After Hours

Tsar's Bar in London's Langham Hilton, 1 Portland Place, W1 (071-636 1000) is a great Russian bar - it serves 56 kinds of vodka] There's a real Russian playing pretty perky accordion in the corner and they use glasses shaped like an upside-down pyramid. It's great around cocktail time. On a clear evening, the sun is in the right position to get a beautiful view over the river from the Thames Foyer lounge in the Savoy Hotel, The Strand, WC2 (071-836 4343). I really think Londoners miss out by not doing these things. There are waiters in white gloves, and someone plays a white parlour grand with Noel Coward figures painted in black around the edge. It's the sort of place you can really sit and talk. Of course the timing of when you go to these places is all important.

When I'm in London I binge on theatre, five nights a week. If there's no theatre, however, I like Quaglino's restaurant, 16 Bury St, SW1 (071- 930 6767). The acoustics are dreadful, but it's a place to be seen, and there's a wonderful staircase for entering down. The best seats are in the centre. The food is what I call Californian - everything from caviar to fish and chips, and steamed spinach to die for. A couple having, say, the house champagne, can get out for about pounds 80. Everyone's going to the Atlantic Bar and Grill at the moment, a huge bar near Piccadilly, 20 Glasshouse St, W1 (071-734 4888) but I can't bear cigarette smoke so I don't go out dancing much any more. Of course I won't do any of these things when I open my Avengers Studio Kafe in Covent Garden in spring 1995 because it will provide them all - TV studio, dance floor, champagne bar. . . it'll be the first Sixties- themed bar in London, and I'll be seen there every evening, looking after people.

Linda Thorson stars in a series of 'Avengers' videos, recently released. She now lives in Canada

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