1. Stand behind the yellow line – Seriously, it is there to keep you safe from trains not scheduled to stop at that station that travel at high speeds. A lot of people stand on the platform reading either a Metro newspaper or are listening to music on their iPod. You are not aware of trains coming in at all times, if a train hits you, not only will be you be either dead or in ICU but you will inconvenience thousands of commuters trying to get to work or home
2. Recycle Newspapers – Common courtesy is to read your paper in such a way that you can leave it for the next passenger to enjoy and not be bored shitless like you would have been and plus, it’s good for the environment.
3. Train Times – This can be super annoying if you get it wrong as rail companies due alter the amount of trains running due to peak times and off-peak and you may wait up to half an hour on a platform if you get it wrong.
4. Research – We all know that rail companies have pushed up prices by 8% this year which is crazy since a lot of people did not get a pay rise. So, my advice would be to see if you really do need that extra zone, can you bus it for 10 minutes instead or walk? Fine, if you want to be lazy, then do not moan. Yes, they are sharks for charging so much for no improvements but we all know that won’t change any time soon. I work in Central London but I don’t pay Zone 1 prices, I get a Zone 2 & 3, a train from Zone 3 to Zone 2 (Elephant & Castle) and then I jump on a bus which is still covered under my travel card.  I save myself £40 each month, lots of people do it, find your station that is on the cusp between two zones.
5. Water aka Liquids – Always carry a small bottle with you, you never know when you get stuck somewhere on the track with signal failures, yes, they do happen quite often. You also might want to avoid those vending machines on the platforms as they charge extortionate prices.
6. Twitter – Who would have thought that Twitter can be so useful to Londoners when commuting? I follow my rail company as I get updates on delays and failures much quicker than their own website. News spread fast on twitter especially when someone has been bit hit with a train and it causes major delays.

There are plenty more tips but I thought I’d share these with you for now. Feel free to add more by commenting below.

The minute you walk through the doors it really hits you how Westfield has gone for the wow-factor. They’ve gone for the whole shebang to make sure shoppers of all ages are entertained and never want to leave again. Some of the services that Westfield provides are really simple yet clever such as a Cloakroom & Bag Storage area which also delivers to your home, hotel or internationally. Another great service is the Playroom where kids under the age of 5 can be kept entertained. Westfield also has their own Police Safer Neighborhood Team which patrols the complex to keep smiles on people’s faces. (a lot of shopping centers have them now)

Let’s get back to talking about the shopping and entertainment aspects of Westfield in Stratford. It seems like nearly every major brand decided to open a shop, guess they have to with the London Olympics this year and the thousands of tourists that will be flocking to the area. To name a few would be River Island, Hugo Boss, Bose, True Religion, Links of London, 02, Disney Store, H&M, Lego, and Marks & Spencer etc. Westfield really has too many to mention and there is even two banks inside.

The ground floor area has the fast food type outlets where a lot of families tend to spend their time as kids always want something fast and easy. On the first floor you will find a nicer seating area with a whole range of foods from Sushi, Mexican, Jamaican, Indian and more. We have now twice had food on that floor and the system they have works really well. You go to a counter, order and pay for your food; they provide you with a little beeping device which will alert you when you’re food are ready for collection. Westfield staff clear the tables and keep the area clean and presentable. Once you’re food is ready, you collect it from the same counter on a nice fancy tray with proper cutlery which is a nice change.

On the entertainment front at Westfield in Stratford, you can go to the cinema on the top floor or even to the brand new casino that just opened. There is also a bowling alley for those who want to be more interactive.

I’ve now spent two Sunday’s at Westfield in Stratford and to be honest, I am going to need a lot more time to explore everything but I am thoroughly impressed with it so far. Oh, they even have a free app that you can download from iTunes to help you navigate through the mall, how whack is that? Be prepared to part with some of your money when you walk through those doors…or shall I say, if you have a bit of a spending problem, stay at home!

Others are fine with a relaxing, comfortable night at home, and perhaps some flowers ordered from Marks & Spencer. Regardless of your own personal preferences, however, many couples will agree that, at least at some point, you ought to spend this special day in a big city, where there are endless opportunities for unique dates and experiences. For example, consider how many great ways there are to spend a day with your loved one in London!

To begin with, if you are not from London but have access to the city for the Valentine’s Day holiday, you should certainly take advantage of some of the city’s sites. While it seems a bit touristy to simply walk around the city observing buildings and views, there is a certain romance to London that can only be captured in exploration. Of course, you don’t want to walk yourself ragged, but a slow, relaxing tour around some of the more historic areas in the city can be a very nice thing to share with a significant other.

London is also a great place to go if you would like to see a theatrical performance with your loved one for Valentine’s Day. Watching a great play with someone you care about can be a very intimate experience, as you share your feelings and enjoyment about what you are watching, and can simply enjoy each others company. There is probably no better place in the world for many types of theatre, meaning that a theatrical getaway in London might be a very memorable Valentine’s Day experience. Plus, you can enjoy the thrill of surprising your loved one with the tickets!

These are just a couple of the numerous ways that a big city such as London can be enjoyed on Valentine’s Day. You can also consider a moonlight stroll by the water, or a night out at a nice restaurant. Both of these activities are easy enough to come by, and can be very romantic and, of course, you can cap off your Valentine’s Day evening with a stay at a luxury hotel, as there are numerous fine places to stay in the city. If you’re planning on getting away someone with just the person you love, what better place for it than a city with so many options and romantic aspects?

I dread to know what M&M World makes each and every day with the amount of people always inside the building. M&M World has four floors packed with all kinds of merchandise you probably do not need but will get because of the novelty. Merchandise can be quite pricey but at least they do not charge an entrance fee and do allow people taking photos.

If it is the chocolate you are after, then M&M World is the place to go as you can make you own combination with over 100 choices to choose from. Go on, they are open seven days a week, Monday to Saturday until 12:00pm which is pretty impressive!

It has been a while since we have been to Camden Town and a lot has changed around the Stables area, it is quite amazing now. The only annoying thing is the street vendors that try their luck with the prices and won’t let you browse, always in your ear trying to sell it to you. I don’t think they know how many potential customers they scared off like that.

A lot of stalls had brilliant displays and most had the same items to sell. Worst part of the day is deciding on only one meal, which of the many types of food you will choose from, yep, it is a tough decision. Oh, on the other hand, if you are thinking of inking or poking yourself, then Camden has a lot of options in one street. I love the whole Camden Town feel, plenty to see, lots to do and tonnes of food to sample.

Wonder what adventure this weekend will bring…

I got into it first of all to help my friend save some money by giving some time in exchange for a concert ticket. I am not too fusses about the concert and enjoy the volunteering experience. You might enjoy both aspects of the experience. I’ll try to explain it all as best I can.

How does it all works and is there a catch?

First of all, you register on their website and see if there are any programs you can help out with in your area or close to where you live. You will then need to book your space and they will phone you to confirm your spot on the project. None of this costs you any money. You will then receive an email with the project details and they kindly ask that you bring with the waiver form.

On the day, you should arrive 15 minutes early to allow them to sign you in and provide you with your free t-shirt and tools you need on the day. There will then be a group induction and then everyone splits up into their designated teams.

Last year I helped clean the Thames River at Rotherhithe, great fun but a lot of hard work walking on the mud with the wellies. We removed an old motorcycle, a few bicycles, and tonnes of clay tiles, tyres and other general rubbish. It was definitely worth the experience. This year we helped trim hedges, clear pathways and picked up litter at a local park to make it more enjoyable and safer for people using the park.

There will be a break in between and you will be handed a bottle of water to keep you going. We had a lot of music playing in the background whilst we worked and it was really enjoyable. Once we had done our four hours, there were a few works from the project supervisor and we then got our tickets, a sandwich, crisps and a drink before we left. You can bring your own refreshments but remember there is nowhere to store them.

I missed out on this year’s event, can I still do something?

Yes, there is another awesome project called the Collective, also by Orange RockCorps that allows you to do any volunteer work for four hours, you then submit your story which they will verify. Once verified, they will issue you a Ticket Master voucher worth £30 to be used on any concert of your choice. This can sadly one be done once per person.

Hey, this is a great way of helping your community restore a few run down places in exchange for a music concert ticket, well worth it if you ask me. Please visit their website for more information and the terms and conditions.

We would like to introduce you to Susan, the giant straw sculpture at the South Bank. She is part of the four month long festivities to celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the Festival of Britain. The whole area has been done up and they are not done yet. I had to go in for a closer look as the Urban Fox is pure genius.

That is what I like about the South Bank; they have strange and interesting events all the time. There is always something to see and do, best part is that majority of it costs you nothing. What is this Festival of Britain business all about? In a nutshell it is a celebration held each year since the end of World War II to bring some cheer to Britons. Just after World War II, most of London was in ruins and the festival was an attempt to give Britons a feeling of recovery and progress.

Get in the party mood and head over to the South Bank, plenty more going on that what we are talking about here.

Remember that you do not need the most expensive brand items to make it taste good, trust me. I used a lot of the basics range items in mine and it tastes great none the less.

Pastry Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 egg
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 125g butter
• pinch of salt

Filling Ingredients:

• 4 ½ cups milk
• 2 ½ tbsp corn flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• pinch of salt
• 2 ½ tbsp flour
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• a big spoon of butter

You will need to make the pastry first before you move to the filling. Make sure you have all the ingredients ready before you start with the milk tart.

How to make the pastry?

• Cream butter and sugar well together and add the egg, before beating well.

• Add all other ingredients – making a stiff dough.

• Press into one or two round cake tins/pie dishes and bake at 180°C until light brown. The dough should be thinly rolled to allow the crust not to be too thick.

How to make the filling?

1. Bring milk to the boil.
2. Beat eggs well and add sugar, flour, corn flour and salt.
3. Mix well.
4. Pour boiling milk into the mixture and stir well.
5. Return to stove and stir well until mixture thickens.
6. Add butter and vanilla essence and pour into cooked shell.
7. To decorate, sprinkle with cinnamon.
8. Stick in the oven on 180 C for 15 minutes, then leave to cool. I chose to let mine sit in the fridge for at least two hours before serving to allow it to properly set.

Now that I have made it once, it should be far easier the next time. Good luck with your attempt at making milk tart at home. This recipe does not belong to Stooly.com, we would like to direct all credit to Just Easy Recipes.

This is until we discovered the beauty of online grocery shopping. It is simply brilliant that you register with them online, browse through their virtual aisles, add it to your basket, choose your ideal delivery time and pay. It’s really quite simple. Best part is that you can buy up to four weeks in advance, perfect if you are going away on holiday or too busy to pop around the store. The second best perk of online grocery shopping is that you can buy all the heavy stuff such as tins, bottles and laundry items ie, the bulky items and they will deliver it straight to your door. Supermarkets here are quite competitive and they will compete with each other to offer the lowest delivery charge, between £4 and £6, depending on the day but that is quite reasonable thinking on how much time you saved and effort.

Another perk would be that most supermarkets will do a price match on substitutes which means that if you chose the most basic value item on the shelf and they do not have that in stock, they will deliver the more expensive version and not charge you for it. If you are unhappy with the product they substituted, you can ask the driver to take it back and they will deduct it from the purchase.

The bad part of ordering online is that when it comes to fresh food items, they will not take the product that is furthest away from expiry and you might end up with items that should be used by tomorrow. I try not to buy fresh items such as bread and meat for my online delivery. Hey, if you have a freezer big enough, you could simply chance it and freeze everything and the whole experience will be enjoyable then. Do not forget to register your loyalty card with them for all the extra points and special offers. There are also some websites that have regular free home delivery codes, keep an eye out for them.