Earlier this week, Qype piled into the wonderful Notes Music Coffee for a coffee tasting. Yep, at seven in the evening we decided to break all of the rules and have lots more caffeine. We Qypers live right on the edge.

The guys at Notes really know their coffee. They’re excited by their beans, they’re excited by everything to do with coffee – the water they use, the roasting time, the temperature you drink the coffee. It all needs to be perfect. They test their coffee several times a day to make sure it’s perfect. If it’s not, they’ll serve something else. There’s even an app for that:

Proof indeed that there’s an app for everything! Notes taught us so much about coffee. The beans that are in your fancy supermarket blends have probably been sitting in a warehouse for 8 years. Filter coffee has much more caffeine in it than espresso does – the espresso uses strong tasting coffee but it’s brewed for a small amount of time.

The best way to get coffee out of your system if you’ve drink to much? Ben and Fabio assure us that the cure is DRINKING ALCOHOL AND SMOKING. Yep, just replace one wonderful vice with another. (Smoking isn’t cool, kids. It’s highly addictive, don’t start etc.)

The most meticulously made cup of coffee I’ve ever seen. And they do this for everyone coming through the door.

Notes Music Coffee is a wonderful cafe and they’re easy to get to – just by the Coliseum on St. Martin’s Lane. You’re swept off your feet as soon as you walk through the door (they smile at you, and call their male customers ‘Sir’). They’ll suggest you try a black filter coffee instead of your usual latte, just to see what you think. And you’ll try it (they’re too friendly and happy to say no to), and you might just be converted. I am.

Happy Friday Qypers!  Finally the weekend is here, and not just any weekend – but pay day weekend (for most of us) which means its time to loosen the purse strings and treat yourself to something nice – right?   And what better place to treat yourself than at an exclusive sample sale hosted by London-based designer Aganovich this Saturday and Sunday?

Based in Whitechapel, Aganovich is a womenswear label that has been showing collections at Paris Fashion Week since 2009 and have featured in high fashion magazines such as Vogue Italia and Dazed & Confused.  With the new A/W collection debuting at Dover Street Market this season, Aganovich is taking the opportunity to offer their first selection of samples to the public.  Prices range from £15 – £350 with an exclusive extra 15% discount off everything to all Qypers - just mention ‘Qype; when you pay.

We hope to see you there!

You have to have a drink before the theatre, it’s just the rules. You need something to make Mamma Mia! that little bit more bearable for a start. But pile into the pub nearest your theatre of choice and you’re going to wind up with an average pint, surrounded by 20 disappointed people who did the same.

So where are all of those decent pre-theatre pubs?

De Hems: Tucked just off Shaftesbury Avenue, De Hems is a Dutch bar with beer that packs a punch. It doesn’t get absolutely packed in here, so service will be speedy. It not particularly cheap, but the beer is strong so you’ll probably only want one anyway. Handy for: The Palace Theatre and The Apollo a little further down the road.

The Duke of Wellington: Four Qype stars for this boozer, with you guys liking the gay-friendly vibe and smiling staff. It’s just up from Shaftesbury Avenue on Wardour Street, so you’ll have time to rush to your show before it starts. Handy for: The Queens Theatre.

Any other decent pubs and bars that’ll do you for the whole of Shaftesbury Avenue? Check out Freuds and The Angel too.

Bradleys: It’s a sad fact that there are NO decent pubs anywhere near Tottenham Court Road. Argue with that fact as much as you like (I would love to be proven wrong). Bradley’s is different. A decent bar, with a fun crowd and good music. Just remember to leave before your show starts. Handy for: The Dominion Theatre (which will probably be showing We Will Rock You until the end of time).

Lobby Bar: Fancy something a little snazzier to kick off your evening? If you’re near Drury Lane, head to the Lobby Bar at One Aldwych Hotel. It’s hidden and Qype says it’s ‘shiny, happy London at its best’. It’s pricey, though. And there’s always Cellar Door for post-theatre drinks. Handy for: The Theatre Royal on Drury Lane, and The Aldwych.

1707 Wine Bar: Hidden on the lower floor of Fortnum & Mason is a little secret. There aren’t many affordable bars in Picaddilly worth drinking and 1707 and 5th View hidden in Waterstones are your best bets. It’s not an area known for quality drinking holes (though there is always The Ritz). So get lost in a whirl of groceries that you can’t afford, head downstairs and perch here for an hour. Handy for: The Criterion Theatre and the Theatre Royal and Her Majesty’s on Haymarket.

The Harp: On the neat little cusp of Leicester Square and Covent Garden, this pub is a great pit stop if you’re heading to the theatre this end of town and have a bit of time to kill. It gets busy, but it’s such a fun place to drink. And it’s very convenient for lots of theatres. Handy for: The Coliseum, Wyndhams, The Garrick,  The Noel Coward and The Lyceum. Told you it was a good one.

Enjoy the show!

Photo by me! There are more here.