The Camellia Show begins at Chiswick House & GardensThings to do BREW LDN: Beer festival BrewLDN begins today, bringing together 150 brewers from all over the world, plus street food and live music. A pop-up pub forms the centrepiece, with 8,000 people expected to attend over four days. Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane), from £15, book ahead, 27-29 February CAMELLIA SHOW: Chiswick House & Gardens showcases its rare and historic plants at the annual Camellia Show. 33 different varieties can be seen in the listed conservatory, and you can enter a raffle for a chance to name an as-yet-unlisted species. Chiswick House & Gardens, free entry to gardens (donations welcome), just turn up, 27 February-22 March Watch a screening of There's always a black issue DearBLACK ISSUE: Short documentary film Beyond 'There's always a black issue Dear' celebrates black LGBTQ identities and the influence that black LGBTQ culture has had on fashion, fine art, dance, music and language. Watch the film, followed by a panel discussion about black LGBTQ experiences in the 1970s and 80s. Museum of London, £10, book ahead, 6.30pm BEAUTIFUL BOOKS: Guest Curator Simon Eliot leads a special tour of current exhibition Beautiful Books: Dickens and the Business of Christmas.Find out how Dickens shaped Christmas into the celebration we know today, and find out about the history of the book and printing, from leather to cloth binding and beyond. Dickens Museum (Bloomsbury), included in general admission, book ahead, 6.30pm-7.30pm ORCHIDS LATE: Experience Kew's Orchids Festival a little differently — after dark. The glasshouse stays open late for a few selected evenings, illuminating the flowers to show them off in all their glory. Enjoy Indonesian food and performances, and expert talks, as you wander among the blooms. Kew Gardens, £18, book ahead, 6.30pm/8pm Stay late at Kew GardensTAP TAKEOVER: Northern Monk Brew Co is the headline brewery at this month's Tate Tap Takeover. The art gallery stays open late for an evening of beers, food and artwork. Try Northern Monk's offerings, and scribble on your tasting note sheet so you remember what to order next time. Tate Modern, from £18.95, book ahead, 6.30pm-11pm GOO GOO DOLLS: Rock band Goo Goo Dolls bring their UK tour to Camden, celebrating the release of their 12th studio album, Miracle Pill. They perform a mix of classic tracks from their 30 year career, and songs from the new album. Roundhouse (Camden), £35, book ahead, 7pm CATHEDRAL FOLK CLUB: Cunning Folk hosts an evening of folk music in the cafe at Southwark Cathedral. Stand up and perform, or just sit back and enjoy music by other people. A hat is passed around for donations, so take some cash along. Southwark Cathedral, free (donations welcome), just turn up, 7pm Glenn Moore previews his latest workTHOMAS CROMWELL: The National Archives hosts an expert talk about document display relating to the rise and fall of Thomas Cromwell. Diarmaid MacCulloch, Emeritus Professor of the History of the Church at the University of Oxford National, introduces his new biography of Cromwell, who reshaped Tudor England and Ireland, and signs copies after the event. Archives (Kew), £15/£12, book ahead, 7.30pm COMEDY: Comedian Glenn Moore has appeared on Mock The Week, Stand Up Central, and The News Quiz. Tonight he's in Islington for a work in progress show, trying out new jokes and honing his latest material. Pleasance Theatre (Islington), £5, book ahead, 7.45pm London weather with Inclement Attlee Our idiosyncratic weather forecaster returns, keeping you up to date on London's skies. Today's weather is massively hedging its bets, with bright sunshine, dark clouds and heavy rain. Watch out, too, for snow, sleet, ice, gusts, whirlwinds, typhoons, ball lightning and meteor showers. Contact Mr Attlee with any weather-related thoughts or pictures by emailing hello@londonist.com; subject line "For Mr Attlee". Tube ponderings with Barry Heck Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground. Did you know that our underground trains almost got a skirt? This image from London Transport Museum shows an experimental 1935 train, with a streamlined art deco look. Sadly, the design never entered full service. Read more about it here. Follow Barry on Twitter @HeckTube. Good cause of the day If you're planning your weekend already, consider carving some time out of Saturday to drop by Ravenswood for Eat or Heat. Enjoy live music and food and drink stalls in exchange for a donation to the local food banks. What we're reading Pressure group London Yimby thinks it has a solution to the housing crisis. How Bolt bounced back from a spectacular public London failure. London's street grid, revealed using one cyclist's journeys. Jay Rayner on the rewards of showing solidarity to London's Chinatown restaurants. |
