If you’ve not already done so, you can subscribe to these daily listings and have them delivered to your inbox at 7am every morning. Alternatively, subscribe to Londonist Daily to hear about events further in the future. And help spread the word to your friends who haven’t discovered us yet!
Listings
BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are outside County Hall on Belvedere Road, Brewers Hall in The City, St Michaels + All Angels Church in Blackheath, The Ripple Centre in Barking, and Harrow Baptist Church. Free, see site for terms and conditions
MUSIC EXHIBITION: Ahead of the London stint of her Red Tour, a pop-up exhibition of Taylor Swift memorabilia, including photography and some of her past stage outfits, opens today at the British Music Experience. Included in museum ticket price, prebook, until 23 March 2014
MAKE A DECISION: Do you struggle when making a decision? Are you sure? Behaviour guru Nick Southgate talks about the psychology of making up your mind at The Eagle, Old Street. Free, prebook, 6.30pm
COMEDY: Get Happy @ The Island Queen in Islington features comedians Tony Law, Suzy Bennett and David Mills, to name but a few, plus games and prizes. Prebook £4, or just turn up £5, 7.30pm
MORE COMEDY: A brand new show series opens at Invisible Dot tonight. The Caretakers invites the audience to explore the building and discover who lurks around the place 'after-hours'. It's a good line up so we doubt you'll be disappointed with your findings. £10, prebook, 7.30pm
BOOK SLAM: Clapham Grand hosts American fiction writer Jonathan Lethem introducing his new novel, Dissident Gardens, and comedian Dominic Frisby reading from the politically provoking Life after the State. £6/£8, prebook, 7.30pm
SHAKESPEARE TALK: Professor of Renaissance Studies Lisa Jardine (claim to fame: we once held her handbag while she shook hands with the Queen) gives a talk at the Southbank Centre in memory of Shakespeare critic Frank Kermode, discussing how far his idea that Shakespeare is relevant to each generation is relevant today. £10, prebook (we think it's going to be popular), 7.45pm *please note this event has now sold out*
EVEN MORE COMEDY: Enjoyed comedic social commentator Andrew Maxwell’s Radio 4 series Public Enemies at the end of last year? Then see him live at the Prince of Wales on Brixton Road tonight. You can see it if you like him for other reasons, too. £10, prebook, 8pm
MUSIC: London record label Akira's latest gig, at Bedroom Bar in Shoreditch, features the refreshing sound of Lydia Baylis headlining, supported by Corey Fox-Fardell and Forlorn Ave. Free, just turn up, 8pm
DOWNRIGHT RUDE: Crick Crack Club presens an evening of performance storytelling at Rich Mix, offering folk and fairytales with a rude twist. Not one for the prudish. Featuring Tim Ralph, Nell Phoenix and TUUP (The Unorthodox, Unprecedented Preacher). £8/£6, prebook, 8pm
SO MUCH COMEDY: Following her performance last night at Invisible, Sara Pascoe is performing her show Sara Pascoe Vs The Truth in the unique labyrinth of Waterloo Vaults as part of The Vault Festival tonight. £13.50, prebook, 9pm
Good Cause of the Day
A heads (or should that be hats?) up: Tomorrow is Woolly Hat Day, in support of St Mungo's, the organisation offering support to rough sleepers. Wear your wooliest, craziest, most outrageous hat and make a donation to St Mungo's. The celebrity hat auction takes place until 2 February.
London Connection Puzzle
Your previous two clues were JOHNSON and DIGBY. Today's addition is COKE. Spotted the London connection? We already have a winner, so no need to email the answer.
From the Archive
This time last year, we investigated the interesting, if entirely useless, question of which direction around the (then) newly-completed London Overground loop was the fastest; clockwise or anti-clockwise. Transport geeks, bow down to this video.
Londoddities
This week's theme is 'street oddities'. Today's featured gateau of peculiarity is this section of paving near Old Street. This is thought to be London's last remaining wood-block paving. Before the Second World War, these wooden blocks were everywhere. They were gradually replaced by tarmac or occasionally cobbles. Millions of excised blocks were subsequently burnt for fuel. You'll find this lonely survival on Chequer Street, just west of Bunhill Fields. For a bonus Londoddity, take a look at the tower block on the north side of Chequer Street. In this building, the Kray twins had their last taste of true freedom. They were arrested here in 1968 and spent the rest of their lives in jail.
