What To Do This Weekend, From New Musical Launches To Charity Bakes

Explore London’s latest exhibition opening, The Untold Stories 

This weekend explore The Untold Stories, an exhibition from Iranian artist Mehdi Ghadyanloo renowned for his dreamlike imagery and hyperrealistic technique. 

On display until April, this new body of work brings his surrealist aesthetic to the table. With playful nods to childhood, his work has a kind of innocence to itself, featuring children’s toys and objects like the rocking horse, toy elephant on wheels and slide rides. Head over this weekend and fall back in love with the beauty of childhood and nostalgia.

Grab tickets to the strangest musical yet… The Great British Bake Off Musical

Having sold-out last summer with standing ovations, The Great British Bake Off Musical follows a similar premise to the crowd’s favourite TV show. Cheer on each contestant as they battle it out to win star baker under the watchful eye of two familiar-looking judges. 

With music from acclaimed duo Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary, this is the hilarious new comedy you won’t want to miss.

Celebrate International Women’s Day early

International Women’s Day might not be until next week but that isn’t stopping Battersea Power Station from celebrating early. This Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th, The Prince’s Trust will be holding a marketplace to showcase businesses founded by inspirational young women. 

Over the weekend you can meet young female entrepreneurs and shop everything from candles to jewellery, ceramics to food and drink goodies. 

Part of The Prince’s Trust #ChangeAGirlsLife campaign, the marketplace stallholders are all women who have been through The Trust’s enterprise programme, a free court helping young entrepreneurs.

Book in to try this global cocktail menu

Shake up your usual cocktail routine and order in a drink or two from Sexy Fish’s new cocktail menu. Titled ‘Trinity’, the new menu will launch across six continents in some of the world’s most acclaimed bars, including Sexy Fish London. 

Curated by Xavier Landais, director of bars at Caprice Holdings, the menu features a whopping 20 creations, including 16 alcoholic and four non-alcoholic cocktails. Cocktail highlights include the Coconut and Lemongrass, featuring coconut-infused Absolut Elyx Vodka, coconut, sake, lime, celery and lemongrass; Marshmallow and Raspberry, a mix of marshmallow-infused Roku Gin, raspberry, fortified wines and egg white; and a Malt and Cinnamon, a non-alcoholic blend of Everleaf Forest, cinnamon, lemon and Lucky Saint beer. 

Launching on Monday 6th, book ahead now to avoid disappointment.

Add some colour to your weekend with #HouseOfHOLI

Celebrate the ancient Hindu tradition and festival this weekend and spread some colour courtesy of Cinnamon Kitchen’s #HouseOfHOLI festivities. Returning for its 6th year to its Devonshire Square venue, you’re invited to jump into a protective white suit and join in on some paint-pelting fun. 

From Sunday 5th until Sunday 12th March, the restaurant’s legendary paint pod will be open for business, offering you the chance to embark on a rainbow-filled paint fight with your friends and family. Over the week, look forward to other activations too including the Holi Supper Club on Tuesday 7th and a cooking masterclass with Vivek Singh on Saturday 11th.

Support #BakeForUkraine

This Saturday sees London’s top bakeries and patisseries come together for one of the UK’s biggest charity bake sales in support of the Legacy of War Foundation. Hosted by foodies and co-founders of #CookForUkraine Clerkenwell Boy, Olia Hercules and Alissa Timoshkina, this Saturday’s #BakeForUkrainain edition will take place at Toklas on Surrey Street. 

Seventeen bakeries will be providing one-off products and treats to sell on the day, from cher Yurii Kovryzkenko’s Ukrainian honey cake, a staple on the menu at Mriya Neo Bistro and Toklas Bakery’s choux buns filled with Ling honey créme mousseline. 

The full line-up includes BAO, Birley Bakery, BRAT, Claridge’s ArtSpace Café, Daisy Green, GAIL’s, The Hummingbird Bakery, Karaway Bakery, Mriya Neo Bistro, Ottolenghi, Pump St Bakery, Santa Nata, The Snapery, Toklas Bakery, The Good Egg, Violet and Dima’s Vodka.

Book ahead for British Pie Week

With British Pie Week around the corner, 6th – 12th March, there’s nowhere better than Maggie Jones.

Named after Princess Margaret, who was once a regular and booked under the alias ‘Maggie Jones’, the restaurant offers quite the selection. From Fish Pie to Steak and Kidney Pie, to other classic English fare, they will also be adding their Chicken and Artichoke Pie back to the menu, Princess Margaret’s favourite dish.

Catch Southbank Centre’s latest installation, Extinction Beckons 

Prepare to embark on a mystical journey into fictive worlds at Southbank Centre’s latest exhibition, Extinction Beckons by Mark Nelson. On display until May, the exhibit offers its viewers an eery look on worlds that look a little too similar to the one we live in. 

The space has been created with materials found at salvage yards, junk shops, auctions and flea markets. Wander through the psychologically charges installations Nelson is renowned for. 

Indulge at this pop-up Thai chicken store

Smoking Goat might be renowned for being London’s coolest Thai barbecue bar and restaurant, but this month sees it turn its hand to, er, fried chicken. 

Having found the ultimate Thai-style fried chicken spot when travelling through Bangkok, the Smoking Goat team decided to transform its Shoreditch restaurant into a fried chicken store for March. 

The result? Dreamy fried chicken marinated in fish sauce and coriander root, served with heaps of crispy garlic – need we say more?