7. THE CASTLE CINEMA
Spend a lazy Sunday browsing the stalls and shops along Chatsworth Road before moseying on down to wonderful little local crowdfunded movie palace, The Castle Cinema, where they show art house flicks and current releases.
8. BROCKWELL LIDO LATES
Don your best cossie and get down to Brockwell Lido for their Lido Lates. Lounge in the beautiful Art Deco complex and bath in the moonlight in their 50m pool, sipping on margaritas. If its a bit chilly you can warm up in the aromatherapy sauna. Bliss.
9. GET FIT AT GOODGYM
What could be better than a run on Summers eve? Running to do a good dead. Join your local GoodGym and you might find yourself running to a local school to help with their garden or helping out at your local food bank. Meet new people, get fit and help your community - we bet you are feeling warm and fuzzy already.
10. SHUFFLE CLUB LONDON
You’ve beaten them all at crazy golf at Swingers, Flight Club was fun until you dropped a dart on your foot (flip flops are a terrible idea) and you who knew Barefoot Bowls was so tricky. NOW is the time to master the shuffleboard at Shuffle Club London. Use your ‘tang’ to move the ‘biscuit’ and make sure you score the most points!
11. EAST LONDON WINE WALK
Discover a hip bottled treasure on The Indytute’s East London Wine Walk. Find yourself in four very special, unexpected wine bars, where not only will you be sampling delicious wine, but you will be met at each location by the owner or sommelier who will lavish you with attention and information.
12. T.T. LIQUOR COCKTAIL CLASS
This is the coolest cocktail class we know. Held by T.T Liquor, this is a really spectacular experience run from an extremely chic venue set across three floors in Shoreditch. Think subterranean cocktail bar, specialist liquor store, signature supper clubs and.... a cinema. This really is a cocktail journey - did we say the building used to be a police station in the 19th Century?! Look out for the jail cells...
13. FRIDA ESCOBEDO EXHIBITION
Each summer, the Serpentine Gallery’s pavilion installations are always worth a look, and this years is no exception. Mexican architect Frida Escobedo has designed an atmospheric courtyard created by a concrete lattice-work wall, full of mirrors and water, light and reflections. While you’re in the area, go see artist Christo’s colourful floating sculpture in the actual Serpentine made of 7,506 horizontally stacked barrels.
14. PADDLEBOARD ON THE THAMES
See London from a new perspective - by paddleboard. Spend a fantastic two hours learning the basics of the board while enjoying the sights of Kew and Richmond from the Thames. Make a day of it and stop for afternoon tea at Petersham Nurseries.
15. HAMPSTEAD PERGOLA
If you want to escape the city without leaving Zone 3, pack a picnic and head to Hampstead Pergola. The grand Georgian arbour and terrace have great views across the city and plenty of scenic green spots to while away a sunny afternoon.
16. KERB STREET FOOD MARKET
If you’re looking for a new al fresco waterside lunch spot, Kerb street food market has just opened it’s sixth site in St Katherine’s Dock. Every Thursday and Friday 12-2pm, 18 tasty traders will be serving up everything from Filipino barbecue to peanut butter doughnuts. On the first Friday of each month, there will also be a bar and music so book the afternoon off work, find a sunny spot on the marina and settle in.
8. MICHAEL JACKSON: ON THE WALL
You know how influential he was in the worlds of music, fashion and dance, but bet you didn’t realise how many contemporary artists used Michael Jackson in their work too. The National Portrait Gallery’s latest exhibition, Michael Jackson: On the Wall, explores how the King of Pop has inspired many great artworks including Andy Warhol, Keith Haring and Grayson Perry.
18. GOSPELOKE KNEES UP
This is a Gospel Karaoke knees up. Think about it... you’re up on stage in front of a cheering audience, about to unleash your hidden diva. Ready to stir them to the core with your best Whitney, and the marvelous thing is, you’re not alone. Behind you, about to give it their all is a 15 strong, live gospel choir. This is a singalong that will make you feel absolutely brilliant.
19. STREET LONDON
Whether you’re a budding street photographer or just like snaps of people in cities, you’re guaranteed to learn a shed load at Street London, a weekend of talks, photo shoots, panel discussions, drinks on August 17-19, organised by independent East London publisher Hoxton Mini Press.
20. CINEMA SUPPER CLUB
Experience a night like no other with Kino Vino. Not only do you get to watch a classic film from around the world, but you will explore tastes and flavours inspired by the film created by renowned chef’s. You could be joining pastry chef, Shaheen Peerbhai to Emily Dobbs, chef, author and founder of the sensational Weligama!
21. THE FERMENTARIUM
Condiments just got a little bit more interesting thanks The Fermentarium. So sort out the good from the bad, tend to your gut flora and learn how to turn your diet into a probiotic powerhouse. Spend your Sunday making a fermented Ketchup, mustard or chutney, guaranteed to make any sausage sizzle.
22. SPICE UP EXHIBITION
People of the world, it’s time to spice up your life! From July 21 to August 20, the Business Design Centre will be overrun with all things Scary, Sporty, Baby, Ginger and Posh, including costumes and a lot of spicy merchandise and memorabilia.
23. CULTURAL FEASTS & CONVERSATIONS
WOMEN - know your place... it's at Marguerite’s! Join other savvy and influential woman for a cultural experience. Fancy an afternoon with Julia Peyton-Jones or get stuffed with Polly Morgan at her home. Coming up this month is a conversation between Director of Tate, Maria Balshaw and Arts Commissioning Editor at The Times, Nancy Durrant.
24. SECRET CINEMA
Secret Cinema have traveled back to the future with Marty McFly, sung their hearts out along the cobbled streets of Paris and joined the Rebel Alliance. Now they are back with their biggest production yet, Baz Luhrmann’s, Romeo and Juliet. An outdoor, Summer festival (at a secret location) with live acts, DJ’s and choirs. If it’s half as good as Blade Runner then we are in for the mother of all immersive experiences. Ends August 25th.
25. BEAUTIFUL ALLOTMENT
Discover a pocket of the countryside in the heart of Shoreditch. Bourne & Hollingsworth have transformed the grounds of The Geffrye Museum into the ‘Beautiful Allotment’. An oasis of potting sheds, vegetable patches, day beds and tree houses. Grab a B&H signature cocktail from the roaming ‘garden-tenders’ and their wheelbarrow bars! 25th July - 19th August.
26. LONDON WING FEST
Like chicken wings? You need the London Wing Fest in your life. On August 4-5, 35 restaurants, street food traders and pop-ups will compete to see who really does make the best wings in town. Each wing is £1 so you can try as many as your stomach will allow and vote for your fave. There’s also a hot wing eating competition, DJs, BBQ tips, cooking demonstrations and live chainsaw wood-carving displays. Yikes.
27. GIANT STEPS WAREHOUSE
A warehouse party like no other. Get yourself down to Giant Steps in Swan Wharf; a 20,000 square ft. canal- side Victorian warehouse complex in Hackney Wick. Here you’ll find the best of Hackney. A BBQ menu on the terrace each weekend from Brilliant Corners to the excellent Middle Eastern, Morito, and then onto the superb team at Brawn. During the day there will be live jazz performances on the terrace, then dance into the night with DJ-led parties. Ends September 19th.
28. STREAT LIFE FESTIVAL
Streat Life, make sure it’s the only life you know when the street food and craft beer festival takes over Alexandra Palace this summer. As well as over 20 food and booze stalls and unbeatable views over London, there’s also music from Scratch Perverts on July 28 and a DJ set from Jazzie B on August 18.
29. SECRET ROOFTOP
Throughout the Summer our favourite rooftop restaurant, The Culpeper, will be hosting workshops from Botanical Drawing and Pickling (the honest cucumber is their thing) to Astronomy. Make sure you book a table for a delicious, seasonal dinner on this little hideaway rooftop.
30. VEGETARIAN EXPLORATION
Peckham. Who would have thought it? This neighbourhood is leading the way with a vegetarian Renaissance. Discover delicious new cuisines and have an off the beaten path, vegetarian, culinary adventure with food writer, Naomi Knill. Expect everything from fresh parathas to mouth-watering homemade chocolate. A one to one, curated walking tour.
31. CLASSIC MINI COOPER GIN BAR ADVENTURE
Snuggle in to a classic Mini Cooper and be taken around the best gin bars and a distillery in London. Your first stop is the Holborn Dining Room with over 500 gins and 30 tonics, that’s over 14,000 possible combinations - luckily you won’t be driving!
