Uncover the city’s late night naughty side
BUY IT. READ IT. KEEP IT. February 2 - 8 2012 timeout.com/london
The Insomniac’s Guide to London
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20 Secrets of the night
2.02.12
Contents 16 Burlesque beauty Sophia St Villier
15 Late night delights
Features 9
One Night Only
How much can you achieve in a night?
13 Night Music
KISS Fm DJ Clara Amfo
15 Late Night Delights
What can you get delivered at 1am?
16 Thrill of the night
Meet sultry burlesque star Sophia St Villier
20 Secrets of the night Insider secrets of The Goring Hotel
26 Goodnight
Regulars
4 The Week In London
Lights out for Legally Blonde
6 Shopping & Style
Going out and staying home in style
Top 13 tips to get rid of insomnia
23 Late Night Guide
whom share their tales of London’s late night naughty side in this issue. We also find out how much can really be achieved in a whole night of no sleep by some of London’s best creative talent, and ask whether it really is good for you to stay up all night? In the process we searched out the hottest places to hang-out, eat and grab a cocktail in the early hours. Some of our favourites are The Book Club in Shoreditch, with everything from food, djs books and speeddating on their late night menu, and Luardo’s Mexican food truck, who serve up the freshest tacos we’ve ever tasted at 2am. We also loved
the incredible cocktails we enjoyed at Soho’s Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC). If you’re not in the mood for going out, but are still up late, we explore exactly what delights you can have delivered to your door. So what are you waiting for, the night of your life awaits you …
On the cover
Food & drink, entertainment & more
Image by Craig Swatton
Editor’s Letter
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ew York may be known as the city that never sleeps, however London is the city that wants to sleep but can’t. With an increasing number of Londoners suffering insomnia, it seemed like the perfect time to make a supplement for all the night owls out there in search of sustenance and entertainment after midnight. The Time Out team sacrificed sleep and sanity to uncover what happens in late night London, with the help of three local night owls who brave this crazy city after dark to make a living: Kiss FM DJ Clara Amfo, sultry burlesque performer and producer Sophia St Villier and The Goring Hotel’s Efren Macaraig. All of
Evelyn Ebrey Time Out Supplement Editor
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The week in London
Central London February 1
It will be lights out for Legally Blonde at the Savoy Theatre on April 7, after it was announced today that despite a turnover of £528 million in the West End last year, several big shows are now going to finish their runs much earlier than planned. This casts doubts on how the theatre industry will fare in 2012, with Andrew Lloyd Webber predicting that the Olympics will have a ‘disasterous’ impact on the West End as it is already difficult to pull in audiences in hard times. Nights out in the West End look set to be rather different this summer. Photograph by Evelyn Ebrey.
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Shopping & Style
WRISTWEAR Perfectly sized
This sleek wristlet from Capulet has just been released and is the right size for your phone, cards and coins. It comes in a range of leathers and colours and is a slim line essential for a night out, so you don’t have to tote a bulky bag around. £169. www.capuletlondon.com
PARTY WEAR Red Hot
Laura Whitmore shows us how it’s done in this seriously sexy Ribbon Knits dress from French Connection. Perfect for a sensational night out at just £115. www.frenchconnection.com
Going out Fashionable buys to help you look your stylish best all night long. Where ever your evening may take you.
WATCHES Day and night glow
You will always be able to see what the time is with this Diesel Men’s Glow in the Dark Watch. The strap and face are day glow green and perfect for finding out the time where ever you are. £54.99 www.hsamuel.co.uk
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BEAUTY Sleep sweetly
Spritz this lovely smelling sleep spray by The Body Shop on your pillow before bedtime to help you drift off to dreamland. It contains lavender and smells divine, you will wake up refreshed and nicely scented too. £10. www.thebodyshop.co.uk
RELAXWEAR Oh so pretty
Lounge about on the couch or in bed in this gorgeous Stella McCartney Ilda Driving Print robe. It’s vintage inspired and crafted in a stretch silk satin and features a self-tie belt. Time to get comfortable and look gorgeous whilst doing so. £180.00 www.asos.com
SLEEPWEAR His highness
Relax in style with these slick `Royal’ pyjamas from legendary Savile Row tailor Derek Rose. Luxury comes at the princely sum of just £124.99 www.derekrose.com
Staying in Relax in style and enjoy and evening at home relaxing, with our oh so comfy picks for the perfect night in.
SLIPPERS Cute and cosy
Keep your feet toasty with these beautiful knitted cashmere slippers from Cash Ca. Just like ballet flats but wooly and warm they are perfect for cooler nights. £75.00 www.liberty.co.uk
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Antronella
Works for Ted Baker
Wearing TopShop, Marc Jacobs and Ted Baker ‘Dressed up like a chav with a beer belly and drank malt liquor on the bus.’
Ross
Cruise ship director
Wearing All Saints boots and jeans, H&M jacket, Zara shirt. ‘Got over zealous with my girlfriend on the train.’
Late Night London Looks Shoreditch, E1
Time Out took to the streets of Shoreditch after midnight to see what people are wearing in the early hours of the morning and asked “What’s the craziest thing you’ve done on public transport late at night?”
Raffaele Graphic Designer
Wearing TopShop and Zara. ‘If I told you I would have to kill you.’
Emma
Lawyer
Wearing Pearl Lo dress. ‘Too many things to choose just one from.’
Luke
Luis
Wearing vintage. ‘Don’t want to admit to that sorry.’
Wearing vintage. ‘Can’t remember the craziest thing, I usually sleep.’
Artist
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Student
One Night Only Image by Nathan McQuade
Pulled an all-nighter to get something done for work or study? You’re definitely not alone, as over 60% of Briton’s have done this at least once in their lives. Indeed, there are many people who make a habit out of it for social reasons and their careers, but is staying up all night actually good for you? And how much can you really achieve in a night?
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ight now, life in the UK feels like it’s at its craziest and most certainly busiest in modern times. Technology and constant feeds of information mean we are engaged with the world and thinking about everything that’s going on in it nearly every waking minute (does checking emails or Facebook on your phone last thing at night and first
thing in the morning sound familiar?) So, it’s no surprise that people are sleeping less than they used to and with 75% of the UK suffering from insomnia at some point in their lives, more and more of us are staying up late at night. But should we be sacrificing our sleep to get things done or do these people that stay up late actually have the right idea?
The romantic idea of the artist staying up all night to paint some amazing canvas or the writer forgoing sleep to churn out pages is nearly as old as history itself. Although it does still seem to be quite common, with many creative people claiming they work more effectively at night than during daylight hours on their projects. There have been numerous psychological studies done over the years (websites such as Psychology Today are full of them) that suggest that people who are naturally inclined to stay up late are more creative, even more intelligent than those that get up early. But for obvious reasons these findings are controversial to say the least. Fashion designer Mary Katrantzou recently admitted to Elle UK that she stays up late working as she finds it
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easier than trying to design during the daytime in a busy studio. She’s often working at home until 5am on her new collection, because the peacefulness makes it a more constructive time for her and she gets so excited she finds it hard not to stay up and work on her new designs (looking at her brightly patterned work it’s not hard to see why). Katrantzou is definitely not alone in that thinking as many creative people interviewed for this piece agreed that evening was a much more productive time for them. Photographer and serial insomniac Nathan McQuade agrees “The times I’ve suffered from insomnia the most, without fail have also been the strongest creative spaces in my life. The photography I produced late at night was better, clearer and most
purposeful. For me sunlight seems to sap away that vibrancy you get from staying up late, the midnight oil burns the most beautifully.” For night owls who work better from the afternoon and into the evening, staying up late isn’t a bad idea if it’s more conducive for them to get work done. Problems arise however when people stay up late and get up early, as a person still needs to get enough sleep to try and function properly and not bite other peoples heads off. Sleep deprivation has been proven to lead to many health and psychological problems over the long term. “I definitely don’t recommend people stay up late consistently and sacrifice sleep,” says psychologist Anita Bellamy. “It throws out your body’s natural state of balance,
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For me sunlight seems to sap away that vibrancy you get from staying up late, the midnight oil burns the most beautifully. decreases cognitive function and interferes with your brain chemistry over time. This can have a range of unpleasant effects on your mental state and ability to cope with stress.” Yet there are many people for whom staying up late is simply part of how they make their living, “It’s refreshing to be out of the 9 – 5 rat race,” says Tim Etherington Judge, Mixologist and Brand Ambassador for Diageo. “But it can take a mental and physical toll on the mind and body. I don’t think we’re designed to sleep all day and work all night and at times I do find it really draining. But other times it can be really amazing, when the world goes to sleep, some interesting people come out to play.” It’s true the world does take on a very different feel at night that is more conducive to getting creative work done. The energy and atmosphere after dark has been captured countless times in every form of art over the years and it’s always felt like a more ‘magic’ time of the day. “Night-time people and places become alter egos to the ‘real’ daytime world,” concurs Nathan McQuade. “Bars, clubs, venues, they all have much more interesting personalities at night. As do the people that inhabit them. Conversations can take infinitely more interesting directions, and take longer without feeling rushed. People have time at night, which
makes it a fascinating time to be at work.” Whilst there are a lot of people who thrive working at night and revel in its atmosphere, there are some for whom it takes a toll very quickly. “If I stay up late to paint or draw, then it will most likely disrupt my sleep for duration of that week,” says artist Alex Pierides. “I can do it, but I might not be in the best mood for that week and have less energy. There are times when it’s worked for me and I’ve finished a painting I’ve started in the morning that night, but I try not to make a habit out of it.” Staying up late to get things done or to create whilst inspired is definitely pretty common for many people, and it is entirely possible to achieve quite a lot in one night of consistent work. “When I was working on my novel once in a while I’d do a word count and realise I’d done thousands of words in a night,” says writer Lara Cory. “That always felt good, but I think an even better achievement was when I progressed in the story or made a character breakthrough. I have a busy life and children, so the one time I can count on for no interruptions is at night when everyone’s asleep.” There is definitely a case to be made for working at night, when you’re least likely to be disturbed. Removing distractions, especially small noisy two-legged ones, will obviously make it easier to get a task done whatever time of the day it is too. Although that also depends on whether a person is functioning at their best at night, if their brain just isn’t able to stay focused and keep up with the task, staying up all night isn’t going to help. “For some people I do think it’s a waste of time to try and stay up late to work,” says Anita Bellamy. “There are those of us who simply don’t function well at night and are unlikely to achieve what they set out to do, however well intentioned. I think if you’re inclined to stay up late and are productive at night then working is fine to a point. Just don’t stay up all night, all the time. Sleep is our restorative time and it’s essential we get enough of it to lead a productive life.”
No turning back now
W
riting and researching a subject is one thing, but for this supplememt I wanted to know what late night London really felt like. One of my aims was to make it authentic, I wanted to stay up late, go out late and visit as many of the places in my guide as I could. I’ve been living that life for the past couple of months now, with interesting effects on my health and energy levels. While I’ve stayed up late countless times over the years, I hadn’t done a lot of it lately. So I knew this task was going to be a bit of a challenge, I just didn’t realise quite how much. Staying up until 1 or 2am is pretty standard for me, I’ve always been rather nocturnal and this seems to suit my life quite well. But in writing this supplement I pushed myself to stay up until at least 4 or 5am. Sometimes going out to visit the different attractions in my guide, other times it was staying in but making myself stay up. In the past two months, I’ve successfully given myself a wicked dose of insomnia, and have struggled with being more tired than I’ve felt in a long time. It’s not uncommon now for me to go to bed at my usual time of midnight and still be wide awake until after 4am. I’ve accidentally slept in more than once, including missing an appointment because I simply didn’t wake up in time. The other thing that has suffered is my health, I’ve had the flu twice in
the space of two weeks and several smaller colds and bugs in that time. Getting really tired from staying up late has certainly made me feel run down. It definitely doesn’t helped my appearance either, I know I’m looking more tired lately (some lovely people have helpfully commented on it too). On the upside, the adventure of exploring London at night and meeting some of it’s fascinating late night workers has been amazing. I have found myself having more energy at night as this project has gone on and it definitely feels like my body clock has shifted (as I write this it’s 3am and I’m very much awake). Creatively I’ve been inspired to write a lot more in the evenings too, for some reason the words really do flow better at night. As far as what I can achieve in a night? Well, on one single night I conducted an hour long interview, watched a 3 hour cabaret show, transcribed the interview, sourced images, started a first draft, added some more places to my guide notes and read 10 chapters of a book, all before falling asleep at 5am. As much as it’s definitely possibly to achieve a lot in a night of staying up, I think repeatedly staying up until the birds are chirping isn’t really a good idea. I’m looking forward to normalising my sleep patterns and will be using all of the insomnia tips on the last page, as that research time looks to have been well spent!
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Night Music Cheerful, chatty and with energy to burn, DJ Clara Amfo is the bubbly voice of early Saturday mornings on Kiss FM. Evelyn Ebrey chatted to the vivacious Clara about interviewing the likes of Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Dizzee Rascal, her incredibly hectic schedule and what it’s like to be out and working in London in the wee small hours
L
et’s face it, waking up at the crack of dawn on the day of the week when most people would prefer to be sleeping in is no easy feat. Whilst the majority of the population are stumbling home or curled up dozing away their indulgences from the night before, Clara is out of bed at 4.15am, ready to get cracking on her radio show which goes live to air from 6am. It takes a whole lot of commitment and energy to be the bright voice listeners wake up to first thing in the morning, but for Clara the frightfully early starts are worth it to be doing a job she clearly adores. Clara’s path in broadcasting was destined a long time ago, when even as a chatty child she knew how to get her voice heard. “Growing up (and still now) I just couldn’t stop talking,” she says. “Cliché as it sounds, I was always the kid in school getting told off by the teachers for talking too much. I’m also the fifth out of six children (four older brothers and sisters and one younger brother), so I grew up hearing all different types of music; from Reggae to Garage to Metal, which made me gain an interest in all genres. One of my
older brothers used to MC on a pirate station called Don FM, I would make him shout me and my friends out on air and I would go crazy, so I think that’s when I fell in love with radio!” It’s no surprise then that in her teens Clara began turning her passion for music and presenting into the beginnings of the thriving career she has today. After some initial training and being spotted in a BBC talent ‘ipresenter’ search, she went on to become one of the youngest ever presenters on CBBC’s XChange show, at just 18. A university degree in Media Arts followed, which lead Clara to another role in television, before she landed a marketing internship at KISS, where she quickly began climbing the ranks to get on air. What started as covering Christmas shifts led to hosting weekday breakfast shows, before landing her current beloved Saturday morning slot, which is her very own show. Her sunny voice can also be heard bubbling over the airwaves of KISS during the week, as she’s the producer and presenter of daily news bulletins as well, not to mention the fact she’s also the voice of MTV’s Official UK
‘’
I love interacting with listeners, shouting someone out or playing a song they like is a fun feeling when you know they heard it and love it! Top 40, Top 20 and Official chart updates and Countdown specials. Somehow she also finds time to blog about her adventures on her own new website. All of which makes for an incredibly hectic schedule, but means she gets to work with her passion for music every day. “I just love being around music all day,” she says. “There are daily debates in the KISS building with all staff about songs we like and dislike, which I think is great. I also love interacting with listeners, shouting someone out or playing a song they like is a fun feeling when you know they heard it and love it!” Developing a steady following of listeners is crucial for the success of
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any Radio DJ and Clara has built up a solid group of loyal listeners who regularly tune in to her show, sending her text messages and posting on her Facebook and Twitter pages, although her early morning timeslot does mean she gets quite a few amusing calls. “There’s definitely a few strangelings out there who call in to the show, but when you‘re broadcasting to as many people as KISS does, you have to expect it! Most of the listeners are young people who are still up from their Friday nights and I also get a lot of young parents who get in touch as their kids think it’s fun to wake them up at 6am!” Since KISS’s studio is just off bustling Oxford St, how does Clara find being in the middle of London in the early hours? “There’s always an air of something happening,” she says. “KISS is also right next to a night club, so I always see some interesting sights when I get to work! The spot I’ll see people stopping for a friendly chat during the day, is the same spot I’ll see a guy trying to chat up a girl he’s been on all night when the club’s closing and people are gathering outside. People are definitely more lairy after dark, fewer inhibitions.” Part of Clara’s job also involves attending music industry events such as the BRITS, as well as all kinds of festivals and live shows, which is a definite perk and something she really enjoys doing. “I love live music as
Clara with Rickie and Melvin at Stars of T4
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There’s definitely a few strangelings out there who call in to the show, but when you‘re broadcasting to as many people as KISS does, you have to expect it! essentially that’s why artists do what they do and it’s great to be a part of that at the events that KISS put on or are partnered with. Wireless Festival in 2008 was brilliant, it was the first time I’d seen Jay Z live and he smashed it!” Clara’s also lucky enough to get up close and personal Clara hosting the Rock Assembly with AJ King
with the performers and celebrities both in the studio and at events, although among the many famous faces she’s interviewed so far she rates her musical heroines Mary J Blige and Salt N Pepa as her favourites. The thrill of getting to meet them in person, further enhanced by the fact they had great stories and were lovely to deal with. Although when pressed on who wasn’t as much fun to interview she adds “Jason Derulo could have been a bit livelier!” Clara’s hectic schedule means she is going to have another super busy year, but she’s keen to get in some more travel. “I love America, but so far have only been to New York, I really want to check out LA, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Miami, basically I want a full on road trip,” says Clara. “I also want to DJ more this year, take up a martial art and learn how to cook!” Something tells me this vivacious girl with the big voice is going to achieve it all and much more, 2012 is definitely going to be Clara’s year. www.claraamfo.com
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Late Night Delights Have you ever craved fresh chocolate brownie at 1am? What about having an albino peacock delivered to your door before sunrise? Whilst going out and getting amongst the late night delights London has to offer is all well and good, wouldn’t it be just as much fun to stay home and have any requirements for the evening (however weird or wonderful) delivered to your door?
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rom food to flowers, beer to belly dancers, London has an extensive, amusing and mildly disturbing array of late night delivery services on offer to guarantee an unforgettable night in. One of the first requirements most people have in the early hours is alcohol, and London is really a drinker’s paradise at night, with a plethora of companies offering late night booze delivery to your home, office or hotel, which is all too convenient. After all there is little worse than having a gathering and quickly running out of everyone’s preferred beverage. Among the alcohol delivery services, there is the amusingly named Hiccups, and Bottoms Up, who promise alcohol delivery within 30 minutes between the hours of 6pm and 6am, as do Drinks on Wheels and Drinks Butler. With the huge amount of these services online it seems when it’s cold and wet outside, many Londoners prefer to stay indoors and warm up by getting rather mothered. But if food is more of a priority and needed to soak up the aforementioned alcohol after midnight, there is also a serious array of good food delivery options catering to pretty much every taste. Just Eat has a comprehensive list of options to meet your needs, while Deliver Me has Italian and Russian food and alcohol available through the night until 6am. It certainly beats getting boring old pizza! But if you’re after a cheap and cheerful fix, Domino’s Pizza are
pretty reliable and do deliver until 1am or later in most parts of London. Feeling like the evening could be a little more romantic? Fresh roses can be delivered for your special someone in the early hours from Only Roses, anywhere in London. This is also a good option if you’ve made a massive mistake that no amount of on-yourknees grovelling can fix. However if that’s not enough to get you out of the dog box, call Midnite Cookies, who will deliver mouth wateringly good cookies, brownies, ice cream and homemade milkshakes up until 1am. Once the sugar high has set in, the evening may take a more energetic turn, in which case some live entertainment could be fun. If watching hot naked boys and girls taking their (and possibly your) clothes off sounds appealing, there is a great selection of adult entertainers ready to make your living room their personal stage. For those who are in the mood for handsome hunks Adonis Strippers have a smoking hot selection of London’s finest guys. But if the evening calls for gorgeous girls, then Dream Girl Strippers have some rather luscious ladies happy to display their dancing skills. However if the idea of a stranger taking their clothes off in your living room, possibly in front of your nan, is mildly horrifying, there are many other options to keep the night from turning into endless hours of tragic board games. A quick browse on the UK Entertainers website turns
up everything from belly dancers to fire-eaters who are available for hire at any time. If tickling your funny bone sounds like a better option, there are also comedy hypnotists available and even a trained sleep hypnotist, which might not be such a bad idea if they can also help with that nasty insomnia. If your tastes and your wallet are a bit more exotic, there is always the option of calling a concierge service to take care of any special late night requests. Quintessentially is one of the most well-known (even Madonna is a client) and they can arrange literally anything at any given hour provided you’re prepared to pay handsomely for it. Want an albino peacock or some rare herbal tea from South America delivered to your door? Not a problem, it can be there within an hour (We kid you not, they have actually done this!). How about having the Black Eyed Peas perform at your sister’s birthday party? Totally achievable, if you have the dosh for it. No request is considered too unusual or impossible and the mind really does boggle at the possibilities of it all. Staying in when it’s chilly out sounds like a much better idea now doesn’t it? Although it might be wise to be careful about having live exotic animals arrive at your place in the middle of the night, the neighbours probably don’t want to wake up to surprises in their garden!
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Image by Craig Swatton
Thrill of the night She’s the titian haired tease who has been busy seducing the UK and Europe with her charm and slinky performances. Evelyn Ebrey cosies up to Sophia St Villier, the burlesque beauty that has turned staying up late into a naughty art form
I
t’s taken the world by storm in the past few years, leaving a twinkly trail of feathers and sequins in its wake. You would have been hard pressed not to have noticed that the retro form of dance and tease otherwise known as burlesque, has made a massive comeback. The influence can be seen far and wide in music, fashion and of course in performance at the moment. Rising to meet the demand for new performers of this glamourous art are a whole new breed of smouldering temptresses, who are finding their niche in the naughty (but still somewhat nice) world of burlesque. Among them is the gorgeous, auburn-maned Sophia St Villier, who is performing on this chilly Wednesday night at Floridita, in London’s den of all things cabaret, Soho. It’s on the stage at this elegant underground venue that she dazzles the assembled audience with her own blend of classic burlesque with unique touches. She looks every inch the vintage starlet in her black corset, suspenders and lingerie, spilling cascades of gold glitter over her near-naked frame in a finale number appropriately titled ‘All that glitters is Sophia’. After two performances which leave the audience charmed by her scintillating display of seductive skills, Sophia is happy to open up about her passion for burlesque, naked girls and ginger crunch (a kiwi childhood favourite). Whilst as this amazing girl, with the incredible porcelain skin may look like a fair-faced Londoner; she was born and raised literally half a world
away, in Auckland, New Zealand. Growing up with a love of competitive horse-riding, it wasn’t until she was at university in Christchurch, that Sophia discovered burlesque in a magazine article at a friend’s vintage shop. Although she already had a love of vintage clothing, it piqued her curiosity enough for her to want to trade her jodhpurs for stockings and suspenders. “I started researching it and it just sounded like this perfect amalgamation of all these things I was interested in.” Sophia says. “I loved the extreme glamour, the theatricality and the sexuality of it all. As soon as I found it, I was like ‘this is what I’m supposed to do.’ It was just like finding the perfect fit really, it was brilliant.” Upon adopting London as her hometown in 2008, Sophia set out to transform herself into the burlesque goddess she had pictured in her head. But as any antipodean tourist or expat knows, the unfavourable exchange rate for southern hemisphere currencies means that upon arrival in the UK one finds their available funds considerably depleted. For a debutante performer attempting to create her first dazzling burlesque costume, this presented Sophia with a considerable problem. But it was a childhood memory and a little kiwi ingenuity which saved the day. “When I was four years old I went to this Christmas party for my Dad’s office,” recalls Sophia. “All the kids had to wear white and I didn’t have any white clothes, so my mum made me this really sweet dress on the sewing ma-
Image by Lyon Photography
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I’ve got this theory that maybe the guys come because they want to see naked girls that can string a sentence together chine out of white crepe paper. I remember we were sitting down waiting for Santa to pass out the presents, and there was this little boy sitting next to me and he started tearing my dress. I turned around and whacked his hand, I was like ‘What are you doing?’ And he said ‘I want to see your knickers’ I said ‘No’ but he kept saying ‘I want to see your knickers’ so I moved away out of his reach. But as I was waiting for inspiration to strike, literally about a month before my first performance, I thought back to that pervy little boy trying to rip my skirt and I ended up making this full outfit out of crepe paper and tearing it off on-stage, I called it ‘Paper Doll’ and I still do that act now.” Little did that naughty little boy
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know that his wandering hands would inspire a unique act which got Sophia St Villier noticed by the burlesque scene-makers, and lead to her establishing herself as a professional performer and more recently producer. She has lately been busy honing her production skills on ‘Naked Girls Reading’ which is exactly as simple and somewhat erotic as its name suggests, entirely naked girls reading aloud from books onstage. London has many cabaret attractions and intellectual events but very rarely those that combine the two, and even though this show is franchised from the original version, which started in Chicago, it’s still a different experience for the London audience, and has been proving very popular. For Sophia, it’s a chance to marry two of her favourite things, the English literature she studied at university and in her own words ‘hot naked girls’. “All the girls I have come in to read are brainy and passionate about literature too, and some of the choices they make are absolutely amazing,” she says. “Every month we have a different theme and I love seeing what people come up with to read. We’ve actually just had Roman and Greek mythology and we learnt all about wanton Aphrodite. It’s really fun, I love doing it!” Interestingly enough the audience for ‘Naked Girls Reading’ is fairly evenly split between males and females. “I’ve got this theory that maybe the guys come because they want to see naked girls, but they also want to see naked girls that can string a sentence together and have intelligence to them. That’s totally my hypothesis there, but they’re the ones that keep coming every time and email me asking ‘when is the next one?’” Although somehow it’s not surprising that Sophia’s team of lovely ladies have just the right mix of charm, smarts and sass to keep the audience coming back for more, the women’s incredible figures don’t hurt either. Sophia is also thrilled to have the support of London’s burlesque community in her ventures as both performer and producer, like as in many diverse cities, burlesque has found a
Image by Craig Swatton
home in amongst the cities cabaret scene and grown from there. “It’s fabulous, there’s lots going on every night, you just have to look at all the listings in Time Out to see that,” says Sophia. “I think it’s great that all the different styles of burlesque have a home in London, there’s a good balance of neo-burlesque that’s pushing the envelope and the classic burlesque as well.” As someone who performs primarily in the evenings, Sophia has come to know and love London after dark. Indeed while most people are heading home from the office, she is all dolled up on her way to perform in the cities top burlesque clubs, her suitcase of costumes and props by her side. Her nocturnal schedule also allows her the opportunity to indulge in her love of cocktail bars, and her favourite cocktail is the classic Aviation, made with gin, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice
and crème de violette. Whilst she may be a glamourous creature of the night, with a fondness for vintage underpinnings, the innate kiwi-ness about Sophia comes out when describing her late night lifestyle. “You do kind of feel like you’re living a slightly different reality in a way, like you’re a morepork,” she laughs. Then adds “Translation, night owl for brits.” She is clearly amused that she has just compared herself to the small brown New Zealand owl with the distinctive call, which keeps many kiwis awake late at night with its cooing. Although, somehow I don’t think people would mind so much if it was this pretty kiwi ruffling her feathers that was making the noise. She generally has the audience right in the palm of her satin gloved hand, and that’s just the way she likes it. www.sophiastvillier.com
Sophia’s Late Night Favourites:
Balans Restaurant and Bar balans.co.uk Midnight movies at Rio Cinemas riocinema.org.uk Lounge Bohemia in Shoreditch loungebohemia.com ECC (Experimental Cocktail Club) experimentalcocktailclublondon.com Late Friday nights at the Tate tate.org.uk
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Main entrance to The Goring Hotel.
Secrets of the night Sumptuous surroundings, socialising with royals and dealing with things that go bump in the night is just your average evening at work for Efren Macaraig. He spills the beans to Evelyn Ebrey on what it’s really like to work at one of London’s most exclusive hotels in the early hours of the morning.
J
ust a stone’s throw way from Buckingham Palace, The Goring Hotel is where Efren spends his evenings as Assistant Night Manager. It’s here he’s privy to the comings and goings of London’s high society and many distinguished international guests. Most nights Efren starts work at 9pm and works a lengthy shift right through until an eye-watering 9am the following morning, keep-
ing a close eye on the hotel overnight. You can be sure he knows pretty much everything that goes on during that time. Keeping the hotel running smoothly at all times is no small task, and there are times when situations crop up that require Efren to be at his most diplomatic and inventive to keep the guests happy. “There was a time when the hotel ran out of water and I had
Efren at work behind the desk.
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to think of an alibi (never under any circumstances tell the guest that it’s the hotel’s fault) such as: ‘Unfortunately, Thames Water is conducting something somewhere and will fix it as soon as they can’ while I’m madly running up and down checking for water pressure, offering guests a bottle of still water who unfortunately got stuck naked and soapy when the water went off. I had a good laugh that night.” His job may involve making sure that the privileged guests of the hotel have their needs met at all times, but is there anything that’s off limits to guests of The Goring? “Escorts,” deadpans Efren. “The hotel might be known for giving our guests excellent service throughout - except for this one. If they insist, then it would still be a no.” One would imagine that a hotel with royal connections would want to absolutely avoid that type of potential scandal, no matter how discreet the guest thought that they were being. Their chances of getting it past observant Efren would also be pretty slim. By now you may be thinking ‘wasn’t The Goring Hotel the one that royal bride Kate Middleton
‘’
I wouldn’t say that, limited night life perhaps. But I find peace working on night shift. Everything is peaceful and calm. I feel like I’m watching the world as it sleeps spent her last night as a single woman in? And left from in her stunning Alexander McQueen gown the following morning?’ Indeed, it was. But as there is a strict confidentiality agreement in place about the royal wedding, Efren won’t be disclosing any details about that, however exciting it may have been to be on the inside for it. As it happened, the media did try and get information from The Goring staff any way they could, including messaging them on Facebook and Twitter. However without success as The Goring is still a family run hotel which prides itself on its history and staff loyalty. So what does he love most about working nights at such an exclusive hotel, aside from the obvious excitement of last year’s royal wedding? “Definitely the people,” he says. “Meeting all the lovely and interesting people that come through the door, chatting with them casually and sometimes if you’re lucky, you could be socialising with the royals.” Although he does admit that one of the downsides of his job is dealing with guests who get a little out of hand, very drunken guests being the top of his list of least favourite things to have to sort out. Originally from the Philippines, Efren was initially in Engineering working for Shell Philippines, after completing his 5 year degree at home. But it was a move to London in 2002 that saw Efren get his first job in hospitality, as a
breakfast waiter at a business hotel in Holborn. He quickly discovered that not only was the money better than what he had made back home as an engineer, but also that he was really suited to the work. He joined the team at The Goring in 2003, where he started out as a House Porter, before taking a break from it in 2004. He rejoined the team in 2010 as a Night Porter before being promoted to his current position in November last year. Whilst his nights are mostly about the goings on at the hotel, Efren is also a family man, raising a young family with his wife, and doing his best to provide a good life for them. “Bringing up a family in an expensive city like London is tough,” he says. “A couple must share chores and obligations
to survive. In my case I look after the kids during the daytime, while my wife is at work and then she’ll look after them at night while I work. So, working nights suits my life nicely. We just rely on our days off to have our quality time for each other.” On his time away from the hotel, he and his family enjoy taking time to go exploring in London, tenpin bowling and just spending time together, but Efren also harbours a passion for salsa dancing. “When my wife is in a good mood to let me go out on my own with friends, then we’ll hit the salsa bars,” he says. “We go to Bar Madrid at Mappin House, Havana in Fulham and El Barco Latino at Embankment to dance until the early hours.” Whilst he loves the crazy nights he spends out on the town dancing, it’s actually the quiet nights he loves about his job the most. “Some will say, people that work during the night haven’t got any night life at all,” says Efren. “I wouldn’t say that, limited night life perhaps. But I find peace working on night shift. Everything is peaceful and calm. I feel like I’m watching the world as it sleeps.”
Interior of The Goring Hotel’s Lounge.
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Elysée restaurant
Late Night Guide
We uncover the best places to eat, drink, amd explore late at night, with an emphasis on what there is to eat.
Food and Drink Food London has an amazing selection of fantastic places to eat and we’ve tracked down lots that are open after midnight across the city. Balans European style café Open until 5am Mon – Thurs, & Sun, Fri & Sat until 6am 0207 439 2183 60 – 62 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D4UG Nearest tube: Leicester Square www.balans.co.uk Bar Italia Iconic Italian pizzeria, also serving English style food round the clock. Open 24 hours Mon - Sun 0871 971 7215 22 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 4RP Nearest tube: Tottenham Court Road www.baritaliasoho.co.uk Brick Lane Beigel Bake Cheap as chips bagel bakery that is open 24 hours and always popular. Open 24 hours Mon – Sun 0871 971 7308 159 Brick Lane, Brick Lane, E1 6SB Nearest tube: Shoreditch High Street
Cafe Boheme French bistro decorated in a traditional Parisian style. Open until 2.30am daily 020 7734 0623 13-17 Old Compton Street, Soho, London, W1D 5JQ Nearest tube: Leicester Square www.cafeboheme.co.uk Elysée Iconic and stylish Greek restaurant with beautiful roof garden. Open until 3.30am Mon – Sat 020 7636 4804 13 Percy Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 1DP Nearest tube: Goodge St www.elyseerestaurant.com HK Diner Cafe style Chinese food that’s a favourite of students. Open until 2.30am daily. 020 7434 9544 22 Wardour Street,W1D 6QQ Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus Istanbul Iskembecski Cheap Turkish restaurant with handy take-out option. Open until 5am Mon - Sun 0872 148 06469 Stoke Newington Road, Dalston, N16 8BH Nearest tube: Dalston Kingsland www.istanbuliskembecisi.co.uk
Luardos Super fresh taco and burrito trucks servicing various areas of London until 2am on the weekends. We think they’re the best tacos we’ve tasted. 0788 904 739 www.luardos.co.uk Momo Tempting North African and Mediterranean cuisine. Open until 1am daily. 020 7434 4040 25 Heddon Street, Soho, W1B 4BH Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus www.momoresto.com/ Mr Kong Huge selection of delicious Chinese food. Open until 2.45am Mon - Sat, 1.45am Sun. 020 7437 7341 21 Lisle Street, WC2H 7BA Nearest tube: Leicester Square www.mrkongresturant.com New Mayflower Generously portioned Cantonese food in a cavernously large restaurant. Open until 4am Mon - Sun 020 7734 9207 68 – 70 Shaftesbury Avenue, Soho, W1D 6LY
Nearest tube: Leicester Square Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green Gastro-pub and live music venue. Open until 12am Mon - Thur, until 2am Fri and Sat. 020 8969 0098 19 Kilburn Lane, Kensal Green, W10 4AE Nearest tube: Kensal Green. www.theparadise.co.uk Polo Bar Cosy café serving traditional British fare around the clock opposite Liverpool St Station Open Mon – Sun 24 hours 0872 148 0862176 Bishopsgate, City EC2M 4NQ Nearest tube: Liverpool St Station www.polobar.co.uk Ranoush Juice Bar Open until 3am daily. 020 7723 5929 43 Edgware Road, W2 2JR Nearest tube: Marble Arch www.maroush.com Super Star Cheap and cheerful Chinese food. Open until 2am daily. 0871 971 3478 17 Lisle Street, Soho, WC2H 7BE
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Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus. Tinseltown Legendary old school American style diner, famous for its 60 different flavours of milkshakes Open until 5am Mon – Fri, 4.30am Sat & Sun 0872 148 3140 44-46 St John Street, EC1M 4DF Nearest tube: Barbican www.tinseltown.co.uk Vingt Quatre Affordable brasserie style food that’s a great late night fix. Open Mon – Sun 24 hours 0871 971 6501325 Fulham Road, Fulham, SW10 9QL Nearest tube: Fulham Broadway www.vingtquatre.co.uk Yas Restaurant 020 7603 9148 7 Hammersmith Road, Kensington Olympia, W14 8XJ www.yasrestaurant.com
Drink These establishments are our favourites and represent just a small selection of the many bars open late across London. A Lounge Stylish cocktail bar in a slick underground atmosphere. Open until 1am Thur, Fri - Sat 3am 0871 971 4099 Downstairs at Albannach 66 Trafalgar Square Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DS Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus Babylou One of Brixton’s most popular venues, known for it’s eclectic decor, resident djs and regular club nights. Open until 3am Sun - Thurs, 6.30am Fri - Sat. 0872 148 3645 The Crypt, St Matthews Church, Brixton Hill Brixton, SW2 1JF Nearest tube: Brixton
Blakes Hotel Bar Super chic bar with exceptional cocktails and rather glamourous clientele. Open until late Mon – Sun. 020 7370 6701 33 Roland Gardens, Kensington SW7 3PF Nearest tube: Gloucester Road www.blakeshotels.com The Book Club Combining fun events such as speed dating and life drawing with books, food and liquor, it’s a unique and amusing night out. 020 7684 8618 100 Leonard Street, Shoreditch EC2A 4RH Nearest tube: Shoreditch High Street Open until 12am Mon – Weds & Sun, 2am Fri & Sat http://www.wearetbc.com/ Bourne and Hollingsworth Cute little speakeasy which looks like you’re in your grandmas living room. Enjoy the cocktails out of china teacups. Open until 1am Mon - Sat 020 7636 8228 28 Rathbone Place Fitzrovia W1T 1JF Nearest tube: Goodge St www.bourneandhollingsworth. com Experimental Cocktail Club (ECC) One of London’s few hidden drinking dens, totally unique cocktails at reasonable prices served by incredibly knowledgeable staff. Open until 3am Mon – Sat. 020 7434 3559 13A Gerrard Street, Chinatown W1D 5PS Nearest tube: Leicester Square www.chinatownecc.com Fluid Contemporary Japanese design meets retro arcade games and dance music in this split level venue. Open until 12am Tue - Wed, 4am Thur - Sat. 0872 148 0611
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40 Charterhouse Street Farringdon, EC1M 6JN Nearest tube: Farringdon http://www.fluidbar.com/ Gilt Champagne Lounge As glamourous as it’s name suggests, this venue is sophisticated and luxurious with shimmering gold decor. Open until 3am Mon - Sat. 0871 971 4832 Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Cadogan Place, Knightsbridge, SW1X 9PY Nearest tube: Knightsbridge www.jumeirah.com/Hotelsand-Resorts/Destinations/ London/Jumeirah-CarltonTower/Restaurants--Nightlife/ GILT-Champagne-Lounge/ Inigo A casual, relaxed Clapham favourite with a chilled atmosphere and regular club nights. Open until 2am Sun - Thurs, 4am Fri & Sat. 0872 148 2827 642 Wandsworth Road Clapham, SW8 3JW Nearest tube: Clapham Common The Ladybird Bar Soulful cocktail bar, speakeasy and live music space. Open until 2am Mon – Thurs, 4am Fri - Sat. 020 735 917 1070 70 Upper Street, Islington, N1 0NY Nearest tube: Angel www.ladybirdbar.co.uk Miss Q’s Classic American pool bar and diner, with a mix of live music and djs. Open until 11pm Tues & Weds and 3am Thurs – Sat. 020 7370 5358 180-184 Earls Court Road, Earls Court, SW5 9QG Nearest tube: Earl’s Court www.missqs.com Russian Bar Intimate Russian themed dance bar with genres from electro to breakbeat. Open until 3am Mon - Weds & Sun. Until 5am Thur - Sat.
07809425905 267 Kingsland Road Hackney, E2 8AS Nearest tube: Old Street The Alibi DJ bar run by the cult London underground creativecollective Real Gold. Open until 2am Sun - Weds, 3am Thurs - Sat. 020 7249 2733 91 Kingsland High Street, Dalston, E8 2PB Nearest tube: Dalston Kingsland The Birdcage Classic East End pub with a twist. Regular kareoke nights are popular. Pub has a 24 hour license and opens at 11am each day. License is used at the discretion of the owners. 020 7739 0250 80 Columbia Road Bethnal Green, E2 7QB Nearest tube: Bethnal Green The Winchester A cross between a gentleman’s club, a hunting lodge and an urban bar. Open until 12am Mon - Weds & Sun. 2am Thur, 3am Fri, 4am Sat 0871 971 4083 2 Essex Road Islington, N1 8LN Nearest tube: Angel www.thewinchesterbar.com
Art Whilst there aren’t any Art Galleries in London currently open past 11pm, we thought it was worth including the late nights for the ones that are open at night. Definitely an interesting and cultural way to start the night. Barbican Centre Open until 8pm Mon, Tue, Fri, Sun, 6pm Wed, 10pm Thur, 8pm Sat 0845 120 7550 Silk St EC2Y 8DS Nearest tube: Barbican. British Museum Open until 5.30pm daily, until
8.30pm Fri. 020 7323 8181 44 Great Russell St WC1B 3DG Nearest Tube: Russell Squrae Camden Arts Centre Open until 6pm Tue - Sun, until 9pm Wed. 020 7472 5500 Arkwright Rd NW3 6DG Nearest tube: Finchley Road ICA Open until 7pm Wed - Sun, until 9pm Thur 020 7930 3647 The Mall SW1Y 5AH Nearest tube: Charing Cross National Gallery Open until 6pm daily, until 9pm Fri. 020 7747 2885 Trafalgar Square WC2N 5DN Nearest tube: Charing Cross National Portrait Gallery Open until 6pm daily, until 9pm Thur and Fri. 020 7306 0055 St Martin’s Place, WC2H OHE Nearest tube: Charing Cross
E1 7QX Nearest tube: Aldgate East
Cabaret These are a few of London’s top cabaret venues that are open late all week. Cafe de Paris Luxurious venue featuring many different cabaret and burlesque shows including the Wam Bam Club. Open until 1am Mon - Thur, Until 3am Fri and Sat 3-4 Coventry St W1D6BL Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus www.cafedeparis.co.uk Madame JoJo’s London’s home of cabaret, burlesque and all things naughty. Open until 3am Tue - Sat, until 2am Sun. 020 7734 3040 8-10 Brewer Street W1F 0SE Nearest tube: Tottenham Court Road www.madamejojos.com
The Peacock Decadent Burlesque and Cabaret bar and club with live entertainment and tempting cocktails as reasonable prices. Open until 1am Mon – Thur, 2am Fri & Sat 020 7223 9633 148 Falcon Road Clapham SW11 2LW Nearest tube: Clapham Junction www.the-peacock-bar.co.uk Volupte Elegant supper club with nightly cabaret and burlesque shows and special events. Open until 1am Tue - Thur, until 3am Fri and Sat. 020 7831 1622 7-9 Norwich Street EC4A 1EJ Nearest tube: Chancery Lane www.volupte-lounge.com All details were correct at time of printing, no reponsibility is taken for any changes made by venues since then. For more listings across all of Time Out’s usual listings categories check our website: www.timeout/london.
Tate Britain Open until 6pm daily, until 10pm on the first Friday of every month. 020 7887 8888 Millbank SW1P 4RG Nearest Tube: Pimlico Tate Modern Open until 6pm daily, until 9pm Fri. 020 7887 8888 Bankside SE1 9TG Nearest tube: Southwark V&A Open until 5.45pm daily, until 10pm Fri. 020 7907 7073 Cromwell Rd SW7 2RL Nearest tube: South Kensington Whitechapel Gallery Open until 6pm Tue - Sun, until 9pm Thur. 020 7522 7888 Whitechapel High St
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Goodnight 6 So your amazing adventure of a night is coming to an end and you’re feeling a bit shattered, but you still can’t sleep? Well, we’re here to help. Introducing our top 13 tips for beating that nasty insomnia:
1
Make like a baby A cup of warm milk, but not too much, before bed can help as it contains tryptophan, which is an amino acid that helps induce drowsiness. The effect is increased if the milk is warm.
2
Relax and say ah Breathing deeply helps release the tension in your body and calms your mind as the oxygen flows more freely around your body. Concentrate on slowly breathing into your belly allowing your lungs to inflate and deflate fully.
3
Get a good, gentle rubbing Massage that incorporates long, slow strokes (minds out of the gutter please!) has a soothing effect on the body and puts it into a relaxed state, just right to drift off.
4
Work on your discipline Get up and go to bed at consistent times every day as much as possible, so your body gets used to a routine and knows instinctively that it’s time to sleep.
5
Write your memoirs Well not exactly, but emptying your head of the thoughts that are bugging you may help. For some this will be much easier than others.
Chill out Keep your room a bit cooler (but obviously not freezing!) and your bedding not too heavy. You’re less inclined to drift off if you’re overly warm, so find a good temperature for your room that’s comfortable for you.
7
Indulge your inner nana Have a bath with lavender oil as it’s known for its soothing properties and inducing drowsiness, you’ll smell nice afterwards too. Or if you feel inclined to you can also do a Cleopatra and have a milk bath, bathing in tryptophan is nearly as helpful for sleep as drinking it.
8
Block out the world Earplugs can be a godsend when your place is noisy, or the neighbours are still up partying at 4am. We recommend the Boots muffle wax ones £2.49, which work like a charm. Just make sure you set your alarm nice and loud!
9
Ditch the diet Carbs are not evil, trust us. Eating carbs as part of your dinner (but not too late) will help you doze off, as they are also a source of Tryptophan and have several other relaxing properties.
10
Pop some pills Herbal ones that is, there are many variations out there that contain ingredients like Valerian, Hops and Passion flower which are all natural sedatives. These kinds of pills are much kinder to your body and won’t leave you feeling groggy in the morning.
11
Aim for the stars Sleeping with your head facing north aligns your body with the magnetic pull of the planet bringing your body into harmony with the energy of the earth. Sounds weird we know, but it does work.
12
Hide the clock Don’t keep checking what time it is, you will just obsess over how long until you have to get up and that is not relaxing. Put your phone away too, anyone who texts you at 3am is most likely drunk.
13
Get laid Yes, we had to go there eventually. But it is true, sex either by yourself or with a partner triggers the hormone prolactin in your body, as well as several other brain chemicals which result in orgasm and then induce drowsiness. Men have more prolactin in their bodies then women, hence why they’re usually already passed out when she is still looking to cuddle. Sweet dreams!
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Time Out Magazine Ltd Universal House 251 Tottenham Court Road London W1T 7AB www.timeout.com LIstings and general enquiries Tel 020 7813 3000 Fax 020 7813 6001 Display advertising Tel 020 7813 6000 Classified advertising Tel 020 7624 3620 Distribution distribution@timeout.com Subscriptions Tel 0800 068 0050 Editorial Fax 020 7813 6000 Design Fax 020 7813 6028 Picture Desk 020 7813 6028 IT/Production Fax 020 7813 6193 Marketing/Circulation Fax 020 7813 6153 Advertising Fax 020 7813 6100 Supplement Editor Evelyn Ebrey Time Out Magazine Ltd is part of the Time Out Group Chairman/Founder Tony Elliot CEO David King COO Askel Van der Wal Digital Managing Director David Pepper International Managing Director Cathy Runciman Cultural Development Director Mark Elliott Group Financial Director Paul Rakkar CTO Remo Gettini Time Out carbon-offsets all its flights with Trees for Cities (www.treesforcities.org) and uses paper products that are environmentally friendly, from well managed forests and mills that use certified (PEFC) Chain of Custody pulp.
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