10 Things To Book This Weekend

Escape to the countryside on the Great Garden Escape to The Newt in Somerset

The warmer weather calls for a trip to the countryside, and this weekend is set to be packed out with afternoon tea picnics, cyder tours and picturesque gardens thanks to the return of The Newt in Somerset’s seasonal excursion.

Boarding again Fridays and Saturdays from 6th May until 24th September, the Great Garden Escape is a unique day trip inviting you to experience the best of Somerset. Whether you’re after a food filled day packed with seasonal specials and menus crafted to perfection, savour sipping on cyder in the sunshine or you want to reconnect with nature exploring the estate and the new bee exhibit, there’s something for everyone.

The Great Garden Escape ticket includes First Class return travel from London Paddington to The Newt in Somerset; guided tours, talks and tastings; all meals from breakfast and lunch through to afternoon tea; plus 12-month Newt Membership.

Get your film fix at this festival

Frames of Representation returns this week, arriving with 14 films from four continents and 17 countries, all of which are UK premieres. From 5th until 12th May, Londoners can join the film festival for a celebration to the cinema of the real. 

This year’s theme centres around ‘Communality’, and will see the likes of screenings, discussions, workshops, experiments in sound and live performances. 

Highlights include Dry Ground Burning (Mato seco em chamas) by Adirley Queirós and Joana Pimenta, which opens the festival on Thursday 5 May; When There Is No More Music to Write, and Other Roman Stories, by Éric Baudelaire, which closes the festival on Thursday 12 May; and New works from Latin America: Eduardo Crespo’s The Delights (Las Delicias).

Discover London’s brightest up-and-coming designers at The Drops Market

Coal Drops Yard’s monthly market returns this weekend, showcasing a handful of the UK’s rising stars in the design world. Taking over the space from Friday through to Sunday, the market will be filled with 40 stalls offering everything from clothing to homeware and lifestyle products. 

This month’s designer line-up includes contemporary womenswear fashion brand Jasmiin, handcrafted jewellery from Silkeheuer, kimonos from small brand Nikaya, and slow fashion brand, Regular Works.

Explore Now Gallery’s latest exhibition, Feeling Good – Joy Yamusangie

NOW Gallery’s 2022 Young Artist Commission is from Joy Yamusangie whose work focuses on textural materials to a convey sophisticated and multifarious style.

‘Feeling Good’ invites us to integrate constructs surrounding identity and celebrate self-expressions, shown through illustration, collage, painting and sculptures. On display until June, this exhibition will add some colour to your weekend. 

Try this unique afternoon tea at… Holmes Hotel

We love an afternoon tea here at The Handbook. Sipping tea from pretty china, tucking into impossibly small sandwiches and debating whether it’s jam then cream or cream then jam (it’s jam then cream btw). So, when we get the chance to try a new high tea, we jump at it. 

Enter the Holmes Tea at the Holmes Hotel, a quirky little gem that sits just behind Baker Street that’s inspired by the area’s most famous resident, Sherlock Holmes. Naturally, there’s a detective edge to the tea, with the sandwiches, cakes and scones being served in a sweet antique chest box. Alongside that, you’ll get a magnifying glass in true Sherlock style, to crack the code and reveal a mini-mystery at the end.

In all honesty, we kind of forgot about the detective trail as the food was so delicious, from the egg mayo on brioche (with truffle no less) to the dreamy pistachio mousse with coconut ice cream. You may not have the gilded gold walls of the Ritz or the iconic china of Claridge’s here, but in terms of the food, the delicate desserts and interesting sandwich combinations are some of the best we’ve tried in the capital. 

Booking in will be an elementary idea.

Sing along to your favourite song at Grease The Musical

Grease is the word that’ll be on everyone’s lips this summer as Grease The Musical is set to return to the West End! Everyone’s favourite summer romance, this special production will be landing at the Dominion Theatre and directed by Curve’s artistic director, Nikolai Foster. 

Fall back in love with Danny and Sandy’s story and prepare to sing-along to all of your favourite hits, including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted to You and You’re the One That I Want.

Uncover the history behind the world’s favourite game

Combine your culture fix with your partner’s favourite pastime as the two worlds collide in the Design Museum’s latest exhibition, ‘Football: Designing the Beautiful Game’. 

The exhibition, running until August, will allow you to explore the story behind football, delving into how design has been woven into the game for centuries. Showcased through more than 500 objects, films and interviews in sporting performance, kit development, stadium design and more, it’s an exhibition that shouldn’t be missed whether you’re a football fan or not.