Alex Sims

For many of us, it’s just another standard weekend in the capital, but for parents it’s two more days of a seemingly never-ending February half-term. But, don’t panic. Of all the half-terms in the year, this is the one with the largest number of things for kids to do indoors with the Imagine Festival at the Southbank Centre – probably the biggest annual event in the London kids’ calendar – and plenty more on besides, from a Robot Zoo at the Horniman to the new Ancient Egypt exhibition at the Young V&A.  For those who don’t have little ones to occupy, entertain yourself with some top-notch culture this weekend including the Whitechapel Gallery’s brilliant exhibition of ​​Donald Rodney’s work, Coral Wylie’s excellent debut play about memories and the relationship we share with our parents, and the Barbican Centre’s club night showcasing the best of London’s DIY music scene. Or go on a bar crawl claiming free cocktails for National Margarita Day. Brave the cold, and get out there!  Start planning a great month now with our round-up of the best things to do in March.  Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. 

February half-term is here again – oh joy. Usually the coldest and wettest of school holidays, it’s not that promising on paper, but London always rises to the challenge magnificently – of all the half-terms, this is the one that boasts the large number of things for kids to do indoors, with the mighty Imagine Festival at the Southbank Centre probably the biggest annual event in the London kids’ calendar, and plenty more on besides, from a Robot Zoo at the Horniman to the new Ancient Egypt exhibition at the Young V&A. I’m Time Out’s lead kids’ writer – because I have to amuse my own children over the holidays – and here are my top suggestions for the half-term, from brand new exhibitions and plays to your last chance to see a couple of excellent attractions for younger audiences. And remember: this is London, and there’s always loads of things for youngsters to do, from enjoying the city’s many child-friendly museums and galleries that really come into their own when school is out, to taking in one of the many, many children’s theatres that our glorious city and its surrounds have to offer. When is February half-term this year?  This year, London’s February half-term officially falls between Monday February 17 and Friday February 21 (ie they will continuously be off Saturday February 15 to Sunday February 23).  Here’s our roundup of all the best things to do with your children this February half-term. 

London is a marvellous place to be on Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re flying solo, newly coupled-up or you’ve been with your other half for yonks, this city is guaranteed to have something for you to get busy with on Friday February 14 2025. Go down the tried-and-trusted route and plan a romantic dinner or hotel stay for a belated celebration. Or opt or opt for something a little unorthodox and alternative, like a spoken word night themed around bad Valentine’s poetry, a love-themed art market or a trip to the theatre to see a spoofy take on Titanic. Prefer to hunker down in the dark of the cinema and immerse yourself in a good film? Pop-up cinemas and special Valentine’s screenings rule London’s film scene this February. Whatever kind of Valentine’s date night you’re after, you should find the perfect match in our roundup of 45 great things to do on the big day. And be sure to check out our comprehensive guide to Valentine’s Day in London for advice on everything from romantic wine bars to fancy spa trips to where to pick up flowers and chocolates. It’s got something to tickle everyone’s fancy.

For many Londoners, it’s just another standard week in the capital, but for parents the third week of February means half-term. But, don’t panic. Of all the half-terms in the year, this is the one with the largest number of things for kids to do indoors with the Imagine Festival at the Southbank Centre – probably the biggest annual event in the London kids’ calendar – and plenty more on besides, from a Robot Zoo at the Horniman to the new Ancient Egypt exhibition at the Young V&A.  For those who don’t have little ones to occupy, entertain yourself with some top-notch culture including the Whitechapel Gallery’s brilliant exhibition of ​​Donald Rodney’s work, Coral Wylie’s excellent debut play about memories and the relationship we share with our parents, and the Barbican Centre’s club night showcasing the best of London’s DIY music scene. Brave the cold, and get out there! Start planning: here’s our roundup of the 25 best things to do in London in 2025 Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

The first couple of weeks of the New Year can feel like a long old slog, but February is already on the horizon. And if you’ve spent the last few cold, dark weeks hibernating at home (very understandable) we’d urge you to think about going outside again soon, because February’s social calendar is surprisingly busy, with a bunch of important dates packed into its short four weeks including Valentine’s Day, London Fashion Week and LGBTQ+ History Month.  From Cate Blanchett’s return to the West End in The Seagull and Tate Modern’s exhibition on 80s maverick Leigh Bowery, to Young V&A’s second major exhibition Making Egypt and Jonathan Bailey’s star turn in Richard II, there are a healthy number of art openings and big-name stage productions premiering across the month.  And, if you’ve got kids, there’s loads of stuff on to entertain them during the February half-term fun, from the Southbank’s Imagine Children’s Festival to two weeks’ worth of activities for young cinephiles at the BFI.  And there’s plenty more on besides all that. Seize your chance to have some fun this February, with our guide to the best things happening in London over the month. RECOMMENDED:🎨 The best art exhibitions opening in London this February 🎭 The best theatre shows opening in London this February🍽️ The best new London restaurants opening this February🎤 The best gigs happening in London in February😂 The best comedy show to see in London this February

Have you noticed that everyone seems to be doing Pilates right now? Well, there’s good reason. Developed by German trainer Joseph Pilates in the 1920s, the exercise regime is low-impact but does absolute wonders for your muscles (including your core) – and it’ll sort out a load of other issues form bad posture to balance, too. Celebs, dancers and elite athletes swear by it and now all sorts of new studios are popping up over the city. If you wanna get a bit more bendy, toned and powerful, look no further than one of these expert pilates classes. What’s more, it doesn’t matter whether they’re mat-based, inspired by ballet or take place on a reformer machine (they’re not as scary as they look, we promise), these fun and fancy studios won’t leave you bent out of shape. Here are the best pilates classes in London. Fancy testing that new-found flexibility? Try one of these yoga classes in London next.  RECOMMENDED: The best sport and fitness in London

New Year’s resolutions not gone quite to plan yet? No worries, because Chinese New Year has arrived and we have officially entered the Year of the Snake, meaning there’s a second chance to get a fresh start for this year. Also known as the Lunar New Year, the Spring Festival, Tet and Seollal, it’s celebrated across many more countries in South Asia including Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia and the Philippines, as well in many diaspora communities around the globe.  The official start of the new lunar calendar is another chance to wipe the slate clean and start afresh for a more positive new year. And we can all get behind that! When is Chinese New Year celebrated in London in 2025? In 2025 Chinese New Year fell on Wednesday 29 January, ushering in the Year of the Snake. But don’t worry because you haven’t missed all of the festivities. On Sunday, February 2 London’s Chinatown, Trafalgar Square and the West End will fill up with hundreds of thousands of revellers, in the biggest Lunar New Year celebration in the world outside of Asia. The centrepiece of the festivities is a spectacular parade, as well as free performances and, of course, feasting galore. What does the Year of the Snake mean? The sixth animal in the cycle of the 12 Chinese zodiac signs, the snake represents wisdom, transformation, intuition and resilience. The last Year of the Snake was in 2013, and you’re known as a snake if you were born in 2001, 1989, 1977, 1965, 1953 or 194

Thank god for Burns Night. As the long, bleak month of January rolls on, this kilt-raising, haggis-scoffing, whisky-fuelled celebration of Scotland’s national poet Rabbie Burns is a chance to banish the winter blues and have a rip-roaring time. The Bard turns 266 this year, but you don’t have to be in the big guy’s motherland to join in the festivities. An estimated 200,000 Scottish expats live in the capital, which technically makes it the third most populous Scottish city, so you can guarantee there’s plenty of feasting, boozing and partying to be done down here too.  When is Burns Night in London? Burns Night always falls on January 25, the day Robert Burns was born in South Ayrshire way back in 1759. With this year’s celebration falling on a Saturday, you can probably expect this year’s festivities to be even more raucous than usual. Whether you want to get sweaty at a ceilidh, pipe in a haggis, or have a classy time at a whisky tasting or indulgent Burns supper, this is how you can enjoy Burns Night 2025 in London.  RECOMMENDED: Here are London's best spots for a delicious Burns Night supper.

April is an underrated month if you ask us. Winter is finally over and everyone starts to emerge from hibernation, ready to properly commit to socialising again. By this time of the year the sun has usually put in a few appearances, London’s parks and gardens are in full bloom and the city feels alive with all the possibilities of summer, but without all the sunburn and sweltering, sleepless nights.  There’s also a handful of spring music festivals, some cracking art exhibitions and theatre (including the first open-air shows of the year) and plenty more amazing things going on around the city.  Check out our roundup of the best of them, and start planning an amazing month now.  RECOMMENDED: Find more inspiration with our roundup of the best things to do this week

It’s easy to fall in love with the Yorkshire coastal town of Whitby, made up of seaside boardwalks, narrow alleys and charming, shop-lined streets. All set to the backdrop of the looming, gothic ruins of Whitby Abbey.  I’ve spent many fond times in Whitby and the surrounding sleepy, seaside villages of Sandsend, Staithes and Robin Hood’s Bay, and I never get bored.  It’s steeped in maritime legacy and gothic heritage with its strong links to Captain Cook and Dracula, but also has an abundance of picturesque walks, breathtaking scenery and good, old-fashioned seaside fun (with arcades, great fish and chips, and lemon top of course). With plenty to do, here’s the best things to do in Whitby. RECOMMENDED:🏖️ The best beaches in the UK🍻 The best beer gardens in the UK🚵‍♀️ The ultimate guide to Yorkshire☀️ The best seaside towns in the UK Vicky Chandler is a writer based in Harrogate. She spends a lot of time in nearby Whitby. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Oh, January. The first month of the year gets a pretty bad rep, what with the depleted bank accounts, freezing temperatures and general post-Christmas malaise that it usually entails. But it isn’t all bad. For one thing, it’s the ideal time to discover London on a budget and without the crowds, while many of city’s very best theatre and musicals, restaurants and bars – ranked definitively by Time Out's crew of expert local editors – offer discounted tickets and cheap meal deals to entice you out of the house during the coldest and darkest days of the year. Believe it or not, but January can also a time for celebration, too. London will once again be playing host to plenty of Burns Night ceilidhs, haggis suppers and poetry readings commemorating Scotland’s most famous poet, plus dinners and parades in celebration of the Lunar New Year, which falls nice and early in 2025, on January 29. If you’re someone who likes to commit to a month of sobriety or a punishing new exercise regime at the start of the New Year, London definitely has your back too. The city is home to countless excellent sports clubs and fitness classes, plus dozens of glorious parks and spectacular walking routes, and there’s arguably nowhere that better caters for the sober and sober-curious. Of course, if you’d rather just settle in by an open fire at one of the city’s cosiest pubs instead, then there’s absolutely no judgement from us! However you’re planning to spend January, we hope it’s the start of a very

Does life ever feel like a constant stream of events and occasions you need to buy gifts for? Birthdays, anniversaries, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, new babies... There’s always something around the corner that demands you get your thinking cap on to conjure up the perfect gift. And if your little grey cells are struggling to think of what’s best to buy, let us kindly direct you to the best present that’s always a guaranteed crowd-pleaser: a beautiful bunch of flowers.  But, don’t just settle for any old wilting posy from your nearest gas station. You’re better than that, and so is the person you’re gifting to. We have your back and luckily Houston is packed with elegant, colorful and, most importantly, convenient florists where you can order blooms straight to your door for the very next day – or in some cases, the exact same day?  Seeking even more inspiration? Treat that special someone to a meal at one of the best restaurants in Houston or go try one of the best things to do in Houston. And if you need somewhere to stay? Check out the best Airbnbs in Houston. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Staying up late in one of the Barbican’s iconic Brutalist foyers to listen to the best of London’s DIY music scene sounds like a pretty epic evening. The Barbican’s ClubStage will be making way for south London producer and multi-instrumentalist Wu-Lu, who’ll be spinning his eclectic record collection that’s inspired his punk-rap sound at this night celebrating the capital’s grassroots music scene. He’ll be joined by goth hardcore rapper Denzel Himself and queer multi-instrumentalist and producer Sheiva, who’ll all be making noise until 2.30am. If you’re looking for a club night with a difference, you’ve found it. 

It might have had a makeover a couple of years ago, but Jeremy Lee’s Quo Vardis still oozes old-school Soho and has been rustling up some of the capital’s finest food since 2012. Now it’s collaborating with its favourite producers and suppliers for a programme of tasty-sounding culinary events.  Announced so far is a celebration of caviar and vodka on February 19, a supper focussing on quality British meat from famous butcher Swaledale on March 19, Basque cooking from Tomos Parry on April 23, a menu paired with Journey’s End’s wines from the West Cape of the Stellenbosch on May 7 and a supper from four of London’s most interesting wine-focused restaurants – 40 Maltby Street, Planque, Camille and Cadet – in June. They’ll be sure to sell out fast, so keep an eye out for ticket releases for each event by signing up to the Quo Vadis Rocket newsletter. 

Do you have a dog-eared copy of Hamnet on your bedside table? Meet Maggie O’Farrell the author behind the best-seller, as well as eight further novels, at this talk with BBC culture journalist Katie Razzall. Expect the evening to touch on everything from O’Farrell’s writing practice, her memoir, I Am, I Am, I Am, detailing 17 near-death experiences which have punctuated her life and her most recent novel, The Marriage Portrait, which was shortlisted for the Women’s Prize.

The famous and historic London rowing contest between the UK’s oldest two universities returns for its 170th edition on Sunday April 13, when crews from Oxford and Cambridge go head-to-head in eight-oared rowing boats across the Thames. Beginning in 1829 for chaps and 1927 for ladies, the annual fixture now attracts around 250,000 spectators to south-west London every year. The four-and-a-quarter mile course runs along the Thames from Putney Bridge to Mortlake and takes around 16 to 18 minutes (Cambridge holds the course record of 16 minutes 19 seconds, set in 1998). The women’s race is usually up first, followed by the men’s race an hour later. Spectators can watch the BBC’s coverage of the race large screens at two riverside Fan Zones in Hammersmith and Fulham, where they’ll also find covered seating, street food vendors, bars and toilet facilities. Putney Bridge, Hammersmith and Kew Gardens tube stations will all be in use on the day, as will Putney, Barnes Bridge, Mortlake or Chiswick rail stations, while Putney Embankment, Thames Bank, Hammersmith Bridge and Barnes Bridge will be closed to vehicles for much of the day.

Brilliant news for bookworms: London has a brand new literature festival. The Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words will be exploring how words shape our world all while celebrating its heritage as the home of London’s printing press. The headliners already on the bill include  Booker Prize-winning author Ben Okri and Kate Mosse OBE. Elsewhere there’ll be talks from screenwriter Ed Docx and author Mick Herron on the process of bringing TV hit Slow Horses from book to screen; Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, Iain Dale, and Sir Richard Evans will discuss history’s lessons from its most notorious dictators, Jeremy Vine will present new crime fiction series Murder on Line One; Nick Wallis (The Great Post Office Scandal) and Caroline Wheeler (Death in the Blood) will spotlight the power of long-form investigative journalism and there’ll also be talks on Samuel Pepys’ Diary, the real Wolf Hall and the life of Thomas Cromwell and breakfast events with The Times and the Daily Telegraph to explore the biggest news headlines for the day. The whole festival will be analysing how words can shift the balance of power from censorship to freedom of speech to technology and AI, so expect some especially insightful discussions.  Full line-up and ticket information to be announced in March

Head to St Nicholas Church, tucked down a quiet sidestreet in Deptford, and you’ll see a pair of huge stone skulls above crossed bones on its gateposts. It’s thought that these ghoulish sculptures were the inspiration behind the famous Jolly Roger skull-and-cross-bones pirate flag. So, it’s fitting that just up the road in Greenwich, the National Maritime Museum is putting on a huge exhibition unearthing the truth behind the infamous swashbuckling sailors. Pirates will trace the changing depictions of pirates through the ages and reveal what the brutal reality of pirate life was like behind the mythologised fictionalised accounts we’ve all grown up with. Explore piracy in popular culture – from comical characters like Captain Pugwash and Captain Hook to anti-heroes like Long John Silver and Captain Jack Sparrow, the global history of piracy and issues of modern piracy facing seafarers today. You’re in for a buccaneering time, me’hearties. 

Back for its fifteenth edition, the Cinema Made In Italy festival will be celebrating the best new Italian cinema and filmmakers at its new home at BFI Southbank. Over five days, the festival will screen 10 of the best contemporary Italian films, including biopics, period drama, historical epics, noir thrillers and documentaries. Much of the programme will be receiving its first screening in the UK and some screenings will feature talks from the directors and cast members. This year look out for Francesca Comencini’s The Time It Takes charting her relationship with her famous filmmaker father, Anywhere Anytime from Milad Tangshir portraying Issa, an African migrant scratching out a living in Turin, a special archive screening of the classic Italian comedy Bread, Love and Dreams and Andrea Segre’s biopic of a popular communist Italian political leader Enrico Berlinguer, The Great Ambition. 

Multifarious and ubiquitous, textiles are the global artform – every culture uses them, and since ancient times humans have used them to tell stories, express their individuality and celebrate our relationship with the natural world. This exhibition brings together a collection of colourful, beautiful and often unexpected objects – some of which have never been shown in the UK before – which show how we’ve used our ‘second skin’ throughout the centuries. Look out for an Egyptian wedding dress, ceremonial outfits from Japan, China, Afghanistan, Guatemala, Nigeria and India, hand-painted Chinese silk tapestry scrolls, an embroidered panel celebrating the lesbian and gay support of the 1980s miners’ strike and Aboriginal work. 

From Pamela Anderson’s Ferrari red bathing suit on Baywatch to 1980s Speedos, the world of swimwear has given us some eye-catching moments over the years. The Design Museum’s exhibition Splash! A Century of Swimming and Style explores the evolution of bathing suits and how the garments have reflected our approach to swimming. Beginning in the 1920s, which swimwear began to be marketed for swimming rather than the Victorian’s preference for bathing, the exhibition will chart how what we wear on beach holidays and in the pool has evolved and the changing role of swimming in modern life including how it’s shaped our ideas of the body, autonomy, agency and environment. Look out for the Olympic medal given to  Lucy Morton, the first British woman to win a solo Olympic title in swimming in 1924, one of the earliest surviving examples of a bikini, the hugely controversial LZR Racer swimsuit and displays examining merfolk, sea people, water spirits and nymphs. 

This mammoth Art Deco building has a history of illustrious guests. Over the years, musical icons including Diana Ross, Madonna, Lady Gaga, The Killers and Jimi Hendrix have bedded down here, largely due to the fact it was just around the corner from the original Hard Rock Café, with the place eventually branding itself as the Hard Rock Hotel in 2019.  In 2023, however, the Hard Rock branding was removed and the hotel reverted back to its previous name – The Cumberland, so-called after The Duke of Cumberland pub that used to exist nearby. Cue a big renovation and rebrand of the huge 900 hundred-room site. But, while the entrance shows no sign of its former musical associations, inside there are still plenty of references to its roots. Musical memorabilia and artwork fill the walls and corridors, each room has a record player and a selection of vinyl, and some suits even have an electric guitar to play. It’s also kept Hard Rock’s VIP ‘Backstage Area’ where, for a premium, guests can access a room off the main lobby with free refreshments.  The former Hard Rock Cafe on the ground floor has been transformed into the Sound Cafe, and it still retains its previous layout of tables fanned out around a main stage, where live music – an acoustic cover artist on our visit – is on the bill nearly every night of the week. The staff are friendly, but the food is an underwhelming mix of US-style classics and pub fodder. Considering guests have the whole of Mayfair on their doorstep, it may

What is it?  Seven books and nine films down the line, the world has lost none of its appetite for all things Harry Potter-related, which is why people just keep on coming to Warner Bros’ special exhibition, ‘The Making of Harry Potter.’  Just north of Watford, you’ll find the very warehouses and movie studios that played an integral part in the making of the Harry Potter film franchise. When the crew weren’t at real locations, they were creatively mocking up most of the scenes here in Leavesden. And they’re still standing strong. Given the sheer volume and Potter nerds, Warner Bros decided to leave everything where it was and expand the studios, so other films could still be produced here without interruption. It truly is a magical place. The props, sets and costumes have been lovingly maintained for what has become a permanent exhibition of the memorabilia. Wander through the workshops, storerooms and life-sized sets that were used for the series. Fans will be in heaven here. Step into some of the most iconic locations from the movies: the Great Hall at Hogwarts, Diagon Alley and, of course, Platform 9¾ with the gleaming Hogwarts Express steam train. General cinephiles will also appreciate learning more about behind-the-scenes trickery: the special effects, animatronics and methods by which more outlandish characters were brought to life.  You can also get your chops around a flagon of butterbeer (don’t worry, as fans know, it’s kid-friendly), and if you fancy taking a souv

What is it? The Science Museum features seven floors of educational and entertaining exhibits, including the Apollo 10 command module and a flight simulator. The Wellcome Wing showcases developments in contemporary science, medicine and technology. The Medical History Gallery in the museum's attic contains a substantial collection of medical history treasures. Pattern Pod introduces under-eights to the importance of patterns in contemporary science and Launchpad is a popular hands-on gallery where children can explore basic scientific principles. Exhibits in the Exploring Space galleries include the three-metre-high, 600kg Spacelab 2 X-ray telescope that was flown on British space missions and full-scale models of the Huygens Titan probe and Beagle 2 Mars Lander. The Clockmakers' Museum, previously held at the Guildhall, is the oldest display of clocks and watches in the world, with most of the 1250 exhibits dating from between 1600 and 1850. The shop is also worth checking out for its wacky toys.  Why go? To see a fascinating showcase of human ingenuity, and get involved with a wealth of enthralling interactive exhibits.  Don’t miss: The museum has its own in-house IMAX cinema which shows scientific films in 3D, allowing visitors to be surrounded by space or submerged in the depths of the ocean. Tickets start at £11 for adults and £23 for a family of three, and booking is recommended. When to visit: Daily 10am-6pm (last admission 5.15pm). Peak times are at weekends, duri

When it comes to American sports, it doesn’t get any bigger than the Super Bowl. The NFL’s most prestigious competition is arguably the most important annual fixture in the country’s sporting calendar, with millions of Americans getting together at screening parties to watch the action on TV. But with over 200,000 Americans living in London, and the sport steadily growing in popularity among Brits, it’s also a reasonably big deal here too. Thousands of Londoners will be staying up til the early hours this Sunday to watch all the action from the New Orleans Superdome, where the game kicks off at 11.30pm UK time. Super Bowl LIX sees the Kansas City Chiefs attempt a three-peat against the Philadelphia Eagles, in a replay of 2022’s event, the first of the Chiefs’ back-to-back titles. As well as all the cheerleading, interceptions, touchdowns and numerous cutaways to Taylor Swift cheering on boyfriend Travis Kelce from the stands, there’s also the epic half-time show from Kendrick Lamar, who arrives in New Orleans fresh from picking up five awards at the Grammys last weekend. Of course, you could catch all the action on your TV at home. But for a raucous atmosphere, freshly-poured pints, themed snacks and all manner of live entertainment, head to one of these Super Bowl screening parties around the city.  The best places to watch Super Bowl LIX in London Bad Sports: Super Bowl LIX Remember Hackney’s Bad Sports Bar? The now-closed (but never forgotten) US-style bar that served slam

Fancy yourself a bit of an oenophile? Then you’ll probably already know that this coming Thursday is a pretty big day in the wine world. That’s because the third Thursday of November is Beaujolais Nouveau Day, i.e. the first day on which this year’s bottles of the good stuff are allowed to be sold. A gamay grape wine from the Beaujolais district of Burgundy, Beaujolais Nouveau is one of the few varieties of plonk that’s sold during the same year in which it’s produced. The juicy red has gained a bit of a following in London in recent years, with many of the capital’s favourite wine bars throwing special events to celebrate the cult cuvée. Here are some we especially like the look of.  Gordon’s Beaujolais Breakfast If Beaujolais Nouveau Day is the equivalent of Christmas in your world, then Gordon’s should be the first place you head to on the Big Day. London’s oldest wine bar is playing every oenophile’s St Nick, letting you sip on glasses of the good stuff bright and early from 8am on, so you can sample this year’s crop before everyone else. They’ll be serving up Full English brekkies to soak up all the booze, and nice strong coffees for anyone needing to sober up quickly. All the same, we’d probably still advise going into the office on this particular Thursday. Gordon’s Wine Bar. Thu Nov 16. Free entry. Top Cuvée Beaujolais Nouveau Masterclass If there’s a burgeoning trend on the British wine scene, you can bet that London’s most ‘banter’ wine merchants will be heavily i

Like NFTs and Orlando Bloom, sherry has long been tipped by those in the know to be due its big moment of glory, but somehow the giddy heights of ultimate popularity never came. No matter how successfully the fortified wine has shaken off its reputation as the sickly sweet drink your Gran would drag out every Christmas, unlike port or tequila, sherry has never fully experienced its moment in the sun. But, passing over the Spanish delicacy is a big fat miss on the part of any discerning oenophile. ‘Sherry is actually the driest wine in the world because of the way it's made,’ says Sandra, bar manager at Spanish importer and restaurant group Brindisa. ‘There are lots of completely different styles that are dry, fresh, salty and refreshing.’ The Jerez-made wine also has a far more storied heritage than you might think. ‘Sherry is a super classic ingredient in traditional mixology,’ says Sandra. ‘If you go to that golden era of mixology in the 18th and early 19th centuries you get a lot of sherry and old recipe books feature a lot of it too.’ A drink called the ‘Sherry Cobbler’ became hugely popular in the 1840s coinciding with the invention of the drinking straw, while another sherry cocktail, the ‘Artist’s Special’, was invented in Paris in the 1930s, becoming a favourite with Picasso and other artists living in the city at the time.  This week – November 6 to 12 – marks National Sherry Week and in celebration of its glitzy history we’ve rounded up the very best sherry cocktail

London is pretty stressful, right? In fact, complaining about stress – that annoying neighbour playing hardcore techno right under your bedroom ceiling every night or the mindfuck of trying to exit any Central line platform at Oxford Circus – is a time-honoured London pastime. But if you were forced to relax and then timed on how long it takes you to reach a calm level of zen? Well, that might well sound like the most disquieting experience of them all. However, in the name of peace and tranquillity, that’s exactly what’s coming to London this month.  The Extreme Relaxing UK Championships will be landing in the Kia Oval, a venue usually known for anxiety-inducing cricket matches. It’s Europe’s first-ever competitive event dedicated to relaxing and involves 30 frazzled people going head-to-head to see who can achieve a relaxed state against the clock in the face of stressful ‘obstacles’.  Each contestant will have their resting heart rate taken before competing in three heats. They’ll be tested, scientifically, for their speed at relaxing and their ability to recover from stressful surprises like car alarms and jarring TV clips, presumably playing scenes like accidentally cc’ing the wrong person into a *sensitive* email chain or being made to re-watch the Lionesses’ penalty shootout against Nigeria in the Fifa World Cup this week. The winner will be able to take these fraught experiences in their stride and reach a state of calm in the fastest time possible.  It may all sound

London is already doing its bit to reassess the patriarchy. The city is home to The Women’s Library at the London School of Economics and The Feminist Library in Peckham, and now a new glass-ceiling mashing institution is about to join the feminist fold.  Barking and Dagenham Council has announced plans to open a Women’s Museum later this year. If you live around Barking Wharf Square you may have already spotted the future site which is covered with a mural designed by artist Clare Mason displaying a timeline of local women’s history stretching from 600AD to the present day and featuring female trailblazers such as Mary Wollstonecraft, Muriel Lester and Doris Lester, Sandie Shaw and Zara McFarlane.  Psst! There’s no better day than #InternationalWomensDay to share a little SNEAK PEAK of what we're working on to celebrate the amazing women from our borough. Keep your eyes peeled 👀 for more info coming soon. #WomensMuseum pic.twitter.com/V70MgpdjsU — Barking and Dagenham (@lbbdcouncil) March 8, 2023 The space, which is linked to the local history service at timber-beamed Tudor manor Valence House Museum and Archives, aims to ‘showcase the history, heritage, stories and role of women from the local area and beyond.’ Due to open in late 2023, the programming will kick off with an exhibition by curator and artist Nephertiti Oboshie Schandorf on the Abbesses of Barking Abbey, exploring how the former Royal Monastery was home to radical and highly-educated women

London has one of the best public transport systems in the world. But anyone who’s spent a hot, sticky journey on the coach to Luton Airport or faced a long meandering trundle down the Piccadilly Line stressing about making a flight at Heathrow knows that travelling to the capital’s airports can be a trying experience.  That’s where the Heathrow Express comes in: the Uber executive of train journeys, the snazzy express service whisks passengers from Paddington Station to Heathrow Airport in just 15 minutes, making it the fastest direct rail route between central London and the UK’s biggest airport. But there’s a hefty price to pay for the speedy journey. The Heathrow Express is the second most expensive rail journey in Britain, costing £25, or £1.50 per mile for the 16.5-mile trip. This didn’t stop the Heathrow Express from generating a whopping £31 million in revenue in the first quarter of 2019, with people opting to pay a premium for stress-free travel. But things might be about to change for the high-speed service.  According to reports seen by The Times, the opening of the Elizabeth Line appears to have made a dent in the Express’s revenues. Heathrow Express’s passenger numbers apparently haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels despite flights at the airport being pretty much back to normal. Heathrow said revenues from Heathrow Express in the first three months of 2023 were at £22 million – a third less than during the first quarter of 2019. The new Lizzy Line gets you t

It’s that time of year again when the Michelin Guide bestows its shiny stars on the great and the good of the British and Irish restaurant scene. Yep, it’s Michelin awards ceremony day when chefs across the two nations wait in anticipation to see who has received new stars (and retained them) for 2023.   Whether or not you think that the awards are too highbrow, too European or too dwindling in relevancy, there’s no denying the clout that the big fat white man mascot still holds. Plus, those little stars can have a huge impact on a restaurant’s footfall, which is especially important right now after years of turbulence thanks to the pandemic, not to mention inflation, and rising food and energy costs.   As any proud London foodie knows, the capital is home to a wealth of brilliant restaurants. So it’s no surprise that London’s dining rooms usually occupy a good chunk of Michelin’s list. This year, there are four new one-star restaurants in the capital and two new two-stars. No new three stars were awarded in London this year. Only one restaurant has been given the proverbial chop and lost a star: Seven Park Place in Mayfair. Sadly one of the restaurants that held a Michelin star in 2022 has permanently closed: The Glasshouse in Kew.  Here’s the full list of new Michelin stars for London restaurants, and who’s in, and who’s out.  Which London restaurants have won a 2023 Michelin star? NEW ONE-STARS Cycene, Shoreditch – Theo Clench Luca, Clerkenwell – Robert Chambers St Ba

It rains in London. Lots. Even in the summer. It can also be quite chilly. This means you’ll frequently find Londoners on the hunt for interesting places to hide away from the elements. So, it’s sweet relief to know that our fine capital city houses the UK’s most popular indoor attraction, which surely makes it the UK’s very best indoor attraction (that’s what we’re claiming, anyway).  A ranking of visitor numbers by The Association of Leading Visitor Attractions has crowned the much-loved Natural History Museum in South Kensington the most-visited indoor attraction in the country. According to the data, a whopping 4,654,608 people passed through the grand doors of Alfred Waterhouse’s landmark romanesque building in 2022.  It’s no wonder that visitors flock to the capital’s cathedral of nature. The 142-year-old museum and research centre is home to more than 80 million items, including a cup made from a human skull, a life-size animated T-Rex, an earthquake simulator, cabinets full of sparkling gemstones and beautiful glass models of marine invertebrates. Even the entrance hall has a massive 25-metre-long blue whale skeleton hanging from the ceiling (called Hope, fyi). What’s more, it’s totally free to see all the main collections making it the perfect spot for a family-friendly day out or a fun pitstop to hide away from the weather on a day out.  The Cromwell Road institution isn’t the only indoor attraction in London to make the list. Ranked close behind it are the British

Huge news for anyone with a bladder who travels through London Waterloo Station on the reg: the UK’s busiest rail terminus is getting a massive toilet refresh, which will include the addition of gender-neutral lavs to ‘improve inclusivity’.  It’s all part of a big project to make the passenger experience at the station better. It involves giving the bathrooms a complete revamp with new and improved facilities and the installation of a ‘balanced number of female and male facilities’ as well as the new gender-neutral loos. Extra baby-changing areas and better access for those with reduced mobility are also promised. Network Rail has even released a fancy CGI graphic of what the new lavs will look like.  Photograph: Network Rail Construction of the new WCs is due to start in mid-February and be completed during the summer. Cem Davis, Network Rail’s London Waterloo station manager, hoped the new facilities ‘will make journeys a lot more pleasant and comfortable’. Ironically, given its name, Waterloo needs a real lav spruce-up. It’s repeatedly crowned the busiest railway station in the UK (an estimated 41 million passengers passed through its concourse in the 12 months to the end of March 2022). And it’s pretty clear that London is long overdue better toilets in general. A report from ​The London Assembly in 2021 found 90 percent of Londoners thought there weren’t enough public toilets in the capital, while another survey from the same year found 30 percent of the city’s so-call

Not since Bimini Bon Boulash sashayed down the runway on ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’ back in 2021 has anyone become a nationally revered gay icon as fast as Amanda Lovett from ‘The Traitors’.  The BBC reality TV show described as ‘the ultimate game of detection, backstabbing and trust’ became an unlikely hit at the end of last year. The premise: 22 people are taken to a remote castle in the Scottish Highlands. Among their number are three ‘traitors’ – a group of contestants selected by host Claudia Winkleman and tasked with covertly ‘murdering’ the other players – the ‘faithfuls’ – without being detected to steal a £120,000 prize fund for themselves. Basically, it’s a chaotic, long and very emotional version of ‘wink murder’.  Out of all the players, Welsh grandmother Amanda – who was picked as a ‘traitor’ on the first day of the contest – quickly stole our hearts. Her camp mix of warm, maternal energy and merciless ability to mastermind the perfect game-playing strategy made it feel like she’d wandered straight out of a Love of Huns Insta post.  It was only a matter of time before Amanda – aka the Welsh Dragon – did the rounds of the UK’s premier LGBTQ+ venues and tonight you’ll find her at Clapham’s long-established gay pub and club The Two Brewers.  She’ll be appearing at The Betray Ball alongside drag queen host Poppycock (who may or may not be channelling Winkleman in an overly chunky knitted jumper) for a meet and greet where guests can snap a picture with the star and catc

Move over sourdough – who wants to be reminded of that soggy starter you nursed like a Tamagotchi in deepest, darkest lockdown anyway? A new doughy delight has started flying off the shelves of bakeries around the world and now it’s arrived in London.  Sweet and pillowy soft, shokupan (aka Japanese milk bread) is taking over sourdough and focaccia as the internet’s bread du jour. Incredibly photogenic – you’ve probably seen your feed filling up with pictures of intricately sliced ‘sandos’ packed with neat stripes of rainbow-hued fillings – and with a unique, chewy texture, the bread sits somewhere between a bog-standard white loaf and brioche on the taste and texture scale and it’s now selling out in specialist bakeries everywhere from LA to Australia.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Happy Sky Bakery (@happyskybakery) In Tokyo, scores of cafes and bakeries churn out hundreds of the squishy white loaves daily where they’re served plain, toasted, in sandwiches, or shaped into cute animals and decorated with fruit. Its cloud-like fluffiness and milky sweetness are down to something called the ‘tangzhong’ method, where the baking process begins by mixing a tiny amount of flour with water or milk to create a base and give the bread a unique chewy bite, a bit like mochi.  Now Londoners can get their teeth into a slice at Hammersmith’s artisan Japanese bakery, Happy Sky. The only catch? It’ll set you back a bit at £11.40 per loaf.

Following in the footsteps of Ed Sheeran, Mark Wahlberg and Krept & Konan, ‘Emily in Paris’ actor Lucien Laviscount is the latest celebrity to join the London hospitality scene.  The 30-year-old who plays Alfie in the series has teamed up with restauranter Zac Lichman and head chef Gareth Drew (formerly of Nobu and Buddha Bar) to open The Wealthy Beggar in Kensal Rise.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Wealthy Beggar (@wealthybeggar.london) Described as a ‘five star dive bar’, the new joint has a speakeasy atmos, a menu packed with tropical cocktails and Pan-Asian tapas to soak them up with. Tipples include the ‘Loaded Dice’ – a piña colada style concoction with watermelon, banana, coconut, pineapple and three types of rum, and the ‘Velvet Hand’ which mixes together fresh pomegranate cordial, sparkling wine and apple-infused brandy. And from the kitchen, there’s an opulent selection of snacks including wagyu tartare with whipped foie gras and cheeseburger dumplings with kimchi ketchup. Fancy.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Wealthy Beggar (@wealthybeggar.london) But, perhaps the most exciting news is that they’ve teamed up with none other than dub and reggae legend Don Letts, who‘ll be overseeing the programming for the new venue, including live music every Wednesday, DJ sets and weekend parties. There’s even a recording studio on the bar’s lower floor.  View this