Flavorpill London Events

The Stratford Hoard

2009-11-09T00:00:00Z

Ongoing

Daily

@ Stratford Station

The Stratford Hoard is an exhibition for Transport for London's Platform for Art project at Stratford station in anticipation of the 2012 games. Curator and self-proclaimed "collector of collectors" Kane explores a statistic alleging that one in four people are collectors of some sort, bringing together an ever-changing array of teapots, '80s printed milk bottles and religious leaflets. The ever-evolving comprehensive stash — which includes Michael Jackon album covers and all the Pokémon characters ever produced — was sourced from the local community and displays countless bizarre variations on personal "taste".

London Fencing Club

2009-11-09T00:00:00Z

Ongoing

Daily

@ Finsbury Leisure Centre

If you've ever watched the dueling scene in The Mask of Zorro and thought, "Hey, I could do better than that," now you can prove your mettle by taking a stab (ahem) at swordplay at the London Fencing Club. The club provides all the gear, including mask, protective vest and a weapon of choice: sabre (the rigid sword with edges on the blade), foil (the bendy one) or epee (the heavier sword). You can then choose whether to participate in a class or one-on-one coaching, and away you go — just do try to resist the urge to start carving Zs into everything.

Café on the Hill

2009-11-09T08:00:00Z

Ongoing

Mondays (8am–4pm)

Tuesdays–Saturdays (8am–10pm)

Sundays (8am–4pm)

@ Cafe on the Hill

With most of central London out-of-bounds (either closed or crammed with shoppers), get perspective on the city from Muswell Hill. Like a less pretentious Hampstead, the area adjacent to Alexandra Palace offers panoramic views — on a clear day all the way to Canary Wharf — and, thanks to the Café on the Hill, a baker's dozen of bistro-quality brunch choices (including the perfectly prepared eggs Benedict). On any given day, diners can expect a welcoming atmosphere at this bustling local brasserie — just be prepared for varying wait times.

Canteen Baker Street

2009-11-09T08:00:00Z

Ongoing

Mondays–Fridays (8am–11pm)

Saturdays–Sundays (9am–11pm)

@ Canteen Baker Street

With this new all-day diner on Baker Street, Canteen's great-British-grub philosophy finally makes it into the West End. The marriage of contemporary interior design and hearty, no-nonsense food is once again pulled off with aplomb. The menu consists of food sourced entirely from within the UK and includes adventurous starters such as potted duck and devilled kidney for starters; fish and chips, pies and macaroni cheese for mains; and rice pudding and treacle tart to finish. A fast weekday service, afternoon tea and seasonal menus all help to keep this long-established mix fresh.

Lori Earley: Laments and Lullabies

2009-11-09T10:00:00Z

Opens Friday Oct 16 (5–7pm)

17 Oct – 14 Nov

Mondays–Saturdays (10am–7pm)

Sundays (1–7pm)

@ The Opera Gallery

Lori Earley's new paintings for this solo show at Opera Gallery are heirs to the historical artistic tradition of courtly portraiture, greeting Ingrès' countesses and the Medici women with a contemporary swagger. Her technically advanced, emotionally fraught style uses oils and graphite to create rich, refractive surfaces and light-filled depths out of which emerge coltish, long-limbed Goth priestesses. The pensive, pouty and self-possessed bearing of Earley's pop-culture royalty and the regal ambivalence with which they greet admirers hints at a neo-Victorian mystery and wildness lurking beneath all this hyper-stylisation and exaggerated beauty.

Haozhan

2009-11-09T12:00:00Z

Ongoing

Mondays–Thursdays (noon–11:30pm)

Fridays–Saturdays (noon–midnight)

Sundays (noon–10:30pm)

@ Haozhan

Thanks to its bustling location in London's tourist hub, Chinatown is less a mecca for cuisine lovers than a torturous odyssey to find decent food, good value and polite service. The sleek, jade-and-wood-bedecked Haozhan, however, has proven that the Wong Kei "quick and cheap" template need not apply across Gerrard Street. With a former Hakkasan chef in the kitchen, the focused menu is full of succulent, tasty and memorably presented pan-Asian dishes, which still respect the price points of the competitive district. Menu highlights include the salt-chilli soft-shell crab starter and the Singapore noodles served up in a hollowed-out bamboo boat.

Dehesa

2009-11-09T12:00:00Z

Ongoing

Mondays–Fridays (noon–11pm)

Saturdays (11am–11pm)

Sundays (11am–5pm)

@ Dehesa

Together with Alan Yau's Cha Cha Moon and ace burger joint the Diner, Dehesa completes Ganton Street's status as the epicentre of Soho spur-of-the-moment dining. The petite charcuterie and tapas restaurant — built around a central bar with high, shared seating and a corner-bound ham carver — doesn't accept telephone reservations, but they can slot you on a call-list if you drop by in person and they're full. Younger sibling to the ever-busy Salt Yard on Goodge Street, Dehesa has a menu with similar cues: the chargrilled tiger prawns with smoked garlic butter, rosemary and chilli dressing (£7.50) are gloriously bitter, while the moist, just-sliced slivers of the jamón de Trevélez (£9) are perfect for sharing with a fine dry xérès.

The Regent

2009-11-09T12:30:00Z

Ongoing

Mondays–Saturdays (12:30–11pm)

Sundays (noon–10:30pm)

@ The Regent

If you awake to find yourself north of Notting Hill on a Sunday morning, get rejuvenated at Kensal Rise's best grub 'n boozer. Since its launch a year ago, the Regent has built a reputation for comfort food that reaches beyond the forever-nascent vistas of NW10. The Perritt brothers founded the place, and their hospitality pedigree shows in the Regent's relaxed, care-worn furnishings and considered seasonal specials. For spring, the word is retox: have a homemade burger with stilton, bacon and spinach (the Bad Boy) or gherkins, honey-roasted ham and a fried egg (the Farmhouse) to go with your usual hair of the dog.

Bogan Bingo

2009-11-09T19:00:00Z

Ongoing

Mondays (7pm)

@ Shepherds Bush Walkabout

Wade through the boisterous flock of antipodean revellers and indulge in a raucous session of Bogan Bingo. Having kicked off in Melbourne back in 2005, the event's exotic vernacular may leave some Britons perplexed, but suffice it to say that rock anthems from AC/DC, ample air-guitar opportunities and more Ocker references than you can shake an untamed mullet at are all mixed in with bingo's more conventional elements during this outrageous game night.

Katharine Green: Going to the Dogs

2009-11-11T10:00:00Z

26 Sep – 27 Nov

Wednesdays–Sundays (10am–5pm)

@ Vestry House Museum

Katherine Green's show records the final months of Walthamstow Greyhound Stadium before the much-loved track closed last year. Green, an East Londoner herself, pays photographic tribute to the end of an era with a series of behind-the-scenes images. From the iconic '30s architecture — made famous on the cover of Blur's Parklife — to the wood-panelled manager's office, Green takes care to capture the regulars and those who made their living from the tracks (who also feature in the oral histories that are part of the show). Ghostly shots of the empty stadium hint at the gap left in the community since the shutters were finally drawn.

Ukulele Wednesdays

2009-11-11T19:00:00Z

Ongoing

Wednesdays (7–10:30pm)

@ The Royal George

Lorraine Hardman of the London-based ukulele-karaoke collective Karauke leads this weekly jam session at the Royal George. Drawing influence from the inimitable Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, attendees re-interpret classic tracks such as "Livin' on a Prayer" and "500 Miles" in unique uke fashion. Sheet music is available to download prior to each gathering and, in keeping with the non-elitist aesthetic, other types of instrument are accepted — up to a strict maximum of two per session. It is Ukulele Wednesdays, after all.

Bermuda Triangle

2009-11-13T12:00:00Z

13 Nov – 19 Dec

Tuesdays–Wednesdays (10am–5pm)

Thursdays–Fridays (noon–7pm)

Saturdays (11am–4pm)

@ Spring Projects

Four talented British artists come together for a group show inspired by a region infamous for paranormal and mysterious activity. Set designer Gary Card's huge white Plasticine entrance to the exhibition has strange heads and faces adorning the walls, while Bruce Ingram's giant sculptures are equally arresting — with huge orbs and massive trees scattered throughout. Meanwhile, photographer Jacob Sutton and set designer Hana Al-Sayed's collaboration is a joint film and photography piece exploring the nature of explosion and force: the images will take your breath away.

WANG 10th Birthday feat. Squarepusher, Plaid, Simian Mobile Disco, Andrew Weatherall

2009-11-14T22:00:00Z

Saturday 14 Nov (10pm–6am)

@ Secret location

WANG, which celebrates ten years of underground raving tonight, has done more than most to bring the tousled spirit of the warehouse party back to central London and finally, nay mercifully, lay the "superclub" concept to bed. Here to prove that proper electronic beats are best experienced somewhere steamy, dark and cheap, are a big bunch of DJs who never sold out: Warp bleep-maestros Squarepusher and Plaid, techno-heads Andy Weatherall and Mark Broom plus Posthuman and Simian Mobile Disco. Expect an old-school weekend wrecker without a shred of clichéd dance-music nostalgia.

Bugged Out! and Little Boots present Boots Camp feat. Little Boots, Aeroplane, Joe Hot Chip, Heartbreak and Piers Martin

2009-11-14T22:00:00Z

Saturday 14 Nov (10pm–6am)

@ 65-71 Scrutton Street

Victoria Hesketh, aka Little Boots, is a rare commodity: a pop star grudgingly admired among dance-music fans for retaining some aura of electronic credibility. Having Joe Hot Chip as a previous collaborator and remixers like Fake Blood and Fred Falke has helped cement her deserved reputation for electro innovation and tonight's big bash with Bugged Out! won't harm either. Joining Little Boots at the decks are Belgian popsters Aeroplane and Joe Hot Chip himself, not to mention the simply awesome Italo-synth maestros Heartbreak.

Rollerstroll

2009-11-15T14:00:00Z

Ongoing

Sundays (2pm)

@ Hyde Park

Get yer skates on for this weekly four-wheeled invasion of Hyde Park and central London. Meeting every Sunday afternoon on the east side of Serpentine Road, Rollerstroll is open to all. (The only stipulation is that participants must be able to stop effectively — presumably to avoid domino-like tumbles within the pack.) Rollerstroll typically runs for around eight miles, taking in plenty of London landmarks along the marshalled route, not to mention the odd refreshment break. Before joining in the fun, remember to check out the free event's Ten Commandments for safe skating, which are religiously adhered to.