Category Archives: Geek Girls Guide To

December 20, 2018

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When we were children every Christmas we would go shopping into the “West End.” My parents would do the majority of their Christmas shopping on these trips. But for my sister and I, it would be an adventure to enjoying the sights. I have so many memories from these trips, spotting all the amazing windows displays in the shops. And the smell of the vendors selling chestnuts. But best of all, these adventures always ended with us sitting on the top deck of the bus looking at all the Christmas Lights along Regent Street and Oxford Street!

Hamley’s window was always my favourite as a child

I have noticed a lot of bloggers have been sharing their experiences of the Christmas Lights and shop windows this Christmas season. So I thought I would join in the fun and share some of the window displays from my favourite shops in London.

My Favourite Shop Windows from Christmas 2018 in London!

Miraphora Mina & Eduardo Lima are the graphic designers who designed all the artwork featured in the Harry Potter series, and the Fantastic Beast movies. Their art shop and gallery, House of Minalima have my favourite window display! Based on their graph of the iconic Hogwarts acceptance letter. The window features, letters, wax seals and a parliament of owls!

Inside the gallery, they have added a few cute Christmas touches. Stockings hanging over the fireplaces and Christmas trees decorated with hints of from the Harry Potter franchise. The gallery also includes artwork from Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindlewald. So even if you have been to House of Minalima it’s a great time to re-visit.

Elizabeth Street

I went to Belgravia hoping to snap a few photos of the Insta-famous cafes in the area. I did not expect to find a whole street filled with beautifully decorated shop windows. Obviously, Peggy Porschen and Dominque Ansel upgraded their floral displays to a wintery theme. However, all the boutique were decorated. Even the local estate agents had an amazing display!

Carnaby Street

All the major shopping thoroughfares in London have impressive Christmas Lights! However, the award for best lights this year has to go to Carnaby Street. To coincide with the release of Bohemian Rhapsody. The lyrics to the classic Queen song illuminate the famous shopping street.

Not really Christmassy

Whilst shopping this year, I saw several cute windows that weren’t decorated for Christmas but I think they still deserve a mention because they were amazing.

Mary Poppins themed window in Harvey Nicholas

Do you like going to see the Christmas Lights?
Do you have a favourite Christmas window?
Let me know in the comments below.

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October 23, 2018

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Last year, I wrote about some of the geekier events that were happening in London to celebrate Halloween. Whilst some of the events, like Hogwarts after Dark at the WB Studio Tour and The Walking Dead ride at Thrope Park, are happening again this year. There are also several new and scary events happening in the city that are based on movies or TV shows.

Geek Girls Guide to Halloween 2018 in London

Teen Horror Pyjama Party

Prince Charles Cinema has always had epic movie marathons and this Halloween is no different. As they are arranging a Teen Horror Movie all-nighter. Over 11 hours they will be showing 90’s teen horror movies like Scream and The Craft. So grab your plaid skirt and duvet and settle in for a night of scary-ish movies!
Hocus Pocus Boozical
Love going to the movies, love brunch. Why not combine both. Exhibit B is offering a brunch over the weekend, followed by a screening of the classic Halloween movie Hocus Pocus. You can also upgrade your ticket to include bottomless bubbles with your brunch.
The Crystal Maze Halloween Edition

The Dark Maze

The classic 90’s game show is back with live experiences game. Where you and your friends can enter The Crystal Maze. Over the Halloween weekend, they are changing the original maze into a Dark Maze, where you can meet the Bloody Baron.
Even Stranger Things
Looking for a geeky club night to celebrate Halloween? Then Even Stranger Things is for you. An epic club night themed around the hit Netflix show. Party in two rooms, one based on the Snow Ball from season two or venture into the second room, Upside Down!
Welcome to The Bronze

For another geeky club night head over to The Book Club. For the one night, the venue will be transformed into The Bronze, the club from Sunnydale. This Buffy the Vampire Slayer night will feature themed cocktails, an art class. And screenings of classic episodes including Once More With Feelings.

My Hacks

If you are looking for a magical night out not over the Halloween weekend. Check out The Cauldron for a night out loosely based on Harry Potter. This immersive cocktail experience allows you to make your own cocktails using a magic wand!
Geek Girls Guide to Halloween in London
Copyright: Images © The Crystal Maze

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October 3, 2018

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During our visit to Belfast in March, we had a chance to visit the Game of Thrones Tapestry at the Ulster Museum. Only for some reason I never got around to posting about it on the blog. I was unsure whether to finally post the photos, but figured at it was truly impressive I would go ahead and upload them, even though it is over six months late.

As I mentioned in a previously Northern Ireland has embraced itself as Game of Thrones territory. The tourist board are encouraging visitors to explore the locations used in the filming of the television show. They have even created unique experiences for fans. One of the more recent additions is the Game of Thrones Tapestry. Housed in the Ulster Museum the 77-metre tapestry retells the first seven seasons of Game of Thrones.

Combining traditional Irish crafts and Game of Thrones. The tapestry is a cloth base of woven Irish linen. Locally produced flax and linen are then sewn into the cloth producing the beautiful embroidered scenes. If you want to know more about the crafts involved in making the tapestry the Wikipedia page has a wealth of information. Including details on the loom used to create the base and threads used in the embroidery.

The Tapestry

I have included a lot of my favourite scenes here, as you can imagine it is impossible for me to show the whole thing. However, if you want to see the whole tapestry, without a trip to Belfast the official website has a video showing the entire work.

As the tapestry includes scenes from all seven seasons, obviously this post will contain spoilers!

Game of Thrones Tapestry — Winter is Coming

There is plenty of space at the end of the tapestry. I believe they will be unveiling a new panel next year after each new episode has aired. So you can see the Game of Thrones tapestry at the Ulster Museum in Belfast now, or wait until next year to see the complete masterpiece for all eight seasons.

Game of Thrones Tapestry

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September 5, 2018

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I have been awful this year at writing about my geeky adventures in London. As a result, I have a hard drive filled with photos from my trips and have never added them to the blog. A classic example of this is the DC Exhibition: Dawn of the Superheroes at the O2. I took over 350 photos on the day and am only now getting around to editing them. The exhibition is about to close, but if you didn’t get a chance to attend here are some of my highlights.

DC Exhibition: Dawn of the Superheroes

Even though the description of the exhibition is at DC-based. It seems mainly to be about the DC comics and movies. There is no mention of the recent Arrowverse television programmes or Gotham. The majority of the exhibit focuses on the main trinity from the DC comics, Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman.

The first section is devoted to Superman with the Richard Donner movies from the 1980’s. Up to the Zack Synder movies from the World of DC. As well as the original artwork from the comics and outfits from the movies. There is also some interesting concept artwork from the movies and the Superman Lives movie that never was.

The next section Batman, from the 1960’s television programme and the movies from the last three decades. This area also has an interesting collection of memorabilia from the Rogue Gallery of Gotham. The Catwoman & Penguin costumes from Batman Returns, most impressively in this area is the section devoted to The Joker.

Being a fan of the Bat-family, I was a little disappointed with the lack of presences in the exhibition. Robin and Batgirl’s outfits from the awful Batman and Robin movie are on display. There are a few panels from several storylines include Stephine Brown brief stint as Robin. Yet, there is no mention of the different Robins or Nightwing.

Next again, mainly based from the World of DC movies is a section on the Suicide Squad. This is one of few areas that also mentions the DC animation series, with a few cells from the introduction of Harley Quinn. Whilst, there is a small section on the Justice League. It again is mainly focused from the World of DC character, with little mention of Green Arrow or Green Lantern. In fact, they completely ignore the Green Lantern movie altogether.

The Wonder Woman section is smaller than her male counterparts, yet features both Linda Carter and Gal Gabot’s costumes. Perhaps most interestingly in this area was seeing the changing design of Wonder Woman’s outfit over the years. Little things like changing her gladiator sandals to more practical boots.

All in all, it was an interesting collection of artwork from DC! I would have liked to see some attention to other popular villains like Brainiac or Hush. I understand why they focused on the ones from the movies. However, I still would have liked more attention to the Bat-Family or Teen Titans.

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August 2, 2018

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When researching the post on Fandom Afternoon Teas, I found some other unusual afternoon teas available in London. Something a little different from the traditional teas, versions with an interesting twist. So I thought I would put together another fun list of places that offer a Quirky Afternoon Teas in London.

Quirky Afternoon Tea in London

Quirky Afternoon Teas in London

B Afternoon Tea Bus London Tour
When visiting London, one of the best ways to see is the city in on an iconic red bus! B Bakery has taken this to a whole new level by re-furnishing classic Routemaster Buses into tea rooms! The 90-minute tour passes Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and Trafalgar Square. Don’t worry, they serve your tea in a handy travel cup, so you won’t be spilling your drink.
Dominique Ansell Afternoon Tea

Dominique Ansell is the king of quirky desserts. The inventor of the cronut has just started offering an afternoon tea at his Belgravia bakery. The bakery is already an Instagrammers dream. With it’s blossoming Hot Chocolate, iconic cakes and new watermelon soft serve ice cream. In fact, this afternoon tea sounds just as picturesque.
Science Afternoon Tea at the Ampersand Hotel
This is a great example of the themed tea, each of the desserts is perfectly designed around a different scientific field. Notably, jelly served in Petri dishes, drinks in test tubes and a chocolate fossil you have to excavate from chocolate “soil.” As the Ampersand Hotel is a short walk from the Science Museum, it would be a great post museum treat!
Glam Rock Afternoon Tea at K West
K West has renovated the former BBC recording studios in Shepherd’s Bush, into a luxury boutique hotel and spa. To showcase their musical roots, their afternoon tea includes “Rolling Scones.” And their own special tea blend called “Tea Rex.” Instead of plates, they serve the food on classic album covers.
High Coffee at the Park Lane Intercontinental Hotel
High Coffee
Photo Credit Park Lane Intercontinental Hotel

Not a tea-lover, don’t fret the Park Lane Intercontinental Hotel has you covered with their High Coffee. Like a traditional afternoon tea only served with coffee drinks instead. Start with sandwiches accompanied by an espresso martini, then have a latte with your desserts and finish with a Caffè corretto (coffee with grappa).

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July 30, 2018

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London Film and Comic Con 2018 The heatwave in London finally broke this weekend, with a day of epic rain. Jason and I originally, planned on having a quiet Sunday at home. Catching up on some financial work and binge-watching the new season of Orange is the New Black. However, on Sunday, a friend messaged us to say he was going to London Film and Comic Con (LFCC) and did we want to join him.

London Film and Comic Con

It had been a good few years since I had attended LFCC, last time we went it was still at the old Earl’s Court venue. I think it is probably four times larger than the first time we went over ten years ago. It is great to see LFCC grow in both size and popularity, and thriving at London’s Olympia.

Our friend D, is a huge Doctor Who fan. He booked himself in for several photo-shoots with previous Doctors. He explained to me, that seven of the living Doctors were at LFCC. In fact, as David Bradley played One in “Doctor Falls” episode fans also include him as a Doctor, it was actually eight. It was also the first time Christopher Eccleston had attended a signing convention! And the fans gave him a lot of love!

D always has does amazing cosplay! I knew he had previously cosplayed Doctors but had never seen them in person. I was so excited when I saw him dressed as Thirteen! But being D, he was unhappy with this coat and pointed out the faults. Even so, I couldn’t see them.

When we meet up with D, near the autograph signing area. We had a quick beer and catch up. Whilst chatting we shocked to see Peter Davidson walk past. Shortly followed by David Tennant, D and I completely geeked out, but none of us had a chance to take a photo!

As it was a last minute decision for us to attend LFCC, we opted not to do any photoshoot or autographs. However, we made a quick decision to attend the iZombie panel. Mainly, we were there to people watch, shop and soak up the atmosphere. As you would expect at a con, there were so many amazing cosplayers in action!

Favourite Cosplay

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May 15, 2018

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Having Afternoon Tea in London is on many people’s bucket list. Traditionally, it was always “Tea at the Ritz.” Although, judging by Instagram posts, Sketch seems to currently be the place to go. With its millennial pink decor and space-aged toilets, you can see why it has become so popular. In London, there is no shortage of places to have afternoon tea, and a lot of them have an interesting twist.

Ordinarily, I might be a coffee drinker. However, that doesn’t stop me from enjoying a good afternoon tea. Whilst traditional afternoon teas are fun, As a fangirl, I love quirky versions. Especially those linked to a fandom, designed around a book or film. With this in mind, here is a list of six afternoon teas I want to try.

Places for Fangirls to have Afternoon Tea in London

Sherlock Holmes Afternoon Tea at Taj — Sherlock Holmes Afternoon Tea
Photo Credit Taj 51

Sherlock Holmes Afternoon Tea at the Taj
(Not available in May)
The Taj offers several interesting tea experiences, but the one that interests me the most is the Sherlock Holmes themed one. Designed around Arthur Conan Doyle’s books the menu features sandwiches named after Holmes stories. Namely, Hound of Baskerville (Roast beef filling) or The Five Orange Pips ( Smoked salmon and orange flavoured horseradish).
Cutter and Squidge’s The Potion Room
Available from the 3rd May to 30th October
This summer, Cutter and Squidge have transformed into “The Potion Room” offering a wizard-based afternoon tea. Even though, the experience isn’t linked to the Harry Potter books or movies. It clearly takes inspiration from the wizarding world and famous witch school. One of the highlights from the menu is the Hubble Bubble drink served in a cauldron.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory tea at One Aldwych
When Charlie and the Chocolate Factory returned to the West End stage a few years ago. The nearby hotel One Aldwych designed an afternoon tea based on the classic Roald Dahl novel. Food from the book provides the inspiration for the menu. By creating such delights as bubblegum pannacotta to blueberry cake pops and of course a lot of chocolate!
Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea at The Sanderson
Available from the 2nd May to 26th September
Arguably, one of the most famous tea parties in literature has to be the Mad Hatter’s party in Alice in Wonderland. This summer you too can venture down the rabbit hole at The Sanderson Hotel. Their Alice themed afternoon tea features desserts includes Queen of Hearts cookies or a chessboard gateau.
Theatre Not Afternoon Tea at the OXO Tower
The iconic Oxo Tower on the banks of the River Thames, offers an afternoon tea, with a definite twist. The emphasis is on pairing cocktails and cakes (but they do offer a non-alcoholic version for children). The Theatre Not Afternoon Tea takes its inspiration from not one but several West End stage shows. For example, cakes are inspired by iconic shows including Hamlet, Wicked and the Lion King.
Tale as Old as Time at The Townhouse
Sold Out
Finally, the Tale as Old as Time afternoon tea at The Townhouse. Originally created to coincide with the release of the live-action version of Beauty and the Beast. This tea has been incredibly popular, that they are continuing to still offer the experience. Unfortunately, it is currently sold out, although you can sign up for updates via their website.

Places for Fangirls to have Afternoon Tea in London

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October 19, 2017

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There are loads of fun events taking place in London for Halloween 2017. But I have found a few fun things to do with an interesting twist for Halloween this year. These five events are all based on TV shows or movies, making them ideal for geeks.

Geek Girls Guide to Halloween 2017 in London.

WB Studio Tour
What is more Halloween than Harry Potter? The WB Studio Tour just outside London will be celebrating the Dark Arts all throughout October. With the Great Hall decorated with floating pumpkins, recreating the Halloween scene from Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. On top of that over the Halloween weekend, they are hosting Hogwarts after Dark, a Halloween feast in the great hall.
Halloween Edible Cinema
The Edible Cinema offers a different movie adventure, rather than just experiencing the movie via your visual and audio senses, they add the elements of taste and smell. For Halloween, they are staging a showing of Beetlejuice at several the Everyman Cinemas around London. The tasting menu features numbered boxes to be opened throughout the movie to heighten your experience.
Supper Club UK presents The Red Wedding
The Supper Club UK is hosting an interactive dining experience based on the Red Wedding from Game of Thrones. On the 31st October, they will create an immersive dining experience based on the eventful wedding feast. The evening will include a five-course meal, music, and actors recreating the iconic feast.
The Walking Dead Maze at Thrope Park
As part of their Fright Nights at Thorpe Park for 2017, they have added an attraction based on The Walking Dead. Featuring two mazes (one indoor and one outside) fans of the zombie apocalypse programme can experience several scenes from the show facing off against the un-dead and Negan. The park also has a feature based on the SAW movies.
Hitchcock Themed Afternoon Tea
If you are looking for something a little less scary, but still with a Halloween twist. The Royal Lancaster Hotel has a Hitchcock Themed Afternoon Tea. Alongside the traditional finger sandwiches and scones, they are serving sweet treats based on classic Hitchcock movies like Cursed Blackbird Macaroon and Psycho Marbled Lollipops.

My Hacks

If you are looking for a Halloween party or club night, check out Design My Night, they have tons of listing for the Halloween weekend in London, from Silent Discos to a prison-themed pop-up called Alcotraz.
For ideas of Halloween actives with children, LondonTown.com has a list of family fun over half term. Including, pumpkin carving and sleepover in a museum.
If you are not in London for Halloween but want to add a scary element to your stay, Visit London has a list of 13 Spooky things to do in the capital from Jack the Ripper walking tours to Haunted pubs.

Geek Girls Guide to Halloween 2017 in London

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August 24, 2017

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Star Wars Identities at The O2 London is more than just a show of props from the movies. Instead, it is an interactive experience exploring what elements make an identity, against the back drop of the Star Wars universe. Saying that if you are looking for an exhibition showcasing props, costumes and artwork from the movies, there are over 200 on display.

Star Wars Identities Experience

The Star Wars Identities Experience has toured around the world for the last few years. It started in Canada in 2012 before heading to Europe, first in Paris and now London. Because the experience is over five years ago, there is no mention of the newer movies. In fact, the only reference to The Force Awakens is a model of BB-8. Instead, the focus is more on the original trilogy and prequels. There is even a large section devoted to Jar Jar Binks!

Upon entering the experience we received an interactive wristband and audio tour headset. We watched a brief video, in which they quickly outlined how a personality is formed. Giving the examples of how both Luke and Anakin are from the same planet. Yet ended up having very different identities.

There are ten stations in the exhibit. Each one designed to shape your character in the Star Wars universe. Some stations are as simple as picking which species you will be, or which planet you will live on. Others related more to your personality, for example, do you have an altruistic or egoistic drive. Each station features scenes from the movies. Or has artwork or props from the Star Wars mythology to accompany it.

At the final station just like Luke and Anakin, you are asked by the Emperor, if you wish to join the dark side. Then you can meet your character. One final tap of your wrist band reveals your Star Wars Identity on a giant screen. It would have been nice if you could have an actual print-out copy of your Star Wars Identity, photo and personality breakdown, however, that was not the case.

As a Star Wars fan, I loved the experience! I had been to Star Wars exhibitions, so I had seen a lot of the props and costumes before. This was an interesting twist on a traditional exhibition. I also loved thinking about what my role would be in the Star Wars Universe! I opted to be an X-Wing pilot and member of the Rebellion.

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August 4, 2017

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I love reading travel blogs, dreaming about all the places I would love to visit. What I love even more is reading tips from locals about their area. My favourites are tips for Disneyworld by Floridians (one day I will go back). I am a Londoner, I was born here and still stay in the same area. For all the wrong reasons London has been in the news a lot lately. I want to start writing about all the great things in this city.

Geek Girl Guide

London is an amazing place to be a geek girl! I thought I would put together some tips and tricks from a local for other geek girls visiting the city. Everyone knows about the historic buildings, Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and more modern attractions like the London Eye or Shard. I love to explore the geekier attractions!

Dozens of television shows and movies are filmed in London, from Jason Bourne to James Bond, even the recent Wonder Woman film featured a few scenes in the city. It is easy to find these locations on your own. However, you can take an organised tour (both bus and walking) around some of these locations. A quick search online can show you all the options from specialist tours for fans of Harry Potter to places include in British Rom Coms.

London isn’t just about film locations, the city has many museums and exhibits with a geeky twist. Currently, there are also several temporary exhibitions perfect for a fangirl. The Star Wars Identities at the O2, a journey into Sci-Fi at the Barbican. and at the end of the summer, the British Library will showcase their Harry Potter collection of manuscripts and props.

London also hosts several conventions. In May over the same weekend, two of the convention centres in London held cons. MCM London in the east and Heroes and Villains in the west of the city. Last summer, Star Wars Celebration was held in the city. Still, to come this year are London Film Convention and the Vampire Ball.

Escape Games (or Escape the Room scenarios) are all the rage at the moment, with locations popping up all over the world. Whilst these, in general, are fun for a geek girl, there are several in London that have added to the geekiness by adding a pop culture theme. Including one set in a wizarding school or another based around the disappearance of Sherlock Holmes.

Even going to the cinema in London can be an adventure. Secret Cinema has taken to film going to a new level. They recreating the fantasy world from the movie, resulting in an interactive experience rather than just watching a film. Or how about a movie marathon? The Prince Charles Cinema regularly has all-nighters including Marvel Phase One and Harry Potter marathons.

What is your favourite fangirl thing to do in London? Do you have a London themed Bucket List? What would you like me to write about in the Fangirl Guide series? Let me know in the comments below.

princessdeia

Category Archives: Geek Girls Guide To

My Favourite Shop Windows from Christmas 2018 in London!

Elizabeth Street

Carnaby Street

Not really Christmassy

Geek Girls Guide to Halloween 2018 in London

My Hacks

The Tapestry

DC Exhibition: Dawn of the Superheroes

Quirky Afternoon Teas in London

London Film and Comic Con

Favourite Cosplay

Places for Fangirls to have Afternoon Tea in London

Geek Girls Guide to Halloween 2017 in London.

My Hacks

Star Wars Identities Experience

Geek Girl Guide

Recommended Reading