Podcast appearances and mentions of London Eye

From a Mexican architect’s greatest structures to the famous London Eye, we explore the effect that iconic pieces of the built environment can have on their cities.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mawaali Bhai is super josh mein after hearing about the giant wheel coming up in Mumbai—just like the London Eye! “Arey bhai, London waale kya sochenge ab? Mumbai mein bhi chakki ghoomega, aur full view milega apun ko!” he says, already dreaming of clicking selfies from the top while munching vada pav. London Eye ka Mumbai wala jugaadu cousin, here we come!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

JoJo and Gran Gran are joining Jared in central London to cheer him on whilst he runs in the London Fun Run. Together, they follow a map of his route and explore the city along the way; from the Tower of London, to the Landseer Lions, Hyde Park and the London Eye. JoJo and Gran Gran have a great time discovering new and exciting landmarks and still manage to reach the finish line just in the nick of time.

In this podcast we look at a section by the side of the Thames opposite the London Eye, which hasn't always been there! So join us for a look at this area and why it is so important to London!

Dan is here with the latest Redmen Bitesize as Liverpool taste defeat for the second time this season in the Premier League and reportedly eye up two frontmen. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/redmentv. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sally is the current weather and local reporter for ITV. She's been broadcasting since 1988 since her early years practicing with a blank cassette and microphone aged only 7. Daughter to weather obsessed parents a move into weather reporting seemed inevitable. Sally has been with ITV since 2005 working not only as the weather reporter, but on the red carpet with A-List celebrities such as Tom Cruise and at premiere's of some of the world's biggest shows such as Netflix's Bridgerton. It was Tom who in fact dared Sally to report the weather from the highest peak of the London Eye, which you can see on YouTube right now below!https://youtu.be/MXdUzQfrMCc?si=e170Rps5YomzsbslSally discusses her early years in journalism whilst being an under and post-grad at Birmingham and Cardiff Universities respectively. She takes me through what a typical day in the life at ITV looks like and the long hours it sometimes takes to put together the report you're working on. As well as her time broadcasting on top of the London Eye, and how she prepares for interviews on the red carpet. Choosing her questions carefully in the brief time she has with the actors themselves.For any aspiring journalists, this one's for you!Credit to the ITV website for this introduction. Oliver GowerSpotlight Link: https://www.spotlight.com/9097-9058-5261Instagram: @goweroliverFor enquiries and requests: olliegower10@gmail.com

This week, Stub reviews new music by The Walters and chats a bit about a visit from a colleague, the London Eye, and introduces teh advent of the VIDEO feed of teh weekly show! If you find yourself liking, singing along to, or playing along with One Bourbon, One Chard, or One Beer, please Please PLEASE rate and review us on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Soundcloud, or wherever you found our podcast. It helps other lushes like you find our podcast and to build our community. If you rate and review us and we ever meet you, we'll buy you one bourbon, one chard, or one beer (our choice). Cheers, mates!

What's better than throwing a Harry Potter-themed birthday party? How about taking your child on a real Harry Potter adventure across Scotland and London! That's exactly what Megan did for her daughter's 10th birthday—making the magic come alive with points and miles. In this episode, Megan explains how she made this trip happen for her family of five—and how using points made it more affordable than a trip to Universal Studios! Flying to Scotland on Points Megan and her family started their journey with flights on KLM Flying Blue, taking advantage of the 25% discount for kids under 12. Because they were able to book five economy tickets for just 85,000 points plus taxes/fees, they were able to splurge some on an upgrade to premium economy at check-in. Add in Priority Pass lounge access during their layover (thanks, credit card benefits!) and the whole experience got even better. Exploring Scotland: The Highlands & Harry Potter Locations After landing in Edinburgh, Megan and her family hit the road to explore Scotland's most famous sights—including key Harry Potter filming locations at Glencoe, Glenfinnan Viaduct, and Loch Shiel. From Scotland to London: Train Travel & Harry Potter Studio Tour After road-tripping through Scotland, the family took the train from Edinburgh to London, booking first-class seats for extra space and lounge access.  London's Harry Potter Activities! Megan's family visited: King's Cross Station (Platform 9 ¾) – A must for any fan. Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour – The ultimate experience, where her daughter got to open the doors to the Hogwarts Great Hall because it was her birthday! They spent over five hours exploring movie sets, props, and magical effects. London on Points: Hyatt Regency Blackfriars & The Cursed Child Play For accommodations, used Hyatt points and the Hyatt Family Plan Rate, getting four nights at the Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars for: ✅ 77,000 points for one room ✅ $700 total for the second room The hotel's location meant Megan's family got free wristbands allowing access to the prime areas for watching New Year's Eve fireworks over Big Ben and the London Eye! To top off their trip, they saw Harry Potter and the Cursed Child—a six-hour theater experience that still had the kids completely engaged. Find out what blew Megan away and why going to the play in London is worth traveling for.  Links For This Episode:  Pam's Hotel Upgrade Template: Hotel Upgrade Form: https://travelmomsquad.ck.page/hotel-upgrade Links: Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad Episode Minute By Minute: 00:30 – Meet Megan and hear about how this trip came together 02:00 – Booking flights on KLM  06:15 – Harry Potter sites in Scotland 12:30 – Train to London 17:00 – Platform 9 ¾ & the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour 25:45 – Staying at Hyatt Regency London Blackfriars 33:00 – Seeing The Cursed Child play 40:00 – Final thoughts and Megan's tips If you've ever wanted to take your family on a magical, unforgettable trip, this episode is for you! 

As the Co-Artistic Director of Streb Extreme Action she ziplined across the Park Avenue Armory, scaled the walls of the Bergdorf building and danced on the spokes of the London Eye. Cassandre was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. Her investigation in movement began at the age of four with the sport of gymnastics. Over a span of twenty years as a competitive gymnast, she earned several state and regional titles. She graduated from Cornell University with a B.A. in English Literature and studied journalism at Temple University's graduate communications program. She joined STREB in 2007 as an instructor and company member. In September 2017, Cassandre Joseph was appointed Associate Artistic Director of STREB Extreme Action, and also oversees SLAM's education program. Cassandre has been the Creative Director of the STREB Kid Company since 2010 for which she has choreographed and self-produced three evening length works: Heroes (2015), Momentum (2016) and Navigation (2017). She is a strong believer in the transformative power of movement and is passionate about empowering young people to push boundaries and expand their notions of what is possible. When she is not seen in a rehearsal, teaching classes or creating action events at SLAM, she can be found training her daughter Nia to be a mini-action hero.

Michelle Hinds and Lianne Lax are joined by Primary teachers Emily Weston and Shaniqua Edwards Hayde to discuss the London Eye experience in London - and what an experience it is! From the stunning New Year's Eve fireworks hosted by the iconic London Eye to the ever-changing skyline, we discuss how the capital city serves as a unique resource for inspiring students and enhancing teaching. Join us as we explore: Favorite London landmarks and memories that spark joy and learning. How educators can weave London into the curriculum, from cultural capital to climate change. The role of school trips in reinforcing classroom topics and developing life skills. Exciting insights into The London Classroom program, celebrating 25 years of the London Eye with free resources to engage and expand students' horizons. Whether you're a London-based teacher or further afield, this episode will inspire you to connect your students with one of the world's most vibrant cities and use its story to enrich their learning journey. Do you want to plan a trip to the London Eye? Visit here

In episode 133 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, join Tracy Collins as she unveils her top five must-experience adventures in London, perfect for both first-time visitors and those seeking to add something special to their next trip. From iconic landmarks to unique cultural traditions, this episode is packed with insights and tips to help you make the most of your London adventure.Discover the magic of London's historic sites, learn how to capture stunning views of the city from above and along the Thames, and immerse yourself in the rich culture and traditions that make London truly unique. Tracy also shares her love for London's diverse neighbourhoods and vibrant markets, and reveals a bonus experience you won't want to miss.Experience London's Iconic LandmarksSee London from a Different AngleImmerse in London's Culture and TraditionVisit London's World-Class MuseumsExplore London's Unique AreasBonus Tip: Day Trips from LondonWhether you're drawn to the historic charm of the Tower of London, the breathtaking views from the London Eye, or the vibrant atmosphere of Borough Market, Tracy's recommendations ensure a memorable journey through one of the world's most captivating cities.

The Journey of Haystack Dryers w/ Wayne Jacks :: Ep 223 MMTBPIn this episode, we talk to Wayne Jacks, Vice President of Operations for Haystack Dryers.We discuss his career trajectory and current role at Haystack Dryers. Wayne, originally from the UK, moved to the US in 2007 to launch the US arm of Haystack Dryers, which manufactures drying machines for theme parks and other attractions. He shares his experiences from managing the London Eye to working with various theme parks, emphasizing the importance of customer relationships and innovation. Wayne highlights the benefits of his dryers, such as increased guest satisfaction and revenue, and mentions the transition from cash to contactless payment systems. He also touches on the challenges of introducing new concepts and the importance of persistence in sales. The conversation explores the evolution of technology and entertainment, highlighting the shift from traditional media like network TV and radio to modern platforms like podcasts and YouTube. We discuss the rise and fall of NFTs, comparing it to the early days of the internet. Our discussion also touches on the impact of cryptocurrencies, with references to Bitcoin and Dogecoin. We reflect on generational differences in technology adoption, the challenges of maintaining a work-life balance, and the importance of discipline in personal well-being. We also mention the future of theme parks and the potential impact of a more crypto-friendly administration on financial markets.Highlights:Wayne Jacks' Background and Haystack Dryers Experiences at the London EyeTechnological Shifts and Entertainment Evolution Entrepreneurial Challenges and Personal GrowthFollow Wayne:Linked in: Wayne JacksInstagram: @the.crafty.britHaystack Dryers: www.haystackdryers.com______________________________________________________________________****SUBSCRIBE/RATE/FOLLOW the Mostly Middle Tennessee Business Podcast:www.mmtbp.comwww.instagram.com/mostlymiddletnbusinespodcastwww.instagram.com/jimmccarthyvosTiktok: @jimmccarthyvos __________________________________________________________Shoutout to Matt Wilson for lending his voice to the new intro of MMTBP.Follow him and his podcast from which I may have borrowed the *mostly* concept:https://linktr.ee/mamwmw___________________________________________________________If you like Jim's Boston Scallys, click here to shop and order yours!https://www.bostonscally.com/a/refer-a-friend/redeem/mqgpwi3u0zgm89vaxnv5crzvlolevo82rvcygsn5/1668 ___________________________________________________________***You hear Jim mention it on almost every episode, ME vs. WE and how 2023 will be 1943 all over again….order “PENDULUM:How Past Generations Shape Our Present and Predict Our Future”:https://a.co/d/7oKK7Ip_________________________________________________________________The co-author of Pendulum wrote a myriad of other books and started a non-profit 21st Century Non-Traditional Business School that you should really check out: Wizard Academy - www.wizardacademy.org______________________________________________________________________Curious about podcasting? This podcast (and many others) is produced by www.itsyourshow.co#billionaire #business #entrepreneurship #fashion #love #marketing #meme #middle #mindset #motivation #nashville #nashvilletennessee #nashvilletn #nature #podcast #podcasters #podcastersofinstagram #podcasting #podcastlife #podcasts #podcastshow #smallbusiness #tennessee #tennesseelife #MiddleTennesseeRealEstate #PersonalBranding #Entrepreneurship #ThemeParkIndustry #AmusementParkBusiness #EntrepreneurialJourney #InnovativeProducts #CustomerService #BusinessGrowth #InternationalExpansion #TechnologyAdoption #MiddleTNBusiness

Unlock the secrets of London with our latest adventure, where we promise you'll discover how to explore the best of the city without emptying your wallet. Join us as we navigate through a three-day itinerary masterfully designed by Daryl Bennett from GoCity, revealing not just the famous landmarks like the London Eye and St. Paul's Cathedral but also hidden treasures such as the immersive art of Frameless and the historical gems of the Florence Nightingale Museum. In our previous conversation with Daryl (UK Travel Planning Podcast Episode #106), we uncovered strategies for maximizing the London Pass to make your journey enjoyable and cost-effective. In this episode, we test it out! Experience the ease and flexibility of the London Pass app, from the modern art delights of the Moco Museum to the historical depths of Apsley House and the majestic views from the Greenwich Meridian - Daryl's itinerary offers something for every traveller. Whether a scenic Thames ride to Greenwich or an insightful Yeoman Warder tour at the Tower of London, our episode guarantees a comprehensive guide to making the most of your time in London with the London Pass.Don't forget to use our discount code at checkout - UKLP5 - for 5% discount when you purchase a London Pass. Enjoy the show? Have feedback? We love to hear from you so why not send us a text message!

In this podcast we lookm at a more modern London Landmark, but one that is the most popular - giving amazing London Views from pods on a large wheel, The London Eye! Join us as we tell you more....

In this week's episode of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, Tracy chats with Cathy Stevens, who shares her unforgettable London trip report. Cathy and her husband recently took their eleven-year-old granddaughters on the trip of a lifetime to London.Planned with the input of her granddaughters, this eight-day adventure was packed with memorable experiences. From witnessing the changing of the guard and touring the historic Tower of London to enjoying a show at the theatre and having a VIP day at Harry Potter Studios, Cathy and her family truly made the most of their time in the city. They even took a day trip to Windsor, had a professional photo shoot, and shopped for jelly cats. Cathy's preparation with her granddaughters made this trip even more special. Cathy created a reading list and a book club with the girls to learn all about London before their arrival, including reading the London Eye Mystery, which added an extra layer of excitement to their ride on the London Eye.Join us as Cathy recounts their journey with enthusiasm and detail, offering insights and tips for anyone planning a similar trip. From the excitement of Harry Potter studios to the charm of Windsor, this episode is packed with inspiration for your next UK adventure.Don't miss out on the reading list Cathy created for her granddaughters, which added a unique educational twist to their trip. Tune in to discover how to make your London trip just as magical!Enjoy the show? Have feedback? We love to hear from you so why not send us a text message!

Get ready for a massive dose of feel good with the incredible Cynthia Green! The eagle eyed of you may recognise her from the hit shows Married At First Sight UK & Netflix's Love Is Blind. A Registrar & Wedding Celebrant for nearly three decades, Cynthia takes me on a heartfelt and humourous journey of how she got to where she is today! We start by chatting about how a random job advert in the job section of the paper catapulted her into the career that she adores so much to this day. Juggling a family, a job in a cake factory AND studying for a degree, Cynthia's determination, tenacity and authentic personality shone through in her interview, with the interviewer citing it as the best one they'd ever conducted! Born and raised in Bolton, Cynthia tells me her personal circumstances at the time prompted an epic move to London, to be closer to her twin sister and she continued her role in Lambeth. The beginning of an exciting new chapter for her, she hit the ground running and quickly got her first taste of the limelight being a part of the live wedding on the London Eye on GMTV! That wasn't to be the end of her TV experiences, in fact ONLY the beginning! What followed was Channel 4's Wedding House, where she married 46 couples over 26 days, Married at First Sight UK and Netflix's Love Is Blind! Often when we think of "celebrant" and "registrar" we immediately think of weddings and joy, as much as that is a big part of Cynthia's job, the reality is that the other pillars of the work are births and deaths, something which I myself hadn't considered until having the conversation with her. We chat about the pride she felt being able to conduct her own twins' wedding ceremony, to the bittersweet responsibility of registering her own parents' deaths. The eloquency in which Cynthia describes the honour that she felt being able to see her name on those certificates is so moving, and the emotions that must go along with this are huge, especially when it's your loved ones. We chat about the ways in which she navigates her life, filled with laughter and positivity with her fiancee Milo, citing him as one of her biggest sources of smiles and fun, especially in times when the nature of her role can be heavy. The importance of finding little gems of joy in every day is a big part of the way in which Cynthia combats the negativity in the world too. Such an interesting insight into the industry, not only the behind the scenes gossip (love this part!!) but the emotions that go along with it and the complexities in which the role is filled with. There are some hilarious moments in this episode! From a bride repeating her vows in a Bolton accent when English wasn't her first language, clown shoes and red noses, themed weddings, to the dreaded question "Does anyone believe there is a lawful impediment..." and the time when the answer was a YES, my jaw nearly hit the floor, I was on the edge of my seat! Being at the forefront of so many weddings over the past 27 years, Cynthia excitedly tells me about her very own upcoming wedding in Japan! Still under wraps in terms of the exact location, Cynthia and her husband to be share a mutual passion for everything Japanese and knew that it would be special for them to marry there. It's set to be a spectacular day (and a day off for her, I'm sure it will feel strange being at a wedding and not standing at the front!) Such an privilege to interview such an amazing woman, to get a glimpse into her world, and I would challenge ANYONE to have a conversation with her without coming away with a smile on their face! Radiating fun and a deep rooted passion for her work, Cynthia's essence is one of infectious happiness! Cannot wait to see what the future holds for you Cynthia, what a powerhouse of positivity you are! You can find out more about Cynthia here: www.cynthiagreen.co.uk YES SHE CAN!!!

Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page chat about all things on and off the telly. This week Nat and Jo are feeling very autumnal and delve into the world of Gilmore Girls (Netflix). They also chat about Halloween, dry robes and Jo's last ever day on Gavin and Stacey.What they can't stop watching, what they definitely aren't going to bother with, new releases and comforting classics – TV is timeless and no telly is out of bounds. As well as having a natter about what's on TV, they share backstage goss from the world of telly, whilst also cracking up about the more humbling moments in their lives. Self-confessed TV addicts and stars of two of the biggest shows on our screens, EastEnders and Gavin and Stacey, Natalie and Joanna are the perfect companions to see what's occurring on and off the telly. Timecodes for shows discussed this week are:20:07 - Gilmore GirlsGet in touch by sending us a message or voice note via WhatsApp to 03306 784704.Hosts: Natalie Cassidy and Joanna Page Producer: Georgia Keating Executive Producer: Richard Morris Commissioning Editor: Rhian Roberts Production Co-ordinator: Becky Carewe-Jeffries Sounds Editor: Arlie Adlington Music by MCassoOff The Telly is a BBC Studios Audio Production for BBC Sounds.

In the heart of the crumbling remains of London, three friends huddled around a flickering monitor, their faces illuminated by the eerie glow of the post-apocalyptic world that stretched out before them. Slade, Joey, and Alex had been eagerly anticipating Fallout: London for months, and now, as they finally played together, their excitement was palpable.Slade, always the strategist, was meticulously planning their next move. “Alright, we need to head to the British Museum. I've heard there's a cache of rare artifacts there, and we could use the supplies. Plus, we'll get a ton of XP if we clear out the raiders.”Joey, the group's enthusiastic role-player, was busy customizing his character's attire, adjusting his Union Jack-themed power armor. “I love how the game blends British history with the Fallout universe. It's like walking through a twisted version of a history book.”Alex, who was more of an explorer at heart, was already roaming the wasteland, scanning the derelict streets of London. “I'm checking out this old tube station. There might be some hidden loot or side quests. You never know what you'll find in these ruins.”As they navigated through the desolate landscape, the London Eye's skeletal structure loomed in the distance, a haunting reminder of a world that once was. Their characters weaved through abandoned vehicles and crumbling buildings, their footsteps echoing in the silence of the wasteland.Their journey was interrupted when they stumbled upon a small enclave of survivors. The survivors, desperate and wary, pleaded for help against a band of hostile raiders that had taken over the nearby Trafalgar Square. The trio exchanged glances, weighing their options.“Helping them could lead to valuable allies and more quests,” Slade suggested, eyes focused on the quest log.Joey nodded, leaning into the role-playing. “Plus, it's the right thing to do. Imagine the stories we'll have if we save Trafalgar Square.”Alex, always ready for a challenge, grinned. “Let's do it. I'm itching for some action.”With a plan in place, they approached the raider stronghold. Slade's tactical mind guided them through a series of well-coordinated moves, Joey's charisma negotiated with the survivors to keep them safe, and Alex's keen sense of exploration led them to a hidden entrance that bypassed most of the raider defenses.The battle that followed was intense. The air crackled with energy weapons and the clang of melee combat. Joey's character, wielding a makeshift battering ram, charged into the fray with fierce determination, while Alex expertly navigated the chaos, picking off enemies from the shadows. Slade's strategic commands kept them all in line, ensuring their victory.After the dust settled, the survivors expressed their gratitude, offering rare items and information about other hidden treasures in London. The trio collected their rewards and looked out over the reclaimed Trafalgar Square, a small beacon of hope in the desolate city.As they sat back, catching their breath, Slade smiled. “That was epic. We make a pretty good team.”Joey nodded, adjusting his character's gear. “And we've only scratched the surface of what this game has to offer.”Alex, eyes still bright from the adventure, added, “Can't wait to see what's next. London's full of surprises.”And with that, they delved back into the ruins of a city reborn through their imagination, ready for whatever the wasteland had in store for them next. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK General Election not only saw a change of government, it also saw a huge change in MPs from right across the UK.  RNIB Connect Radio's Allan Russell spoke to Steve Darling MP about his new role in the Commons, his career in politics and if his Guide Dog, Jennie, is settling in.  #RNIBConnect  Image Shows Steve Darling MP and Guide Dog Jennie in London standing by Themes River. It's a sunny day with blue skies and the London Eye behind them, on the other side of Themes. 

This week on the Anglotopia podcast, we take a break from the guests and answer listener questions. In this episode of the Anglotopia podcast, Jonathan and Jackie answer questions about Britain from their listeners. They discuss topics such as when to visit England, how to spend a layover in London, and the must-see attractions in the city. They also share their personal experiences and recommendations for exploring London, including visiting Hyde Park, the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, and Covent Garden. They provide tips on transportation, booking in advance, and making the most of a limited time in the city. Moving to the UK as an American requires hiring a good immigration lawyer, as it is a complicated process. The easiest way to move to the UK is to marry a British citizen, but this is not a recommendation. Other options include getting a work visa for an in-demand job or going as a student. It is important to plan ahead and book attractions in advance, as well as budget for the trip. The best time to visit London is in the autumn, as it is less crowded and the weather is pleasant. Winter travel can also be enjoyable, but be prepared for damp cold. Links Where Did Anglotopia Come From Spitalfields Life The Gentle Author's Tours An American Student Abroad Column on Anglotopia 101 Free Things To Do in London UK Visas and Immigration Takeaways England is open for travel, but visitors from different countries may have different entry requirements. When planning a layover in London, consider the duration and location of the layover, and make sure to account for travel time to and from the airport. Popular attractions in London include Hyde Park, the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, and Covent Garden. It is important to book in advance for attractions, restaurants, and transportation to make the most of a limited time in the city. Consider using public transportation, such as the Heathrow Express or the Elizabeth Line, to get around London. Take advantage of services like left luggage at the airport or bookstores that offer shipping to avoid carrying heavy bags during a layover. Explore different neighborhoods and try iconic experiences, such as afternoon tea or visiting historic hotels, to get a well-rounded London experience. Consider taking guided tours or exploring lesser-known areas to discover hidden gems in the city. Moving to the UK as an American requires hiring an immigration lawyer and is a complicated process. The easiest way to move to the UK is to marry a British citizen, but this is not recommended. Other options include getting a work visa for an in-demand job or going as a student. It is important to plan ahead and book attractions in advance, as well as budget for the trip. The best time to visit London is in the autumn, as it is less crowded and the weather is pleasant. Winter travel can also be enjoyable, but be prepared for damp cold. Sound Bites "If you want to go to England, set your mind to it and start ticking off the things you need to make it happen." "The best way to spend a layover in London is to explore Hyde Park, visit the National Gallery, and take a walk from Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament." "When on a layover in London, it's important to get rid of your bags first and consider using left luggage services at the airport." "You hire a really good immigration lawyer" "The easiest way for an American to move to the UK is to marry a Brit" "Another option is to go as a student" Chapters 00:00 Layovers in London 03:21 Planning a Trip to the UK 15:11 Visiting Fortnum and Mason and Oxford Street 19:53 Communing with British Art at the National Gallery 22:05 Taking a Ride on the London Eye 25:38 Tips for Moving to the UK 42:14 Budgeting for a Trip to London 52:19 The Best Time to Visit London: Seasons and Weather

In episode 106 of the UK Travel Planning Podcast, Tracy Collins chats with Daryl Bennett from GoCity, the expert on the London Pass. Discover how this multi-attraction pass can help you save money while exploring top London sites like the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, The View from the Shard, plus many lesser-known treasures. Tracy and Daryl discuss the pass's cost-effectiveness, flexibility, and digital convenience, plus tips on planning your visit and using the pass to simplify and enrich your sightseeing experience.Use our exclusive discount code at checkout - UKLP5 - for 5% off the London Pass, making your London adventure even more affordable. Tune in for all this and more, and set yourself up for a memorable trip to London ⭐️ Guest - Daryl Bennett from GoCity

It's a double-celebration for this week's episode - of course we're celebrating May 4th so Happy Star Wars Day but it also marks 5 years of SoR! Yes, we've been doing this podcast for 5 years, how time flies. A huge thank you to you, our listener and to our members who support the show. You're awesome, thank you so much for putting up with our waffle. Here's to another 5 years!Anyway, back to this week's episode, the highlights being a cool take over of the London Eye for Star Wars Day and you can order that epic poster for The Phantom Menace from Matt Ferguson is up for pre-order. All the links are below!The news stories from around the galaxy that we discussed on this episode...'New Jedi Order' Writer Steven Knight Says Writing Is "Going Well" - Star Wars News NetMace Windu Premium Format Figure by Sideshow Collectibles | Sideshow CollectiblesNew Mace Windu Premium Format Figure from Sideshow Collectibles - Jedi NewsLondon Eye to Embrace the Dark Side for Star Wars Day - Jedi NewsLEGO Star Wars Discounted Sets and LEGO Insider Point Offers for Star Wars Day - Jedi NewsMatt Ferguson's 25th Anniversary Poster for Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Available Now - Jedi NewsDiana Lee Inosanto Teases What to Expect from Star Wars: Tales of the Empire - Jedi NewsAbout Spark of Rebellion:This is Spark of Rebellion, the weekly Star Wars podcast for casual fans and veterans alike.We are your hosts, Garry and Mark and every single Saturday we release a brand new episode bringing you the latest news, reviews & discussion on all things Star Wars. Tell all of your Star Wars loving friends that the show is available to listen to, completely free anywhere you can find podcasts.Get merch and other goodies!Want to support us? Throw some beer money our way with a Tip or if you want to grab yourself a laptop sticker, some sweet merchandise, guest opportunities and even a producer credit on the show, you can do that too with a Spark of Rebellion Membership. Hit the link below now and show your support for the Rebellion!Support Spark of Rebellion, A Star Wars PodcastJoin us on social to chat Star WarsWe chat about Star Wars every week between episodes on the socials so come and get

In this VAGABOND SHORT episode, I'll take you on a fascinating journey to Singapore, providing my top recommendations for the must-see and must-do experiences in this vibrant Asian city-state. 1. Marina Bay Sands Skypark Experience breathtaking views from the Marina Bay Sands Skypark, 57 floors up. Marvel at the Singapore skyline and the infinity pool, described as "swimming at the edge of the world." The Skypark, likened to a spaceship atop three skyscrapers, offers a unique perspective of the city and sea. 2. Gardens by the Bay: Wander through Gardens by the Bay, a futuristic nature park with towering Supertrees and neon lights. Explore the Flower Dome's global blooms and the Cloud Forest with its massive indoor waterfall, offering a surreal, sci-fi-like experience. 3. Chinatown: Step into Chinatown, where the past and present of Singapore collide. Experience the vibrant street food scene, traditional shophouses alongside modern architecture, and cultural treasures. Visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple for a blend of spirituality and grandeur. 4. Sentosa Island: Discover Sentosa Island, Singapore's ultimate playground. From relaxing on beautiful beaches like Palawan and Tanjong Beach to experiencing thrills at Universal Studios and The Skyline Luge, Sentosa offers non-stop fun. It's a perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and nightlife, complete with dining and entertainment options. 5. Singapore Flyer: Soar above the city in the Singapore Flyer, a giant Ferris wheel taller than the London Eye. Enjoy breathtaking views of landmarks like Marina Bay Sands, the Singapore River, and even distant sights of Malaysia and Indonesia. The Flyer offers a serene 30-minute ride, with an option for a luxurious dinner experience in the sky. 6. The National Gallery Singapore: Visit the National Gallery Singapore, combining historical elegance with modern art. It houses Southeast Asia's largest modern art collection within two colonial-era buildings. Explore a blend of tradition and innovation, with interactive installations and art that narrates Singapore's cultural evolution. 7. Night Safari: Experience the unique Night Safari at Singapore Zoo. It's an after-dark adventure where you encounter nocturnal animals in their natural habitat. The subtle lighting and immersive environment create a mysterious and intimate wildlife experience, offering a glimpse into the nocturnal side of nature. Get ready to explore and immerse yourself in Singapore's vibrant culture and natural beauty. If you want to hear more about Singapore, I've done two regular episodes from when I was there all the way back in 2016. 22. Couchsurfing in an Expensive City 23. Eating with Fingers and a Ship on Pillars

In this VAGABOND SHORT episode, I'll take you on a fascinating journey to Singapore, providing my top recommendations for the must-see and must-do experiences in this vibrant Asian city-state. 1. Marina Bay Sands Skypark Experience breathtaking views from the Marina Bay Sands Skypark, 57 floors up. Marvel at the Singapore skyline and the infinity pool, described as "swimming at the edge of the world." The Skypark, likened to a spaceship atop three skyscrapers, offers a unique perspective of the city and sea. 2. Gardens by the Bay: Wander through Gardens by the Bay, a futuristic nature park with towering Supertrees and neon lights. Explore the Flower Dome's global blooms and the Cloud Forest with its massive indoor waterfall, offering a surreal, sci-fi-like experience. 3. Chinatown: Step into Chinatown, where the past and present of Singapore collide. Experience the vibrant street food scene, traditional shophouses alongside modern architecture, and cultural treasures. Visit the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple for a blend of spirituality and grandeur. 4. Sentosa Island: Discover Sentosa Island, Singapore's ultimate playground. From relaxing on beautiful beaches like Palawan and Tanjong Beach to experiencing thrills at Universal Studios and The Skyline Luge, Sentosa offers non-stop fun. It's a perfect blend of relaxation, adventure, and nightlife, complete with dining and entertainment options. 5. Singapore Flyer: Soar above the city in the Singapore Flyer, a giant Ferris wheel taller than the London Eye. Enjoy breathtaking views of landmarks like Marina Bay Sands, the Singapore River, and even distant sights of Malaysia and Indonesia. The Flyer offers a serene 30-minute ride, with an option for a luxurious dinner experience in the sky. 6. The National Gallery Singapore: Visit the National Gallery Singapore, combining historical elegance with modern art. It houses Southeast Asia's largest modern art collection within two colonial-era buildings. Explore a blend of tradition and innovation, with interactive installations and art that narrates Singapore's cultural evolution. 7. Night Safari: Experience the unique Night Safari at Singapore Zoo. It's an after-dark adventure where you encounter nocturnal animals in their natural habitat. The subtle lighting and immersive environment create a mysterious and intimate wildlife experience, offering a glimpse into the nocturnal side of nature. Get ready to explore and immerse yourself in Singapore's vibrant culture and natural beauty. If you want to hear more about Singapore, I've done two regular episodes from when I was there all the way back in 2016. 22. Couchsurfing in an Expensive City 23. Eating with Fingers and a Ship on Pillars

Flying unicorns exist in Portugal and you can vote for your favorites on the Portuguese Skeptics' web site (COMCEPT) before 1 April. By coincidence this is also the deadline for getting the Early Bird discount for the European Skeptics Congress in Lyon, so sign up in time! On a sadder note, Annika will have to take a few months off from the podcast, but she promises to return in June. But before that, we have a whole lot of news to go through:INTERNATIONAL: AI will increase energy use and climate misinformationINTERNATIONAL: Is rapamycin a cure for old age?GERMANY: Arson attacks against Tesla Giga factory driven by misconceptions regarding electromobilityUK: Helpline for people leaving faithINTERNATIONAL: Are there any benefits to the Wim Hof method?UK: London Eye moving to Scotland?For a change we have a Really Weird Award to hand out – the man who got hundreds of covid shots just to be on the safe side (we suppose). Luckily he seems to be OK.Enjoy!Segments: Intro; Greetings; TWISH; News; Really Weird; Quote and Farewell; Outro; Out-Takes0:00:27 Intro0:00:52 Greetings0:12:42 TWISH0:22:23 News0:49:49 Really Weird0:56:34 Quote and Farewell1:00:51 Outro1:02:06 Out-takes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

JoJo and Gran Gran are joining Jared in central London to cheer him on whilst he runs in the London Fun Run. Together, they follow a map of his route and explore the city along the way; from the Tower of London, to the Landseer Lions, Hyde Park and the London Eye. JoJo and Gran Gran have a great time discovering new and exciting landmarks and still manage to reach the finish line just in the nick of time.

Londons spektakulärste drei Meilen auf der Themse: Alexander-Klaus Stecher und Claus Beling fahren mit dem Ausflugsschiff von der Westminster Bridge bis zum Tower of London am östlichen Rand der "City of London". An keinem zweiten Ort auf der Welt können auf so kurzer Strecke derart viele historische Bauten, Denkmäler und architektonische Sehenswürdigkeiten entdeckt werden: Das Parlamentsgebäude Westminster mit Big Ben, das gigantische Riesenrad London Eye, das Märchenschloss Whitehall Liberal Club, unzählige berühmte Brücken, das National Theatre und das einzigartige Shakespeare Globe Theatre, Londons ältester Pub aus dem Jahr 1615, Westeuropas größtes Gebäude The Shard und der Tower mit den Kronjuwelen. Jede Sehenswürdigkeit hat ihre eigene Geschichte: Das berühmte Parlamentsgebäude Westminster war für tausend Jahre der Palast der Könige von England und beherbergt 34 Bars, in denen Alkohol steuerfrei ausgeschenkt wurde. Oder das älteste Objekt am Ufer der Themse: Kleopatras Nadel - ein dreieinhalb tausend Jahre alter Obelisk, den die Ägypter England nach dem Sieg Lord Nelsons über Napoleon geschenkt haben. Kurios: Die beschädigte London Bridge wurde 1968 für eine Million Pfund von einem Amerikaner gekauft und in der Wüste von Arizona wieder aufgebaut. Sightseeing auf der Themse - ein Muss für jeden London-Besuch. -- WHATSAPP-Telefonnummer: Ab sofort kannst Du Alexander und Claus direkt auf ihre Handys Nachrichten schicken! Welche Ecke Englands sollten die beiden mal besuchen? Zu welchen Themen wünschst Du Dir mehr Folgen? Warst Du schon mal in Great Britain und magst ein paar Fotos mit Claus und Alexander teilen? Probiere es gleich aus: +49 8152 989770 - einfach diese Nummer einspeichern und schon kannst Du BRITPOD per WhatsApp erreichen. -- BRITPOD - England at its Best - wird präsentiert von Romance TV. Dem Zuhause der Rosamunde-Pilcher-Filmreihe und romantischer Serien. -- Ein ALL EARS ON YOU Original Podcast.

Drew is on location in London with the “Wonka” cast including stars Timothée Chalamet, Hugh Grant, Keegan-Michael Key, Calah Lane and the director of the film Paul King. Then, it's a special “Hugh's News” with Hugh Grant joining Drew at the news desk to serve the news sunny-side up. Plus, Drew and Keegan-Michael Key are making a special trip to the London Eye. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

End Seeking & Live As Truth These Vlogs are Dedicated to my Mom. I Love You. Also to Andrew & the HOME DAO. https://thehomedao.com Everything filmed with iPhone 11 / 14. Edited in Premiere Pro. SCRIPT

Ep 43. AJ Climate Champions with Hattie Hartman and George Morgan. London Eye architect Julia Barfield explains how the climate emergency changed the way her practice, Marks Barfield, operates, as well as what's ahead for the Architects Declare movement. Julia shares insights from recent projects on how to achieve circularity in retrofit, the challenges of stockpiling materials for reuse  and how Orms' material passports can be adapted for retrofit. ‘We must treat all materials as the precious resource they are,' she says. She talks about her practice's Stirling Prize-shortlisted Cambridge Mosque, which is part of a Built by Nature-funded post-occupancy study evaluating the quality of life and performance aspects of five CLT buildings. We also speak to Julia and fellow Architects Declare steering group member Zoe Watson about what AD has achieved four years on as well as its current workstreams, including climate emergency training for design review panels and Meet the Steering Group sessions where AD signatories can seek practical advice on how to further sustainable design within their own practices. As part of an ambitious strategy for change, AD is launching a three-part roadmap aimed at equipping Government policymakers with practical and impactful policies to reduce emissions, kickstart the circular economy and restore social and natural infrastructure.  AD plans to launch its document in Parliament in 2024. For show notes and to catch up on all AJ Climate Champions episodes, click here

今天Teacher Judy和Josh看到甚麼特別的建物，讓Teacher Judy驚嘆連連! 原來Josh是個樂高高手啊! 一起跟著Teacher Judy來學英語~ English follow Me:look: 看old fashion: 復古bridge: 橋London Bridge: 倫敦大橋Lego: 樂高積木play with Lego: 玩樂高shape:形狀structure:建築architect:建築師build:建造finish:完成square: 正方形rectangle:長方形triangle:三角形circle:圓形London Eye:倫敦眼famous:著名的Ferris wheel:摩天輪Big Ben: 大笨鐘 #每周六：Bilingual go go go #每周日：小小世界通 #每周六、日更新 #歡迎給我們評價及留言喔 ----- Apple｜Spotify｜Google｜KKBOX｜Firstory｜SoundOn 搜尋訂閱：NER Kids -----

Scott O'Neil is one of the most innovative executives in the entertainment and sports industries.  As CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, Scott oversaw the company's portfolio including the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Devils.  Scott has also served as President of Madison Square Garden and was Alternate Governor for the NBA and NHL for over a decade.Last year Scott made a significant career change, moving to London to become the CEO of Merlin Entertainments, the world's second-largest visitor attraction operator, overseeing attractions such as Madame Tussauds, The London Eye, and LEGOLAND.In this episode, Scott shares some of the principles he lives by both at home and at the office and how he and his wife are instilling those values in the next generation.Learn more about Scott's story in his book Be Where Your Feet Are.We'll also find out: (2:08) – How did Scott's upbringing shape the person he is today?(8:44) – How did culture and innovation fuel the success of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment?(9:55) – How did the 76ers turn struggle into success during Scott's tenure?(13:40) – How do Scott and his wife instil values in their three daughters?(15:30) – Why does Scott view failure as a good thing?(19:34) – Why is it important to “assume positive intent” in business and in life? (21:12) – What is Scott's “WMI”?(22:34) – Why does Scott believe it is important to “ruthlessly prioritize”?(24:17) – What impact did Scott's mentor, the late NBA Commissioner David Stern, have on his life?

Skip the Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. Your host is  Kelly Molson, Founder of Rubber Cheese.Download the Rubber Cheese 2022 Visitor Attraction Website Report - the first digital benchmark statistics for the attractions sector.If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, and all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue or visit our website rubbercheese.com/podcast.If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review, it really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned in this podcastCompetition ends on 20th December 2023. The winner will be contacted via Twitter.Show references: https://vacevents.com/THURSDAY 5TH OCTOBER – QEII CONFERENCE CENTRE, WESTMINSTERhttps://vacevents.com/committee/ Bernard Donoghue OBECEO & Director, ALVA, the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, Mayor of London's Culture Ambassador. Co-Chair, London Tourism Recovery Board.https://www.alva.org.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernard-donoghue-obe-0aa9b97/ Bernard has been the Director of ALVA, the UK's Association for Leading Visitor Attractions, since 2011 following a career in advocacy, communications, and lobbying, latterly at a senior level in the tourism and heritage sector. In  2017, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, appointed Bernard to be the Mayor's Ambassador for Cultural Tourism and a member of the Mayor's Cultural Leadership Board. Bernard is Co-Chair of the London Tourism Recovery Board. He is also Chairman of LIFT, London International Festival of Theatre; Chairman of the Bristol Old Vic, the oldest continually operating theatre in the English-speaking world, and also of the People's History Museum, the Museum of Democracy.  He has been a member of the UK Government's Tourism Industry Council since 2016.  Bernard was named by Blooloop in 2020 as one of the world's 50 most influential people in museums, and in July 2021 won the public vote for the COVID Special Recognition Award from the UK Museums and Heritage Awards for his service to, and leadership of the museums and heritage sector in the UK during the pandemic. Ken Robinson CBE FTS - Founder of VAChttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-robinson-cbe-fts-bb811312/Ken is an independent adviser who speaks and writes on tourism topics.  As a "tourism enthusiast" he aims to be a pragmatic pioneer of new initiatives, strategies and solutions to optimise the economic, cultural and social benefits of tourism.   Ken's Consultancy companies completed over 1500 assignments, mostly in the UK but also several hundred international projects, beginning over 50 years ago, before the days of mass tourism.  He was a founding member of the Tourism Society and supported the formation of the Tourism Alliance, both of which organisations he has served as a board member and Chair, as he has on several other Tourism bodies. Specialising initially in visitor attractions, Ken initiated and subsequently chaired the National Visitor Attractions Conference, VAC, and has been on its Committee ever since.  In addition to many clients in the public, private and third sectors, he has advised the UN's International Trade Centre, on national and regional Tourism strategy development.  His current focus is to move the industry's thinking from marketing to the critical need to manage future tourism for the benefit of host communities, and to optimise tourist's experiences.  Ken was appointed CBE for services to Tourism in 1997, and an Honorary Doctorate in 2014. Paul KellyChief Executive, BALPPA, Chair of VAC https://www.balppa.org/https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-kelly-2714a922/Having been with BALPPA for 11 years and working with VAC for that amount of time as well, Paul started his career in the attractions sector at Thorpe Park in the 80's and then moved on to the London Eye for its opening around the millennium.  He has  always been involved with visitor attractions.  Several more years working within Merlin followed both in the UK and abroad, mainly on business development.  Being a BALPPA member for 30 years means, being Chair of the organising committee at VAC keeps Paul in touch with all aspects of the attractions industry. Liz Terry MBEManaging Director, Leisure Media Grouphttps://www.linkedin.com/in/elizterry/ Janet Uttley Head of Business Transformation for VisitEnglandhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/janetuttley/  Transcriptions: Kelly Molson: Welcome to Skip The Queue, a podcast for people working in or working with visitor attractions. I'm your host, Kelly Molson. Season 5 kicks off today with not one, not two, but three excellent guests.On today's episode, I have the pleasure of speaking to Bernard Donoghue, Paul Kelly and Ken Robinson, founders of the Visitor Attractions Conference. You also know Bernard as, Director of ALVA and Paul as CEO of BALPPA.VAC celebrates its 20th anniversary this year and I'm finding out where the idea for the event spanned from, how it's changed and developed over the years. And we take a look ahead to what 2024 has in store for the attraction sector.Unfortunately, fellow Founder; Liz Terry, the Managing Director of Leisure Media Group, and also Janet Uttley, Head of Business Transformation for VisitEngland, were unable to join us on this episode. But stay tuned for lots of insight and to find out how you can get your ticket for the VAC conference this year.Kelly Molson: If you like what you hear, you can subscribe on all the usual channels by searching Skip the Queue.Kelly Molson: Bernard, Ken, Paul, it is a treat to have you all on the podcast today. Thank you for joining me. I think this is the first time I've had three guests as well, so this could be interesting. Bernard Donoghue: And three men as well. I mean, it's like a really bad testosterone banana rama, isn't it? Really. Kelly Molson: I'm just a little flower in the middle of you thorns today. Yes, it's a real shame. So, unfortunately, Janet Uttley and Liz Terry couldn't make it along to join us today, which is a shame. But I'm sure that they will get lots of mentions as we talk through some of the things that we're going to chat about today. But first, as ever, I want to start with a little icebreaker. I'm going to ask you all the same thing because I'm intrigued as to whether you ended up doing what you thought you might. So, Ken, I'm going to start with you first. When you were at school, what did you think that you'd grow up and be when you were older? Ken Robinson: I didn't know. Kelly Molson: Had no clue at all? Ken Robinson: No, I didn't have a clue. I was lucky to have a good education. I didn't work at school. And then I got into a job, which was I was very successful at it and it was very boring. So I left. And when I discovered tourism and visitor attractions, it took me over. I didn't decide to do it. It told me that was it. Kelly Molson: Oh, I love it. It's like a calling. Ken Robinson: At the time it was, I was actually sitting in a turret room which had been vacated by Lord Montague. His desk used to face in and I liked that because I didn't have to look at the faces of the visitors going past who might complain, because in those days, buli was very expensive. And then one day I thought to myself, these people are investing their hard earned money and leisure time in making a decision to come here and it's our job to make sure they have a good time. And I turned my desk round and I looked at them all day long and the moment I turned my desk round, everything changed. Kelly Molson: I love that, because you could see the whites of their eyes and how they were engaging with the venue as they turned up. Ken Robinson: Well, it's just such a failure, isn't it? If you've got somebody who makes a choice and spends their time and money, a family decision for many people, and it should be a highlight. And if it isn't, whose fault is it? It's probably the fault of the visitor attraction, given that the person has chosen to go there in not communicating well enough with them about what they've got and what they would find interesting. Kelly Molson: This is such a brilliant story and that wasn't where I was expecting this to go either, Ken. I love it. Paul, what about you, Paul?Paul Kelly: Yeah, I mean, when I was at school, I was interested in sports and that was it, really, and luckily, that dragged me through the various places I went to. But what I was going to end up doing sports. I think once you get into sports quite seriously, you realise fairly quickly that actually you're not going to make it, so you have to find something else. So, laterally, I decided that business was a good idea. So I started doing business studies up in North Wales and for some reason were doing a sandwich course in those days, I think it was called that. One of those, I got placed at Thorpe Park. I don't know why particularly, so there's a group of six of us went down to Thorpe Park to work there and I actually started working on the rides.Paul Kelly: I'm not sure what it had to do with business at the time, but I'm glad somebody thought it did. And I couldn't believe that was a job that you could do, you could be paid for, because I came from the north at that point and there wasn't an awful lot going on in the 80s and actually be paid. Everyone enjoyed themselves, fantastic atmosphere, parties every night. I'm sure it's still like that. And it was just amazing. And from that moment on, regardless of what happened after that, including other colleges, other bits and pieces, effectively, I never left. Kelly Molson: It's always going to be in that sector. Paul Kelly: Yes. Kelly Molson: Excellent. Great. Bernard, same to you. Bernard Donoghue: Well, this may come as a surprise, but my grandfather was in the Irish Guards, my father was in the Grenadier Guards, my brother was in the Royal Marines, and I had a very large collection of action men. I genuinely thought I would probably end up in the army. And actually, I got an offer after university to go into the Household Cavalry. I don't think I've ever told anyone this before. Anyway, it just clearly I didn't pursue the application. It wasn't for me at all. Got really into politics. So I started working in the House of Commons, House of Lords and the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, and then I've just been in sort of lobbying, campaigning, political world ever since. But I still miss the uniforms. Can't deny it. Kelly Molson: I think we'd like to see you in that uniform, Bernard, if I'm not going to lie. So from the lobbying aspect, which is obviously a really big part of the role that you currently have, how did the attractions bit kind of slot into those? Where did the two join up? Bernard Donoghue: It's a really odd coincidence. I was trustee of a charity that Diana, Princess of Wales, was a patron of, and I was working full time for a charity that she was a patron of. So when she divorced Prince of Wales, now the King, she reduced her patronages down from 187 to six. And I happened to be involved with six of them. I went to work for her as a deputy private secretary, press secretary. But of course, the moment she died, which was August 31st, I had no job. Suddenly I was unemployed. And I got contacted by a woman who Ken will certainly know, probably Paul will, too, by Sue Garland, who used to be Deputy Chief Executive of VisitBritain, who'd heard me speak at something and said, "Well, we're just about to create this post of government affairs liaison. Would you be interested to working on the role while working on what you do next?”Bernard Donoghue: And that was in August 1997. And here I am still. Ken Robinson: But also, can I add something to that? Because I was lucky enough to be sitting in the room on many occasions when Bernard would give his briefing at meetings that were held by VisitBritain. And it was always a highlight of the day because Bernard, in those days, never pulled his punches. I'm not saying he does now, but he would just explain to everybody in the room what was going on with all of the political parties, which we never understood, and explain what we ought to be doing in order to best put our case. So it was really no shock when he turned up at ALVA, because I would say this if he wasn't here, he was the star of the show there, and that expertise that he showed has blossomed in the job that he's doing now. Kelly Molson: This is lovely, isn't it? Aren't you all nice? Bernard Donoghue: This is love in.. Kelly Molson: Probably why you all work together, right? You will get on so well. Right, back to you, Ken. Unpopular opinion, please. Ken Robinson: Most visitor attractions do not deliver full value for money to most of their visitors. Kelly Molson: Okay, Paul and Bernard, do you agree with this? Will our listeners agree with this? Is this an unpopular opinion?Paul Kelly: Did you use the word most, Ken? Ken Robinson: I did. Paul Kelly: I'll go for some, not most. Bernard Donoghue: Yeah, I'll go for some as well. One of my favourite programmes is Yes, Minister. And whenever you'd hear something off the wall, bonkers, they would say, that's a very brave opinion, Minister. That's a very brave opinion, Ken.Ken Robinson: Now's not the time to justify it. I'll do that on another occasion. Kelly Molson: Yeah, we will invite you back and we can do that one on one, Ken. Paul, what about you? Unpopular opinion? Paul Kelly: Well, I'm guessing that anybody that's worked in a theme park will probably have the same opinion I have. So I worked at Thorpe Park, which was 450 acres, two thirds of which was water. And at the end of the day, when you were walking out, and in those days, that could be 9, 10 o'clock at night, it was beautiful. On a late summer's evening, calm waters, walking through a park which had just been cleaned and tidied and ready for the next day. It was fantastic. And we all had the same opinion once were down the pub discussing the day. It's just a shame we have to let people into theme parks because it's the absolutely beautiful place without them there. So sometimes people let the parks down. Kelly Molson: That's a good one. That is a good one. Yeah. And you don't want to let them in to see the beautiful bit either, do you? Because then there'd be people there. It wouldn't be serene. Paul Kelly: No, I mean, those evenings, if there was still time, we'd go windsurfing on the lakes, cable water ski around the back. And it was just a shame that all these people came in every day and messed it all up. Kelly Molson: Yeah. Well, I'm pretty sure that most people who've worked in theme parks aren't going to disagree with you on that one, Paul. Good one. Bernard, what about yours? Bernard Donoghue: Even though I chair a theatre and I know how important the revenue is, I'm not a fan of selling drinks and food to people in theatres because they just make a noise. I can't bear it. I mean, it depends. I mean, it depends if it's a panto or something like that. Completely fine. Ken Robinson: Oh, no, it's not. Bernard Donoghue: It kind of allies to what Paul was saying as well, which was I don't know whether it's an unpopular opinion. I think it's probably a popular opinion. But visitor behaviour, whether it's in a theatre, a museum, an art gallery or wherever, has completely deteriorated post lockdown. Some people's behaviour is getting worse and it's very difficult to know what to do about it. Kelly Molson: Yes, agree. I don't think that's going to be very unpopular at all, actually, considering some of the things that we've seen recently. Thank you all for sharing. Okay, let's get back to the serious bit. The Visitor Attractions Conference. It's 20 years old this year. If you are listening and you're not familiar with it, one, why the hell not? And two, you need to grab a ticket today. It's the leading networking and learning event for visitor attractions across the UK. And I first visited in October 2019 and it was the first sector specific conference that I had been to. We'd been working in the sector for probably about three or four years, had never really at that point kind of gone all out on our like, "This is what we're going to niche and this is what we're going to specialise in."Kelly Molson: So I was kind of doing a bit of a fact finding mission really, and I came along and it absolutely blew me away. I think it was one of the friendliest conferences I've ever been to. I think you'd created an environment where everybody was really welcome, no stupid questions. Everyone from speakers to guests where kind of felt like they were all on the same level, really happy to answer questions that you had, really happy to talk to you. And I think that was for me. I came away from that event, I went back to my team and said, "This is where we should be. This is the event for us, this is where we should be attending, these are the people that we should be speaking to." And I've absolutely loved every minute of that. Kelly Molson: I mean, the next one I went to was a virtual one. So it was very different to the 2019 event, but still excellently organised. So firstly, thank you for making that happen. But where did the idea for the VAC come from in the first place? How did this come about? Ken Robinson: So we have to remember that the world was very different over 20 years ago. Really, really very different. Not just a question of internet or pre COVID and all those things and pre Olympics, but just very different. And attractions in those days thought and acted and communicated in their sectoral associations. Historic houses talked to historic houses, curators of museums talked to curators, bishops talked to priests, zoologists talked to botanists, but they didn't talk across the sectors. There were two exceptions to that. One was that in Visit England or English Tourist Board, there'd always been a committee there which was across the sectors, but the other one was ALVA. Now, when ALVA was formed, it was a 1 million visitors plus club for attractions, with 1 million plus visitors a year. Ken Robinson: Subsequently, groups of attractions, particularly English Heritage, National Trust, were involved originally associates, but it was a 1 million plus club and that's only 1% of the attractions in the United Kingdom had over 1 million. And it was very London centric. And ALVA had a five objectives, four of which were about government. And the interesting thing was that I was very good friends all through this time with Lord Lee, who know a very big part of the early success, pre Bernard of ALVA. I said to John Lee, “Look John, could you not change your name to ALVA and be involved with all the visitor attractions because they badly need something which glues everybody together and we need to get across this away from this sectoral stuff.” Ken Robinson: And everybody was talking about historic houses, talk about the house museums, talking about the continents of the museum but they weren't talking about visitors. They weren't talking about how you communicated with the visitors or what they were motivated by or how you could better manage things for visitors, give them better they weren't doing that. So John agreed with this and I've got the original papers here. I looked them out that I was asked first of all by ALVA in December of 2001 to write a paper on the future of ALVA which is headed: ALVA in the Future Representing All Visitor Attractions. Then after that the conversation went on and we realised that if were going to have some kind of overall event we couldn't do it without the National Tourist Board, we couldn't do it without Visit Britain, Visit England. We needed their input.Ken Robinson: We needed them to talk to DCMS and make sure it would happen. And also we wanted to do this not on a commercial basis but being by the industry, for the industry, run by the industry, not for profit. And that was a problem because we wanted to do it in the QE II Centre because we wanted to be in the centre of everything and that was going to cost an extraordinary sum of money and there wasn't that much money that could in that first year come originally from VisitEngland. So the partners in this, the partners being ALVA, BALPPA, Paul's organisation, Leisure Media the wonderful Liz Terry and her magazine which has forever been behind this event for no recompense whatever and myself put up 5000 pounds each security in order that the thing would happen. Ken Robinson: You said, "We'll stand the risk, let's do it.". So in 2004 I wrote the briefing of the first conference and I found from a 2003 the government asked for a list of topics that would be discussed in order they could work out whether or not they might like it and it's still here. What I like about it is it would do quite well for this year's conference. All those topics are still relevant. So that's where it came from. That's where it came from. We wanted it to have at the time the lowest possible attendance fee to get the highest number of people there. We wanted to involve everybody. Ken Robinson: And the cast list for that 2004 event, my goodness me, absolutely fantastic cast list in terms of the people we had for an initial event and you can imagine when it was announced and everybody was behind it ALVA was behind it. BALPPA, I should have mentioned that Colin Dawson, Paul's predecessor was an absolute stalwart of the conference in the early years he stood by know, when times were tough and that's where it came from. Kelly Molson: That is phenomenal. It was really putting your money where your mouth is, isn't it? By all of you actually personally investing in this thing to bring it to life. You don't hear many things happening in that way anymore, do you? It's all about getting investment and asking other people to make the commitment to it and take the risk. Ken Robinson: Well, we have a company now, I should say. We have a company called VAC Events, and we are all equal. The four of us are equal shareholders, that's to say, Bernard and ALVA, BALPPA and Paul, Liz and myself, for no benefit. Martin does it for us, but we are the people that carry the can, if you like, and I don't think we've ever had anything out of it apart from a nice lunch at Christmas, but apart from that, it's a great feeling of doing something. When you say everybody is very friendly and talks to one another. That's why they're all in the same business. Bishop, curator, zoologist person running a heritage railway, they're all in the same business. Kelly Molson: Obviously, the first event was a success. You've been on and you've done many, what, 20, 20 events since that first one. How have you seen it kind of change and develop over the years? So what did that first conference look like compared to what this year's will look like? And how have you kind of evolved it over that time to keep it relevant to your audience? Paul Kelly: Well, I think so. My involvement directly has been the last ten years, so I'm halfway through chairing for this one, but I was actually there at the early ones because I worked at that time. I was working at the London Eye, just across the river, and I was good friends with Colin Dawson at the time. I'd worked with him at Thorpe Park and he for some people, may well remember Colin as entertaining Princess Diana on a log flume in 92, 3 and 4. Paul Kelly: And I was there. It's hard to tell, but I was actually there. I'm not in any of the photos in Paris Match and all of those places. I have a couple of myself here. I didn't get anything signed by Princess Diana and sent over to you know, bitterness takes a while to and I've joked with Colin over this many years. Colin was there, but if you look closely behind the scenes, you'll find I was there too, but so I was great friends with Colin over many years and still am. He was obviously contacting everyone he knew about this conference. He was working for BALPPA at the time. I was working for the Two Swords Group, had the operational contract for the London Eye. Paul Kelly: So I went to the first one and I suppose my impressions of the first one was for somebody who hasn't been there before, the QE II is extremely impressive as a conference center. I don't go to many that look like that around the UK. Most of them normally the ones I go to are in attractions, they're slightly different so it was hugely impressive both on its location and what was across the road and how things went and I was a little bit starstruck I suppose, for the first one. Now I get the opportunity to sit on the stage and look out at everybody and have a slightly different view on it all, but still think it's an extremely impressive environment to do that. Paul Kelly: And I think the biggest change for me, and I think we may cover a little bit later, is how we've broken up the afternoons into separate segments and sections where people can go along to a smaller, informal group discussing a topic that they particularly want. And I think the thing I also like about that is the amount of people who want to go to more than one of them that are on at the same time and are almost complaining there's too many things to go to, which I think is hilarious, which means it's really good. And hopefully that means that next time they'll really think about which one do I want to go to, obviously I want to go to more than one, but I'm going to pick my best one. Paul Kelly: So I think for me, that's probably the biggest change over time. But what doesn't change for me is the team that we have putting these things together, which we're actually relatively slick at. Everyone gets the chance to put their opinions and I'm glad we don't record those meetings and it works out really well. And I think as a team, it's amazing how long we've stuck at it and stuck together. Kelly Molson: I'd love to be on a little fly on the wall for those meetings. Have you ever had a fallout about something? Bernard Donoghue: Yes, we're frequently violent. It's a visitor experience in its own right, I think. Kelly Molson: I'll pay for it. Bernard Donoghue: We reflect the madness that some of our visitors demonstrate on site so in that case I think we're rooted in the industry. The first one that I went to was in 2011, so I just joined ALVA at that point. And the first one I spoke, it was in 2012 and I've been doing the same kind of slot ever since. I do a kind of State of the Nation in the morning because ALVA obviously gets loads of data and information and we publish all of our visitor figures and all the rest of it, and actually we collect and commission much more data now than we ever used to. So I share all of that in the kind of Donoghue half hour copyright. Bernard Donoghue: What's lovely I mean, Paul's absolutely right is that over the last twelve years I think we've seen a real move from people desperately wanting to speak about their successes to being really open about what hasn't worked, which of course is far more interesting and useful. So there's been a really lovely shift from people saying, "No, I don't have to do the propaganda stuff.” Actually, I'm going to tell you what it was like, why it was a disaster and what we learned from it. And that's so useful. So you do get this real honesty coming from the speakers who know that's what they find useful too. So why not share it? I think the other one is I do a presentation about, is there core behaviours of successful visitor attractions regardless of type?Bernard Donoghue: And there are there's about ten of them, but one of them is the ability to foster creative partnerships with unusual suspects. So the presentations that are most fascinating for me is where a visitor attraction, it doesn't matter whether it's a cathedral or whether it's a museum or gallery or theme park, have teamed up with someone that you wouldn't expect them to team up with to tell the story of their people and places and collections in a new, innovating, exciting way. And those are fascinating, absolutely fascinating. So I love those. There's much more of that. Kelly Molson: Fantastic. Well, on that note, I want to know from each of you who has been the most inspiring speaker that you've had at the conference over the past 20 years. Ken, let us start with you. Who do you think would be on your list for that? Ken Robinson: I had a look through the programs going back to 2004 and came up with the following names which surprised me, actually. I think originally our first most inspiring speaker was Simon Jenkins, the columnist of the Times, who had very strong views, which didn't necessarily agree with what government and others were doing. He did give a very inspiring presentation and then there are some people who perhaps we would expect less. The most single most surprising speaker was somebody called Tristram Mayhew, who titles himself as the Chief Gorilla of Go Ape and in a room full of suits and quite smart dresses and trouser suits, Go Ape shambled onto the stage in a car key shirt and proceeded to explain how he'd done things differently. And frankly, it was riveting. We had a chap called Tony Berry from the National Trust who gave presentations. Ken Robinson: His first one was just stunnning, you know, in the days when HR was less popular, Tony Berry would tell you why you should be interested and he was absolutely amazing. And Sue Wilkinson, incidentally, of the National Trust, who was the person responsible really for dragging the Trust from its sort of old form to its new marketing orientated thinking about its supporters future success? She was terrific. And the other person I would mention another Tony, I don't know whether or Tony's there's Tony Butler from the Museum of East Anglian Life, who again, when Bernard was talking about people talking about doing things differently and it inspires you. Some of those examples are very interesting, but not easy to copy. Ken Robinson: In other attractions, we always look for things that do go across the piece, so anybody can learn from the lessons within the example that we're talking about. And incidentally, we do have arguments in meetings, it's about whether particular speakers and particular topics are the way of doing things. And generally speaking, when we all have a good go at it comes out better than it did when anybody said, “Well, I know what the right answer is. No, you don't. Let's all talk about it. So that works.” So you get these people that actually inspire and they light up the room, not because of clever graphics and not because of a forceful way, but they light up the room because of the originality of their ideas. Now, I'll come to my number one. Ken Robinson: I'm sorry about this, because he's sitting on my screen down there, and that's young Bernard, who since he joined our there you go. That's the top half that works. You should see the bottom half doesn't work. He's just had pins put in it. Kelly Molson: Just for our listeners here, Bernard is given a little muscle strong arm salute on screen here. Ken Robinson: Bernard combines the latest immediate knowledge of talking to people across the industry with an absolutely amazing gift of the gab, with a power of communication. And he's unstoppable. And we wouldn't have stood him for all these years if he wasn't. So of all the years and all the speakers, the consistent best is Bernard. But we have had other people, often surprising, who take know, you don't expect it, you think you're going to listen to ordinary session, all of a sudden it takes fire. Kelly Molson: Bernard, what have you got to say to that? Bernard Donoghue: What I say to Ken is there are packets of cash going from London to the south coast with immediate effect. Delighted. Thank you very much. It's really lovely, actually. I've tried to change things every year to do partly political, but also partly about good practice and who's doing what and who's interesting. I'll tell you what, one of my favourite speakers, and it was in a conversation, one of the things that we've introduced is a sort of conversation with slot, which works really well, actually, because a bit like this, you're off script, you respond to people. Liz chaired a conversation last year, so were in Birmingham last year and it was all about HR issues and of course, it know, coming out of COVID and cost of living crisis and recruitment challenges and all of those kind of stuff. Bernard Donoghue: And Tina Lewis is the director of people at the National Trust. National Trust, getting great repertoire here. She came out with an idea that they're doing at the National Trust and I've implemented it in the three organisations that I chair and it's made the biggest difference. So the National Trust, they will pay the rent deposit for your flat if you need them to. So if you're going through a cost of living crisis and you can't get up the cash to put down a rent deposit on your flat, they'll do it for you. You can't get up the cash to put down a rent deposit on your flat, they'll do it for you. That was such a transformational thing to hear. You could almost hear the gasp in the room of people going, "Oh, my God. Yeah, if we can, let's do that." Bernard Donoghue: And I've now introduced it. As I say in the organisations that I chair, not many people have taken it up, but the fact that we've said it has made such a difference to people. I mean, as it is at the Trust, actually, there's been a relatively small number of people at the Trust who've taken it up, but the very policy decision, the very communication of it, just spoke volumes about an organisation that cares about its staff, and particularly those staff who are on really limited budgets. So there's been loads and loads of speakers over the course of the last few years, but that for me was a nugget which has changed people's lives and has been implementable. Kelly Molson: I think that's the key to that part, isn't it, is that it's an incredible thing that they've done, but the fact that it can be implemented someone has listened to that talk. They can take that away, take it to their board, take it to whoever needs to okay that, and they can put that into action like that straight away. That's the power of a really good initiative and a good speaker to be able to deliver that as well. Paul, what about you? Please don't say Bernard. I think he's had enough praise today. Bernard Donoghue: No, keep going. Kelly Molson: No. Paul Kelly: You're OK, Bernard? We'll leave that one where it is, shall we? If we can squeeze Bernard into the room next. Right, so one special mention I wanted to give, actually, which is one of the years not too long ago, we invited Simon Calder to speak, the travel journalist, and I have to say I wasn't convinced, because clearly he's not working in one of our attractions and doesn't necessarily know the industry pretty well. But I have to say, he was hugely entertaining, had done his homework, was hugely knowledgeable, and so he was absolutely excellent. But I think the most important thing for me is that he left us and he said to me, “Enjoyed it so much, I'll come back later.” And I said, “Yes, of course you will.”Paul Kelly: So he went away and he came back at the end of the day to talk to all the people that he'd seen early in the day, because he loved the atmosphere and he wasn't required to do that. And he came along. And for that I have to put a special mention in one for myself to actually listen to the others when they say, “This will be good”, and secondly for him, for actually doing a bit and actually coming back later. And he was a fabulous addition and outside of our industry. So my inside the industry one is somebody I ended up working with because I was with the Two Swords group and then they were bought by Merlin with Nick Varney and his Merry Men. Paul Kelly: So Nick and his team had obviously been in the industry a very long time at this point, dipped in and out of theme parks and attractions. But Nick didn't actually do many talks. You wouldn't actually hear him speak about too much. I'd heard him speak over in the IAAPA trade show held in Orlando every November, and he was absolutely brilliant. And then Ken managed to get him to speak at VAC one year. And again, he was absolutely excellent. And this fits in nicely because now that he's retired from Merlin, he's speaking again this year. So I think that will be really interesting because he's absolutely excellent. Ken Robinson: And by the way, guys, just to show you that we know what we're doing here, this is 2004, okay? And it says here the recipe for success. Nick Varney chief executive, will talk about the components for commercial success. And that's before. So we've got him first and look what happened. Kelly Molson: I'm really looking forward to that interview, actually, and I think it would be really interesting to see how he differs now. He's kind of outside of the sector, and I think that the format that you've got him in. So that's the interview with Liz, isn't it? On stage? I think that's going to be a really great format as well. I've seen that work really well in the past where she's interviewed people and it just feels really comfortable and really conversational. I think that brings out the best of people. Bernard Donoghue: Kelly, do you want to know who's been of most variable quality? Kelly Molson: Oh, yes. Bernard Donoghue: Tourism Minister. I mean, without doubt. I mean, we've been going 20 years now, therefore we've had 20 tourism ministers, had one a year, like Christmas cards. And some of them have completely got the industry completely understood. It delivered a barnstorming speech, and then the next year you'll get the annual Tourism Minister pop up and they'll read something flat, banal, uninteresting. And we're so torched by the experience that we don't invite the one next on the year. So we're always banging on about this. Tourism is very good at job creation. In fact, we've created 20 Tourism Minister jobs in years, but they are of variable quality. Ken Robinson: The best we ever had, Bernard, I think, by far, was John Penrose, when he had completed his review of the industry and got very clear views, which he put to government. Unfortunately, government didn't do it, as they usually don't, but he was good and people liked him and gave him a high rating. I think the next best was probably Margaret Hodge, who was very good and spoke from the heart. But as you say, when we look at every year, we look at a rating of every speaker and the meeting after the event, we go through those ratings and decide, those that got good ratings, why did they get it? Was it intrinsic to their character, their nature, their topic? Was there something special? And those who didn't, why was that? Was it our fault? Ken Robinson: Did we not brief them properly? Or was it never going to be any better? Ken Robinson: And that way we managed to manage the conference. So know the attraction sector. We sometimes forget that over half of all visits to visitor attractions in the UK are free of charge. We forget that the majority of visitor attractions are medium and small businesses. We forget that there are charitable and commercial attractions. We must be able to bring this whole sector together and move our thinking forward in the way that Bernard has just explained in terms of what he does with ALVA. And the other thing that Bernard mentioned was ALVA's research now. Ken Robinson: 20 years ago, you had to wait until the annual book came out from Thames Tower and then eventually from the centre of luck look to page 16 and there would be numbers, but very little interpretation of what those numbers meant. Now, Bernard is behind much of the work that is done now with ALVA. But the key to it is it's not just numbers, it's interpretation. And because of the communication skills, when ALVA put out a message, it is interpreted. It says why it was a successful year or what was mitigating against that. And that's so important in trying to move our case forward. Kelly Molson: But it's important in improving the content that you give your audience at the conferences as well, right? If something isn't working and you've got a process of evaluating why that hasn't worked and how you improve on it for the next one. Let's just focus on why should people attend VAC this year? What is in it for them? What's on the agenda? What have they got to look forward to and how can we get them to book a ticket? Bernard Donoghue: I'll happily go first and go quite niche, actually. One of the things that I do now outside of ALVA, or because of ALVA is that I co chair the advisory board for VisitLondon. So essentially chair the London tourist board. And I do that with Kate Nichols of UK hospitality. And we created the London Tourism Recovery Group during COVID So my suggestion would be Sadiq Khan. So we've managed to get the Mayor of London to come along and speak at this anniversary conference. And it's not just because he's the Mayor of London and it's the 20th anniversary, but it's because he's the first ever Mayor of London that hazard one of his four political priorities, culture and tourism. That's number one. Bernard Donoghue: Number two is that he put his money where his mouth was and he funded the Let's Do London Recovery campaign, which was both domestic and international with the industry. We delivered it with London and partners, but he put up the lump sum behind it. And third, he completely gets that tourism and heritage and culture is both where you grow jobs and we're very good at it, but it's also where you grow people. It's where you grow people in terms of their cultural literacy or their sense of community or their independence or their sense of history. And therefore knowing where you come from enables you to be a better future citizen, if you like. Bernard Donoghue: So my quick blast would be we've got him doing a welcome, but also saying why visitor attractions and tourism are so important to him and to the economy and the politics of London. So that's not to be missed. Kelly Molson: That is a big draw. Absolutely a big draw. Paul, you mentioned earlier about the variety in splitting up that second session, that second part of the day with the seminars and the smaller talks that you do as well. That for me, as an attendee, is really valuable because you can kind of pick and choose what's relevant to you and go along and see lots of different talks. What do you think is the draw for people to come to the conference this year for you? Paul Kelly: Well, I was just jotting down, thinking about it's a little bit. An extension of what Ken was talking about is that it's the variety of what we do in one place is greater than anywhere else. And all the conferences I do because of the nature of what we do each end of the spectrum. So we've got talks about people who run charities to people who run hugely commercial operations. We've got people doing talks on which are free to get into those who are quite expensive, but focus on value for money. And you've got those that are indoor, those that are outdoor. When I spent my time business development at Merlin, they were always focused on a balanced portfolio. And a balanced portfolio meant making sure that right across your business, you have every aspect covered. Paul Kelly: So everything balances indoor, outdoor, UK, Europe, USA, whatever it is. And I think with our conference, that's what we try and do, we try and balance all of those types of different types of operations so that everything is covered, not to the point where it's too thin and you don't learn anything. And that's the key to it, is that we go into the depth. And the depth, I think, is greater now because we do those breakout sessions and we've got time to do in fact, we double up for those three different areas just for that afternoon. So I think those are the things, if anyone asks me why they should come, it's about the variety.Kelly Molson: Regardless of size of your attraction as well. And actually, from my perspective as a supplier to the industry, it's just as valuable to come along and learn and understand what's going on in the sector. You don't have to be an attraction to come along and take part and be educated about what's happening in the sector. What about you, Ken? Ken Robinson: Well, I think that those of us who have stood on the stage at the QE II Centre and looked at the people who have come can see that there aren't any slumbering faces out there. There are people making notes, people nudging the person next to them, people looking round when we ask a question. We now have a sort of red and green card system for, do you agree? Don't you agree? Which we sometimes use, which is very interesting, engaging the mood of the room. And I think that the thing about VAC is don't be lazy if we're going to come to VAC. Don't be lazy. If you're coming to VAC, l And jot down what questions you might like to ask those people or what you'd like to learn from that session. Write it down, don't think you can remember it at the time. Ken Robinson: Bring it on a note with you when you come and then you will find, and we all know this, that the networking that happens at the end of the day and in the breaks at VAC it's like a family wedding in a way. I mean, everybody wants to talk to everybody else and it's so valuable. I think everybody who goes away from VAC should have a good few things that day, which they say, “I wouldn't have thought of that if I hadn't been there”, or even, “I disagree with that”, but it's made me realise what my true opinion about that is equally valuable. But don't be a lazy attendee. Come and participate, come and enjoy, come and learn, come and take back benefit to everybody that works with you. Kelly Molson: Yeah, I couldn't agree more. I think that thing about not being scared to ask questions is really valid as well, Ken, because this happened to me, actually. I went to one of the seminar sessions, and this is back in 2019 and was really inspired by one of the speakers about it was Julez Osbek, who was at Continuum Attractions at the time, and she talked about marketing segmentation, but had a completely different perspective on it in terms of not doing it demographically, just talking about age brackets and things like that. And it was really interesting. I didn't get a chance to ask a question during the seminar, but I found her afterwards and she was very approachable, very happy to answer my question. And then I stalked her on Twitter and got her to come on to the podcast afterwards to talk about it. Kelly Molson: But that's for me, what VAC is about. It's the openness that people are really willing to share. So don't be afraid to go and find the speaker that you've been inspired by and go and ask them the question afterwards, because everyone's really happy to talk about their topic and they're really happy to help people. That's my little key takeaway from it anyway. Right, so it's going to be on Thursday, the 5th October. This podcast episode is launching on the 20th September, so you haven't got long to go and get your tickets, so make sure you do. It is the 5th October, the QE II Conference Centre in Westminster. The website address is vacevents.com. That's Vacevents.com and you can get your ticket there. All of this information will be in the show notes, so don't worry if you didn't get time to scribble that down. Kelly Molson: While I've got you all, though, because you all are in the sector and you've got lots of insights to share. I want to know from each of you what you think that attractions should be focusing on and what 2024 might look like for the sector. Paul, what about you? Start with you. Paul Kelly: So I've been chatting to some of our operators. We have some very large operators around the UK asking them how it's going? And unsurprisingly, you could have said the same question 20 years ago, what's our biggest challenge? It's the weather. It's not actually the cost of living crisis, it's not COVID you can put plans together for those things and you can work on it, but the weather always is a little bit of a challenge. So this summer inverted commerce has been quite hard to focus on what we can deliver when the days have been half decent. Actually, we've done quite well, we always do relatively well, certainly in our sector, I'm sure the others will agree, in a recession. Paul Kelly: So the key seems to be, and I'm going to put it out, I haven't quite found the right words for it, but I'll develop this once I've spoken to a few more. What every attraction for me has to have is an opportunity for people to downgrade what they did slightly. What they're doing is they're ringing it up and saying, "Can't afford to do this, have you got something that's almost like that?" But whether it's a slightly different experience, less time, one day less so whatever the packages are that people are offering, there has to be one rung lower than it was before to still encourage people to come along because they're not able to reach the same heights at the moment that they did previously. But they still want to have that family experience that day out, create those memories. Paul Kelly: All of those things are still relevant. And if you don't have that opportunity, then they'll either go elsewhere or they won't go. So, again, it's managing. So I'm not talking about huge discounts, I'm talking about being relatively clever in what you package and what you put together to make sure they still attend and they still get what they perceive to be value for money. But unless you have that option then I think they won't come. Kelly Molson: Really great advice, Paul. Thank you. Bernard, what about you? Bernard Donoghue: Like Paul, actually, especially since Lockdown ended, but actually for about the last five or six years I've noticed a particular thing which is where visitor attractions have got reserves, and that's a big if by the way, particularly in the course of the last couple of years. Actually, especially since Lockdown ended, but actually for about the last five or six years I've noticed a particular thing which is where visitor attractions have got reserves, and that's a big if by the way, particularly in the course of the last couple of years. So it comes back to Paul's point about kind of ensuring yourself against the excesses of the weather and making sure that you're still particularly a family attractive visitor attractions that'd be one. Second is cost of living crisis, certainly for the average customer, but also the energy costs for visitor attractions too. Bernard Donoghue: Just crazy amounts of money that visitor attractions are now paying i If you're a zoo or an aquarium you can't turn down the temperature of your botanics you're a living reef. So we're going to have to find some way out of that. And that means that actually for many organisations it's going to be as financially challenging over the next twelve months as it has been over the last two. And then I think the third, and this is a continual for me and Kelly, you and I have talked about it before, but it forms the last session of the day at the VAC conference which is diversity and inclusivity. And my feeling is that every visitor attraction should be critically honest about who comes, who doesn't, why they don't come and what are you going to do about it?Bernard Donoghue: And in particular those organisations who in receipt are government money or public money or who had COVID loans from the UK taxpayer. If their visitors don't look like the community in which they're housed, they have a moral question at the heart of their business. That's it. If you want to take public money you need to have an audience that looks like the diversity of the public. And that's a challenge. I get that, I completely get that. But I think that making sure that we are as accessible in every conceivable way, economically, physically. Accessible to people and that they see their stories and themselves reflected in their collections and people and staff and volunteers and board members, I think that's the biggest challenge of the sector as it is indeed to many other sectors. Bernard Donoghue: But I think we're doing some amazing things and we need to shout about it and we need to share and we need to learn from each other. Kelly Molson: Absolutely agree. And that session is going to be a really great session. That's one not to miss. Ken? Ken Robinson: Well, I would say two things. First of all, as far as our visitors are concerned, I think there is a bigger polarisation now than there ever has been between those who have money and can still afford to do things and are not much impacted by the current circumstances, despite everything. And those who haven't and those who haven't have got to find ways of saving money, getting more for their money. There are so many things they can do that are free and alternatives that charged attractions find it difficult. I think we have to remember that the biggest number of attractions in the United Kingdom are heritage based attractions and they weren't purpose built like many of Paul's members, the attractions are purpose built for entertainment. But heritage attractions have got a bigger responsibility or museums housed in historic buildings. Ken Robinson: And all the time they're having to cut their costs and finding life difficult. Money isn't going into maintaining that National Heritage. And that's a real big long term challenge, one that government can't ignore. So government has a vested interest in the health of our businesses because the more healthy they are, the less will fall back on the state eventually. One last thing, I would like to mention Martin Evans and the tourism business. Ken Robinson: For the last I don't know how many years, Martin has been the person who has put together this event for us. He has to do the heavy lifting. He is backed up by our conference organisers, who are also very efficient. And the other person that I wouldn't like to miss from this, because if she could have been here today, you would have got a different flavour, is the wonderful Liz Terry and the support that her organisation. That's Liz's Organisation, her hard work in Leisure Media Group. She publishes Attractions Management magazine. Ken Robinson: She has never asked for anything from this conference and she gives it great support, without which we wouldn't have made 20 years, as I said earlier. And also a big shout and a screen for Liz. Kelly Molson: That is lovely. Thank you. I'm sure Liz will very much appreciate that. We won't forget her. Don't worry, she'll be on the credits for this podcast. I always ask our guests to leave us with a book recommendation for our listeners. So a book that you've loved, a book that you've enjoyed as part of your career growth can be absolutely anything. So, Paul, what would you like to share with us today? Paul Kelly: Oh, I tell you what, books are a bit highbrow for me. Yes, Bernard agrees with that. So I'm from the north, so I used to travel a lot when I was working North America. Commuting a little bit. So I did read a little bit then, but I very quickly swapped over to podcasts things that I download. I watch Silent Witness from the 90's, early 2000s repeatedly. I like Meet Marry Murder, which is one of the cable channels, so I'm quite simple. So I don't really have a book recommendation. I think when I have time to read, I will look forward to reading what somebody else recommends. Kelly Molson: Well, I will take Silent Witness as a recommendation because I love Silent Witness, Paul. Oh, so good. Never miss an episode, ever. So, OK, they go I mean, I can't give it away as a prize, but go and check out Silent Witness if you haven't. Bernard, what's yours? Bernard Donoghue: Well, I've been on this before and I remember my recommendation and it sounds really facile, but it was absolutely true, was Ladybird Books when I was a kid, and then that's how I got into history and heritage and storytelling and absolutely loved them. And I've still got loads of them, which is a bit sad, actually. I'm currently confined to home with a broken ankle. So I've been going through my big Bernard book of books, of all the ones that I haven't got around to reading, and the one that I've enjoyed most and has really surprised me is Lucy Worsley's biography of Agatha Christie. Absolutely fascinating. I thought I knew her. I thought I knew all about her. I know all of her characters, I've watched every conceivable film and TV program, but what a fascinating woman. Bernard Donoghue: So that's the one that I've loved this summer. Kelly Molson: Great recommendation. Yeah. I wondered what were going to get from you, actually, because you've had a lot of time on your hands to go through that book pile. Bernard Donoghue: It was either going to be Agatha Christie or the Argos catalogue. Honestly, it could have gone. Kelly Molson: It's not Christmas yet. You only do the Argos catalogue at Christmas. Ken, over to you for our last recommendation. Ken Robinson: Well, the best book quite hard to get hold of now, but I can supply copies is Action For Attractions, the National Policy Document, written in 2000. But if you want something other than that, then I have just finished reading a book which everyone else read years ago called Sapiens, which is about this thick, that's to say two and a half inches thick. For those of you listening. It's by somebody, I've just had to look him up because I couldn't have remembered it, by Yuval Noah Harari. And it's entitled A Brief History of Humankind. And what's so interesting about it is it goes through segments explaining the great moves that have happened to us humans since we appeared on this Earth. Ken Robinson: And I found the whole thing fascinating to read in one go what took me a long time, particularly the last bit, which talks about how commerce has changed the world and what we're all doing, and that's, after all, what we're doing at VAC. We are engaged in the kind of commerce that is to entertain, amuse and give enjoyment to our visitors, and at the same time keep the heritage of the country going and keep an awful lot of people employed, so I recommend Sapiens. Kelly Molson: Ken, that's a great book. It took me a really long time to read as well, but it is an absolutely fascinating book. I would totally back up your recommendation there. Have you read the next one as well, Homodeus? Ken Robinson: No one a year is enough for me. Kelly Molson: Well, I've got a toddler, so reading doesn't come easy for me right now. But Homodus is next on my list to read because that's the next one on from Sapiens and it's supposed to be a really good read as well. Right, listeners as ever, if you want to win a copy of Ken and Bernard's book, retweet this episode announcement with the words, I want the Vax books and you will be put into a prize drawer to win them. And also, do go and watch Silent Witness, Paul's recommendation, because it is blooming brilliant. I love it. Thank you all so much for coming on to join me today. I've really appreciated it. It's been a fascinating kind of deep dive into the Visitor Attractions Conference. I genuinely love this conference. It is one absolutely not to be missed. Kelly Molson: I mean, there might be a speaker called Kelly at this one. This is so I'll be there. Come and see me too. But no, thank you. It's been wonderful. As I said, we will put all of the info in the show notes. We'll put all of the connections to Paul, Ken and Bernard too. So if you've got any follow up questions that you want to ask them, I'm sure they'd be really happy to help. But it's vapevents.com. Go and grab your ticket now. Thank you, guys. Ken Robinson: And I have to tell you, Kelly, we are going to spend our time at our next committee meeting thinking of impossible questions for you for when you're speaking at VAC.Kelly Molson: Oh, God. Do it. I love impossible questions. Put me on the spot, Ken. I'll enjoy it. Kelly Molson: Thanks for listening to Skip the Queue. If you've enjoyed this podcast, please leave us a five star review. It really helps others find us. And remember to follow us on Twitter for your chance to win the books that have been mentioned. Skip The Queue is brought to you by Rubber Cheese, a digital agency that builds remarkable systems and websites for attractions that helps them increase their visitor numbers. You can find show notes and transcriptions from this episode and more over on our website, rubbercheese.com/podcast. 

In the world of cryptocurrency, fortunes rise and fall faster than a British summer. Join us on a heart-wrenching journey with two mates from the heart of Blighty, Tim and Dave, as they navigate the treacherous waters of digital wealth in "Bleak Crypto Blues." Tim, a bloke with dreams as big as the London Eye, couldn't resist the allure of cryptocurrency. He dove headfirst into the world of Bitcoin, Ethereum, and altcoins, hoping to strike gold. With Dave as his ever-skeptical mate, Tim was determined to prove that digital coins could be a ticket to prosperity, even in the land of fish and chips. But as the crypto market's volatility danced to a tune only it understood, Tim's dreams began to unravel. What started as an exciting adventure soon turned into a harrowing tale of financial loss and shattered hopes. Tim's journey through the crypto rollercoaster would leave anyone with a lump in their throat and a tear in their eye. In "Bleak Crypto Blues," you'll witness Tim's emotional struggle as he shares the highs and, more importantly, the heart-wrenching lows of his cryptocurrency journey. Dave, always the voice of reason, tries to offer solace and support, but the weight of Tim's financial woes and shattered dreams hangs heavy over their conversations. Together, they navigate the stormy seas of cryptocurrency trading, reflecting on what it means to chase riches in a digital world where fortunes can disappear as quickly as a pint of ale at the local pub. As they recount Tim's losses and the lessons learned along the way, "Bleak Crypto Blues" serves as a cautionary tale for anyone who's ever considered making a quick buck in the crypto market. Join us as we dive into the tumultuous world of cryptocurrency through the lens of two mates from Blighty. Tim's story is a reminder that sometimes the pursuit of riches can lead to unexpected and heartrending consequences. "Bleak Crypto Blues" is a tale of hope, despair, and the enduring bond of friendship in the face of life's most challenging trials.

Ready to uncover the soul of London? Join your host Sasha, as she takes you on an enlightening journey through the vibrant city, traversing its iconic landmarks and hidden gems. You're not just going to learn about London, but experience its heartbeat from within, feeling like a true Londoner. From the historic Tower of London to the fashionably eclectic Camden Market, prepare for a roller coaster ride of discovery that will leave you craving more.Our exploration is not limited to just sightseeing. From a tranquil boat ride through Little Venice to indulging in a traditional afternoon tea, from strolling in Hyde Park to shopping for luxury goods on Bond Street, we'll be immersing ourselves in experiences that make London what it is. We'll also be venturing into the world of tennis tournaments, street art, and historical castles. Ever wondered what it's like to witness the New Year's Eve fireworks on the Thames or celebrate at the Notting Hill Carnival? Stick with us and you'll find out!And just when you think we've seen it all, we'll delve deeper with unique experiences like taking a spin on the London Eye, exploring Victorian art at the Leighton House Museum, or taking a personalized black cab tour. This is no ordinary tour; it's a collection of experiences that truly capture the essence and allure of London. So join us, pack your bags, and buckle up for an unforgettable London adventure!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showGOT QUESTIONS ABOUT LONDON?Send me your question(s) for a chance to be answered live.Whatsapp: +44 7700 1822 99 (Text & Voice)E-Mail: hello@londonasked.comWeb: https://londonasked.com/askFOLLOW MEFacebook: @londonaskedInstagram: @londonaskedTwitter: @londonaskedJOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUPhttps://facebook.com/groups/londonaskedLEAVE A REVIEWPlease leave a review wherever you're listening to this podcast.GET IT NOW! The London Asked and Answered: Your Comprehensive Travel Guide Book or eBookhttps://guided.london/book© 2023 London Asked and Answered; Sascha Berninger Ready to dive into the ultimate London adventure? Subscribe now to unlock exclusive content and join us in uncovering the city's best-kept secrets, insider tips, and unforgettable experiences. Don't miss out on the journey of a lifetime – hit that subscribe button and let's explore London together! https://plus.acast.com/s/london-asked-and-answered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Best of London in one Day: Wie viele Highlights und Sehenswürdigkeiten kann man an einem einzigen Tag in der englischen Metropole erleben? Claus Beling probiert es aus. Zusammen mit seinem Enkel Constantin begibt er sich auf einen temporeichen 24-Stunden-Trip durch die pulsierende Weltstadt: Startpunkt ist der legendäre „Tower of London“ mit seinen Kronjuwelen und Foltergefängnissen. Weiter geht es mit einer Bootsfahrt auf der Themse zu Europas höchstem Riesenrad - dem „London Eye“. Von dort führt die Route unserer Entdecker weiter zum „Buckingham-Palace“ und dem „British Museum“ mit der größten Mumien-Ausstellung der Welt. Kurzer Stop im Kult-Kaufhaus „Harrods“ und weiter ins "Adelphi Theatre" im Londoner Westend zum Musical "Back to the Future". Spät nachts mit einem der kultigen "Black Cabs" Taxis zurück ins Hotel und tot müde ins Bett. What a Day! -- BRITPOD - England at its Best - wird präsentiert von Romance TV. Dem Zuhause der Rosamunde-Pilcher-Filmreihe und romantischer Serien. -- Ein ALL EARS ON YOU Original Podcast.

Today on Television Times we welcome the multi talented Steve Keyworth, making this episode a tale of two Steves. Not only is he an accomplished Theatre Director, Steve has also written over fifty hours of television and radio including Eastenders, Casualty and over sixty episodes of Doctors including the groundbreaking storyline within 'The Joe Pasquale Problem'. He also co-wrote the the Film 'Breaking the Bank' starring Kelsey Grammar, a subject about which he has plenty to say. We also cover Steve's stand up career as well as his curating of Flight 5065, whereby a different act performed in each pod of the London Eye including Damon Albarn and Jo Brand. We also discuss the lack of social distancing around urinals and share our joint opinions on baked potatoes.Follow us on Instagram & Twitter (links below):All music written and performed in this podcast by Steve Otis Gunn,Please buy my book 'You Shot My Dog and I Love You' available in all good book shops and online.Podcast Socials:Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tvtimespodInsta: https://www.instagram.com/tvtimespodYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@tvtimespodTwitter: https://twitter.com/tvtimespodSteve Otis Gunn's Socials:Insta: https://www.instagram.com/steveotisgunnTwitter: https://www.twitter.com/steveotisgunnFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/steveotisgunn.antisocialSteve Keyworth's Socials:Insta: https://www.instagram.com/stevekeyworthTwitter: https://twitter.com/stevekeyworthProduced by Steve Otis Gunn for Jilted Maggotwww.jiltedmaggot.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A roughly 160-metre-wide asteroid is travelling towards Earth and is classified by astronomers as ‘potentially hazardous'. Scientists find a ‘cannibal human ancestor' species and why Nasa astronauts are recycling 98% of water from their urine and sweat. Also in this episode:Dolphin mums use baby talk to call to their young Prison terms for sharing or creating explicit images without consentNasa finds key life building block carbon molecule in spaceFacebook owner Meta launches virtual reality subscription serviceIs this the reason the megalodon became extinct?An Australian dragon comes ‘back from the dead'Follow us on Twitter #TechScienceDaily Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahoy, fellow explorers! It's your captain Sascha, and I'm taking you on a thrilling journey down the Thames as we uncover the cultural goldmine of the South Bank. From the iconic London Eye to Shrek's Adventure and the mysterious London Dungeon, we'll navigate the rich history and vibrant attractions that make this riverside paradise a must-visit destination for adventurers of all ages. And fear not, my savvy sailors, as I'll also share the secrets of the Big City Safer Path, your key to unlocking discounts at South Bank Attractions.Prepare to be swept away as we dig deep into the fascinating history of South Bank, from its industrial roots to its transformation into a bustling hub of arts and culture. Then, we'll dive into the mesmerizing underwater world of the Sea Life London Aquarium, learning about its robotic inhabitants and the captivating experiences that await all who dare to explore its depths. And of course, no adventure would be complete without a hearty meal, so join me as we discover the delectable dining options offered by the riverside, from street food feasts to award-winning cafes and family-friendly eateries.But wait, there's more! In this action-packed episode, your ever-enthusiastic guide Sascha will also tackle the burning questions you've been longing to ask. From the feasibility of a multi-site day tour from London to Windsor Castle and Oxford, to the best way to travel from London Heathrow to Kensington, and even what to do in London early in the morning, we've got you covered. So strap on your life jackets, folks, as we embark on this unforgettable voyage along the South Bank and make waves in the River Thames!Tickets to the South Bank AttractionsLondon Eye (https://ldn.fan/londoneye)Shrek's Adventure! (https://ldn.fan/shrek)London Dungeon (https://ldn.fan/dungeon)Sea Life Aquarium (https://ldn.fan/sealife)More about the BIG CITY SAVER PASS here. (https://ldn.fan/bigcitysaver)Day Trip & Travel LinksVisit Madame Tussauds and Save up to £22See the magic of celebrity encounters at Madame Tussauds and Save up to £22* for £25 Mon-Thurs onlyDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show Ready to dive into the ultimate London adventure? Subscribe now to unlock exclusive content and join us in uncovering the city's best-kept secrets, insider tips, and unforgettable experiences. Don't miss out on the journey of a lifetime – hit that subscribe button and let's explore London together! https://plus.acast.com/s/london-asked-and-answered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Discover the secrets of London as I, Sascha, present my top 10 must-see attractions in this amazing city! Whether you're a history buff, an art lover, a foodie, or simply someone who enjoys exploring new places, this episode has something for everyone.Join me as we explore the iconic Tower of London, the British Museum, and Buckingham Palace, while also uncovering hidden gems you won't find in most tourist guides. Learn insider tips for each attraction and how to make the most of your time in London. Plus, I answer your burning questions about the best time to visit, navigating the tube, and more! So grab your umbrella and let's start this exciting journey together!GET YOUR TICKETS FOR ...Tower of LondonLondon EyeBuckingham PalaceWestminster AbbeyThe View from the ShardCamden Boat TourSupport the showGOT QUESTIONS ABOUT LONDON?Send me your question(s) for a chance to be answered live.Whatsapp: +44 7700 1822 99 (Text & Voice)E-Mail: hello@londonasked.comWeb: https://londonasked.com/ask FOLLOW MEFacebook: @londonaskedInstagram: @londonaskedTwitter: @londonasked JOIN THE FACEBOOK GROUPhttps://facebook.com/groups/londonasked LEAVE A REVIEWPlease leave a review wherever you're listening to this podcast. PRE-ORDER the London Asked and Answered: Your Comprehensive Travel Guide Book or eBookhttps://guided.london/book © 2023 London Asked and Answered; Sascha Berninger Ready to dive into the ultimate London adventure? Subscribe now to unlock exclusive content and join us in uncovering the city's best-kept secrets, insider tips, and unforgettable experiences. Don't miss out on the journey of a lifetime – hit that subscribe button and let's explore London together! https://plus.acast.com/s/london-asked-and-answered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I kind of wanted to do a BEANS disclaimer at the top but ya know, if you are eating BEANS while listening? HOLLA. The brilliant actor Emma Rigby joins me under the London Eye on a cold day and honestly we talk a lot about BEANS. It's part 1. Love you all Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us in this Magical Moment of the Our Daily Magic Podcast (LIVE from the Facebook Group  and Youtube) with "I am Magickai" aka Kaí and Dell Henderson aka "The True Essence Connector" as they talk about their recent travel to 5 countries in 7 days. The episode started with Kai asking Dell at what point Dell had experienced culture shock and if he had any expectations (4:33). Kai then shares their 7-day travel starting from their London Tour (6:43). Kai then proceeds to share their Mumbai experience (14:55) as well as their Ultimate Experience conference with Dell sharing his own thoughts regarding the experience (25:06). They then narrates their trip to Dubai (45:13) and then Cairo (46:32) where Dell shares how he got his necklace. Finally. Kai shares their Casablanca experience (53:54).  Tune in to the whole episode as Kai and Dell gives you a glimpse of their 1-week adventure from London Eye, the Ultimate Experience, Pyramids in Cairo, and to being lost in Morocco.  Stay Magical!

London Eye is falling down, falling down, falling down. London Eye is falling down, my fair Gary! The world's worst Stephen King book club continues their chapter-by-chapter discussion of Mr. King's oeuvre. It's part II, chapter 7 of Stephen & Owen King's "Sleeping Beauties." Count your children, Gary!tommyknockinpod.com--------------------Tommyknockin is brought to you by Rhythm Insurance, www.rhythminsurance.comAs well as Caerus & Hermes, contact Tim at tim.edstedt@caerusandhermes.com

Welcome to February 14th, 2023 on the National Day Calendar. Today we celebrate a classic love story and reaching new heights. Two strangers meet, and immediately feel chemistry between them. Unfortunately, each of them is already in a relationship, so they can't be together. But they make a pact that if they are single in six months, they'll rendezvous at the top of the Empire State Building. If this plot sounds familiar, it should. It's from An Affair to Remember. The classic love story, starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr, has been making audiences cry for over 60 years. The movie has also set the bar for romantic gestures impossibly high. I mean, how can you top the premise of meeting in such a spectacular location to declare your love to someone? February is An Affair to Remember Month. If you can't think of a grand gesture on Valentine's Day, score some points by cuddling up with your honey to watch this film.  The past few decades have seen an odd trend taking place. Cities trying to outdo one another with giant Ferris wheels. On New Year's Eve 1999, the London Eye was unveiled and stood at a height of 443 feet. A few years later, China built one that was 525 feet tall. Then Singapore outdid them. That was the tallest Ferris wheel in the world until The High Roller in Las Vegas opened for business. It looks over the Strip from 550 feet up in the sky. But last year, Dubai raised the bar to ridiculous heights with a Ferris Wheel that towers over the city at a height of 820 FEET. On National Ferris Wheel Day, celebrate your own corner of the sky. I'm Anna Devere and I'm Marlo Anderson. Thanks for joining us as we Celebrate Every Day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joel picked out every flavoured beans for us to try and we go through our highs and lows on the day

E137 - We catch up over Christmas break while Joelle's in Idaho & Julianne's in San Diego editing our documentary. Hear about snowy plans, Poway bandits, Red Riders & Home Alone. We made this year's https://www.AwkwardFamilyPhotos.com calendar, talk crappy kids in photos & Mouse finally gives her London recap. See tourist recommendations from a Brit Pod Scene podcast below & hear Number One Rerun's deep thoughts on Harry Potter. We discuss when to scrub social media for work, & then get right into Weens' viral banana video & Hairy Pants song! Speaking of clickable, listen to Julianne's stories about the real personalities of Jack Black, Michael Shannon & Keanu Reeves. Do they have Brad Pitt's face blindness? Do you forget how you know people like Mouse does? We jump into the gutter for a while to discuss monorchidism & the female body part that rhymes with Horace, chorus & taurus. And finally we discuss Elon Musk's comedy career, finding out what politics, the Rachel Maddow Ultra & BagMan podcasts, & cat-sitting have to do with each other. We bring around the episode talking boobs, mammograms, & gallows humor. Then Weens redefines social work, throws out some gross words & ends questioning her solitude and dislike of crowds these days. Who relates? Write in! mouseandweens@gmail.com or DM any socials @mouseandweens https://facebook.com/mouseandweens is a good spot too! Watch this episode on youtube.com/channel/UCgeuFSExQ2EaHYSG-s4sgZw ►Thank you to our patrons - our family! Join the fun, get free swag & bonus content - like deleted scenes from this ep! https://www.patreon.com/mouseandweens ►Credits: "Mouse and Weens" theme song, "Hairy Pants", "Love of My Friends" by Julianne Eggold https://www.julianneeggold.com Voice actor: Matt Thompson ►Our network: Podfix https://podfixnetwork.com ►Sponsor: Dream Dinners! Quickly make homemade meals stress-free. More QT for you & your family! Dream Dinners is nationwide. If within 25 mi of Poway or San Marcos MOUSEANDWEENS99 for $99 off 1st order! Link on https://www.mouseandweens.com ►Please follow, subscribe, talk: Socials @mouseandweens | https://linktr.ee/mouseandweens | mouseandweens@gmail.com | 858-319-1089 ►Number One Rerun Podcast: https://NumberOneRerun.podbean.com and their London tourist guide based on Joelle's teenagers: "We reckon places they may like to visit: Junkyard Golf, Flight Club (go to Shoreditch one as Junkyard Golf is there too), London Eye, Sky Garden, Tower Bridge (walk over glass floor). If you want to get the tube to North Greenwich you can see the O2 - has outlet shopping, restaurants, etc & Toca Social (a virtual football/soccer place). Cable cars there too so nice views & if you want to be mega adventurous you can walk up the O2 as well. Shopping: start at Marble Arch & walk up to Oxford Circus & turn off into Carnaby Street (you can come back out & head past Tottenham Court Road towards Leicester Square (also cool & near Piccadilly Circus) to see Denmark Street on the way if into music (though not hip hop!) For restaurants/cool shopping - Covent Garden or Borough Market (you can see the Shard near there too). Good coffee chains Oree/Joe & The Juice/Ole & Steen/Peyton & Byrne). There's Harry bloody Potter things everywhere so you won't miss that little sod. Plus obviously for you see Buckingham Palace, go on a London bus, etc - lovely." Links Mentioned: ►Buy an Awkward Family Photo daily desk calendar - https://www.amazon.com/Awkward-Family-Photos-2023-Calendar/dp/1524873586 ►Michael Shannon doing comedy - https://youtu.be/IdeFYWX5nuk ►Face Blindness - https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/culture/article/brad-pitt-interview-2022 ►Salon's "The Onion" article - https://www.salon.com/2013/10/22/were_the_onions_anti_semitic_slurs_fair_game ►Rachel Maddow's podcasts: https://msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-presents-ultra and https://msnbc.com/bagman

Len Harris, of the Somerset County Business Partnership, drops in to tell us about how their association is encouraging the growth of Somerset County and its tourism industry, their upcoming diversity & inclusion event, Tom Hanks' career highlight "Bosom Buddies," and whether or not you can be both a morning person AND a night owl.