APOLOGIES: Sorry to everyone who received a 'Things to do in London Today: 31 January' email yesterday. We were just tinkering with the space-time continuum and accidentally triggered a tachyon pulse. This inevitably led to a rift in time, sending you event suggestions from the wrong day. Bloody Wordpress plugins. All the suggestions given in that email are still highly recommended, and we stick by them. You just need a time machine.
CUPPA: Buy a cup of tea from one of London's green cab shelters (they serve anyone), and celebrate their 138th birthday today.
ART: An exhibition of Murillo and Justino de Neve opens today at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Part of the gallery will be converted to resemble the 17th century church in Seville which housed a Murillo altarpiece. This plus 30 more of his works should be enough to whet the appetites of all fans of Baroque art. £11, prebook or turn up, until 19 May
MORE ART: The National Gallery's Through American Eyes exhibition of oil landscapes of Frederic Church opens today. Free, just turn up, until 28 April
BOOM!: A 41-gun salute will be sounded in Hyde Park to mark the accession of the Queen. Free, just turn up, noon
BOOM2!: And a 62-gun salute will follow from the Tower of London. Free just turn up, 1pm
BATS!: Wellcome Collection’s lunchtime talk reveals the different species of bat living around the UK. Free, just turn up, 1pm
DARK ENERGY: Carolin Crawford gives a Gresham talk at the Museum of London on recent developments in cosmology, including the discovery of dark energy. Free, just turn up, 1pm
CELLO: Take your lunchbreak with some classical music at St James’s Piccadilly, where Cellissimo play three pieces. Free (suggested donation £3.50), just turn up, 1.30pm
BRONZE WOOFSTER: A new sculpture of a dog and a pot (a local landmark mentioned by Dickens) is inaugurated today near Southwark Tube station. The author's descendant Mark Dickens does the honours. Free, just turn up, 2.30pm
ARCHITECTURE: Tonight’s Gresham College lecture at the Museum of London is Forwards and Backwards: Architecture in inter-war England, looking at the expansion of the suburbs, rise in motoring and the push and pull between modernity and tradition. Free, just turn up, 6pm
HISTORICAL BOOZE: London Historians, a terrific bunch of people who we often find ourselves drinking with, hold their monthly drinks night tonight, upstairs at the Windsor Castle in Victoria. It's open to anyone with an interest in the history of London. Just say we sent you, and you'll be made very welcome. Free, just turn up, 6.30-late
PAIN: The Dana Centre has an evening devoted to the science of pain relief, for some reason themed around a fun fair. Try some fiery chili peppers, talk to people who’ve overcome chronic pain, and explore the possibility of using venom for nixing pain. Free, prebook, 7pm
FREE GIG: Veronica Falls play Rough Trade East. As usual with these free gigs, those who buy the new album during the day get a free entry wristband. Any leftovers will be given out an hour before the gig. Free, just turn up, 6pm (wristband queue), 7pm (gig)
CARNIVAL: Tate South Lambeth Library embraces Carnival spirit with a Brazilian pre-Carnival Night, including a Brazilian band, capoeira demos, dancing from London School of Samba and Brazilian food. Free, just turn up, 7-9pm
COMEDY: Tickled Pig at the Canal Cafe Theatre presents established and new acts alongside each other. Tonight, see Tony Law, Nish Kumar, Kate Lucas, Max Dickins, Pete Starr, Oliver Noakes and Sam Chaplin. £8.50, prebook or turn up, 7.30pm
QUIZ: The monthly Bigger Boat Film Quiz takes place at the Boogaloo in Highgate. £4, just turn up, 7.30pm
GAMERDICSCO: Music plus video games at The Book Club's monthly Gamerdisco night. Free, just turn up, 7.30pm
Random London Fact of the Day
The red used by Transport for London on the Central Line and London Buses is the same red (Pantone 485) used by the Red Cross.
Good Cause of the Day
Send ideas to [email protected]
With temperatures remaining low, it's incumbent on us all to think about the elderly and vulnerable around us, and to make sure that they're doing OK. Age UK in Lambeth is running a dedicated campaign, urging residents to check on their elderly neighbours. It quotes a sobering figure: last year, 2,500 Londoners died from the effects of cold weather, according to the Office of National Statistics. In case you're worried about disturbing somebody with an unexpected visit, the charity has produced postcards containing useful contact details, to which you can add your own number before popping it through the letterbox. Pick one up a bunch from Oval Farmer's Market this Saturday, and give them out to any elderly neighbours. And, of course, the sentiment applies whichever borough you live in.
London Weather
Once again, the weather goes through more switches of direction than Davids Cameron and Bowie co-piloting a dodgem. One minute it's sunny, the next its bleurrrggh. That's the official line from the Met Office. They actually said 'bleurrrggh'. But they pronounced it as 'changeable with sunny spells'. In summary: oh, we don't know. Does anyone still read this?
