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Listings
BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are at London Marriott Hotel in Canary Wharf, St Faith's Community Centre in Dulwich, The Old Town Hall in Stratford and Tesco in Beckenham. See site for terms and conditions
WINE FESTIVAL: London Wine Week begins today, with various vino-based events and tastings going on around town. Have a look at our preview to find out more about what's going on when. £10, prebook, Until 8 June
ASCOT HATS: With Ascot season approaching, Restaurant 34 in Mayfair has an exhibition of millinery by some of Britain's most famous hat designers throughout history, including Lara Jensen, whose headwear has been worn by the likes of Lady Gaga. Free for diners, prebooking recommended, until 20 July
CHICKEN GIVEAWAY: To celebrate the new opening of Cookhouse Joe on Dean Street in Soho, there's a giveaway of 1,000 chicken wraps throughout the day, and all the money collected will help charity. Free, just turn up, from noon until stocks last
LAST CHANCE: Today is the last chance to see the exhibition Need You 100% at Display Gallery. The exhibition highlights how some artists have become reliant on the internet, YouTube and Google, while others have shied away from modern developments into more traditional art methods. Free, just turn up, 12pm-6pm
LONDON TOWERS DEBATE: Does London really need more towers? That is the subject of a debate hosted by New London Architecture at the Peacock Theatre tonight, in sight of the fact that 230 new tall buildings are currently proposed for London in the next decade. £7, prebook, 6.30pm
LONDON-INFLUENCED ART: As part of the London Festival of Architecture, Yinka Shonibare talks about how his experiences in London have influenced his art. In 2010, his work Nelson’s Ship in a Bottle was exhibited on the Fourth Plinth, and his latest work, Wind Sculpture, is now on display at Howick Place in Victoria to celebrate the area as London’s new Cultural Quarter. Hosted by the Royal Academy, the event takes place at the Geological Society on Piccadilly. £14/£7, prebook, 6.30pm
REGGAEROBICS: Get fit and have fun at Drink Shop Do with a Reggaerobics class, featuring dance moves from the Caribbean, performed to reggae music. £10, prebook, 6.30pm/8pm
PALESTINE WRITING: The Mosaic Rooms hosts the launch of The Book of Gaza, an anthology of ten Palestinian writers translated into English for the first time. Free, prebook, 7pm
BOAT SHOW COMEDY: Tattershall Castle, the boat moored by Embankment, has a weekly comedy evening. Tonight there are Edinburgh preview shows from Mark Watson and Zoe Lyons. £10/£8, prebook, 7pm
NEUROSCIENCE: The Royal Institution holds a talk by John O’Keefe about the work of Immanuel Kant. O'Keefe talks about the philosophy of neuroscience, arguing that out concept of space is independent of our world experience. £12/£8/£6, prebook, 7pm
SINGLE LAUNCH: Winchester-based band Wild Smiles launch their new single, Fool For You, at the Sebright Arms in Bethnal Green. Their unusual sound has in the past been compared with that of The Beach Boys and Velvet Underground. £5, prebook, 7.30pm
In response to reader feedback, we've started publishing Things to do in London and sending it out as an email at 7pm in the evening to give you more advance notice of what's on the following day. We'll still Tweet and Facebook it in the morning and you'll still find it at the top of the site on the day in question.
Want to see your event in these last-minute listings? Email us at [email protected] at least 48 hours before the event, and we will consider it for inclusion. Note, due to high volumes of email, we can't always reply.
London Goodie of the Day
Popped into the National Gallery recently? Alongside the fine art and world class collections, there’s also a range of rather lovely London goodies on offer in the shop. We’ll be featuring a different product each day this week and we’re starting off with one you’re likely get a lot of use out of in London.
Even the most loyal Londoner can get tired of the weather, so prepare for a shower in our fine capital with a London-themed brolly. Featuring a black and white photo montage of some of London’s key landmarks, it’s a stylish alternative to getting a soaking.
This week's Things To Do in London is sponsored by the National Gallery.
Good Cause of the Day
Tonight The Shaw Theatre on Euston Road hosts a benefit evening in aid of New Horizon Youth Centre. Acts include Ed Byrne, Dara O'Briain and Hal Cruttenden, and there will be an auction led by Jon Snow. Tickets cost £22 and are available here.
London Connection Puzzle
Congratulations to Peter Hunt, the first to spot the answer to last week's puzzle. Russell Square, Chelsea Embankment, Warwick Avenue and Temple Place are all locations of green cab shelters. A new puzzle, set by Peter, begins tomorrow.
From the Archive
Did you know that the tower popularly referred to as Big Ben, has received at least five different names over the years, some of which have more claims to being the 'correct' name than others? Find out what these names are, and other bell-based pedantry, here.
