Hailed as the new wonder treatment, salt cave therapy is now all the rage amongst stressed, burnt out London office workers. Claiming to work wonders on the skin, reduce stress, cure insomnia and even improve your mood, is this saline wonder treatment all it’s cracked up to be? I ventured out of central London to find out.
In common with many offices across the land, my company offers two days per year for employees to volunteer at the charity of their choice. Being a sociable bunch, we opted for a team volunteering day. But with an endless supply of good causes, who to choose? Being food lovers who love the indoors this time of year, we chose a team volunteering day at Hackney Food Bank. And what an eye opener it turned out to be.
Cart marking is one of the oldest traditions in the City of London and is still upheld to this day in an annual parade of vintage carts. The cart owners apply for the honour of being officially “marked” in the Guildhall Yard. It’s one of those events that always makes people stop and stare without having a clue as to what it’s all about. Often mistaken for a film shoot for the latest summer blockbuster, the cart marking ceremony is as old and mysterious as the City itself.
Nestled deep in the heart of central Europe, Slovenia’s Julian Alps offers mighty mountains, emerald lakes and pristine mountain trails. Frequently overlooked by its illustrious neighbours, Austria and Italy, the hiking hordes have yet to descend on these hidden heartlands. In fact, the only other “trekkers” you’re likely to meet are the frisky mountain goats.
In need of some inspiration to revitalise my Office Breaks, an invitation to the GO travel show at Kempton Park caught my eye. Hosted by Landor Travel Publications, the show promised more than 100 leading attractions from Shakespeare’s Globe to the Bombay Sapphire Distillery. Offering the added bonus of a trip to RHS Garden Wisley, I needed no further persuasion to sign up.
Are you always running short by the end of the month? If you want to save more of your salary but can’t face the faff of scrutinising every penny leaving your account, help is at hand. Ditching contactless in favour of good old-fashioned cash has paid dividends for my savings and here’s how you can save more too.
Should we allow dogs in the office? The announcement that the City’s newest tall building, 22 Bishopsgate, is to be dog-friendly has set tails wagging and teeth gnashing in equal measure. While evidence shows that dogs can reduce stress levels and increase productivity, not everyone is enamoured with man’s best friend. In this article, we gnaw through the pros and cons of having dogs at work.
Buried seven metres below the frantic roar of City life lies a temple shrouded in mystery. First discovered on a bomb site in 1954, the reconstituted temple now resides at the site of Bloomberg’s swanky, new European headquarters in the heart of the City. Brought to life with the help of truly immersive sound and light effects, the London Mithraeum is the perfect lunch break sanctuary to delve into during a stressful day. Listed in the World’s Top 100 places to visit, I couldn’t resist a sneak peak at this subterranean gem.
A flash of red and white snakes through the undergrowth as a fleet of heaving Santas thunders past in this year’s Santa Dash. Struggling to grapple with wayward beards and flouncy red tops, they brave the grey drizzle of an early December Sunday morning. Feeling festive, I decided to cheer them on as they braved the elements.
Father Christmas at the Santa Dash 2018
With the clocks about to plunge us into semi-permanent darkness, opportunities for outdoor adventure after work are in short supply. Unable to face the prospect of re-joining the gym, bouldering suddenly caught my fancy. Now more popular than rock climbing in the wilds, bouldering offers all the thrill of the great outdoors but with crash mat, café and central heating included. What’s not to love?
man bouldering at the Arch climbing wall in Burnt Oak