by jnoelbell
Last week was officially the most miserable week of the year. Holiday debt, failed resolutions, and dreary weather all combined to make us long for some kind, any kind of escape. But if you can't afford to jet away for a getaway, try these mini mid-city oases instead.
It's easy to forget how cold it is outside when inside it's all Blue Hawaii's and Hurricanes indoors at South London Pacific, a genuine tiki bar in the heart of Kennington. With theme nights like "Hula Boogie" and "Club Aloha" it's easy to pretend you're stranded on a Polynesian island. Beachy retro-kitsch and umbrella drinks, set to a backdrop of vintage 50s jive and swing tunes will thaw out even the most frosty urban refugee.
If leis and luaus aren't spicy enough for you, try Favela Chic - a Brazilian themed hotspot with an edge. Decked out like a favela, (the infamous shanty-towns of Rio), it's romanticised ghetto-chic, with an equatorial South American flavour. Part restaurant, part bar, part samba club, you can fill yourself on feijoada, wash it down with caipirinhas, and then dance the night away to the Brazilian beats spun by DJ Gringo da Parada.
Engage in a little escapism - shake your booty south of the border and ensure the clouds of the year's most miserable week have melted completely away.