QUESTION: Can you give me the names of companies from whom I may order theater tickets in London?
ANSWER: There are a number of companies in the United States that sell tickets for London shows and all of them add varying service charges to the cost of the ticket at the box office.A seat in the best part of the house for "Les Miserables," for instance, would cost about $40 at the theater in London and from $59 to $61 through a ticket agency in the United States.
But the companies say they buy up large blocs of the best seats, making it unlikely that individual theatergoers would be able to obtain the best tickets for the hottest shows on their own at all.
Less-expensive but still-desirable tickets are usually available at the box office, however, often on the day of performance.
In addition bargains for some shows are often to be had at the Leicester Square Half-Price Ticket Booth, in the heart of the West End. The booth sells tickets for day of performance only. It is open Monday to Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. for matinees and from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. for evening shows.
London tickets can be ordered through the following: Keith Prowse Ticket Agency, 234 West 44th Street, New York, N.Y. 10035 (212-302-7078 or 800-669-7469); Edwards & Edwards, 1 Times Square Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10036 (212-944-0290 or 800-223-6108 outside New York); Sterling Tours, 2707 Congress Street, San Diego, Calif. 92110 (619-299-3010 or 800-727-4359); London Theater and More, 10565 Katy Freeway, Houston, Tex. 77024 (713-777-1512); London Stages, 18455 Burbank Boulevard, Tarzana, Calif. 91356 (818-881-8433 or 800-729-0029); London Showline, 130 Skyline Drive, Ringwood, N.J. 07456 (201-962-9246 or 800-962-9246).
Keith Prowse has a number of offices in London, including one at in the basement of Harrods, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7XL (589 1101). The Edwards & Edwards head office is at 156 Shaftesbury Avenue, London WC2 8HL (379 5822).
QUESTION: I am planning a trip to North Miami Beach and was wondering if there are any golf schools in that area.
ANSWER: Three of the most active golf schools in that part of Florida are the Jimmy Ballard Golf Workshop in Miami, the John Jacobs' Practical Golf School at the Sheraton Bonaventure Resort and Spa in Fort Lauderdale and the Bill Skelley Schools of Golf in Miami Lakes.
The Ballard school, which is open all year, offers 10 hours of instruction on all aspects of the game for $500. Group instruction at a driving range is held Tuesday and Wednesday and Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Private lessons on the range are available at $55 an hour, with a minimum of an hour.
On-course playing lessons are not included but are available for $125 for nine holes. Accommodations at the Doral Hotel and Country Club next to the school come in a variety of packages.
More information: Jimmy Ballard Golf Workshop, 4400 NW 87th Avenue, Miami, Fla. 33178 (305-592-2000).
The John Jacobs school, which is open from Oct. 8 to June 17, offers weekend and weekly programs. The Saturday and Sunday courses, which are held every other week starting Oct. 14, cost $195 for nine hours of instruction over the two days. On Feb. 3 the rate will go up to $245.
The weeklong courses cost $1,250 a person, going up to $1,350 from Jan. 7 to May 20, when they go back to $1,250. They include instruction, greens and cart fees, accommodations for two people in a room and most meals.Students check in Sunday night and leave Saturday morning.
More information: John Jacobs' Practical Golf School, 7350 East Evans Drive, Suite C112, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85260 (602-991-8587; 800-472-5007 outside Arizona).
The Bill Skelley school, which is open from Oct. 15 to May 15, offers programs lasting three days (21 hours of instruction from Friday to Sunday), four days (28 hours, Friday to Monday) and seven days (41 hours, Saturday to Friday). The rates, which include instruction, greens fees, double-occupancy accommodations at the Miami Lakes Inn and Resort and most meals, are $649 a person for three days, $789 for four days and $1,049 for seven days.
More information: Bill Skelley Schools of Golf, Miami Lakes Inn and Resort, Main Street, Miami Lakes, Fla. 33014 (800-231-4173 inside Florida; 800-245-2537 outside Florida).
QUESTION: Can you advise us how best to spend Nov. 7, anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution, in Moscow?
ANSWER: The most spectacular event of the day is the morning parade in Red Square, when Soviet political leaders assemble atop Lenin's tomb and review a parade of thousands of workers, soldiers and military weapons.
The area around Red Square will be thronged with Muscovites celebrating at sidewalk samovars and ice cream stands, making it a good place for people-watching.
Many family groups also stroll in Gorky Park. The Bolshoi Ballet will be performing that day. And at 9 p.m. there will be firework displays at up to 20 locations in the city. For a very traditional Russian lunch or dinner try the restaurant at the National Hotel, 3 Gorky Street: it's about a hundred yards from the Kremlin.
QUESTION: I believe there is a travel newsletter that addresses the concerns of diabetics. Do you have any details?
ANSWER: The newsletter you have in mind is "The Diabetic Traveler," published by Maury Rosenbaum at Post Office Box 8223, Stamford, Conn. 06905.
It is published four times a year and each issue focuses on a particular destination. The most recent issue dealt with Paris; the fall issue will feature Tokyo.
The Paris issue covers such general topics as making insulin adjustments over time zones and making injections during a flight. It also contains the names, addresses and phone numbers of diabetic organizations and English-speaking physicians in Paris, a list of emergency phrases in French and a list of generic and French brand names of medications.
The newsletter, which costs $19 a year, is available at a one-year introductory subscription rate of $14.95.