It's Your London sends out a seasonal newsletter to our Friends who subscribe and I wanted to share all this good info with my blog readers too.
IT’S YOUR LONDON NEWSLETTER FOR
AUTUMN/WINTER 2015.
Here’s
your autumn to winter 2015 newsletter giving you a taster of the exciting
events coming up in the next 3 months in our capital. If you want to hear more
about anything listed, or any other things you may have heard about, do send me
an email (sue@itsyourlondon.co.uk) and I’ll get right back to you.
A warm
welcome to new subscribers!
Have a
look a Sue’s blog on the website (www.itsyourlondon.co.uk) to read about what
I’ve been up to lately – a peek into life in London. I’m also on Twitter at
@itsyourlondon so do join my 3750 followers for all the latest news!
Hope
you enjoy your newsletter, let me know what you think.
Best
wishes,
Sue
Hillman
SPECIAL EVENTS
OCTOBER This is a big month for film and art with
major evens for both creative industries. The 59th London Film
Festival is a showcase for Hollywood stars and block buster films and yet still
finds space for first time directors and documentaries. Frieze Art Fair brings the art world to
London and takes up residence in Regents Park and there is a whole range of
other shows offering some pieces at more affordable prices.
NOVEMBER The
week of the 5th sees firework displays all over town as we mark Guy
Fawkes Night when a group tried, but failed luckily, to blow up the Houses of
Parliament in 1605. It’s a great month
for jazz fans when the London Jazz Festival brings top names to London’s famous
night spots like Ronnie Scott. As winter is chilling the temperatures, you’ll
see ice rinks opening all over town at great venues such as the Tower of London
and the Natural History Museum.
DECEMBER The
build up to Christmas is in full flow with all the famous lights decorating the
streets of London with their best festive look. Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park
offers a fun fair and Christmas market offering something for all the family.
Look out for the famous, tall Christmas tree in Trafalgar Square, an annual
present from the people of Norway in memory of Britain’s help during the 2nd
World War where carols are sung each evening – a magical sound to put you in a
festive mood.
THEATRE
October DH Lawrence’s Husbands and
Sons comes to the National starting Anne Marie Duff. The Young Vic bring us
their take on ‘Measure for Measure’ starring Romola Garai and there’s more
Shakespeare with a Comedy of Errors at the National. We have a show at the Lyric
Theatre celebrating One Direction’s success with music from ‘all 4’ of their
albums! More music but this time it’s Close to you: Bacharach Reimagined at the
Criterion where his songs are brought to us in a blend of nostalgia and
innovation. Michael Flatley is back, as
choreographer now, with those speedy Irish dance moves in Lord of the Dance:
Dangerous Games at the Playhouse.
November Dawn
French’s 30 Million Minutes can be seen at the Vaudeville, which is the length
of her life, so far. The Trafalgar Studios hosts Pinter’s The Homecoming with
John Simm, Gary Kemp and Keith Allen. The big show in town is the Kenneth Branagh
season at the Garrick where we will be treated to the chance to see him
starring with the wonderful Judi Dench in The Winter’s Tale.
December Tickets
have been going quickly for A Christmas Carol at the Noel Coward theatre
starring Jim Broadbent as Scrooge. The
Donmar Warehouse brings us Les Liaisons Dangereuses starring Dominic West so
that’ll be worth a ticket! Goodnight Mister Tom is on at the Duke of York
starring David Troughton . A musical based on Alice in Wonderland, called just
Wonderland comes to us at the National from Damon Albarn so we know Christmas
is coming but to slow that festive cheer down a play called Hangman transfers
to the Wyndham about Britain’s last hangman when the death sentence is
abolished, starring David Morrissey. But
standby - the pantomimes are coming soon!
ART GALLERIES
October This is a busy month
for art lovers with Frieze being the main show on in a number of huge tents in
Regents Park alongside Frieze Masters for a more traditional approach. Several other galleries join in and Berkeley
Square hosts the Pavilion of Art and Design Fair in another large tent (or
marquee I should say as it sounds posher!).The Other Art Fair at the Old Truman
Brewery offers a more affordable level of work. Frank Auerbach has a show at
the Tate Britain and Goya: The Portraits opens at the National Gallery. The Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern unveils
their new piece by Mexican artist Abraham Cruzvillegas.
November The
Queen’s Gallery has Dutch Artists in the Age of Vermeer and also John
Rowlandson’s comic art entitled High Spirits. Alexander Calder’s Performing
Sculpture opens at the Tate Modern and the Tate Britain brings us Artist and
Empire looking at art associated with the British Empire from the 16th
century onwards.
December Time to catch your
breath and see some of the great shows continuing while the pace of openings
slows down. Ai Wei Wei at the Royal Academy has been creating a lot of
discussion, as has The World goes Pop at the Tate Modern.
SHOPPING, FASHION, MARKETS
October London Chocolate Week
has events all over town from a chocoholic show at Olympia to themed cocktails
at the best bars. Real Food Markets continue even tho the summer has gone, each
weekend at the South Bank and the Slow food market at the Rosewood Hotel every
Sunday. Don’t forget London’s regular markets: Portobello on Saturdays,
Spitalfields biggest on Sundays and Camden all the time!
November Christmas markets are
popping up all over town from the South Bank to Kew Gardens and the huge Winter
Wonderland in Hyde Park is full of chalet style stalls. The Spirit of Christmas
Fair at Olympia is packed full of present ideas, and some for yourself of
course!
December The Christmas lights
will all be on now and London’s shopping street look at their festive twinkly
best. Don’t miss Regent Street, Oxford Street, South Molton Street, Covent
Garden, Carnaby Street and the beautifully decorated shop windows including
John Lewis, Liberty’s, Selfridges, Harrods and Bond Street’s top end shops.
MUSEUMS AND EXHIBITIONS
October The Victoria and Albert
Museum has the Fabric of India exhibition which will be a beautiful riot of
colour with handmade fabrics dating from the 3rd century to the
present day. The Museum of London looks at the grittier side of life with their
Museum of Crime Uncovered a strange collection of criminal evidence and tales
that dates back to 1875 but has not before been open to the public. Museums at
Night is an annual treat which several London museums joining in with and throwing
open their doors for after hours fun and games. Check out the Days of the Dead
listed in November as they span these 2 months
November The
British Museum is celebrating the Day of the Dead, a major event in Mexico when
deceased relatives are remembered and honoured through festivities. Expect
artworks and late evenings with music and food. The National Maritime Museum is
marking Samuel Pepys with an exhibition looking at the period from 1649 to
1688, a period of momentous change in British history, so we can get to know
the man, his interest and his gossiping! The show is called Plague, Fire and
Revolution which gives you some idea of the topics explored. The V&A opens Bejewelled Treasures, part
of their India season. The Geffryre
Museum gets festive with 400 Years of Christmas Past.
December There
are rarely any new openings in December as there is so much else to do so
perhaps use the time to catch the great shows that are still on. Perhaps The
Celts at the British Museum and the Geffrye’s seasonal special. A
candlelit lit evening tour of Sir John Soane’s museum is magical at this time
of year and you can catch this on the first Tuesday of each month.
FOODIE THINGS
October The group behind the
Ivy bring us Sexy Fish in Berkeley Square with upmarket seafood although we are
not yet sure what is ‘sexy’ about it. Carrying on the theme of strange naming is Les
Couilles du Chien (yes it is!) a new bar with food from the Arbutus gang so
let’s hope it lives up to its name in the non literal sense…. More odd names with a new pan Asian bar and
small plates called Beyond London yet it’s in Kensington. The opening I’m most
excited about is Les 110 de Taillevent in Cavendish Square when its very famous
Parisian parent opens this spin off.
Coming a close second is 45 Jermyn Street in Fortnum and Masons which
aims to bring back glamour! Last but by
no means least in this bumper month is the Chocolate Show in the vast halls of
Olympia.
November/December The
Ivy continue their roll out of smaller venues with the Café Marylebone Lane. It’s
been a long wait for the German Gymnasium in Kings Cross which is slated for
late autumn so any time now… M Restaurants
will open in Victoria as the major renovations and upheaval there begin to
settle down, they will be offering high end grills and raw dishes. Corbin and King continue to grow, adding
Bellanger in Islington to their group, with a neighbourhood feel and Alsace
cooking. If you need to escape from the
eating fest that is the build up to Christmas, try Grain and Green in Fitzrovia
offering healthy salads from the Detox Kitchen.
PARKS AND GARDENS, ROYAL PALACES
October The Royal Horticultural
Society has a good looking event - The
Shades of Autumn Show giving inspirational planting ideas and advice on
choosing autumn plants. Regent’s Park
host the enormous marquees of Frieze Art Fair and Frieze Masters so expect lots
of very fashionable arty looking folk in the park. The Tower of London is
marking the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt with a
special exhibition in the White Tower where the Duke of Orleans was imprisoned
after his capture in the battle.
November A new event from the Royal Horticultural
Society this month is The London Frost Fair looking at over winter planting and
workshops, and of course as we are in the build up to Christmas there will be a
reindeer family to enjoy. Kew Gardens go
big at Christmas with their Illuminations Trail, a one mile sparkling path
around the gardens including dancing illuminated fountains.
December Hyde
Park hosts the huge Winter Wonderland event which has stalls selling food and
gifts, a seasonal fun fair and even its own ice rink and ferris wheel. The ice rinks will be open at Hampton Court
Palace and the Tower of London. The
annual Peter Pan swimming will take place on the Serpentine in Hyde Park, an
annual event for the very hardy since 1864! The Royal Palaces all have festive
events and fairs and don’t miss the BBC Good Food Festival Christmas Fayre at
Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace will be showing us how Queen
Victoria celebrated Christmas.
SPORT
October The Rugby World Cup
games will be played across England and in Cardiff to battle for this honour,
sadly without the hosts. The final will be on 31st October at
Twickenham. Hopefully there will be more joy for England fans in the last of
home qualifier for Euro 2016 against Estonia. Equally competitive are the
International Ballroom Dancing Championships at the Royal Albert Hall. There
will be 3 NFL games played at Wembley this year with associated fan zones in
the centre of London.
November The
end of season ATP tennis tournament sees the top 8 players in the world fight
for the top place to finish off their season so hopefully our Andy Murray will
be starring at the 02 Arena. Rugby League has a big game at the Olympic Stadium
where England take on New Zealand.
December The London
International Horse Show makes its annual appearance at Olympia, in fact its
108th appearance! Big names in the show jumping world gather to
compete alongside the Household Cavalry and the Shetland Pony Grand National. Billed as the world’s greatest darts
tournament, you can see the stars of the game at Alexandra Palace. Christmas
Day sees the traditional early morning swimming race in the Serpentine Lake,
Hyde Park, a race that has been getting people out of bed since 1864.
MUSIC
October Squeeze come to the 02
with Dr John Cooper Clarke, The Editors play at the Apollo Hammersmith and as
does Gabriel Iglesias. Bob Dylan is playing his new album, and hopefully some
old tracks too, for 5 nights at the Royal Albert Hall. As part of the build up to the new Bond
film’s release, Mica Paris is on at the Royal Festival Hall bringing us James
Bond soundtracks. U2 roll into the 02 and Dappy from NDubz plays at the 02
Islington.
November The
London Jazz Festival sparkles across town taking on several of London’s top
venues including of course Ronnie Scott’s. Don’t miss big names like Andy
Sheppard, Courtney Pine, Jamie Cullum and Joshua Redman. Suede take on the Roundhouse and New Order are
at the 02 Brixton. Disco classics from
Chic ft Nile Rodgers are at the Olympic Park and Brandon Flowers at the 02
Shepherds Bush. Ya Lo Tengo play the 02 Shepherds Bush.
December The
Prodigy take the Wembley Arena by storm while the Charlatans with Echo &
the Bunnymen are at the 02 Brixton. Lots
of retro at this time of year so check out Kim Wilde at the 02 Shepherds Bush
and Grandmaster Flash at the Brooklyn Bowl 02. Madonna hits the 02 as do Deep
Purple. Dave Davies of the Kinks (the other brother!) plays at the Assembly
Rooms Islington. The Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band is at the 02 in a smaller hall and
Simply Red reform to play at the larger 02 hall. More contemporary, The
Disclosure take on Alexandra Palace. The Kooks are at the Forum and Trevor
Nelson’s Soul Nation is at the Jazz Café.
Enjoy
London!
Sue
@itsyourlondon
www.itsyourlondon.co.uk
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