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Listings
BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood is at City Temple, Holborn Viaduct. Free, see site for terms and conditions.
PHOTOGRAPHY: At the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2013, you can see 60 new portraits by some of the most exciting contemporary photographers from around the world. At the National Portrait Gallery. £3/£2, just turn up, until 9 February 2014
SKATING: The lovely Somerset House Ice Rink opens today. Take a look at our round-up of London's seasonal skating venues.
PROJECT ART: Artworks produced by collaborations between seven people with severe intellectual disabilities and the seven artists they have worked with over the past three years, exhibit for the first time at Dilston Grove, Southwark Park. Free, just turn up, until 1 December
SHOPPING PARTY: Still too early to think about Christmas? WELL TOO BAD BECAUSE CHRISTMAS IS STARTING TO HAPPEN WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT. Today, over 100 stores in Carnaby are coming together to throw a Christmas party across 13 streets. There's music, activities and 20% off shopping to soften the festive blow. Free, just turn up, 5-9pm
POP POLITICS: This screening at Institute of Contemporary Arts explores how video artists have used pop culture media and reworked material from TV, advertising and news to challenge its initial meaning. £5, prebook, 6.30pm
CHOOSE WISELY: Noreena Hertz speaks at Conway Hall about making decisions in a confusing world, what influences us, and how we can make better choices. £25, prebook, from 6.30pm
PHOTOGRAPHY: Spitalfields Life presents an exhibition of photographs showing 1980's travellers' children in London Fields by Colin O'Brien. The opening party is tonight at Agnes B on Marylebone High Street, and the exhibition runs until 3 December. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm
FOREIGN BODIES: A new exhibition at Wellcome Collection showcases work from artists who worked in medical research centres in Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and the UK. To mark its opening, some of the artists speak about the experience tonight. Free, prebook, 7pm (exhibition runs until 9 February 2014)
HISTORY IN THE PUB: Three speakers on the history of London's street poor are among the highlights of this month's History in the Pub (The Bell, Spitalfields). Londonist's Matt is your host and quizmaster for this London Historians event. £5, prebook, 6.30pm (7pm start)
GIG: Texas perform at Eventim Apollo tonight. £42.75, prebook, 7pm
AVANT GARDE POETRY: The Austrian Cultural Forum London on Rutland Gate is the setting for Caroline Bergvall and Peter Finch to perform their work, followed by an audience Q&A. Free,prebook, 7pm
LIT: Founding member of the club at The House of St Barnabas, Richard Strange, talks to writer Damian Barr at the venue about his life, career and work as a columnist and playwright. £11, prebook, 7.30pm
SHOWTIME: For laughs, jokes, poetry and hats, catch a one-off performance of Moraletry at Kahaila Café on Brick Lane. £5 (or £6 and you can bring your own booze), just turn up, 7.30pm
COMEDY: Sarah Campbell’s Comedy Back Rub has guest character comedy from Holly Burn and musical whimsy from Mae Martin at the Camden Head. £1, just turn up, 7.30pm
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR: The Knights Templar was a military and religious order that dominated medieval Europe for nearly 200 years until it was suppressed in the early 1300s. Simon Brighton talks about the myths and facts at this South East London Folklore Society meeting at The Old King’s Head. £2.50/£1.50, prebook, 8pm
Good Causes of the Day
It's another bumper day for good causes, with no less than four to choose from:
Christmas Fair
Head to Cupcake in Fulham for a French Designer Christmas Fair with cakes, pastries, manicures, beauty advice, and stalls from 15 French designers on offer. All in support of the Octavia Appeal, who are raising funds for the paediatric unit of the Royal Brompton Hospital. Free, just turn up, 9am-3.30pm
Talk Christmas
A family charity play all about sharing and caring over the festive season takes place at Wimbledon College of Art. Ebenezer Scroodge's great great grandson has to face the three Christmas ghosts, can the audience help him discover the meaning of kindness, understanding and tolerance? Free, but donations welcome in support of BeatBullying, just turn up, 5pm
Art
GAS Art and Rise Art have partnered to bring together two recognized artists, Delphine Lebourgeois and Anna Marrow for a four day show at Brixton East in support of Art For Care. For every artwork sold throughout the event, an Art Kit including colouring books, paper and art supplies will be donated to Children's hospital wards to help children heal in hospital. Free, register online, until 17 November
Adopt An Actor
You may have already adopted a panda, tiger or sloth, but now you can Adopt an Actor too. Theatre Centre, a professional theatre company and registered charity, takes new plays by esteemed writers around the country, giving many young people their first taste of professional theatre, and donations will support the professional development of three young actors in 2014.
London Connection Puzzle
Your first two clues were KEMPT and SLYE. Today's is POOPE (no sniggering). Think you've got the London connection (without googling)? We already have a winner, so no need to email in. Final clue tomorrow.
From the Archive
The Londonist Out Loud podcast came from the Occupy LSX camp outside St Paul’s on this day two years ago. On this day last year, we shared this image of a 'sexy' London santa. Keeping things fresh.
London Weather by Inclement Attlee
Did you see the fricking sunset last night? I mean, talk about 'red sky at night'. Not so much "Shepherds' delight" as "Shepherds as happy as a pig in shite". The crimson cloud mantle heralds another day of sunny spells. Watch out, though, for strong winds and revelling shepherds. A boisterously wielded crook can break a person's arm.
