Work Hard, Party Hard: Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes

Bedford Way, Russell Square, London, WC1

Work hard, party hard... that's one of my former bosses back in Spain motto. And I am starting to find out that it is a real thing here in London. At least in the company I am currently working for...

There in the company I work for they have a pretty weird habit: every single Friday, at 5pm, everybody stops working and starts drinking. As easy as that. They buy loads and loads of beers, vodka bottles, scotch, wine and watever the people prefers (the company pays for it), and from 5 to 6-6.30 everybody goes in a crazy office-binge. Some guys drink in the pool room, some others in front of their computer... it is a bloody friendly thing, and eventually the best way to meet people and improve your networking.

Yesterday was indeed one of those crazy days. After having some booze in the office, we went Leicester Square, were the company had a promotional stand. Some guys played Texas Hold'em poker (it was the Poker in The Park event, one of the most important poker promotional events in Europe), some others, more cautious, we just enjoyed the music and the well-looking hostesses.

And after that, it was Jason's birthday party. Jason is one of the bosses, and indeed a great guy. He booked a karaoke room for us in a great party place: the Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes, in Russel Square, very close to the British Museum (and very close to my favourite Oxfam bookshop as well). The place is a nice mixture between one of those bowling places you can find in commercial malls in Spain and an american deco Hard Rock Cafe. It had all the extras you might imagine: several karaoke rooms (I've checked today the booking prices and they are quite expensive, over 40 quid per hour, though), a pool table, a nice terrace for smokers. I met quite a lot of people, some of them Spaniards, and had a great time.

Top spots of the place?

1.The karaoke room, whith an awesome sound quality,

2.the ten bowling lanes (which unfortunately you have to book in advance)

3. the space invaders free arcade machine :D,

4. and the partying mood all over the place, stuffed with students and fresh people.

The worse things, however, are related with the actual stuff this blog is devoted to: the beer. They didn't have a wide range of them, and the only lager was Pitburger, a German one I don't quite appreciate. Even worse, they run out of it in one hour, so I had to go for the bottled types. I enjoyed Asahi, but a pint glass in your hands is one of those things that make the difference...

Eventually, I finished quite drunk, of course. This is one of the consequences you get when you go out on the UK way: drink much, hardly dance and eat nothing at all since lunch (yeah, I remember you lunch here is at 12.30...). So far, it worth it!