© Ian Fletcher - flickr.com/itfletcher
Following Chris Osburn’s charming recommendations are five picturesque places that showcase the best of London’s history from blogger Pete Stean of The Londoneer. There’s nothing that warms the cockles of your cockney heart like discovering that there’s a pie shop which has been open for over a hundred years and will still serve you jellied eels and Sarsaparilla. Ashleigh Arnott
The first ever London Comedy Film Festival kicks off today (January 27) at BFI Southbank, attempting to brighten up what is officially the most depressing week of the year. Highlights include a ‘green carpet’ screening of ‘The Muppets’ this evening, the UK premiere of the French comedy ‘The Fairy’ (also today) and special screenings of ‘Life Is Sweet’ and ‘Shaun of The Dead’ introduced by Edgar Wright (Saturday). Sunday sees a reading of lost Galton and Simpson script ‘The Day Off’ with a cast including Kevin Eldon and Morwenna Banks. And if you fancy yourself as a comedy filmmaker, check out the classes and workshops in the ‘Kickstart Your Comedy Career’ strand. Plus, if you are on the south bank this evening between 9.30-10.30pm, make sure you look up at the London Eye as it will be transformed in to a big smiley face especially for the occasion. Anna Smith
For info, see locofilmfestival.com, and check out our interview with Wright where we discuss the festival (and other matters).
Yes, that’s right party people: not only can you dance the night away to an array of singalong pop numbers at Guilty Pleasures on Saturday 28 January, but they’re also dedicated to getting you in shape this month with their ‘Let’s Get Physical’ (geddit?) special at Koko. So if you’re feeling, err, guilty about the non event that was your New Year fitness plan of attack, you can tell Father Oates all about it in the Guilty Pleasures Confessional Booth, or work through it on the dancefloor as you lunge along to their aerobic dance routines on Koko’s huge stage.
For info, see Guilty Pleasures listing.
The geography of Nick Drake’s London was never exact. His record company famously claimed they had no idea where he lived; received wisdom has it that he spent much of his time in and around Hampstead, possibly Haverstock Hill; the only journalist that ever interviewed him noted that he barely existed at all. And so the shadowy streets and decaying railway arches of Shoreditch seem congruous enough to stage the next movement in the making of Nick Drake’s myth. Read the full post…
No reservations restaurants, which champion the rights of spontaneous diners but also maximise the numbers of bums on seats for the restaurateurs, is a trend that is growing and spreading. And in their wake are trails of customers curling out front doors. The queues outside the first Wagamama were legendary in the 1990s, and queuing to get into Tayyab’s became a rite of passage in the Noughties. But who will have the biggest queues this year? It’s no longer just the budget places such as Spuntino in Soho that attract long lines. Two newcomers that have taken the queue upmarket are Pizarro in Bermondsey, a smart Spanish joint; and Burger & Lobster in Mayfair, which has a limited menu but knockout cocktails.
For more ideas, see London’s Best No Booking Restaurants.
Events will be taking place all over London and the rest of the country to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day on January 27. Communities across the capital will be remembering those whose lives were destroyed during the Holocaust under Nazi persecution and in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur. Events range from lectures and discussions to film screenings and reflective services. Read the full post…
In anticipation of this year’s carnival celebrations, Friday Late at the V&A are bringing the heat of Brazil to dreary London on January 27. The evening will showcase the very best of Brazilian design and visual culture, with music and performance, installations, talks, workshops and films. João Brasil will be spinning some contemporary Brazilian tunes and a Samba flash mob will storm the usually hushed halls of the museum. Installations include ‘Free Advice’, where visitors are invited to share their problems and receive a special hand-typed Brazilian ‘prescription’ for their troubles (in the form of a Bossa Nova song lyric or poem). Have a game of Super Pong or Brazilian table football, take in talks on Brazilian music and architecture or pick up a prop and become a Brazilian soap star. If you fancy something a bit more relaxing, screenings of ‘Graffiti Fine Art’ and the critically acclaimed ‘Waste Land’ will also be taking place.
For info, see vam.ac.uk.
The Hummingbird Bakery have said the magic words – ‘free cupcakes’. Yes, you read that right, I’m not just teasing. You can get in on this sugary freebie if you head down to their new shop in the Angel Building on Friday January 27 at 11am. Better be quick though, as only the first 1,000 people through the door will have their sweaty palms crossed with a icing-laden treat. All you need to do is get down there early, battle the Hummingbirdophiles and say ‘Islington’ when you get to the counter. You’re welcome.
Angel Building, 403-411 St John Street, EC1 4LD; for info, see hummingbirdbakery.com.
Glassworks Studios is an online store that sells a failsafe blend of premium high street and contemporary designer labels- including lots of our favourites like Acne, Iro and Levis. But if you still can’t quite get your head around buying online (which bit of the keyboard does my credit card go in? Do the clothes squeeze out of the CD drive?) then for the next couple of weeks you can call in on the store’s real life pop up until February 11 at 9 Mercer Street in Covent Garden’s St Martin’s Courtyard. As an extra draw, lots of the stock will be on sale- from Sass & Bide jeans for £66 to Karen Walker printed blazers for £150.
For info, see stmartinscourtyard.co.uk.
Primrose Hill, sunrise. Photo: mikerolls.
A while ago, we put out the call for Instagram enthusiasts to submit us their favourite London snaps by using the #timeoutlondon tag. We recently received our 1,000th submission, so to celebrate, here are ten beautiful shots sent our way recently…
Advertisement
Now. Here. This. Be the first to know what's on in London with the Time Out blog. Check in here for insider news, tips and deals from the worlds of food, fashion, arts, culture and more. Consider it your ultimate newsfeed for daily London life.
Advertisement
