All About London

BBC News - Downing Street exceeds estimate at signs auction

2013-05-21T22:31:00.001+01:00

BBC News - Downing Street exceeds estimate at signs auction: "An enamelled Downing Street sign has been sold for £7,800 at auction, fetching over £6000 more than expected.

It was part of a collection of distinctive London street signs auctioned, including one for Abbey Road made famous by The Beatles.

The sell-off has been prompted by Westminster City Council and Transport for London upgrading 1990s signposting.

It has been described as an "absolute one-off"."

2013-05-21T18:28:00.001+01:00

What's on Families - The Royal Collection

Future events

Crowns and Coronations

Saturday, 25 May 2013 to Saturday, 01 June 2013

Windsor Castle

Family activities to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation. Make your own crown or tiara in our art workshop and follow a special themed activity trail to learn more about The Queen.... Read moreabout Crowns and Coronations

Family Activities: Exploring the Gold State Coach

Wednesday, 29 May 2013 to Friday, 31 May 2013

The Royal Mews, Buckingham Palace

This year Her Majesty The Queen celebrates the sixtieth anniversary of her Coronation which took place on 2 June 1953. On that day, The Queen, with The Duke of Edinburgh, was driven from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey in the Gold State Coach,... Read more

The Queen: Portraits of a Monarch | Royal Collection Trust

2013-05-21T18:26:00.003+01:00

The Queen: Portraits of a Monarch | Royal Collection Trust: "The Queen: Portraits of a Monarch
Windsor Castle
Friday, 23 November 2012 to Sunday, 09 June 2013

Queen Elizabeth II is one of the most depicted women in the world. She has sat to numerous artists, from Cecil Beaton and Pietro Annigoni to Lucian Freud. Her portrait likeness, so widely circulated, has also inspired artists such as Andy Warhol, whose screenprint portraits of Her Majesty have been recently acquired for the Royal Collection and are displayed for the first time at Windsor Castle."

The Queen's Coronation 1953 | Royal Collection Trust

2013-05-21T18:26:00.001+01:00

The Queen's Coronation 1953 | Royal Collection Trust: "The Queen's Coronation 1953
Buckingham Palace
Saturday, 27 July 2013 to Sunday, 29 September 2013

This summer marks the 60th anniversary of one of the most momentous occasions in 20th-century British history – the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. To mark the anniversary of the event, a major exhibition for the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace will bring together for the first time since Coronation Day, a spectacular array of dress, uniform and robes worn by the principal royal party. Works of art, paintings and objects used on the day will also be on display to recreate the atmosphere of that extraordinary occasion.

Image: Cecil Beaton, © Vict

'via Blog this'

Thames Jet Boat Rush for Two - Special offer - lastminute.com experience days

2013-05-21T16:19:00.001+01:00

Thames Jet Boat Rush for Two - Special offer - lastminute.com experience days: "See the London sights as you never have before with this high-speed Thames Jet Boat Rush. Set to launch in July 2013, this adrenaline-fuelled experience is a new and unique way to view the capital’s iconic sights, including Tower Bridge and The London Eye. Hold on tight as you speed through the water for 50 minutes on an unforgettable journey of aquabatics, with live commentary throughout.

What's included
50 minute high speed jet adventure
The only public jet boat on the Thames
The same boats as the police use on the water
Waterproofs included
Personalised voucher and message card
Cancellation indemnity"

'via Blog this'

Exclusive Spa Offers for £20 - lastminute.com

2013-05-21T16:16:00.001+01:00

Exclusive Spa Offers for £20 - lastminute.com: "Exclusive Spa Offers for £20 "

2 New Row, Covent Garden, London

lastminute.com customers can grab this exclusive spa offer until 10am on 22nd May.

You will enjoy:

Dermalogica Facial (60 mins) including...

2013-05-21T15:57:00.002+01:00

The Geffrye Museum - Birthday Event

136 Kingsland Road, London E2 8EA www.geffrye-museum.org.uk

Join us in celebrating a special birthday this week!

Tuesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm, Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday 12 - 5pm

Read all about the Geffrye - special offer!

A new biography of Robert Geffery, Riot & Revolution by historian Penny Hunting, celebrates our founder's extraordinary life. To celebrate the 400th anniversary of Geffery's birth this week, we are giving away a choice of Geffrye publications to five lucky readers: simply present this email at our shop to receive your choice of a free copy of either Riot & Revolution, A History of the Geffrye Almshouses or A Guide to the Geffrye Museum. (This offer is limited to five people, first come first served.) Everyone who presents this email at the shop will receive a free postcard of the Geffrye almshouses. (Both offers end Monday 27 May.)

Restored historic almshouse

All almshouse tours on 21 May will include an introduction to the gardens to celebrate the Chelsea Fringe festival.

Adults £2.50, Friends of the Geffrye, disabled visitors (and their companion) and children under 16 free.

Celebrate the Chelsea Fringe at the Geffrye
Come and see the large-scale artwork created by The Flowerbeds, inspired by the Geffrye's gardens. The work is on display at the museum opposite the shop throughout the Chelsea Fringe.

Find out more about our other Chelsea Fringe events: The City Gardener and The Language of Flowers.

Free entry to our special exhibition

From Tuesday 21 May, there'll be free entry to Stands Alone, our photography exhibition by Simone Novotny.

KEEP IN TOUCH

The Geffrye, Museum of the Home

136 Kingsland Road, London E2 8EA

Tel 020 7739 9893 www.geffrye-museum.org.uk

2013-05-21T15:45:00.005+01:00

Corrigan's of Mayfair - Market Lunch

MAYFAIR IN BLOOM

Chelsea Flower Show Market Lunch

£25 two courses
£29 three courses

COOKERY SCHOOL THIS WEEKEND
Saturday May 25th - cooking with edible flowersLast few places available

Join us for a morning in the kitchen
Champagne
4 course lunch
Sommelier matched wines
Goody bag and signed Richard Corrigan cook book

£250 for the experience
Invite a friend to join you for lunch afterwards (+£90)

Click here to book or call 020 7499 9943

28 Upper Grosvenor Street, London, W1K 7EH

2013-05-21T15:44:00.000+01:00

Bentley's Oyster - Summer of School Rocks

Summer 'School of Rocks'
Oyster Master Class & Lunch on Saturdays New Dates

Our world is the oyster Learn to shuck, identify and more importantly
taste the finest oysters Britain has to offer

Oyster master class & tasting
Champagne on the terrace
Three course lunch
Sommelier matched wines
Goody bag with apron, oyster knife & recipe cards
£90 per person

Some spaces available on the following dates;
May 25th
June 1st, 8th, 15th & 29th
July 6th 13th, 20th & 27th

Book early to avoid disappointment; click here or call 020 7734 4756

See main site for full listing

11-15 Swallow Street, London W1B 4DG

2013-05-21T15:40:00.000+01:00

Somerset House -Film 4 Summer Screen 2013

London’s best-loved open-air cinema is back this August with an extended programme of films over 14 nights. Presented in the magnificent 18^th century courtyard on a giant screen with full surround sound, Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset House features comedy, romance, musicals, thrillers and much loved classics.

As a subscriber to our e-newsletter, you are invited to our priority booking period which opens Wednesday 22 May at 10.00. Tickets go on general sale on Friday 24 May.

> Click here to book from Wednesday 22 May at 10.00

World Premiere: About Time (cert TBC)
Thursday 8 August 2013
A magical new comedy from Richard Curtis in which Tim (Domhnall Gleeson) is able to relive every moment until he gets it right. Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy also star in this delightful film about life’s unexpected twists and turns as the course of true love proves hilariously difficult.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (12A)
Friday 9 August 2013
Sibling rivalry is pushed to the extreme as aging sisters Bette Davis and Joan Crawford torment and torture one another in this chilling slice of Hollywood Gothic. There’s plenty of suspense as the mutual loathing mounts, along with lashings of black comedy.

Mean Girls, plus Carrie, plus The Loved Ones (18)
Saturday 10 August 2013
A triple-bill of high-school comedy and horror that gets darker the longer it lasts. Lindsay Lohan strikes back in the Tina Fey-scripted Mean Girls, while Stephen King sets the stage for revenge in Carrie. Finally, an invitation to prom-horror The Loved Onesthat you’d be foolish to refuse.

The Untouchables (15)
Sunday 11 August 2013
Brian De Palma’s tale of G-men versus gangsters in 1930s Chicago reinvents the mobster movie while retaining plenty of old-school elegance. Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner and Sean Connery provide acting muscle, while Ennio Morricone’s score propels us through to that memorable showdown on the train station steps.

Guys and Dolls (U)
Monday 12 August 2013
A classic musical that splashes sensational Broadway style across the screen as it travels from a stylised New York to seductive Havana. Frank Sinatra, Marlon Brando and Jean Simmons are the stars of this streetwise favourite, with singalong setpieces ranging from show-stopping group numbers to intimate torch songs.

UK Premiere: The Way Way Back (cert TBC)
Tuesday 13 August 2013
UK premiere of this wonderful coming-of-age comedy. An awkward fourteen-year-old learns important life-lessons during a summer vacation with mum Toni Collette and her new boyfriend Steve Carell, although he does his real growing up at the local waterpark under the watchful eye of a supremely laidback Sam Rockwell.

Kes (PG)
Wednesday 14 August 2013
Director Ken Loach’s debut follows the story of a Barnsley boy who secretly keeps and trains a kestrel, the bird’s flight an inspiring symbol of escape amidst oppressive surroundings. A classic of British cinema, this down-to-earth yet highly emotive film will soar on a big-screen under the stars.

Throne of Blood (12A)
Thursday 15 August 2013
Director Akira Kurosawa’s haunting version of Macbeth is one of the most powerful Shakespeare films ever made, as a samurai warrior brings darkness down upon both himself and his scheming wife. The climax provides one of cinema’s defining images, although every frame of the film proves unforgettable.

Predator, plus Gremlins 2: The New Batch (18)
Friday 16 August 2013
All creatures great and small, Summer Screen-style! Schwarzenegger kicks off this monstrous double-bill, coming face-to-ugly face with an enormous alien-beast in Predator. Then we get smaller - but no less lethal - as Gremlins run riot in New York, creating a sequel that’s crazier and creepier than the original.

Badlands, plus Raising Arizona (15)
Saturday 17 August 2013
The American outlaw spirit abides in a double-bill of great directors. Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek are lovers on the run in Terrence Malick’s poeticBadlands, while Nicolas Cage can’t seem to go straight – despite being married to cop Holly Hunter – in the Coen Brothers’ wacky and heartfelt Raising Arizona.

Crazy Stupid Love (12A)
Sunday 18 August 2013
Contemporary rom-coms may not always get it right but here’s one that does (having a cast including Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and Steve Carell helps!). The love-lives of a number of characters interlink in this sweet, sexy comedy, with Gosling on top form as the player who meets his match.

The Red Shoes (U)
Monday 19 August 2013
Blazing colour, vivid emotion and swoon-inducing style – it can only be legendary British filmmaking duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s classic about a prima ballerina whose success comes at a high price. The whole film - from mundane backstage business to fairytale performance setpieces - casts a magic spell.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (PG)
Tuesday 20 August 2013
If there was a vote to determine Most Entertaining Film Ever, this cross between Western and buddy-comedy would be near the top. With charismatic stars Paul Newman and Robert Redford cracking wise while running for their lives, it’s got everything you need to have a great time at the movies.

UK Premiere: Prince Avalanche (cert TBC)
Wednesday 21 August 2013
UK premiere of this odd-couple comedy, starring Paul Rudd and Emilie Hirsch. Although the pair have a family connection they couldn’t be more different, meaning their summer together painting road-markings in the middle of nowhere threatens to be a long one. A witty and lyrical treat, with sublime landscape photography.

The Laurent-Perrier show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 / RHS Gardening

2013-05-21T12:45:00.001+01:00

The Laurent-Perrier show garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 / RHS Gardening:

BBC News - Justin Rowe book art opens British Academy Literature Week

2013-05-21T12:36:00.001+01:00

BBC News - Justin Rowe book art opens British Academy Literature Week: "Unwanted books consigned to the shelves of charity shops have been rescued by a Cambridge bookseller and turned into works of art for a literature festival.

Justin Rowe started carving up the pages of old books as a hobby in 2010, using a small rotating-bladed scalpel.

Some of his art is now taking centre stage at the British Academy's free literature week celebrations in London."

Wowcher | Deal - Little Sicily/£29 instead of up to £89.20 for a 3-course Italian meal for 2 inc. bottle of wine to share at Little Sicily, Piccadilly Circus - save up to 67%

2013-05-21T12:23:00.001+01:00

Wowcher | Deal - Little Sicily/£29 instead of up to £89.20 for a 3-course Italian meal for 2 inc. bottle of wine to share at Little Sicily, Piccadilly Circus - save up to 67%:

10oz Steak or Lobster Burger Plus Starters and Bottle of Wine for Two for £39 at Reform Social & Grill (Up to 57% Off)

2013-05-21T11:53:00.001+01:00

Steak or Lobster Burger:

G: What is the ethos of Reform Social and Grill?
The restaurant has been heavily inspired by classic gentlemen's clubs, and aims to transport this informal yet sophisticated feeling to the Mandeville Hotel.

G: What is the restaurant known for?
Quality, British cuisine. Afternoon tea is also a menu signature, with the vintage option incorporating the best of locally sourced produce. The gentlemen's afternoon tea adapts a 19th century favourite of Anna, Duchess of Bedford, and includes a steak and Herefordshire snails sandwich, Welsh wagyu beef burger, and classic whisky cocktail.

G: Who prepares the food?
Head chef Sergio Neale. Sergio was born into a family of historically talented cooks, and came to Reform Social and Grill after spells at One Aldwych Hotel and Mark Hix restaurants.

G: What else is unique about the restaurant?
The range of events hosted, such as martini master classes, wine clubs and live DJ nights.

The Cinema Museum: Guided Tour For Two (£9) or Family (£16) (Up to 55% Off)

2013-05-21T11:47:00.001+01:00

Open-Top Double-Decker London Bus Tour and Thames Cruise for £19.50 (Up to 51% Off)

2013-05-21T11:40:00.001+01:00

Find a garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 / RHS Gardening

2013-05-21T08:49:00.001+01:00

Find a garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 / RHS Gardening: "Trailfinders Australian Garden presented by Flemings
Sponsored by Trailfinders, Fleming’s Nurseries, Victorian State Government, Phillip Johnson Landscapes"

The Brewin Dolphin Show Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 / RHS Gardening

2013-05-21T08:30:00.001+01:00

The Brewin Dolphin Show Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 / RHS Gardening:

Find a garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 / RHS Gardening

2013-05-21T08:27:00.001+01:00

Find a garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2013 / RHS Gardening:

Gallery: Queen expected to visit Chelsea Flower Show | Metro UK

2013-05-21T06:58:00.001+01:00

Gallery: Queen expected to visit Chelsea Flower Show | Metro UK:

The Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke of York and Princess Beatrice will all be in attendance to preview the five-day festival, the most famous flower show in the UK.

Among those awaiting the royal visit will be Prince Harry, who will show his grandmother around a garden created by his Lesotho-based charity Sentebale.

Also attending before the flower show is open to the general public at the Royal Hospital Chelsea in west London are Helen Mirren, Joanna Lumley and Jamie Oliver.

Harry gets the family round to look at his new garden | The Times

2013-05-21T06:51:00.001+01:00

Harry gets the family round to look at his new garden | The Times:

Letters: The tube is a great public institution | UK news | The Guardian

2013-05-21T06:50:00.001+01:00

Letters: The tube is a great public institution | UK news | The Guardian: "The London Underground came into public ownership in 1933. Above, the Piccadilly Line extension in the 1930s. Photograph: Fox Photos/Getty Images"

Giant 1950s robot Gygan up for sale | UK news | The Guardian

2013-05-21T06:46:00.001+01:00

Giant 1950s robot Gygan up for sale | UK news | The Guardian: "Eight-foot-tall radio-controlled robot capable of responding to voice or light ray commands is to be auctioned in London"

Two in three families plan a summer staycation boosting UK tourism to £12billion | Mail Online

2013-05-21T06:37:00.001+01:00

Two in three families plan a summer staycation boosting UK tourism to £12billion | Mail Online:

BBC News - Museum of London Docklands exhibition on Thames Estuary

2013-05-21T06:08:00.001+01:00

BBC News - Museum of London Docklands exhibition on Thames Estuary: "The landscape of the Thames Estuary has long been an inspiration for artists and writers.

Now it is the subject of a new exhibition at the Museum of London Docklands."