Steph Dye

Every year on January 25 (which falls on a Wednesday in 2016), Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, is celebrated with traditional food, verse, music – and drink. Even the Sassenach stronghold of London can’t resist the odd dram, so we've rounded up some of the best places to enjoy Burns Night suppers in London restaurants as well as some cracking Burns celebrations in London bars and clubs.

It’s hardly a secret that we Brits love a cup of tea. For those of you who strive for something slightly more original than your standard builder’s brew, we’ve put together a list of the best places to drink tea in London. These are places that have made tea-drinking an art, so whether you go mad for matcha or crazy for chai, these spots are worth seeking out. Prices are per pot, unless otherwise stated. Do you agree with our choices? Use the comments box below or tweet your suggestions.

They say London is the most expensive city in the world, but if you're shrewd and willing to put a bit of work in, you can find some incredibly good deals on food and drink. As part of our Cheap Eats series, Time Out proudly presents some of the lowest-priced noshes and drinky-poos you're ever likely to encounter in our fine capital. RECOMMENDED: Find our full guide to the very best cheap eats in London

There’s something fitting about the idea of a museum in Hoxton being dedicated to the ‘middling’ classes. The Geffrye Museum’s buildings and gardens were built in 1714 as almshouses for the elderly and destitute, but when its surrounding area became increasingly populated the poor pensioners had to be moved out. Fortunately the site was bought by the London City Council and soon joined the list of museums in London exactly 200 years after being built. The Geffrye has since developed into a series of lovely displays portraying domestic interiors of decades past. Come in, pull up a chair and flick through seven objects that you have to find next time you visit.  RECOMMENDED: The seven wonders of more London museums

One of the original settlements championed by the Romans after their first invasion in 43AD, Londinium – as it was known then – has survived war, plague and fire to become the bustling metropolis it is today. This journey, from ancient marshland to one of the greatest cities on earth, is documented at the often overlooked Museum of London. Some consider the building – part of the Barbican Estate – a bit of an eyesore, and the entrance is certainly tricky to find, but the layout was considered innovative at the time of the building’s construction, with all the exhibits presented along a single route that follows the capital’s chronological history. There are plans to move the museum to Smithfield Market, but that’s still some years off. In the meantime, get your (bone) skates on and check out these highlights from the collection. RECOMMENDED: the seven wonders of London's museums and attractions

It seems fitting that a museum dedicated to war should be housed in a building once home to a mental hospital (the Bethlem Hospial, or ‘Bedlam’). Founded in 1917, the Imperial War Museum is ‘not a monument to military glory but a record of toil and sacrifice’, just as its original commissioner, Sir Alfred Mond, intended. Telling the story of modern warfare from World War I to present-day conflicts, the collections highlight the tragedies that trail after war like awkward children: destruction, suffering and loss of life. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Many of the objects reflect the hope and spirit engendered by a yearning for peace. Most of all, the displays hammer home the way that history repeats itself – while the technologies and arguments for engaging in war may change, the result is always the same. Here’s our pick of the museum's exhibits. Read more about London's hidden museums and libraries or delve into quirky and unusual things to do. RECOMMENDED: the seven wonders of London's museums and attractions

The people of south London should be grateful that when Mrs Horniman threatened ‘either we leave or the collection does’, her husband Frederick John Horniman chose to keep his collection where it was, on the site of what is today the Horniman Museum. Demolished and rebuilt so that the objects could be properly displayed, the museum was re-opened in 1901 and has brought ‘the world to Forest Hill’, allowing us to get up close and personal with objects you might otherwise be unable to see ‘in the flesh’ – or rather ‘without the flesh’ in the case of stuffed animals. Here are seven of the best things you can find there. RECOMMENDED: the seven wonders of London's museums and attractions

If you’ve already heard of the Hunterian Museum, you're probably into some weird shit. If you haven’t and are faint of heart, beware. This eclectic collection of all things pickled (onions excluded) is one of the oldest anatomical and zoological collections in the country. It's a constantly expanding compilation of artefacts that was initially curated by the surgeon John Hunter. Luckily for lunch–break explorers, the museum is both small and free. And if time is really tight, don’t miss these most remarkable specimens. Read more about London's hidden museums and libraries or delve into quirky and unusual things to do. RECOMMENDED: the seven wonders of London's museums and attractions

No cash for a Caribbean jaunt? Then get away for just the night with the aid of this Camden newcomer. Bedecked with bright murals and beach shades, Ma Petite Jamaica – on our Saturday night visit – even provided a tropical temperature. Like most venues on Inverness Street, it is long and incredibly narrow. However, while rows of tables and the constant brushing past of busy staff kills off any chance of intimacy, they don’t detract from the experience. When ordering food, don’t mistake ‘small plates’ for starters: one is definitely enough to share, and friendly waiters are on hand to help navigate the menu. Our dumplings filled with jerk chicken were moreish, but the salt fish fritters were heavy and underseasoned. Main course portions were consistently massive and generally decent. Curried goat was good but messy, as the meat was served on the bone (not that we minded getting stuck in). A main of fiery jerk chicken was moist and tender, smothered in hot sauce and served with rice and peas; while a side of coleslaw soothed the aggressive heat of the chicken. Cocktails, unfortunately, were a disappointment. Average piña coladas were icy and the Killer Doppi (four types of rum, apricot liqueur, blue Curaçao and fruit juices) was choked with orange juice and so felt overpriced, especially when compared with the food. Still, at least there was Red Stripe on tap. The odd let-down aside, Ma Petite Jamaica is a great-value, fun destination for lining your stomach and kicking off a n

1. Le gremlin échappé de l’école primaire    A 6 ans, tout vous semble passionnant. Vraiment. Tout. Et, quoi que ce soit, il faut que vous le touchiez/le frappiez/exprimiez votre excitation avec un cri perçant. Par conséquent, un voyage scolaire équivaut à sniffer un rail de coke pendant un tour de montagnes russes : dieu que c’est grisant ! Les profs et les parents qui vous accompagnent pensent sûrement qu’ils n’ont qu’à vous surveiller afin d’éviter que vous cassiez une œuvre d’art. Mais la fâcheusement bonne acoustique des musées vous transforme surtout, vous et votre horde de camarades à sac-à-dos sautillant telles des balles de ping-pong, en une énergie assourdissante avec laquelle les autres visiteurs vont devoir compter. En attendant que le bus vienne vous chercher pour vous ramener (enfin !) à la maison.     © Nathan James Page  2. Le je-sais-tout On l’a bien compris. Vous parlez couramment le latin. Vous avez pris des cours d’art classique par correspondance et vous avez une mappemonde qui fait aussi coffret à boissons dans votre chambre d’amis : merci l’érudit ! Ah oui, et vous aimez aussi passer de loooongues après-midi dans les musées, distribuant les pépites de votre savoir sur votre sujet de prédilection - la vie de Ptolémée - à toute personne se trouvant à portée de voix. Mais ne vous en faites pas, nous croyons en votre prétention de médecin. Celle d’anesthésiste, vraisemblablement.      3. L’adolescent sceptique Mû par un air de ressentiment soigneusement c

We had always thought that crabs came after drinking, but that relationship doesn’t apply at Claw. Here the partnership between shellfish and alcohol is all positive – there’s nothing remotely itchy about it. Missionaries for preaching the gospel of the humble crab to Londoners, Claw has just started a new residency at The Three Compasses (99 Dalston Lane) with a delightful selection of burgers and sides and a brunch menu for the weekends. The samphire burger is sandwiched in an organic brioche bun with a powerful salsa as well as the marine greenery. But crab aficionados beware: while the sauce is tangy and delicious, it’s also very powerful. The poor crab just doesn’t stand a chance.   A photo posted by CLAW (@clawfood) on Nov 26, 2015 at 12:52am PST Barbecued octopus is also delicious: delightfully tender and with just enough gherkin to balance out the sweetness of the sauce. While we don’t think we’ll be swapping the mighty beef burger for its crustacean counterpart any time soon, the burgers at Claw did make us pause and consider it. If only for second, while licking our fingers clean. Claw serves up until January 31 2016; Monday to Saturday from 5pm-10pm, plus brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am-4pm. Fancy something a bit more festive? Take a look at the best Christmas sandwiches ranked best to worst.

As London starts to warm up, there are plenty of events to put the spring back in your step. Construct your own bread-based structure, learn to dance like David Bowie, drink free beer, make chocolate truffles or go speed dating. Weeknights were not made for staying in! Go go go! House of Toast Things to do Find Your London Festival, various venues, Mon onwards, free. Discover London's outdoor spaces with this 11 day festival. Pongathon, Queen of Hoxton, Tue, free.  Non-stop ping pong mixes with games such as beer pong, the 'Pongathon' and 'sofa pong' to win prizes such as a £60 bar tab. Play With Clay: Jessica Rabbit, Drink, Shop & Do, King's Cross, Thu, free with a drink. It's the turn of that sultry female rabbit to be immortalised in clay. Sea Life After Dark, SEA LIFE London Aquarium, South Bank, Thu, £27. Improve on a boring day at work with an exciting evening filled with turtles, sharks, rays and crocodiles roaming all around you. Quizy Quizy Dancey Dancey, Wenlock & Essex, Islington, Thu, £5. A quiz combining kazoos, Plasticine, doodles and dancing 'til late whilst raising funds for AIDS charity 'Tackle Africa'.   The Theology and Ethics of Star Wars, Conway Hall, Holborn, Thu, £5-£10. This vital debate will question the ethics in the Star Wars universe.  Fairytales for Grownups, The Forge, Camden, Wed, £10, £8 concs. Magical and mysterious storytelling from the masters at the Crick Crack Club. Cycle Speed Dating: Men Only, Look Mum No Hands! Old Street, TONIGHT, £16

It's finally (almost) the weekend, which brings with it the chance to take advantage of the many wonderous events taking place. Meet The Clangers and Bagpuss at a new exhibition at the Museum of Childhood, or if your tastes are a little more modern, meet Peppa Pig at the St John's Hospice Fayre. If you aren't into children's television, check out some foodie events including a Harrods masterclass or Scandi Spring Market. Whatever you fancy, here's our pick of the best things to do this weekend.   The Clangers, Bagpuss and Co. Things to do The Tubeology Treasure Hunt, Temple Underground Station, Sat, £15.75. Solve riddles using teamwork and strategy and see the underground as you've never seen it before in a quest to be named master of the Tub-iverse.  Swept Under The Carpet? Servants in London Households, 1600-2000, Geffrye Museum, Hoxton, all weekend, free. The brilliant period rooms at the Geffrye museum are having an upstairs-downstairs makeover to examine the life of servants and domestic service over the the last 400 years. Earth Hour Night Ride, Waterloo Bridge, Sat, free. Dress up as your favourite endangered animal and ride through London as buildings across the capital turn off their lights for WWF's earth hour.  Cycle Confident with Dr Bike, Design Museum, Bermondsey, Sat-Sun, free. Get cycle-confident with free a Dr Bike service and cycle training sessions. Land of the Lions Preview, London Zoo, Regent's Park, Sat, £22.60-£29.25. Two years in the making, Land of t

Hooray! Spring has finally sprung and this week, there are lots of reasons to celebrate. Make a toast to the patron saint of Ireland by consuming Irish-themed treats at Sun Tavern or the Elmore Jam. Create pressed-petal phone cases or admire the flowers in their natural state at the St Christopher's Place installation. Failing that, there are plenty of other ways to make the most of the sunshine – or not, in the case of you night owls. Whatever your fancy, we've got you covered. In The Dark: Bats Things to do Papier Mache Leprechauns, Drink, Shop & Do, King's Cross, Thu, free. Have a messy St Patrick's Day without the punishing hangover by getting stuck into this Paddy's Day themed activity. Craft materials are free with a drink. Ireland and Identity, King's Place, King's Cross, TONIGHT, £9.50. Five leading Irish poets offer different and shifting perspectives on identity and the inescapable pull of home leading up to St Patrick's Day. Drag Panel Festival with Grayson Perry, Chelsea College of Arts, Westminster, Wed, £5, £3 UAL students. Join an utterly fabulous revolution as London's LGBTQI (and curious) gather for the festival, opening with a talk from Turner prize-winning artist Grayson Perry. The Romantics on Hogarth, Keat's House, Hampstead, Thu, £7. Professor Gregory Dart will discuss Hogarth's impact on Coleridge, Lamb and Hazlitt. Does Music Still Matter? The House of St Barnabas, Soho, Wed, £15. What role does music play in contemporary culture? Journalist Pete Paph

Relax! The weekend is in sight and it's nearly time to unwind. If you're feeling energetic, run in the charity Cow vs Pig Fun Run, celebrate with the Irish at the St Patrick's Day parade or don your cowboy hat for the Country to Country Music Festival. On the other hand, if you fancy something a little more chilled, there are plenty of exhibition openings, restaurants and shows to see. Enjoy!   The Institute of Making Things to do Punk Show and Tell, Museum of London, Sat, free. The Museum of London is inviting anyone with clothing and accessories from the late 1970s, especially DIY and customised fashion, to come along to a 'show and tell' day at the museum. Cow vs Pig Charity Fun Run, Freightliners' City Farm, Lower Holloway, Sun, £15 entry fee plus £100 sponsorship target. Freightliners' farm are raising funds for the upkeep of their site and animals by enlisting Londoner to walk, jog or run dressed as Friesians and pot-bellied pigs. The Big London Night Walk, Fri, £25 plus booking fee. Now in it's sixth year, this fundraiser for the homeless will see upwards of 250 participants walk 20km through London at nightfall. Art Textiles: Marian Clayden, Design and Textiles Museum, Fri onwards, £9, £7 concs. This exhibition celebrates British-born Marian Clayden and her psychedelic fabrics that made her a force to be reckoned with. Institute of Making, University College London, Sat, free. Enjoy musical jelly, microwavable rainbow cake and trumpet-fuelled rubber candles at the Ins

Expand your horizons this week without leaving London: go firewalking on the South Bank, attend a Potlach ceremony, do yoga surrounded by neon sculptures or check out new designers work in a gothic castle. Or, if none of these take your fancy, check out the other 35 things on our list – we guarantee you'll find something fun.     The DecorCafe Things to do WOW: Women of the World Festival, Southbank Centre, Tue onwards, Free during the week, £20 for weekend day pass, £45 for a weekend pass. The 2016 edition of the festival features a stellar line-up that champions everything that is great about women and girls. Firewalk, South Bank, Wed, £20 with a £100 sponsorship target. Whip off your socks and pad across red hot embers for charity at this event organised by Action on Hearing Loss. I Am The Greatest: Muhammad Ali, The O2, All week, £18, £15 concs, £9 children. This mammoth exhibition champions the impressive career of world-famous boxer Muhammad Ali. The DecorCafe, Strawberry Hill, Thu, £25. Horace Walpole's impressive gothic castle is the setting for this festival showcasing the latest interior styling trends and products from over 40 designers. Dee Late: Rediscovering the Lost World of John Dee, Royal College of Physicians, Thu, £12. This late opening of the exhibition 'Scholar, Courtier, Magician: The Lost Library of John Dee' offers a chance to meet the curators, watch a specially commissioned film, explore the exhibition and watch a one-off performance of 'The Alchemis

Whether you're excited or freaked out that March has come around so quickly, here are some great ideas to kick off the first weekend of spring. Whether you fancy celebrating London's most famous playwright's 400th anniversary at the Barbican, or making Mother's Day chocolate boxes for that (most) important woman in your life, there are tons of things to keep you occupied. You can thank us later.      Mother's Day chocolate box workshop Things to do King's College Piano Concert, Strand Campus, TONIGHT, £20. Help to raise funds for the King's College Skin Cancer Team at this concert by two young, international, concert pianists as well as a world premiere, two piano concertino. Society of Imaginary Friends Soiree, Karamel Restaurant, Wood Green, TONIGHT, free. A family-friendly show that works as a test-bed for professional musicians, comedians and poets to try out new material. Walk In Her Shoes, London Bridge, Sun, free. In honour of women who have to walk miles every day to provide their families with the bare essentials, CARE International have organised another walk with Helen Pankhurst, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of the famous suffragettes. Asia House Fair, Asia House, Mayfair, Fri-Sun, free. For an eighth year, Asia House will be transformed into a bustling bazaar of Asian craft, design and street food. The Sample Sale, Victoria House, Bloomsbury, Fri-Sun, £5. The team behind DesignJunction have convinced a bumper number of designers to clear out their warehou

Happy March, Londoners! Bounce into spring on Bouncingham Castle, drink up and celebrate with the Last Libations crew at B&H on St Paddy's day and finish the month off in a sugar-fueled frenzy at the Chocolate Festival - just in time for Easter weekend. If you aren't too busy recovering from all that, there are plenty of restaurant openings, film releases and art exhibitions to keep you going. Do like the lions at the opening of their new home in London Zoo and go wild! Bouncingham Castle THINGS TO DO Mar 1: The Art Of Smartphone Filmaking Learn to make the most of your phone and create whipsmart short films for charities in this workshop-cum-volunteering session. Ages 18+ Mar 1: Celebrate Sound: The London Sound Survey and Ed Dowie Join Ian Rawes (creator of the London Sound Survey) for a talk on sound followed by a live performance by music maker Ed Dowie. Mar 1: Peter Gabriel: Life Lessons From A Rockstar Peter Gabriel, recent winner of the 'Man of Peace' award talks life lessons with philosopher Alain de Botton. Mar 1–Aug 30: Swedish Hasbeens Pop-up The cool clog crew make a return to the Shoreditch BOXPARK, kitting everyone out in style for summer with their unique range of clogs and boots. Mar 2–Mar 6: UCI Track Cycling World Championships The world's top cyclists return to Lee Valley Velodrome in 2016, battling it out to be crowned kings and queens of the track. Mar 3–Mar 5: Bouncingham Castle A seven foot high castle made to wobble like a real jelly and smell like ra

Check out the (probably) terrible hopefuls fighting to represent Britain in Eurovision 2016, watch two cheese obsessives compete to see who can break open a wheel of cheese the fastest or revisit your emo phase and see Enter Shikari thrash it out at Ally Pally. Whatever your persuasion, here are a few ways to make the most of that glorious window of opportunity known as 'The Weekend'.   Eurovision: You Decide   Things to do Eurovision: You Decide, The Forum, Kentish Town, TONIGHT, £35 adv. Hosted by Mel Giedroyc, the six hopeful acts that are competing to represent Britain in Eurovision 2016 will perform. The In No Way Corrupt FIFA Election Party, Six Yard Box, Elephant and Castle, TONIGHT, free. Football-themed cocktails, party games and a screening of the official FIFA film 'United Passions' will feature at this bash to see who'll replace Sepp Blatter as president in the next election. Just Got Made Weekender, Somerset House, Sat-Sun, £5. It can be lonely making crafts, so the team from Just Got Made has organised a weekend of skill sharing, demos and talks.  Midcentury Modern, Dulwich College, Sun, £15 early entry, £10. Vintage furniture, lighting and accessory dealers come out in force for this excellent mid-century fair, featuring classics of British, American and Scandinavian twentieth-century design. Caught By The River Social Club, Bush Hall, Shepherd's Bush, Sun, £12.50. An afternoon of music, poetry and spoken word from the likes of Virginia Astley and her daughter

Go to a talk about tattoo history at the Museum of London, get involved in a drunken debate at the Balham Bowls Club or get merry without the debate at London Beer Week. Try something new today with our pick of the week's goings on.  Bardeblah!       Things to do  Tattoo London: Under The Skin, Museum of London, TONIGHT, £10 Meet London's leading tattoo artists at this late event featuring discussions on contemporary methods and an illustrated talk by tattoo history expert Matt Lodder. The Museum's 'Tattoo London' exhibition will be open for twilight viewings and live music and an after-hours bar will keep visitors bopping into the evening.  SuperLabs!, Cartoon Museum, Thu, free, Don your superhero capes for an evening of possibilities for adults and children alike. Scientists, engineers and artists will teach you how to walk on water, see through walls and many other ways to defeat your arch nemesis! Age 3+. Yoga at St Stephen's, St Stephen with St John, Tue, free, Go to work feeling refreshed after a free, early morning yoga class at St Stephen's church in Westminster. Yogis will even be served tea or coffee following the class in order to feel new levels of heavenly. The Man Who Branded London: Edward Johnston Talk Series, London Transport Museum, Tue onwards, £10, The first in a series of talks that celebrate 100 years since the iconic lettering of Edward Johnston helped to shape the brand of London transport.  Bardeblah, Balham Bowls Club, Thu, free, Combining intellig

© Rob Greig   Alexa Raisbeck, 31, Technical services technician What's a typical day for you? 'Each day is different. I could be doing an educational event in the morning or running a [film] print from the BFI National Archive to a full house in the evening. In between, I might be running digital shows, making up prints or preparing shorts.' It's not a nine-to-fiver then? 'We have patterns, and then shifts within those patterns. So it might be a 7am or 8am start, or I could work until 11pm, in which case I'd start in the afternoon. I'm quite used to that. I've been doing it for 11 years now; throughout my career there have been a lot of evening shifts. I work weekends as well – not just Monday to Friday - because that's when people come to see films!' How did you get into the job? ̈I actually wanted to be a theatre set designer. That's what I wanted to do when I left college. But then I got my first part-time job at a local cinema. And the rest is history.' Any disasters over the years? 'I think every projectionist has a whole closet of them! My massive fear is missing a changeover. I remember this one film I was running and on screen there was a guy on a horse: it was a really crazy horse, the camera was going up and down, and I was trying to focus for that changeover cue dot. Then the guy got off the horse and kicked it! I was like: "Don't kick the horse!" Then all of a sudden it was changeover! I didn't miss it, but I almost did. To be a projectionist, you really need tha