Is it because we were locked up so long that the range of things to get up to seems literally dizzying now?
This week alone, when we’re not doing electric go-karting at Gravity Wandsworth or playing croquet on the roof of a multi-storey in Wapping, we’re touring a genuine German brewery, acquiring temporary tattoos for charity in the West End and playing speed Monopoly over cocktails and mini fish‘n’chips.
And coming up there’s the chance to watch a movie afloat on the Regent’s Canal or get down to the best of grime in Brixton.
Was London like this before or has everyone gone activities-crazy?
It would be a Grime not to
If you know what Kurupt FM is, then you’re probably a fan of People Just Do Nothing.
And if you’re a fan of the legendary mockumentary about a Brentford pirate radio station, you’ll want to be at the Kurupt FM night at the Ritzy… and if you don’t know what Kurupt FM is, then you’ve got two weeks to binge-watch all five series — go!
Because, to celebrate Big In Japan — the big-screen debut for MC Grindah, Chabuddy G and co — Brixton’s favourite cinema is laying on an evening of Kurupt’s greatest hits, with plenty of garage, grime and drum‘n’bass and a few slow jamz for flavour.
Expect Artful Dodger, Craig David, Dizzee Rascal, Wookie, Wiley…
Friday, August 27, Upstairs at The Ritzy, Coldharbour Lane, SW2
She’s got designs on your body
Want to support an amazing charity for women and girls and get an awesome temporary tattoo at the same time?
Do bears take comfort breaks in the woods? Of course you do!
It’s all the brainchild of ActionAid, who have teamed up with some of the biggest women in tattooing out there — we’re talking Grace Neutral, Jade Chanel and Rizza Boo — to raise money and get some inspirational designs out into the world.
As well as the temporary tattoos, there’ll be prints, T-shirts and notebooks, all inspired by the #MyBodyIsMine campaign, as well as henna tattoos and face-painting.
All this in the heart of London’s glittering Carnaby, a hop and a skip from Oxford Circus.
August 13-September 2, 5 Newburgh Street, W1
Feel the G-force
There’s so much to do at Gravity that you’ll need to make sure you leave some time to get your drinking in!
There’s Gravity GT, the UK’s first multi-level, high-tech, electric go-kart racetrack. Then there’s G-Bowl, the UK’s first ever 14-lane bowling alley with augmented reality.
Not forgetting urban street golf — an adventure golf experience set against a New York backdrop — the digital darts zone, augmented reality shuffleboard, the electric game box, the e-sports gaming arena, the Funbox Arcade… and a Japanese noodle kitchen plus three bars!
We might have to get one of those hats with a straw!
From August 14, Wandsworth High Street, SW18
Board of the usual bars? Try this
Don’t even think about being that joker who takes a fake pink £500 note down to new bar and restaurant The Top Hat to pay for your food and drink — the Monopoly theme of this property most certainly doesn’t extend to payment!
What it does extend to is quintessentially British fare of mini fish‘n’chips, pork belly with apple sauce, and lamb skewers with mint sauce, as well as Monopoly location-inspired cocktails, from Leicester Square Red Carpet Daiquiris to Mayfair Royal Sours.
You can even order up a deck of Monopoly Deal cards to play a shorter version of the game while you eat and drink, perhaps to get you in the mood for the full Monopoly Lifesized experience upstairs.
As you can tell, they’re not taking themselves entirely seriously… but they still won’t laugh at that pink £500.
From August 14, 213-215 Tottenham Court Road, W1
You’ll be Havana great time
It wouldn’t be the Slice you know and love if there wasn’t a National Day to celebrate… And this week it’s the turn of *checks notes* rum!
Falling on August 16 (that would be Monday), you’ll no doubt be looking for somewhere to mark the occasion, which is where we come in. With a recommendation!
And it is *drum roll* Bar La Rampa, a 1950s Cuban-style place that’s actually launching on that very day.
Within stumbling distance of Oxford Street and with a menu from the legendary mixologist Marcis Dzelzainis, they hope to bring a flavour of Havana to the West End by means of superb, largely rum-based cocktails.
And we’ll drink to that!
From August 16, 8 Market Place, W1
This’ll Float your boat
Back when this launched, it was an ingenious way to stay socially distanced while having a lark and taking in a movie.
And it turned out to be so much fun and so popular with the cinema-going/boat-loving public that they’re bringing it back to see out the summer. Hooray!
Yes, the Openaire Float-In Cinema, sponsored by Häagen-Dazs, is back, for a limited period only, giving you the chance to captain one of their 16 GoBoats down the Regent’s Canal, before offering up big-screen entertainment in the form of classics such as Jaws, Pulp Fiction, Top Gun, Grease and Dirty Dancing.
Oh, and others! Oh, and ice-cream!
From September 8-October 3, Merchant Square, W2
Head for the hoops
Anyone for a spot of croquet? And no, you don’t have to travel out to some country estate, wear white or be called Jocasta to do it.
Right on top of an unused multi-storey carpark in east London, in the summer sun, with your mates and a table full of beverages will do.
You can also play pétanque (otherwise known as boules — you know, like older French gents play in villages), table tennis and shuffleboard while you soak up the rays, tuck into a burger or a fresh Hikari poke bowl (that’s sushi to you), and get into the groove with the live DJs.
Know what, Skylight might just have saved our summer.
Tobacco Dock, E1
Yes, you Mexi-can!
It’s already east London’s biggest terrace so you wouldn’t think Print House would have to try too darn hard to get our attention, but then they go and do a collaboration with Mezcal Verde — that Mexican spirit that is tequila-adjacent but so much more sippable and smoky-tasting.
Called Print House x Mezcal Verde (where do they get these names?), it’s basically bringing the flavours of Mexico to Stratford because, let’s face it, this might be the nearest we get for some time.
Add Mexican street food — so tacos, but well fancy ones — and an ambience that is tropical and neon-lit, and this is looking like the perfect night out.
Fridays and Saturdays, 133 High Street Stratford, E15
Time for a Krafty one
A beer sommelier! What a job! And that’s who will be taking you on your tour of Kraft, the Dalston brewery, complete with tastings (well, a tour with no tasting would be cruel!).
They are apparently the country’s only proper German brewers, which means they know a thing or three about beer that’s made of only four ingredients: malt, water, hops and yeast (it’s actually the law in Germany and has been since the 1500s).
And your tastings will be served direct from the onsite tanks, which means the beer is fresher than your average daisy and sure beats a can of Special Brew in the park. So, if you’re thirsty for education…
Every Thursday and Sunday, 130a Kingsland High Street, E8
Worth Fawkes-ing out for
You’ve read the graphic novel, you’ve seen the film, you may even have worn the mask itself, and now you can find out all about the whole V For Vendetta thing at Behind The Mask, an exhibition at The Cartoon Museum.
From the book to a universal symbol of revolt, get the story of how would-be parliament blower-upper Guy Fawkes is still inspiring rebellion *gets out calculator* 400 years later.
With original artwork from illustrator David Lloyd (now worth tens of thousands of pounds!) as well as loans of props and costumes from Warner Bros, much of it here for the first time, it’s proof positive — if that were needed — that rebellion can be cool.
Until October 31, The Cartoon Museum, W1
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