Miriam Bouteba

London's weather is so unpredictable, so it's good to know that there are spas to help you chill out (or warm up) when needed. If you're sick of the rain, you can relax in the hot tub, sauna or pool and these luxurious hotel spas instead. And while you're at it, why not treat yourself to a massage? London is great for many reasons, but it can be just an eeny-weeny bit exhausting – pause to unwind in one of these ace spas with our cherry-picked list. These lovely London hotels all have their own distinctive on-site spas. So whether you fancy a hammam treatment or a few relaxing lengths in the pool, there’s a place for you – the perfect respite from all that trekking around those top attractions or the very best shops. Make sure you get yourself booked into one of these simply divine overnight stays no matter where you are in the city. From Mayfair galore to Whitehall bliss, it's all here to use. What's more these hotels and spas are often as luxurious as one another, catering for all forms of restorative. There are also plenty of other on-site perks from fancy toiletries to top-end restaurants. And relax... Check out our video of 10 of the best spas in London: Note: please check the latest travel guidance before booking your trip. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

It’s always a good time for flowers – and London has a wealth of florists, so there’s no reason for your bouquet-buying to be limited to a Sunday morning stroll down Columbia Road. Lots of shops around the city offer impressive ready-made arrangements as well as the chance to pick your own armful of flowers for that added personal touch (and extra brownie points). Whether you’re hoping to make a gesture for an anniversary, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day or just simply because you want to put a smile on someone’s face, here’s our pick of London’s best florists and flower shops. And if you want to order online and make it really easy? Check London's best flower delivery services.  

Stuck with what to wear to scare this Halloween? We’ve raided Angels, London’s biggest and best fancy dress shop, to dig up the most frightfully brilliant Halloween costumes that this cesspit of a city has to offer. Whether you want to be a magnificent Maleficent, a Warewolf in London or a pigging good butcher, we're got the scream of the crop. All images shot in The London Bridge Experience & Tombs. RECOMMENDED: Read the full Halloween in London guide

Housed in a building that is superb example of modern design itself, the new Design Museum also contains some outstanding works of art, representing the epitome of human design. We paid a visit to the sparkling new museum, fresh out of its wrapping, to uncover some of its highlights... 

From chocolate and fudge to retro flying saucers and rhubarb and custards, London’s best sweet shops rival Willy Wonka himself when it comes to teeth-achingly good treats. Whether you're shopping for yourself or hunting for gifts, you'll be like a kid in a sweet shop at these sugary emporiums.  

From half-feral Catherine Earnshaw in ‘Wuthering Heights’ – where she met her husband Tom Hardy – to the brilliant and fearless May Carleton in ‘Peaky Blinders’, Charlotte Riley plays bold heroines. So you might think that her latest role, as Kate Middleton in the BBC adaptation of Mike Bartlett’s future-history play ‘Charles III’, is a marked departure. But unlike the seemingly passive K-Mid that we’ve come to, well, not exactly know, the Charlotte Riley version is all ambition and steely determination. We meet the actress in a Soho hotel room and she’s a bundle of energy. Bright and chatty, with a lovely soft north-east accent – Teesside not Leyton – quite unlike the plummy voiced characters she’s played. We chatted to her about filling those nude-heeled-shoes… and swallowed the urge to ask about her bedtime-story-reading husband. How did you go about researching Kate Middleton? She’s not exactly an open book… ‘I started, very intellectually, with YouTube. I watched endless videos of her. I also watched all of the weird documentaries about her – how factually correct they are, who knows? My auntie sent me one of those cheesy books, a Kate Middleton annual. More as a joke but it was actually quite interesting to see all her changing styles.’ Speaking of her style… Was the physical transformation quite important? ‘We didn’t go as far as giving me blue contacts, because it’s not an impression of Kate Middleton. In terms of physicality, in terms of acting and voice, it was a

Se acaba de estrenar la novena temporada de RuPaul’s Drag Race y toda la comunidad LGBTTTI de la Ciudad del México, bueno, y el mundo, colapsó de felicidad. Semana tras semana estamos pendientes del lanzamiento de un nuevo capítulo. Para que entiendas nuestra obsesión te damos las razones por las que deberías ver la serie. Además te decimos cuáles son nuestras drags y canciones favoritas de este programa LGBTTTI.

Not all mums were created equal. Yours is clearly the best, right? Show her that she’s a mother superior by treating her to a gift with a bit of thought behind it this Mother’s Day. Buying mum flowers from one of London’s best florists is always a nice move, but why not go the extra mile this year? We’ve picked out a range of stylish and classy gifts that’ll make it a marvellous and memorable Mother’s Day. RECOMMENDED: our full guide to Mother’s Day in London

If flowers and chocolates just won't cut it this Valentine's Day and you're in need of inspiration, we've got you covered. London's shops are brimming with romance at the moment, so take advantage and grab some goodies to suit your budget. From amazing aftershave to tip-top tees, here's our selection of fab Valentine's Day gifts for the major man in your life. RECOMMENDED: Valentine's Day offers

If flowers and chocolates just won't cut it this Valentine's Day and you're in need of inspiration, we've got you covered. London's shops are brimming with romance at the moment, so take advantage and grab some goodies to suit your budget. From chic clutches to tip-top tees, here's our selection of fab Valentine's Day gifts for the lucky lady in your life. RECOMMENDED: Valentine's Day offers

We’ve all been there – after a busy week you suddenly glance at your calendar and realise that one of your nearest and dearest is about to hit a special milestone. Rather than frantically wrapping up the contents of your own flat at random or hoping the local corner shop can deliver the birthday gift of their dreams, head to one of the brilliant shops below – simply the very best places for birthday gift ideas in London. RECOMMENDED: Ten great birthday ideas for celebrating in London 

'Briefs' comes to Christmas Leicester Square in November 2018. This review is from 2017. Shivannah – the host-cum-ringmaster of racy cabaret-circus show ‘Briefs’ – is so engaging that even his pre-show request for us to turn our phones off is entertaining. And that sort of says it all, because from that moment of usually-nondescript-theatre-admin the ‘Briefs’ boys will have every speck of your attention. In fact, even before the troupe emerge in their pastel morning suits – no shirts, obvs – the tent is in full-on celebration mode, with a party playlist blaring as the audience takes their seats. It’s a welcome return to the South Bank for the Brisbane boys, who’ve sold out their London shows for the past three seasons. With a raid-worthy wardrobe – there’s feathers, lamé and huge beaded necklaces for everyone – this time their exhausting-sounding combo of comedy, drag, burlesque, contemporary dance and circus has a sci-fi spin. They’ve come to visit our grim present from the oh-so-glittery future to show us that things get better (thankfully without the use of a ‘D:Ream’ number) and how to get there (nice manners will help, apparently). There are far-ranging references, going from ‘Armageddon’ to ‘Alice in Wonderland’, with a ‘bunny rabbit’ performing simple-seeming – but actually kind of mind-blowing – tricks with alarm clocks. Meanwhile, Mark ‘Captain Kidd’ Winmill has mouths agog as he flips and twists around in an awe-inspiring aerial display: his trapeze skills are matc

Hounslow Urban Farm’s history stretches back more than two decades, but it was on the brink of closure three years ago, before it was taken over by eco-warrior father and daughter, Alice and Tony. Every animal on the farm has been rescued and the pair work closely with the RSPCA. The farm is home to exotic animals including snakes, lizards and tarantulas, as well as a faster-than-normal tortoise called Becks. Birdie the cockatoo arrived with hardly any feathers, but after 16 years of care is a picture of noisy health. Horses Trevor and Gizmo recently moved in after being found abandoned in a local field. Instead of growing veg like most city farms, there are plans to sow wildflower meadows over its 29 acres, in keeping with the eco-friendly theme. Activities on offer include egg hunts, unmissable pig racing and a big ol’ bouncy castle. What’s more, if you’re looking for a new roomie, you can rehome one of the animal guests. Find more urban farms in the capital with our guide to London city farms

In properly posh Piccadilly, you’ll find handsome stores dedicated entirely to cigars, lots of smart shirt shops and, now, Ginza Onodera, a pretty decent Japanese joint. Though new to London, GO has branches in Tokyo, LA, New York and beyond, so you’d have thought that they’d have everything down to a (sencha) tee. But that wasn’t quite the case, and my visit here saw highs – like the sparkling service – and lows, such as the unpleasantly metallic-tasting sashimi. Downstairs, beneath the sake bar, the room itself is cavernous and decorated with beautiful restraint, as though someone from the Edo period had travelled in time to work on it. Unfortunately, the ambience was similarly restrained; the vibe was very much ‘business lunch’. The food, too, was a mix of triumphant hits and a few near-misses. The vegetable tempura with a matcha dipping salt was almost flawless, and the eringi mushrooms were rich and earthy. But the beautifully presented sashimi was rather disappointing to taste, and the stuffed squid wasn’t worth bothering with. Nothing was truly terrible – but standards should have been at least as high as the prices.

Jon Bradfield and Martin Hooper, the duo responsible for some of the best adult pantos of the past couple of years – ‘Beauty on the Piste’ and ‘Tinderella’ – hit the back of the net as they make their return to Above the Stag Theatre. The official football season might not start until August but balls are flying all over the place in ‘He Shoots! He Scores!’, a musical comedy set in the world of five-aside football. A gay team thinks they’re entering a gay football tournament… only it’s a regular one open to teams from all over Europe. Fun and unashamedly camp, it’s the classic tale of an underestimated, team of underdogs and (SPOILER ALERT) their eventual success – but with more dick jokes and some really super songs. Liam’s ballad – an ode to straight boys which contains the beautifully belted out line ‘he’s grateful when you rim him’ – is a work of a genius, and I have no idea how performer Tom Mann managed to get through it without bursting out laughing. Proper belly-laughs abound, especially from Duncan Burt’s Tayzr who steals just about every scene he’s in with his silliness and sass. But despite how downright daft the show is at times, it makes the important point that sport is seriously backwards when it comes to LGBT+ rights, with all manner of horrible homophobic insults rained down on players from the terraces. I reckon it would do a lot of football fans the world of good to  see ‘He Shoots! He Scores’, and not just because it’s a laugh.

When Harry Selfridge founded the now iconic department store back in 1909 he wanted it to be much more than just a shop, but over 100 years later, there’s more going on at Selfridges than he could have dreamed of. With a mission to surprise its customers, it has previously installed a talking waterfall in the Foodhall, hosted a glitter-tastic Sink the Pink pantomime and had a crazy golf course on the roof. But its latest spot of ingenuity might be our favourite. Concerned by the dwindling number of independent music venues in the capital, it has decided to open its own in the basement of the store. The 170-capacity spot will host weekly gigs from both established and up-and-coming artists including grime collective New Gen and Eagle-Eye Cherry’s niece Mabel. As part of its Music Matters season there’ll be a bunch of other musical goings-on throughout the shop, with free classical, acoustic and DJ performances, a self-playing piano appearing in the Wonder Room and Peckham’s Rye Wax popping up to flog some vinyl in the menswear department. Shopping never sounded so good. See the full programme here.

The extravagant exterior of this Japanese restaurant belies how humble the interiors are. Outside, you’re greeted by a wall of fairy lights and plush blue velvet seats. Inside, with its bistro chairs, tarnished mirrored bar lined with simple carafes and sake barrels on the wall, it feels like you’re in an izakaya whose owner was taken with Parisian brasseries, but wasn’t into those checked tablecloths. Within a stone’s throw of Oxford Street, it’s a calm oasis and surprisingly cosy despite being a reasonable size. As in a traditional izakaya, it’s best to stick to beer (Asahi on draft) and sake (a fairly comprehensive selection ordered by region). A lychee martini lacked finesse. The menu has all of the izakaya classics. I had no criticisms about the sashimi plate. Everything was wonderfully fresh and meltingly good, especially the lovely, brightly coloured tuna. And it wasn’t just the raw stuff that was delicious. The black cod was great; perfectly cooked and with a subtle amount of miso. Some dishes, though, were crying out for a little polish. The karage fried chicken was greasier than it should have been and the promised ginger undetectable. And while the tuna tataki was fresh and soft, the daikon radish inside was flabby. It really is more hit than miss, though. Being surrounded by chains, this spot is a genuine haven.  

Life stinks. And to prove that, the East Wing of Somerset House has been transformed into ten abstract looking chambers – each given over to a different pioneering fragrance –  for an interactive exhibition all about, you guessed it, perfume. It opens with a room of beautifully presented bottles of perfume housed in glass cloches, each representing a different decade, with the ’90s of course being summed up by the iconic frosted glass bottle of CK One. For the 1930s, there’s a bottle showing the genius of Elsa Schiaparelli – it looks like Marc Jacobs’s Daisy and Jean Paul Gaultier’s Classique went back in time and had a baby. But the curators don’t want your nose to be overwhelmed, so there are only a couple that are available to smell. One of them, the ground-breaking L’Origan from Coty, was created in 1905 and is long out of circulation, but those clever perfumers have recreated it from the old recipe. Powdery and delicately floral, it smells just like my grandma. And that’s the thing with perfume. It’s not just about the notes that you can sniff out – it has incredible powers of nostalgia that can transport you, in a soft, dreamlike state, to a vague time or feeling in the past. The rest of the show is more abstract. And because your sense of smell can be easily misled there is very little direction throughout; instead, each room been designed to reflect the scent that it houses. You’re left to follow your nose around the space with a notes card on which you jot down you

So dense in detail is American designer Anna Sui’s work that even a crack cryptologist might come unstuck. This retrospective of her work is complicated, tricky but totally absorbing. This is the crystal maze of fashion exhibitions: there are no clues as to where her inspiration came from, other than the clothes themselves, so unless you knew that Barbarossa was plundering at the same time that Louis XVI was on the French throne, you would have no idea that the starting point for a pirate-style dress was in fact Marie Antoinette. With over 125 outfits on show, each as incredibly detailed as the last, you could spend ages in the main space trying to work out what her possible references were. Sui is clearly obsessed with music. There are outfits that look like they’re straight off a tour bus – a pretty blue baby doll dress is very reminiscent of Kurt Cobain raiding Courtney Love’s wardrobe, whereas the dandified versions of flares and jackets, all velvet, faux fur and embellishment are pure Jagger. They’re looks that fit well with the current ’90s revival. She’s an incredibly narrative designer. Rather than her work being displayed chronologically, it’s instead organised by the themes and motifs that run through it. An army of fairy tale characters stand opposite a herd of punks, while on another podium cowboy themes meet a Pennsylvanian country club with some Warhol-inspired embroidery thrown in for good measure. Disparate though her ideas are, there is a clear Sui thread ru

The V&A has written the mother of all love songs to Cristóbal Balenciaga (1895-1972), and it’s one that will have you swooning over the Spanish fashion designer, too. The ground floor is dedicated to his craftsmanship, and will have fashion nerds in their element. Nick Veasey’s x-ray photography has been put to good use revealing how the designer’s deceptively simple work was actually incredibly intricate, with weights ensuring that skirts hang just so, and corsets hidden beneath swathes of fabric. From the off you can see just how driven and forward-thinking his design was; bold, architectural and Kermit green, the caped dress from 1961 that opens the exhibition could very easily be a modern piece of Comme des Garçons. Lovingly curated, it’s clear that the V&A want you to love Balenciaga as much as they do, and so have been at pains to prove just how ingenious the man was. Enlisting the help of students from the London College of Fashion to digitize his work, there are animations which show the intricacy of his pattern cutting. In addition, there’s a replica of his iconic cape-cum-skirt which you get to try on – it’ll do wonders for your social media feed. The upper floor is dedicated to his legacy and how he has shaped fashion. You can see his influence in the clever use of fabric in Simone Rocha’s embroidered vinyl coat-dress which references the incredible Balenciaga pink evening-coat, embellished with vibrant plastic discs on the lower floor. Or the babydoll dress from s

Towering over Canary Wharf, Bōkan may sit on the 37th floor of a Novotel – but this is the kind of hotel restaurant you’ll actually want to eat in. With amazing views of London’s skyline it’s undeniable that a key reason for coming here is the setting itself. Especially given that it’s been so thoughtfully decorated, with rustic Scandi and subtle industrial vibes. And if it’s true that you can judge the merits of a restaurant based on its loo, then this sky-high spot – which, per square foot, rivals Versailles in its mirroring – is soaring. Service, too, was as slickly competent and polite as the surroundings. So far, so great. The food was slightly more irksome though. Beautifully presented, the scallops tasted mainly of lemon, with only the smallest amount of lip service being paid to the promised seaweed. Similarly, the crab salad had a nice kick, but with far too much daikon (Japanese radish). Having said that, desserts were awesome, with a meringue that was everything you could hope for – coconutty, fluffy and crunchy all at once. And the ginger pudding – billed as a sharer – was so great that one person could very easily wolf the whole thing down. Don’t expect culinary fireworks, but for a dining room with a view, Bōkan will do nicely. Note that there is a smart-casual dress code, so any sloppiness may be refused entry.

If you’ve ever felt that Soho isn’t what it used to be and could do with a bit more drama, then you should go to see this circus spin on central London, which sees dancers, trapeze artists and acrobats hurling themselves around the stage. Opening with a scene in which the performers are doing the dreaded commute, the stage is cleverly set with movable cubes that later morph into restaurants, pant shops and of course –  because this is Soho – luxury flats. Representing the hodgepodge of characters that roam the streets, there’s a handstanding shopping lady, a tower of waiters, a real-life human mannequin and a pervy photographer who asks the question,‘are there really “models upstairs”? because I always assumed they were hookers’. In fact there’s so much going on it is genuinely somewhat reminiscent of actual Soho, where you don’t know where to look. Another true-to-life moment comes from an exchange between the lost-looking tourist and an aggy Londoner on her phone – when the two are reunited later for a charming Charleston, it’s a real highlight. It is not for those with a nervous disposition, and there are some watching-through-the-hands moments as a man hangs from a trapeze by his ankle. Hairy! There’s also a fair bit of bewilderment. While member’s clubs are certainly confusing, I was  unsure as to why during a scene set in one there was an annoying woman parading around blowing smoke in everyone’s face, while a man in Y-fronts swings from the ceiling. The second most d

On a charming street in Marylebone, where even the launderette looks lovely, sits the latest branch of veggie restaurant The Gate. Understated, sleek and minimal – despite being almost austere in style – it somehow manages to be super comfortable. And with plenty of bistro-style pavement seating it’s a lovely spot for sitting in the sun, sinking some scrummy organic wine – of which they have a brilliant selection – and pretending you’re in Paris. The Gate is kind of like that good-on-paper boyfriend – Aidan from ‘Sex and the City’, if you will. There really is nothing to complain about: the service was perfunctorily polite and the dishes well composed. But there was no spark. The Thai green curry was beautifully presented, with sticky rice wrapped in a banana leaf, but it’s not going to bring back memories of Bangkok. And the cappuccino vegan cheesecake, while creamy and delicious, quickly faded from my mind. The Gate may not be the kind of long-distance love affair I’d cross town for, but it’s worth visiting if you’re in the area.

As Boy Better Know’s Jme prepares to take to the stage at Afropunk festival this weekend, we salute the London grime hero. 1. First off, look at him: he’s a babe! There aren’t too many men (too many many men) who could pull off a do-rag the way that this 32-year-old London grime MC can. But the founding member of BBK is straight-up pretty, with cheekbones that could cut glass. 2. He’s part of a musical dynasty Jme’s good looks aren’t surprising – he’s a part of the genetically-blessed Adenuga family. The Adenugas are music’s answer to the Dimblebys; aside from Jme, there’s big bro Joe, aka Mercury Prize-winning Skepta (pictured below), and sister Julie, who DJs for Beats 1 and shares equally enviable cheekbones as her brother. 3. His interests are frankly 
fascinating Park every preconception you have of grime MCs. Jme is his own guy. He loves Pokémon to bits, is teetotal, vegan (and like many vegans he never ever talks about it), and bakes croissants (vegan, obvs). He has a degree in 3D Digital Design but according to 2006’s ‘96 Bars of Jme’, JavaScript makes him want to ‘swear like Plan B’. Also, he’s more into keeping fit than Rosemary Conley – see the video for ‘Rari Workout’ with the famously dench Lethal Bizzle. 4. He’s grime’s most political 
presence And he helped to garner the youth vote in a big way. A vocal supporter of Jeremy Corbyn, he interviewed the Labour leader for i-D. He also encouraged his fans to register to vote and then go out and vote for whoever they

The Ultralounge in the basement of retail behemoth Selfridges has previously been a Silence room, a Psycle studio and a full-on theatre. It’s currently going through another transformation and this latest incarnation is probably our favourite yet. Concerned at the dwindling numbers of independent music venues, the pioneering department store has decided to open its own. Launching on July 20, the 170-capacity venue will host weekly gigs from both established and up-and-coming artists (full list below) while the space will also serve as a state-of-the-art audiovisual content studio. And as if that weren’t enough, proceeds from the sale of tickets will go to the Music Venue Trust.  This is all part of Selfridges’ Music Matters campaign, so there will be a ton of things happening around the store including free classical, acoustic and DJ performances as well as Rye Wax record store popping up in its brilliant menswear department. This is the line-up, and tickets are available here:  July 20: New Gen: 67, Not3s, Renz July 26: Tom Walker, Majik, Tayla  July 27: Elvør, Charlie Cunningham August 3: Unkle August 9: Kudu Blue, Croox, Frank Gamble  August 10: Raye, Mabel August 17: Ten Fé, Vessels, Ben Pierce DJ August 23: Mullally, Joy Crookes, Callum Pitt  August 24: Shura, Pixx  August 31: Joe Goddard, Ama Lou, Ed Rostand DJ  September 6: Sam Wills, Cameron Bloomfield, Maad September 7: Last Night in Paris, Hare Squead September 13: Yassassin, Nova Twins, Animal Sons S

There’s Scouse girls and their wearing of bangle-width rollers round town before a night on the tiles. Manc girls who – presumably through natural selection – can traverse ankle-breaking cobbles in skyscraper heels with grace. Manc lads in those parkas now synonymous with the warring Gallagher brothers. Geordies who are apparently impervious to the cold. And all that’s not to mention the 1980s casual look, originating on the football terraces of northern England. Hundreds of images come to mind when you think of northern fashion. And so it’s only proper that the region gets its own fashion exhibition.  Curated by SHOWstudio’s Editor-at-large Lou Stoppard – who was also responsible for the brilliant Mad About The Boy exhibition at the Fashion Space Gallery last year – and Adam Murray, lecturer at Manchester School of Art and Central Saint Martins, North: Fashioning Identity is travelling to Somerset House from Liverpool’s Open Eye Gallery. Celebrating northern fashion feels right given the wealth of talent that the region has produced. For example, Burberry’s Christopher Bailey hails from Halifax. Agyness Deyn is from Rochdale and bright young thing Matty Bovan grew up in York with his impossibly stylish mum. The exhibition – which is being expanded for its trip down south – will also look at how the north and northerners are represented in contemporary photography, fashion and art with contributors including Raf Simons, Corinne Day and Gareth Pugh. Here’s a hint at what you c

Liberty – the capital’s grand dame of department stores – is getting all pioneering in its old age. This summer sees the launch of in-store art exhibition The Dark Side of Liberty. Inspired by a combination of London subcultures, and the trippy, psychedelic art and music of the ‘70s, the windows and the store’s handsome atrium will be taken over with the work of five emerging artists. Running for eight weeks from July 6, there will also be an accompanying programme of music activity.  Pink Floyd-esque vibes will abound as artists – Jared Madere, Alex Morrison, Joris Van de Moortel and Julie Verhoeven – and an architect, Satyajit Das, explore the dark side of the store (and we don’t think that means the stockroom) through a celebration of the real, the physical and the experiential. Here’s what’s happening so far. Celebrating the relaunch of Liberty’s already-great-menswear-department in August, ace fashion-illustrator Julie Verhoeven has created a multimedia, animated psychedelic installation. Belgian artist and musician Joris Van de Moortel will be taking over a series of windows, turning them into an immersive installation/actual-working-recording-studio. Alongside musicians Mauro Pawlowski and Carlo Adriani, he’ll be transforming the transcendental music of the ‘70s. Making use of Liberty’s prints, Alex Morrison will transform one of the store’s windows into a trompe l’oeil sculptural installation.  The gorgeous wood-panelled atriums will look pretty different – the main o

The Walkie Talkie’s escalator can reasonably be referred to as a stairway to heaven (well, aside form it not being stairs, but whatevs) next Tuesday, as actor and musician Raleigh Ritchie – Jacob to his mum, Grey Worm to ‘Game of Thrones’ fans – performs a set in the Sky Garden. Part of Belvedere Vodka’s Sunset Sessions, it’s a free event but we recommend booking a table. Tue Jul 4, 8pm. Sky Garden, 1 Sky Garden Walk, 20 Fenchurch St, EC3M 8AF.  Find more gigs in London right here.    

East London’s luxury outlet village Hackney Walk, which this spring hosted a range of brilliant masterclasses, is back with another programme of events, but this time it’s getting all green-fingered. Some of our capital’s best florists will join top gardeners and lifestyle brands offering a range of workshops, all in collaboration with Hackney Arts.  Every Saturday for the next five weeks there will be a different expert taking up residence. From modern floristry with the super cool, Ace Hotel-based That Flower Shop and terrarium building with the lovely Grace and Thorn, to candle making with Earl of East and whipping up your own herbal lip balm and teabags with Hackney Herbal. And what good is all of that hard work if you can’t brag about it on social media? Happily, Insta-famous Zoe Timmers will be offering lessons in lifestyle photography.  The schedule runs as follows:  Saturday 1 July, 10:30am-1:30pm. Herbal Wellbeing Masterclass with Hackney Herbal Saturday 8 July, 10am-12pm. Bouquet Workshop by That Flower Shop Saturday 15 July, 10am-1pm. Lifestyle Photography Masterclass with Zoe Timmers Saturday 22 July, 10am-11.30am. Candle Making Workshop with Earl of East Saturday 29 July, 11am-1pm. Terrarium Workshop with Grace & Thorn Workshops are free but spaces limited so reserve a space here. There will be a waitlist for all classes. Hackney Walk is at Morning Lane, E9 6LH. In other news, Hackney Walk is also throwing a huge sample sale this weekend. Want more ways to get cr

Forget whatever it is you’ve agreed to do this Friday, because things are about to get fudging exciting: ‘Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’ is back on Netflix for season three. Only the genius that is Tina Fey could make the story of a group of women kidnapped by a doomsday cult leader and kept in a bunker for 15 years extraordinarily funny. But it’s not just the lols – of which there are oodles – or the super-catchy theme tune (viral meme-based, obvs) that will make you want to literally Netflix and chill. There’s Kimmy herself… She was kidnapped as a 15-year-old and dressed in a nineteenth-century gown when she was in the bunker, so her style never evolved. Cut to Kimmy navigating New York dressed like a box of crayons, with light-up shoes and colourful accessories. Unashamedly girly, relentlessly cheerful and remarkably innocent, Kimmy’s ultra-feminine qualities aren’t at odds with how tough she is – it’s like the theme tune says, ‘females are strong as hell’. And while Kimmy has plenty of admirers, her love life is by no means her main story arc. Kimmy saved herself from that bunker and it’s her independence that makes her so strong. Truly, she is the hero that the world needs in these trying times. Netflix Then there’s her squad…  Comprising her gravelly voiced landlord Lillian (Carol Kane), who campaigns against gentrification and is flexible about which side of the law she finds herself on; incredibly spoilt boss-turned-best friend Jacqueline Voorhees, played by the brillia

Footie fans, get out your Moleskines and save the date. Menswear trade show Jacket Required is in town again and this year brings with it an exhibition that will fill the hearts of sportswear nerds with a ton of glee. Exploring the relationship between football and popular culture, ‘The Art of the Football Shirt’ is curated by Neal Heard, a fashion historian who wrote the first book to examine sneaker culture, and more recently penned ‘A Lover’s Guide to Football Shirts’ – a beautiful lexicon of those polyester sportswear icons. Digging through the archives, the exhibition will showcase more than 100 obscure and super-cool shirts from streetwear brands like Patta and Palace, to designers like Jean Paul Gaultier and YMC.   Here’s a sneak peek at just some of the shirts that’ll be on show:          ‘The Art of the Football Shirt’ is at Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 6QR. Jul 26-27. Find more great exhibitions in London.

Alongside Stuart Milk, the global LGBT+ rights campaigner who has continued the work of his uncle through the Harvey Milk Foundation, denim brand Levi’s is once again descending on the capital for Pride in London. In addition to its awesome collection of Pride-themed slogan T-shirts, denim shorts and rainbow bandanas – the proceeds of which will all be donated to the Harvey Milk Foundation and the Stonewall Community Foundation – it has a couple of great events lined up.  First off, in the run up to Pride there’ll be a special screening of Milk at the Regent Street Cinema. The biographical 2008 drama stars Sean Penn, who won an Oscar for the role, and is based on the life of murdered politician and gay rights activist Harvey Milk. Before the film is shown there will be a panel discussion with Stuart Milk, Ninette Murk, who founded Designers Against Aids, and electropop musician Shura.  As well as taking part in the massive parade on Saturday – last year’s float featured a giant milk bottle with a rainbow flowing from the top – Levi’s is hooking up with London Bridge’s Omeara to throw a huge afterparty. There’ll be a heady mix of funk, soul and disco. Tickets are £5.50 if you’re organised and get them now, or £12 on the door, but with the proceeds being donated to the venue’s Borough Market neighbours who were affected by the attacks in London Bridge, paying extra is no bad thing.  Milk will be screened on Wed Jul 5, at 7pm. Regent Street Cinema, 309 Regent St, W1B 2UW.  Pri

The beauty industry in South Korea is pioneering. You know those sheet masks that shops across the capital have been peddling as ‘new’? Well, they’re really not. In fact, they weren’t even the hot-new-thing the first time I holidayed in Seoul, and that was about nine years ago. That isn’t to say they’re not great, though, they totally are, even if wearing them makes you look like a vain Hannibal Lecter. Similarly, the now ubiquitous BB cream – which didn’t make it here until 2012 – was developed in Korea in the 1980s.  But if you don’t fancy trekking to Seoul for a moisturiser, we recommend heading to Selfridges instead. The department store has stocked a decent selection of Korean lotions and potions for a couple of years, including seriously cute products from Tony Moly. But this week ramped things up by unveiling a mini-department dedicated to East Asia’s most progressive beauty brands.  The launch will see the incorporation of some sleek science-y products, as well as continuing to house brands from the more adorable end of the skincare spectrum. Selfridges’ beauty buyer has put together a ten-step routine, but if your morning rush doesn’t allow time for all that we reckon these products will serve you well. Selfridges The Oozoo is a pioneering brand for face masks: the active ingredients are kept separate in the syringe so the plumping concoction is fresh when applied. These medicinal-looking masks are a very affordable £8.  Selfridges Skin 79 is the brand credited w

Breaking and incredibly exciting fashion news! London designer Ashish – he of the brilliant ‘IMMIGRANT’ slogan T-shirt and a man whose catwalk shows are rainbow-coloured explosions of sequins, sass and all-round positivity is teaming up with River Island for the latest in its Design Forum collections – this time with a gender-neutral selection of sweatshirts, frocks and PJs. We only have these beautiful illustrations to go on, but we are anticipating that it will be sparkle-tastic and sell out immediately.      Prices range from £30-£180. The online-exclusive collection goes on sale this September.  In other news, an exhibition dedicated to football shirts is coming to London.

She just couldn’t let him enjoy his moment in the spotlight. Mere days after it was announced that her boyfriend Ken had been given a makeover, and that Soho’s achingly cool store Machine-A would be displaying an archive collection of dolls, Barbie Millicent Roberts has unveiled her very own limited run of afternoon tea.  Celebrating the launch of her Instagram-based book, tea will be served in the Swans Bar at Maison Assouline – one of our capital’s most beautiful bookshops, it sells the kind of tomes that are designed to spruce up the dowdiest of coffee table. It’s a predictably pink affair: salmon and cucumber sarnies will be presented alongside strawberry poppy pink macarons from Parisian pâtissier Ladurée, redbush tea (because it’s pinkish, obvs) and a Barbie-pink cocktail. A post shared by Maison Assouline (@maisonassouline) on Jun 15, 2017 at 9:00am PDT The Barbie Afternoon Tea is available 3pm-5pm until July 1st for £30. Swans Bar at Maison Assouline, 196A Piccadilly, W1J 9EY.  Love stuffing your face with scones? Check out our list of the best afternoon teas in London here.