

Articles (77)

The best things to do on Motherâs Day in London
Stuck on ideas for Motherâs Day (Sunday March 19 2023)? We thought you might end up in a sticky situation like this so that why weâve pulled together a list of some of the best mum-friendly events happening around London. You can thank us later. You can treat your mum to a delightful Sunday lunch, a wander around some of Londonâs loveliest shops, a cultural visit to the best current art exhibitions or a thrilling new theatre production. The options are endless so donât spend too long creating that masterpiece of a throwback social media post, okay? Check out our top picks for the best events to take mother-dearest to this Motherâs Day 2023. RECOMMENDED: the full guide to Motherâs Day in LondonÂ

The best markets in London
London would not be the city it is without its eclectic collection of bustling markets. From foodie paradises that heave with visitors snaffling up artisan samples to small, local bazaars loaded with gifts and household essentials, locals and visitors flock to the capitalâs best stalls and these days thereâs a market for almost anything across London. Whether youâre looking for a farmersâ market, a fashion market, or want to eat up street food or search for antique gems, hereâs our pick of the best markets worth making a beeline for from foodie Borough Market to flower-filled Columbia Road. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London.

The 60 best love songs of all time
Whether you're a keen singer, newly in lurrve or totally heartbroken, thereâs nothing like a good love song (though if itâs the latter, our list of the best breakup songs might be a better antidote for your heartache). True love songs are the kinds of bangers that have you belting falsetto in the shower, dancing in the kitchen, and accidentally singing out loud in public. The kind of song that has you missing an ex you donât even have. But the love song genre is, as we all know, an incredibly saturated market. People have been writing those things since the Dark Ages, and theyâre still releasing them every damn day in 2023. So we thought weâd do you a favour and cut through the noise, and round up the very best love songs of all time, from old school classics to BeyoncĂ© belters. Whatever the occasion, thereâs a love song out there for you. Lovers near and far, here is our definitive ranking of the greatest love songs of all time. Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED:đ The sexiest songs of all timeđ The best R&B love songsđ The best breakup songsđ The best soul songsđș The best Motown songsđ The best heartbreak songs

The best New Yearâs songs to countdown to 2023
Whether youâre throwing a gargantuan house party for everyone youâve ever met, or just having a restrained night in with a few friends and family, itâs pretty much a fact that on New Yearâs Eve, you will stay up until midnight. What sort of monster doesnât want to see the New Year in? And if youâre having a late one, youâll need some music. So, while youâre loading up the confetti crackers and chilling the fizz, outfit the nightâs playlist with these hits. Youâll need tunes to cover every atmosphere the night may have: the best drinking songs for the lead-up, party songs for the stroke of midnight, and the best love songs for all the New Yearâs kisses to come. Whatever the genre, we have you covered, because spinning the top tracks means your soiree should be one of the best parties yet, right? Letâs ring in 2023 the way we mean to go on with these New Yearâs songs. Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED:đ The best party songs ever madeđ¶ The best â80s songsđ€ The best karaoke songsđș The best pop songs of all timeđ The best Christmas songs

The 28 best classic rock songs of all time
Given its waning cultural profile, all rockânâroll is rapidly becoming classic â as in, an antique. But for the time being, when we use the phrase âclassic rockâ, it conjures a few distinct images. Hippies in tie-dye. Fender Stratocaster guitars. Bandanas and beards and aviators. Itâs the music your parents listened to that you probably spent much of your youth attempting to reject, before giving in and admitting that itâs awesome. Not all classic rock is created equal, though. Just because somethingâs from the â60s or â70s and gets played on the radio doesnât mean it endures as an all-time jam. Here, weâve separated the biggest gems from the large pile of rockânâroll antiquities to create a list of the most classic of classic rock tracks â the ones that kids just picking up guitars will forever be trying to learnâŠas long as guitars still exist.  Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED: đ¶ The best â80s songsđ The best workout songsđ€Â The best karaoke songsđ The best road trip songsđȘ The best motivational songs

The 100 best party songs ever made
Youâve got the drinks. Youâve got the appetizers. Youâve got the lights and decorations. But you donât have a party until youâve got the songs. Whether youâre inviting friends over to your apartment or breaking into an abandoned warehouse, the music is the No. 1 most important element of any celebratory gathering, and crafting the perfect playlist is a delicate science. Sure, you might be tempted to show off your broad and obscure tastes. But in most situations, familiarity is what brings the most feet to the dance floor. In that spirit, when compiling this list of the greatest party songs of all-time, weâve stuck to the big names with the big tunes just about everyone knows. Within a few notes of any of these tunes popping on the speakers, your living room, wedding reception, backyard barbecue etc is guaranteed to be pulsing with ecstatic energy. And when youâre still hearing about how rad the party was weeks and months afterwardâŠwell, you can thank us later.   Listen to these songs on Amazon Music RECOMMENDED:đ€ The best karaoke songsđ» The best drinking songsđ The best birthday songsđ¶ The best â80s songsđș The best pop songs

The 45 best pop songs
Time was, âpopâ meant manufactured acts whose music erred towards the disposable. Sure, there were a few certified geniuses like Michael Jackson or Madonna. But for all the units shifted, in the twentieth-century pop never seemed to be the zeitgeist artform of the day: the Beatles werenât pop; Pink Floyd werenât pop; Dolly Parton wasnât pop; NWA werenât pop. At the dawn of the new millennium, all the rules for pop went out the window. A complicated series of cultural shifts that can largely be attributed to the internet kicked in: suddenly the bottom fell out of the market for guitar-based music, and suddenly it was sophisticated pop production that was getting the audiophiles drooling. Itâs an age weâre absolutely still living through, with little sign of letting up. And so, for this list, weâve taken a long listen to some of the biggest bangers of the last 20-plus years and did what feels nearly impossible: weâve ranked them. As a genre, pop has always been nebulously defined, so while weâve broadly speaking excluded rock, country and hip-hop (though elements of all those things appear), youâll find R&B jams, dance-floor fillers and insanely catchy earworms not even the snootiest of snobs can deny. These are the best pop songs of the twenty-first century. RECOMMENDED: đ The best party songs ever madeđž The best classic rock songsđ€ The best karaoke songsđ¶ The best â80s songsđ” The best â90s songs

The best gay clubs in London
Londonâs LGBTQ+ scene has long been full of vibrant venues offering safe spaces to be yourself. Its heartland is still very much located in its traditional home of Soho, but youâll find brilliant gay bars and clubs dedicated to serving the community south of the river and in the East End too. Thereâs plenty of diversity in what they offer, from super cool and edgy club nights to events showcasing the best in the cityâs cabaret performers. Caught the Bimini Bon-Boulash bug over lockdown? You'll love getting to know the rest of London's incredible drag stars too.  Are you more in the market for a drink and a sit down? Check out these LGBTQ+ pubs and bars.

We celebrate 27 years of nightlife legend Duckie
This Saturday night, July 2 2022, as the Pride in London festivities segue from street parade to dance parties, Duckie will say goodbye to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern after 27 years. In its own inimitable fashion, the queer arts collective and club night is ending this chapter with a healthy sense of humour. The RVT and its neighbouring railway arch will be turned into a tongue-in-cheek âStraight Prideâ event where the dress code is âsmart casualâ and thereâs âstrictly no cross-dressingâ. Gay Shame. Photograph: Edson Costa âItâs going to be a bit like the Ideal Home Show,â says Duckieâs producer and co-founder Simon Casson. âWeâll have stages around the venue where straight people can demonstrate how they live their lives by doing washing-up and sitting on the sofa watching TV. Itâs about celebrating their culture for a change.â There will also be music from Duckieâs legendary resident DJs, the Readers Wifes, performances from satirical cabaret duo Bourgeois & Maurice and âa special guest from Americaâ. Theyâre being kept secret, but theyâll definitely complement the time-honoured Duckie vibe: edgy yet friendly, with a healthy dose of âanything goesâ. We just wanted to play the records weâd listen to if we were staying in âItâs one last moment of collective joy at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern,â says Casson, who admits Duckie is departing reluctantly after hosting Saturday nights there since 1995. âItâs not our choice,â he says. âThe owners want to take back control of Saturday

Seven ways to get sporty this summer
Yes, every year is 'the summer of sport'. But actually, 2022 has some crackers up its sleeve. Whether you feel like cheering on your home team at the women's Euros, running circles around Mo Farah at a half-marathon or embracing your inner fighter at a muay thai showcase, boy do we have the list for you. Get sporty this summer at these seven unmissable events. Â

Eight epic music festivals in London
Come summer, this city is packing out its parks, gardens and event spaces with live music. Whether you're looking to dance the night away to DJs or screaming your lungs out with your favourite pop star, London's festivals are happy to facilitate. Take your summer up a notch and book an unforgettable day out, why don't you? From pop-up stages at Somerset House to all-out takeovers of Viccy Park, here's our guide to eight epic music festivals in London.

Eight ways to eat through the city this summer
Summer calls for alfresco eating, soundtracked by music with a beer to hand. Where better to get this experience than at a festival? Showcasing the very best pop-ups, food trucks and established restaurants, these are the best food festivals in London for eating your way through the whole damn city. Have a scroll through our picks and get stuffed. Â
Listings and reviews (27)

Night Drafts: GGI ëŒ
This Hackney Wick club night celebrates queer, trans and nonbinary ESEA (East and South East Asian) artists making waves in electronic music. Performances on the night will come from gendertranscendent witch YaYa Bones and electronic musician ZAH, while Lindrum, Clarity and LARASATI will deliver DJ sets. According to the organisers, âEveryone is welcome, with the understanding that this is a space that centres and celebrates queer and trans ESEA identitiesâ. Let the rave begin!

Disney Snatch Game 3 - Villains
As its title suggests, this drag night is based on a popular challenge from, ahem, a certain TV drag competition. This time around, six up-and-coming performers will impersonate iconic Disney villains in a bid to be crowned the âsnatchiestâ of them all. Just donât expect their takes on these classic characters to be quite as PG as Walt originally envisaged... On the night, there will also be a special halftime performance from Shar Cooterie, winner of the last Disney Snatch Game, and an auction raising funds for local HIV charity Wandsworth Oasis. Book early to avoid disappointment and feeling like one of Ursulaâs âpoor unfortunate soulsâ.Â

Queer Lives at the Tower
Did you know that James I was given the nickname âQueen Jamesâ because of his intimate relationships with several male courtiers? I didnât. Not until I went on Queer Lives at the Tower, a new tour of the Tower of London that shines the spotlight on the lives, loves and experiences of LGBTQ+ figures linked with the landmark. It begins with a kind of disclaimer: because history has been documented predominantly through the eyes and actions of men, this hour-long tour wonât offer as much of an insight into the lives of queer women. Thatâs a shame, and one that will hopefully be rectified in future LGBTQ+ tours of Londonâs palaces planned for later this year. Still, the queer stories that the tour does explore are vividly brought to life with âcreative storytellingâ by actors and a âdrag ravenâ. The wingless â but still very fabulous â raven acts as our primary tour guide as we move between rooms watching imagined interactions between several kings and their same-sex lovers. The tour is fascinating and often funny but ends poignantly with a mini-candlelight vigil for Roger Casement. A key figure in Irelandâs fight for independence and in the Easter Rising of 1916, Casementâs homosexual activities were used by the British government to undermine his case for clemency when he was convicted and executed for high treason. That this happened just over a century ago is a crushing reminder that the push for greater LGBTQ+ rights and acceptance has been a long, hard (and ongoing) battl

âOn Your Feet!â review
Gloria Estefanâs life story is worth celebrating: itâs a stirring immigrant-to-riches tale which saw her defy record industry prejudice and potential paralysis to become the âQueen of Latin Popâ. And if â80s hits like âDr Beatâ â released when she was lead singer of the Miami Sound Machine â and âGet on Your Feetâ canât make you dance, then, to paraphrase another Gloria banger, no rhythm is gonna get you. Even at its cheesiest, this jukebox musical â written by Oscar-winning âBirdmanâ writer Alexander Dinelaris Jr â does a decent job of turning her creative and romantic partnership with hubbie Emilio into satisfying West End entertainment.Jerry Mitchellâs production, which ran on Broadway in 2015, cha-chas through Gloriaâs early life briskly. Reprising the role she originated, a vocally impressive Christie Prades shows how the shy, Miami-raised daughter of Cuban immigrants thrives after she joins a local band led by encouraging and ambitious Emilio (George Ioannides). Her disapproving mother (Madalena Alberto), whose own thwarted ambitions power a poignant flashback sequence, provides one obstacle to success. The other: a bigoted record exec who says they should stick to singing in Spanish. When Emilio claps back by saying that, despite his thick Cuban accent, the bigwig is definitely âlooking at the face of an Americanâ, itâs an already-powerful moment intensified in 2019 by current US immigration policy. But whether you enjoy the gimmicky decision to bring a conga into the

Herne Hill Market
The award-winning Herne Hill Market is a south London gem. Open Sundays from 11am-3pm, it takes pride in offering carefully sourced food products, plants, and arts and crafts, all from within 100 miles of Herne Hill. Spread over the pedestrianised street outside Herne Hill station, the market has swelled to include more than 50 stalls, but without losing its villagey vibe. Cure your Sunday hangover with a Pie Cart scotch egg or satisfy your sweet tooth with pasteis de nata from Galeta. Once youâre done, pick up a sourdough loaf and some fresh fruit and veg for the week ahead. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: Londonâs best markets

Maltby Street Market
Located in increasingly lively Bermondsey, Maltby Street Market is a bit like a calmer, more curated version of Borough Market. Itâs only been going since 2010, doesnât open during the week, and the tourists havenât quite cottoned on yet. So, if you canât face the masses, this is the place to come when youâre having a Nigella moment and want to stock your kitchen cupboards with high-end condiments and tipples you canât get at Tesco. Nestled in and around the atmospheric Victorian rail arches of the Ropewalk youâll find around 30 artisan food and drink traders selling everything from craft beer to Mozambique-style peri-peri meats. If youâve got a sweet tooth, Bad Brownieâs gourmet chocolate brownies are definitely recommended. If youâre on a health kick, grab a green juice from the good folks at Bumpinâ Rinds. If you donât fancy snacking on the hoof, you can tuck into classy comfort food at St John Maltby, a bright and airy restaurant that gets pretty busy and doesnât take bookings. And if your stomachâs still not fully satisfied, just saunter half a mile down the road to Spa Terminus, where around 25 food producers sell top-notch cheese, wine, ice cream, honey and coffee â weâre talking Monmouth, obviously. Top tip: Â Donât leave it too late to visit. Maltby Street Market is open 9am-5pm on Saturdays and 11am-5pm on Sundays. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: Londonâs best markets

Crystal Palace Food Market
Crystal Palace Food Market has impeccable green credentials, championing local and sustainable produce wherever possible. Since launching in 2012, this not-for-profit Saturday market has attracted a loyal band of south Londoners who come weekly for fresh fish from award-winning Veasey & Sons, biodynamic fruit and veg from Brockmanâs Farm in Kent, local honey from Croydon and Bromley, and lots, lots more. Open from 10am-3pm, this is a market with a real community feel: the managers support local artists, businesses and buskers and all profits go to Crystal Palaceâs Patchwork Farm and other good causes. Once youâve filled up your tote bags, you can take a breather at the cute on-site cafĂ©. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: Londonâs best markets

Brockley Market
It may be located in a car park (Lewisham Collegeâs, to be precise), but don't let this put you off. Award-winning Brockley Market is a terrific place to pick up some top-quality groceries. The focus is on locally-sourced seasonal food, whether thatâs a joint for your Sunday lunch, fresh fish, your basic supply of fruit and veg, or cakes, artisan breads, cheese and charcuterie for a special occasion. Highlights include free-range poultry from Fosse Meadow, organic veg from Wild Country Organics and excellent Spanish cheeses and chorizo from Flavours of Spain. If all this makes your mouth water, which it probably will, there are loads of street food stalls to sate your hunger. Grab a porridge bowl, sourdough pizza or vegan Crosstown doughnut, and chow down on one of the benches. This is essentially a very good local farmersâ market, so the vibe is lively and friendly. Thereâs plenty of parking a short walk away, but it's advisable to arrive early. The stalls only open from 10am-2pm and popular items tend to sell out. Oh, and remember to stuff some carrier bags in your pockets for all the goodies youâll be taking home. Top Tips:  Brockley Market is cash-only, so make sure you swing by an ATM first. RECOMMENDED: Londonâs best markets

Leadenhall Market
Built in 1881 and fully restored to its Victorian glory 110 years later, Leadenhall Market is a beautiful indoor shopping space close to the City of London. Filmmakers adore its ornate roof structure and general sense of grandeur, which is why you might recognise it as Diagon Alley from âHarry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stoneâ. It also featured in Terry Gilliamâs fantasy flick âThe Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassusâ and Erasureâs âLove to Hate Youâ music video. Given its location near Londonâs wealthy commercial centre, you wonât be surprised to learn that there are no cockney fruit-and-veg sellers here. These days, the weekday stallholders offer jewellery, arty gifts and a variety of tasty lunch options to nearby office workers and tourists. Leadenhall also contains characterful retail units occupied by mid-to-upmarket brands like Diptyque,  Barbour and Reiss. If City slickers need to source a last-minute birthday gift, this is their first port of call. When youâve finished browsing the stalls and shops, head to the historic Lamb Tavern, an ideal spot to soak up Leadenhall Marketâs atmosphere. GrabThai, Leon and popular Italian restaurant Osteria Del Mercato are among the food options contained within the market while The Bootlegger is a cool, speakeasy-style cocktail bar a couple of minutes walk away. Top tip: The main market space is open 24/7, so pop in during off-peak hours if you fancy taking photos of the glorious roof. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: Londonâs best markets

Broadway Market
Broadway Market continues to thrive following its clever makeover nearly 15 years ago. This compact Hackney street, which neatly connects London Fields to the Regentâs Canal, has had a traditional fruit and veg market since the 1890s. But it went into steep decline in the â80s, and trade had all but petered out before the community relaunched it in 2004. Now taking place on Saturday from 9am-5pm, Broadway Market is a bustling hub for the Hackney hipsters and East End creatives who have settled down and started families. It now welcomes around 135 stalls selling a fabulous array of fresh produce, vintage clothes, flowers, coffee, books and groceries. Thereâs also plenty of delectable street food, including Deeneyâs toasted sandwiches, Fin and Founderâs crab-cake burgers, Floris Bakeryâs chocolate eclairs and the modern cult classic Yorkshire Burrito. Although there are no stalls during the week, Broadway Market is still worth visiting for its cute coffee shops, one-off restaurants and chic boutiques. Gentrification has more than crept in, but it still feels like a local high street complete with a kebab shop, post office, Costcutter, old-school barber shop and excellent hardware store. Even outside market day, youâll find it buzzing with people pottering about, nattering over coffee and doing their weekly shop. Top Tip: Broadway Market can get very busy, especially when the weatherâs good, so itâs best to allow plenty of time to avoid stress when perusing the stalls. Nick Levi

Cabbages & Frocks
Now in its twelfth year, Cabbages and Frocks Market is among Londonâs fanciest. Held every Saturday afternoon (11am-5pm) in the quaint cobbled courtyard behind St Marylebone Parish Church, it's a fashionista fave which specialises in vintage clothes, handmade jewellery and eclectic designer goods, often at (relatively) affordable prices. If bargain-hunting leaves you parched, you can catch your breath on the courtyardâs benches over coffee and macarons â itâs that kind of market. Coupled with a leisurely stroll down Marylebone High Street (which itâs adjacent to at the Baker Street end), Cabbages and Frocks Market is an ideal way to sample the bijou London life. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: Londonâs best markets Â

Alexandra Palace Farmers' Market
Alexandra Palace Farmersâ Market ranks among north Londonâs finest for fresh produce. Taking place most Sundays from 10am-3pm, locals flock here for fruit and veg from Kent, pressed fruit juices, rare-breed meats and sausages, top-quality fish, organic bread, cakes and biscuits, relishes and sauces, and handmade pies. There's a decent selection of street food, too, including pancakes, pastries, vegan Indian food, Chinese dumplings and even Guadalupian cuisine. Because it takes place in the leafy park surrounding Alexandra Palace, this market doesnât need to pack its stalls super-tightly. Thereâs a relaxed, villagey vibe and you can peruse while holding a latte without worrying about shunts and spillages. Some temporary seating is provided for market-goers, though on a pleasant day you might prefer to have a picnic in the park. Youâll find the market near the parkâs Muswell Hill entrance. If you have access to a car, thereâs loads of free parking on site. If youâre coming on public transport, the W3 bus passes nearby and Alexandra Palace railway is a short stroll away. Turnpike Lane and Bounds Green are the nearest tubes, though youâll need to allow for a brisk 25-30 minute walk from each. Which, as it happens, is perfect for working up an appetite. Top Tips: Â Definitely check the website before setting off. The farmerâs market doesnât take place every single Sunday, and it moves to nearby Campsbourne School when thereâs an event on at Ally Pally. Nick Levine RECOMMENDED: Lo
News (139)

Monkeypox in London: everything you need to know
What is monkeypox? Monkeypox is an infectious viral disease that until recently was very rare in the UK. However, an outbreak is now escalating, with 2,367 cases confirmed across the country, of which 1,699 are in London. Anyone can contract monkeypox, but at present itâs spreading almost exclusively among MSM (men who have sex with men). âThe latest data shows that around 98 percent of confirmed monkeypox cases continue to be in gay and bisexual men in big cities and particularly in London,â says Greg Owen of sexual health charity Terrence Higgins Trust. âThatâs why itâs especially important for this group to be aware of the signs and symptoms, and to get tested if they have any concerns by calling ahead to their local sexual health clinic and making arrangements.â With this in mind, hereâs everything you need to know. What are the symptoms of monkeypox? According to the NHS, if youâre infected with monkeypox, it normally takes between five and 21 days for the symptoms to show. The initial symptoms include a high temperature, headache, muscle aches, backache, swollen glands, shivering/chills and exhaustion. Within five days of these initial symptoms, a rash usually appears, often beginning on the face before spreading to other parts of the body. Lesions can appear on the genitals and anus. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) updated its list of monkeypox symptoms this week (July 26) to emphasise that this rash may not be extensive, at least to begin with. Dr. Meera Cha

Decades of love: the story of Time Out and Pride in London
1972: The first Gay Pride Week takes place in London, culminating in a march from Trafalgar Square to Hyde Park on Saturday, July 1. Time Outâs Gay News editor Denis Lemon reports on the weekâs events, noting that plain-clothes police officers in Hyde Park âtotally failed to look part of the happy crowd of gaysâ. 1976: After just a few years, Gay Pride Week has become an annual fixture. A listing posted by the Campaign for Homosexual Equality in Time Outâs AgitProp section reads: âWe are coming together for a public demonstration, in various ways, that we are glad to be gay, and to demand our rights as citizens.â 1978: Time Out reports that an argument broke out in a Bloomsbury pub during Gay Pride Week after a customer made an anti-gay remark. Two women who reacted to the comments were arrested for allegedly using threatening language and obstructing the police. They plan to plead not guilty, but the Gay Activists Alliance says âthe gay movement will pay their finesâ if theyâre convicted. 1979: Time Out puts a pink triangle on the cover to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots (which are generally considered the wellspring of the modern-day LGBTQ+ rights movement). It's a powerful statement reflecting the fact that where once the pink triangle was âa mark of oppressionâ, itâs now been reclaimed as a âbadge of Prideâ. 1987: As London gears up for Gay Pride Week, Time Out staffer John Gill reports on what London can learn from San Francisco's response to the

Platinum Jubilee weekend in London: 40 royally good things to do
As we kick off the month of June there's one huge block of days on the immediate horizon all ringed off with regal purple on our calendars â or more likely flagged as âOOFâ on our phone alerts. Like some seriously deep work of literature or art they have a level of meanings: that it's the Queen's Platinum Jubilee 2022 and that itâs a bumper four-day bank holiday weekend  for us Londoners. Whether youâre a flag and bunting kinda monarchist or proud marxist, thereâs no getting away from it, from Thursday June 2 to Sunday June 5 weâre getting time off for good behaviour to mark Elizabeth IIâs historic 70 years on the throne. Now, we know that there are still rumbles about a tube strike over the Jubilee bank holiday weekend (plus a possible dampener to our Monday commute), but fear not, not everything is centred around Buckingham Palace or the Queen's Royal residence(s) if you don't live next door (Imagine taking in the parcels). There are plenty of events big and small across the capital to liven up your local ends. You probably wonât get sent to the Tower if you donât want to take part in the festivities, but if you do, thereâs plenty going on that not only celebrates Her Maj's loooong reign, but highlights how gloriously bonkers we are when it comes to National Celebrations, from a  pop-up corgi café to a 1950s-style pub on the London Eye (yes, really). Here are 40 ways to celebrate Lizzieâs longevity, from the super-royal to the, well, really not very royal at all. 1. Get in

Pride in London has announced this yearâs parade route
After two years of Covid-induced cancellations and live streams, Pride in London is coming back as an epic in-person event this year. And because itâs celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022, itâs made the entirely fitting decision to retrace the route of the historic inaugural 1972 Pride march. Pride in London takes place this year on July 2 and the parade will begin at Hyde Park, where the first post-march picnic took place in 1972. From Hyde Park Corner, it will wend its way down Piccadilly to Piccadilly Circus, before turning south onto Haymarket and Trafalgar Square. The 1972 march ended at Trafalgar Square, but this yearâs parade will continue just a little further to Whitehall Place. See a handy map of the 2022 route below. Pride in London Pride in London says the 2022 parade will welcome 40,000 marchers and more than 400 community groups. âFor 50 years, Pride has been a visible cultural protest that brings the LGBT+ community and its allies together in solidarity,â said Christopher Joell-Deshields, executive director of Pride in London. âIt is important to recognise the activists who were brave enough to come out in 1972 to march for our liberation and pave the way for the rights we enjoy today. Early organisers took inspiration from the US civil rights group, the Black Panthers, a reminder that despite their differences there was a collective fight for the oppressed.â âAs we prepare for one of the most momentous LGBT+ pride events in the UKâs history, we are comm

Hereâs what youâll find inside the ÂŁ106,000 Oscars goodie bag
Hollywoodâs biggest night out, the Oscars, takes place on Sunday, bringing awards season to a glitzy climax. The Power of the Dog is the frontrunner with 12 nominations and is also favourite to take home Best Picture, but donât bet against Coda causing an upset on the night. This touching comedy-drama about a deaf family and their gifted daughter has all the momentum right now. Among the acting nominees are some brilliant Brits â Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman, Judi Dench and Andrew Garfield â plus the West Endâs âCabaretâ darling Jessie Buckley. But whether they win or lose, they wonât be going home empty-handed on the night. For the 20th year, L.A.-based marketing company Distinctive Assets are offering all 25 acting and directing nominees an entirely unofficial goodie bag packed with fancy and frankly quite ridiculous items. According to Forbes, this yearâs super-swag-bag is worth an eye-watering $140,000 (ÂŁ106,000). Hereâs just some of what it contains: A plot of land in the Highlands, which entitles each nominee to style themselves Lord or Lady of Glencoe A three-night takeover of an actual castle complete with a bagpiper welcome, a private gin tasting and fully-personalised concierge service A session with New York-based âself-loveâ coach Nicola Fernandes worth $1,111 (ÂŁ842) A liposuction treatment worth up to $15,000 from Florida-based Art Lipo A supply of HempHera CBD cosmetics worth more than $1,000 (ÂŁ758) You can check out a full demo of the gift bag, which

36 things seriously worth doing this spring
As a season, spring symbolises rebirth, rejuvenation and renewal. Itâs when the days really get longer and the London weather becomes a little friendlier â at least in theory. So, this makes it a perfect time to expand your horizons and start saying yes to the things you passed on in January and February. With this in mind, hereâs a guide to some unmissable events taking place in London this spring, from cool cultural happenings to tasty food festivals. Watch a huge star on stage or a high-profile revival After weathering another tricky winter, the London theatre scene is absolutely buzzing this spring with a mix of big-name debuts and feverishly anticipated revivals. Mark Rylance reprises his Olivier and Tony-winning turn in âJerusalemâ, Jez Butterworthâs wickedly funny modern classic. Jodie Comer makes her West End debut in âPrima Facieâ, a hard-hitting monologue with music by recent Time Out cover star Self Esteem. Photograph: Jodie Comer in âPrima Facieâ by Helen Murray Amy Adams also makes her West End debut, in a revival of Tennessee Williamsâ early masterpiece âThe Glass Menagerieâ.âSixâ director Lucy Moss steers the first major revival of âLegally Blonde the Musicalâ, taking place at Regentâs Park Open Air Theatre.Dubbed âSexy Oklahomaâ, US director Daniel Fishâs radically inclusive take on the classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical âOklahoma!â finally hits London. Tempt your tastebuds at a food fest or buzzy bar opening Now that the weather is warming up a bit, itâs

Notting Hill Carnival is planning its return to the streets in August 2022
Some exceptionally good news for you this morning; after being thwarted by Covid for the last two years, Notting Hill Carnival is laying the groundwork for its return to the streets this August bank holiday weekend. In an Instagram post shared on Friday, Carnivalâs official account announced this yearâs lineup of Mas Bands and Dutty Mas Bands, whose colourful costumes and joyful dance routines are an absolutely integral component of the annual parade. It even used the hashtag #NottingHillCarnival2022, which weâve got to say is a pretty heartening sight. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Notting Hill Carnival (@nhcarnivalldn) Notting Hill Carnival has been celebrating Caribbean culture in the capital since 1966, becoming an iconic tentpole of the London summer calendar. The 2020 event was cancelled due to the pandemic, though a series of free live-streamed events took place online, and the 2021 event was retooled into a series of ticketed fundraising events. Itâs clearly too soon to know what summer 2022 in London will look like, but the simple fact that Notting Hill Carnival is preparing to return to the streets is definitely something to smile about. Watch this space for further news. Black historical figures are being turned into monuments across London. But thereâs a twist The JAGS Foundation is making home-cooked Caribbean meals for deprived households

Adele pole-danced at London LGBTQ+ club G-A-Y and the internet is obsessed
Having a night out at G-A-Y is a rite of passage for any Londoner, and even though she lives in LA now, Adele is clearly no exception. Last Thursday, after taping her appearance on âThe Graham Norton Showâ, the pop superstar paid a visit to G-A-Y at Heaven nightclub under Charing Cross station. Because it was a Thursday night, the club was hosting its weekly âPorn Idolâ contest, where brave punters can strip down and show off their dance moves for a chance at winning a cash prize. Now, if we know anything about Adele â other than the fact she drinks wine â itâs that sheâs game for a laugh. So perhaps we shouldnât be too surprised that she ended up on stage showing off some pole-dancing moves of her own in front of the eventâs host, Cheryl Hole of âRuPaulâs Drag Raceâ fame. As footage shared on social media shows, fellow punters at G-A-Y went every bit as wild as youâd expect. Seriously, was anyone expecting this from February 2022? Now what is Adele doing pole dancing in my favourite gay club? pic.twitter.com/pJXJzA7bJE â Karolis đ (@Karolis_G) February 11, 2022 During her big G-A-Y night out, Adele also posed for photos with fellow diva Cheryl Hole, who earlier in the week had been eliminated from âRuPaul's Drag Race UK vs the Worldâ. To be fair, getting to party with actual Adele is quite the consolation prize. Confirmed: @Adele was devastated I was eliminated on Drag Race too. Love you divalina đ pic.twitter.com/GyY8U5sqtQ â Cheryl Hole (@CherylHo

These Clapham posties had a very slow day after allegedly eating hash brownies
Royal Mail has launched an investigation after video footage emerged purporting to show Clapham postal workers stoned on the job. The footage was first shared on someoneâs Instagram Story, but inevitably made its way on to Twitter due to its high â pun definitely intended â comedy value. According to the original Instagram captions, several posties unwittingly tucked into a box of hash brownies when they first arrived at work. âWe had a delivery of them with no return address and the house was empty and they were in our office for a month so we opened them and they got given out,â the caption alleges. Seemingly, what they thought was a humble sweet treat turned out to have an unexpected extra ingredient: cannabis. The subsequent footage shows the Clapham posties carrying out their round very, very slowly. âOne guy said he was walking to a door and thought he was walking forever,â a caption says. Thereâs also a shot of an apparently spaced-out postie saying he had âno ideaâ what he had eaten. đđđ Postman Pat was high as a kite pic.twitter.com/P7NqHAXhwa â Marc Smith (@Marc_Smi7h) February 2, 2022 Understandably, Royal Mail has found the footage rather less amusing than banter merchants on Twitter. âWe have commenced an investigation, which will determine whether any further action, including disciplinary action, might be taken,â a spokesperson told the BBC. âWe are also reminding all staff at the delivery office of the correct procedures for dealing with item

Temple stationâs roof terrace has been transformed into a dazzling art installation
Temple tube stationâs grey concrete roof terrace has been given a kaleidoscopic makeover by London-based artist Lakwena Maciver. Titled âBack in the Air: A Meditation on Higher Ground,â Maciverâs rooftop art installation features a series of interlocking geometric patterns inspired by her Ugandan heritage. One block of brilliant colour contains the unifying message: âNothing can separate usâ. As well as following the multicoloured lines of Maciverâs artwork, visitors can check out a brightly painted replica one of Londonâs famous cabmen shelters situated on the roof. The overall effect, as you can see below, is kind of mesmerising. View this post on Instagram A post shared by 180 The Strand (@180.studios) âThey say that the Garden of Eden was the first temple â the story goes that we were cast out of the Garden, and ever since then we have been longing to find our way back,â said Maciver. âThis idea of a subconscious yearning for paradise sits in stark contrast to the highly colonised, concrete environment that now surrounds Temple Station. Yet it is this which has become the impetus for this public intervention.â âBack in the Airâ is the first installation at The Artistâs Garden â a partnership with Westminster City Council and part of its Inside Out festival and WestminsterReveals campaign â and will be on show until April 30, 2022. It is co-commissioned with 180 Studios and supported by Vigo Gallery, WSP, Northbank BID and Transport for Lo

A walkway illuminated by giant Harry Potter wands is coming to Leicester Square
âHarry Potterâ fans assemble! In Leicester Square, to be precise, where an installation of nine giant Wizarding World wands will arrive next week. The impressive 15 foot tall wands will light up to form an illuminated walkway through Leicester Square Gardens between 6pm and 8.35pm every day, from October 13 to October 25. The wands are exact replicas of those belonging to nine characters from the Harry Potter and âFantastic Beastsâ films, so theyâre authentic as well as awesomely Insta-worthy. The wands will join nine bronze statues â including one of Harry himself â currently on display in Leicester Square as part of the completely free âScenes in the Squareâ installation. And itâs no accident that the wands are going on display now: the first film based on JK Rowlingâs beloved books, âHarry Potter and the Philosopherâs Stoneâ, is being rereleased in cinemas on October 29 to mark its twentieth anniversary. âLeicester Square itself has played its part in the Wizarding World legacy by hosting premieres for the Harry Potter and âFantastic Beastsâ films over two decades,â said Polly Cochrane of Warner Bros., makers of the movies. âSo we are delighted to bring the wands here for fans to enjoy.â Frankly, they sound like just the kind of light relief we all need right now. Which Hogwarts House are you? Find out with our Sorting Hat quiz. Need even more HP in your life? Check out our guide to âHarry Potter and the Cursed Childâ in the West End.

Bond fans weigh in on Daniel Craigâs âNo Time to Dieâ premiere outfit
 Daniel Craigâs final Bond film, No Time to Die, is finally here and getting glowing reviews â including a five-star write-up from Time Outâs Phil De Semlyen. Also a major talking point? The actorâs choice of attire for last nightâs swanky premiere at the Royal Albert Hall. When youâre a world-famous actor bowing out after 15 years in an iconic role, you can totally pull off a raspberry velvet smoking jacket by Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard. This doesnât mean, however, that people wonât compare you to another famous fictional spy: Austin Powers. Nice to see Daniel Craig channelling Austin Powers at the premier #jamesbond #notimetodie #austinpowers pic.twitter.com/bvxgaPHPMy â Miriam Hurley (@miribobs) September 28, 2021 Big fan of Daniel Craig dressing up as Austin Powers for the James Bond premiere #GroovyBaby https://t.co/yw0VYF1VyL â Daniel Lewis (@danllew8) September 28, 2021 âHe can get away with it,â one commenter wrote on the Time Out London Facebook page. âNormal blokes would look like an old pub settee.â Another quipped playfully: âI knew MI6 had something to do with the disappearance of my nanâs curtains.â However, other Bond fans were less waggish about Craigâs statement jacket. âI love it & he stands out amongst all those in black,â said one Facebook commenter. Another said appreciatively: âOnly a strong, confident man can pull a pink velvet jacket off and Daniel certainly does that!â Well said, quite frankly. I donât c