11 Fun Things To Book This Weekend

Treat your mum this Mother’s Day

If there is one day when you have to think of something special, it’s Mother’s Day. Thankfully, The Carlton Tower is offering an array of limited-edition services and treatments specially designed to pamper and celebrate all mother figures

From The Blue Diamond Fitness Skin Therapy, a premium
anti-ageing, firming, and brightening treatment, to special dishes and treats at the hotel’s all-day-dining restaurant, The Chinoiserie; this is a sure bet sure to indulge and spoil the one who truly deserves it.

when: March 10th

website: jumeirah.com

See a new exhibit at the V&A

A new exhibition from the V&A is always a must-see, and this one looks especially unmissable, charting the distinctive architectural style developed hot, humid conditions of West Africa in the 1940s.

Tropical Modernism shows how this style was adopted as a symbol of modernity, and progress and removed from colonialism after independence.

where: Cromwell Rd, London SW7 2RL

website: vam.ac.uk

Book this must-visit summer festival

The Goodwood Festival of Speed, presented by Mastercard, returns this year and introduces the new Surtees Pavilion. Michelin-starred chef Ollie Dabbous has partnered with the Festival of Speed to offer an immersive and intimate dining experience that you’ll never forget, offering the pinnacle of hospitality.

Named after race driver John Surtees and honouring his legacy, the Surtees Pavilion allows you to become a VIP for the day and pair the thrills of motorsport with the relaxation of exquisite food, your own mixologist, and a curated DJ set, as you watch the cars whizz by.

website: goodwood.com

Try a new gym class

We’re always on the lookout for a new workout, and the latest pay-as-you-train fitness destination, Studio Fix, looks like a winner. Located on High Street Kensington with three studios offering six different class concepts, including Lagree Megaformer and Body Barre, this has you covered for your weekend workout. Not to mention, their state-of-the-art facilities and changing rooms, complete with Dyson hair dryers and Aesop products to leave you brunch-ready.

The length of classes varies from 45 minutes and 60 minutes, with pricing from £25 per class.

where: 4a Old Court Place, High Street Kensington, W8 4PD

website: studiofix.co.uk

Celebrate International Women’s Day

This March sees the return of Soho’s female-owned open-fire restaurant Firebird’s collaborative series, ‘Firebird & Friends’. Spread across the month will be a selection of events, with female chefs, restaurateurs, and sommeliers in celebration of International Women’s Month. 

Kicking off the series will be Adriana Cavita and Ana Ortiz on Friday, who have teamed up to create a special menu centered around flame and fire cooking. And for a range of other events on International Women’s Day, check out our guide here.

when: March 8th

WHERE: 29 POLAND STREET, W1F 8QR 

WEBSITE: WWW.FIREBIRDLONDON.CO.UK

Visit this historical exhibition

This exhibition at The National Portrait Gallery, The Time Is Always Now, is curated by writer Ekow Eshun and showcases the work of contemporary artists from the African diaspora, including Michael Armitage, Lubaina Himid, Kerry James Marshall, Toyin Ojih Odutola, and Amy Sherald, and highlights the use of figures to illuminate the richness and complexity of Black life. 

Through the works, it tells a story of representation, as well as the social, psychological, and cultural contexts in which they were produced.

where: St. Martin’s Pl, London WC2H 0HE

when: npg.org.uk

Head to Hawkins with the Stranger Things: The First Shadow production

Whether you’re a Stranger Things buff or you just love catching a show on the West End, Stranger Things: The First Shadow is destined to impress.

On stage at Phoenix Theatre until August, fans are invited to venture back to Hawkins, 1959. Unlike the Hawkins we know from the Netflix hit, this is just a regular town with minute worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio station seriously and Joyce Maldonado wants to graduate and get away from town. It’s only when a new student, Henry Creel, comes along that the shadows of the past come erupting to the surface.

When: Until 25.08.2024

Where: Phoenix Theatre, Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0JP

Website: www.uk.strangerthingsonstage.com

Take advantage of Aperitivo o’clock

Step inside the timeless charm of La Trattoria in the heart of South Kensington for Aperitivo o’clock. On offer are 2-for-1 cocktails on Friday and Saturday between 5 and 6pm, where you can be transported to the sun-kissed lands of Italy and embrace the cherished ritual of the traditional aperitivo.

where: 15 Cromwell Pl, South Kensington, SW7 2LA

website: collezione.starhotels.com

Party at Lio London

One to book ahead – beginning on Thursday 14th March, Lio London hosts a weekend of incredible themed events celebrating both their first year in London and a century of the iconic Café de Paris.

The events mark and reflect 100 years of show-dining, invoking the glittering spirit of the 1920s, with Thursday evening hosting a roaring 1920s party that begins with a Champagne reception, immersing guests and followed by a grand banquet on the dancefloor.

where: 3-4 Coventry St, London W1D 6BL

website: liolondon.co.uk

Glasgow Comedy Festival

Edinburgh Fringe isn’t the only comedy festival in Scotland – every March Glasgow gets its turn, offering all the laughs with none of the heaving tourists.

On the bill this year are Frank Skinner, Elaine C Smith, Kieran Hodgson, and legendary comic Frankie Boyle, all who will be bringing their new material to pubs and clubs across the city.

when: March 3rd – March 31st

website: glasgowcomedyfestival.com

Visit this outdoor exhibition

The move to Spring means art is no longer limited just to indoors. This outdoor display of 52 works in the Yorkshire Scultpure Park is artist Yukihiro Akama’s largest exhibition to date.

Showcased will be a new collection of intricately carved wooden houses of various sizes – from just 4cm (slightly bigger than a 50p piece) up to 105cm – alongside a series of architectural technical drawings and mini prints. All works will be for sale, with prices ranging from £110 to £7,950.

where: West Bretton, WF4 4JX

website: ysp.org.uk