsing off after class, you probably want a second towel. If you don’t bring your own, you can rent them for £1 each.
• The reception sells coconut water which is fantastic (it contains naturally occuring electrolytes with 20 times the potassium of the leading sports drink). It’s how I reward myself after a class, yum!

And Just Remember

• It’s only yoga so don’t take it too seriously, and never compare yourself to others. Think of each class as a practice and you will always be improving.
• Don’t eat a heavy meal before the class, and don’t have a chocolate bar either (which I did one night unfortunately and did not feel so good during the class).
• Lock your knee

“NEVER TOO OLD, NEVER TOO LATE, NEVER TOO SICK, NEVER TOO BAD TO START FROM SCRATCH AND BEGIN AGAIN”

Note: this was not a daily deal but an ongoing deal that you can still take advantage of!

Hot Bikram Yoga, 25 Heathmans Road, London SW6 4TJ. They also have a studio in Balham and will soon be opening another one near London Bridge.

I stumbled across Byron Hamburgers quite accidentally after buying movie tickets from the Vue at Westfield. I had a peek at the people sitting in booths outside of the restaurant and decided that I too would like burgers for dinner.

The restaurant wasn’t too busy, so we were seated immediately. The decor was nice and simple, with the grill smack in the middle of the restaurant. Service was friendly and quick.

The Food:

I opted for the Gruyère cheese burger (£7.50) with a side of macaroni cheese although I was intrigued by the courgette fries, maybe I’ll get that next time. Chris had the Byron burger with a side of onion rings. We both got milkshakes to drink, because seriously what goes better with burgers?

When the food came, I was very pleasantly surprised at how good my burger was! Byron Hamburgers sources their beef from small farms in Scotland and they grind them fresh every morning. They must also season them very well, because it was seriously the best burger I have had in London.

My only complaint would be that it could’ve been cooked a little bit longer. I actually asked for my burger to be cooked medium well, but it still came very pink in the middle. The sides were quite large in size, especially the macaroni cheese and it was only £3.25! The milkshakes were also huge, I think two people could probably split one quite easily.

Verdict:

There are lots of places to eat at Westfield and I used to pop into Gourmet Burger Kitchen whenever I felt like a burger but I think Byron Hamburgers is now my go-to burger joint.

Price-wise, it is quite reasonable with the burgers ranging from £6.50 for the classic hamburger to £8.75 for the Byron burger. Don’t forget, you can easily share sides and milkshakes too.

Byron Hamburgers, Westfield London Shopping Centre, Ariel Way, London W12 7GD

Concerts in London are awesome. In the past month, I have gotten to see some of my favourites bands that I have always wanted to see live, specifically Lifehouse and Guns ‘n Roses (ok, it was Axl minus Slash but Duff showed up).

Why London is Awesome:

Rock bands and pop stars from all over the world, in every genre you can think of, playing in venues ranging from tiny pubs like the World’s End in Camden to concert halls to huge arenas like Wembley Stadium.

On the other hand, if you prefer discovering new indie music, there is something going on every single night of the week. You just have to pick up an issue of Time Out. That’s how I discovered one of my favourite local bands, Red Light Company.

Best Venue Ever

It has to be the legendary Brixton Academy! Why? Because it is where the renowned, the infamous and the greats have performed. Because it’s got a sloping floor which means average height people can see the stage. And because I’m going to see my favourite band, Jimmy Eat World, there again in a month’s time!

The Deal:

£16 for £45 worth of sushi and Japanese food for two people plus a soft drink each at Satori Sushi, purchased from Groupon.

Why I bought it:

Because I love sushi! And it seemed like a pretty good deal, £8 per person and up to £20 worth of food each. For some reason I thought it was more of a sit down restaurant when I bought it.

Booking a Reservation:

Fairly easy, although you do have to give a couple of days notice. The deal specified that it was for Monday to Thursday, however they allowed me to make a Sunday night booking.

First Impression:

Satori Sushi was located in a very nice area, just a short walk from the Knightsbridge tube station. When I peered into the restaurant before entering, I saw that it had a sushi conveyor belt which was not what I was expecting.

We were guided to some high seats against the wall which was quite tight to be honest. A quick glance at the prices of the plates on the conveyor belt told me I probably didn’t want to take dishes from there. They were small (two pieces of sushi) and most of them were £4 – £5.

The Food:

We started off with a rainbow roll covered with salmon and tuna sashimi, followed by the “deluxe” nigiri platter. The presentation was nice as you can see in the pictures, however unfortunately I was not really blown away by the taste. It was just ok for me, I found the fish to be somewhat bland.

After deciding that we had enough sushi, we ordered the tempura platter. The portion was actually quite large and I enjoyed my prawn tempura which was perfectly fried.

Conclusion:

Overall it was a good deal, as sushi is not cheap in this city. But the quality was just so-so which was a bit disappointing and the prices were probably just reflective of the restaurant’s location. Unfortunately I will not be going back as I know I can get better sushi elsewhere (and for cheaper)!

London is home to some of the most prestigious universities in the world, however you don’t have to be a student to enjoy everything that these institutions offer.

LSE runs regular talks, lectures and debates featuring leading professionals, academics, world leaders, entrepreneurs (and all the other movers and shakers) aimed to inspire you or to shed some light on topical issues. Just last night I attended a talk given by Gurbaksh Chahal, a serial entrepreneur who sold his first company at the age of 18 for $40 million.

In the past, I’ve been fortunate enough to see speakers ranging from Paul Krugman to Muhammad Yunus and even Stelios Haji-Ioannou (if you’ve ever wondered by EasyJet is orange, it’s because it was the only colour left on the runway when the airline was created).

Some of these events require a ticket that you have to request ahead of time, but for most of them you can just turn up before the event starts. Have a look at upcoming LSE events.

According to recent surveys, London has become more affordable. It is no longer the second most expensive city in the world, but the tenth. To be honest, I’m not sure how true that is. Perhaps the other cities have just become more expensive.

I’ve lived in this fabulous city for the past 6 years. I moved here after graduating from uni with only a single backpack. The first summer was spent visiting museums and galleries, taking day trips out to Oxford and Rye, watching Shakespeare plays at the Globe theatre and doing other touristy things.

Life as a student or even an ex-student with a valid student card was grand, and I enjoyed many discounts. I lived in a long term hostel where the rent was reasonable, and I ate at Tuk Tuk which offered cheap and cheerful meals at less than £5.

But now that I’m (slightly) older, have a proper job and live in a proper flat, I am no longer eligible for student discounts and I no longer want to eat at Tuk Tuk. I like designer clothes (sometimes, I’m a fan of the British high street too) and I like eating out at nice restaurants.

That kind of lifestyle can start to get very expensive after a while, especially if you don’t earn a banker’s salary. I’ll admit it, I like vouchers and discount deals. I have no qualms about pulling out a coupon at a restaurant if it’ll save me 50% off the bill!

Over the years I’ve discovered many ways to save money, whether it’s eating out, public transit, groceries, theatre, or shopping. The deals are there if you’re willing to look for them! It seems like more and more daily deals and social buying websites keep popping up everywhere. Perhaps London is more affordable now, but only if you take advantage of the deals that are on offer.