Sponsored by Shurgard Self Storage.
Sign up to our free Londonist Daily email to get today’s articles sent straight to your inbox at 5pm.
Myths of the Thames:
Was the Thames once a site of child sacrifice? Were the sewers a breeding ground for pigs? Last year we chatted to Scott Wood, host of the London Fortean Society, to pick his brains about the myths that surround the Thames.
Buttons provided by YPlan
Things to do
CAT CAFE:
Enjoy lunch or coffee while you play with cats at Cat Village in Shoreditch. A chance to de-stress and make some new feline friends. £9, prebook, 10am
DRAWING AT OLD OPERATING THEATRE:
The Old Operating Theatre in London Bridge is inviting people of all ages over the summer to draw their fascinating collection. Workshops are themed around medicine (of course) and are included in the admission price to the museum. £6.50, prebook, 2pm-4pm
SECRET GARDEN:
Spend the evening wandering around Chelsea's Secret Garden accompanied by head gardener Nick Bailey. It's a chance to see the latest additions including the Garden of Medicinal Plants and the World Woodland Garden. After the tour, relax with drinks while you listen to musical performances.*This event is now sold out. £35, prebook, 6pm-8.30pm
PIZZA MAKING:
Fancy a pizza but bored of the toppings at your local pizzeria? Make your own with the help of Mayfair Pizza Company. Learn about the history of pizza making before having a go yourself. Your ticket includes a glass of prosecco and nibbles on arrival. £25, prebook, 6pm
FREE-FLOWING BEER:
Oval Space in Hackney is home to The London Craft Beer Festival until 16 August. Pick up your festival glass and sample the quality beers on offer whilst soaking up the history of the brew from knowledgeable brewers. Take a break from drinking to fill up on street food. £30, prebook, 6pm
KEATS HOUSE EVENT:
Join Keats House for an evening celebrating the late Gautam Sachdev, Britain's leading Hindu litterateur. Poetry on South Bank and UK Hindi Samiti are hosting an evening of live musical performance at Keats House featuring many of his favourite songs. The former head of BBC World Hindi/Tamil Service, Kailash Budhwar will chair the event. Free, prebook, 6.30pm-8pm
TALK:
The Proud Archivist in Haggerston is hosting Nerd Nation, a talk led by six geek speakers which covers all things tech. Each talk lasts six minutes. £6.50, prebook, 7pm
EXPERIMENTAL NIGHT:
Hackney Attic is putting on an experimental night of films, hosted by Polish cinematographer Zbigniew Rybczynski and accompanied by a live music score created by Antwerp. A must see for filmmakers, artists and innovators looking for inspiration. £7, prebook, 7.30pm
MUSIC:
Spend the evening listening to bands Family Atlantica and Electric Jalaba on the Queen Elizabeth Hall Rooftop Garden at the South Bank Centre. This event is part of the Folk with Attitude series.*This event has now moved to St Paul's Pavillion due to the weather. £14, prebook, 7.30pm
PAINT NIGHT:
The inspiration for tonight's class is Sonia Madruga’s image of Rio carnival. Get in the spirit at The Red Lemon n in Notting Hill which is hosting a relaxed informal painting class. No experience necessary. Grab a drink to unleash those creative juices. £25, prebook, 8pm
SHORTS ON TAP:
Shorts on Tap provides guests with an opportunity to find out more about the film industry. Head to 93 Feet East on Brick Lane where you'll watch seven short films before hearing from the directors and guest speakers. A chance to hone those networking skills while discovering some great new work. £5, prebook, 9pm
COMEDY:
Colin Hoult does seriously surreal character comedy. This show at the Soho Theatre takes in contacting the spirit world. Shit’s gonna get real. £10, prebook, 9.15pm
Know someone buying a house in London?
Shurgard, the London based self-storage expert, has come up with this alternative range of refreshingly honest greetings cards that tap into the reality of buying a home in London.
If you know someone who's going through the agony of moving house, why not send them one of these alternatives to the run-of-the-mill greetings cards? Most movers suffer tedious months bouncing between estate agents and solicitors, learning the meaning of ‘gazumped’ and dreaming of being able to afford somewhere within the M25. One of these could provide that little bit of light relief. And you never know — they might invite you round for cake as a thank-you.
Got someone in mind? Share online, or get your hands on a limited number of printed copies via the Shurgard website.
This edition of Things To Do In London is sponsored by Shurgard Self Storage.
Good cause of the day
A-Side B-Side Gallery at Hackney Downs Studios are hosting an animal inspired pop-up shop and exhibition. Animate will raise awareness of critically endangered species. 50% of money raised will go towards the World Wildlife Fund. There is a late opening tonight at 6.30pm so you can enjoy the exhibition with wine. Free, just turn up, 11am-5.30pm
Londonist on YouTube
Did you know we have our very own Londonist YouTube channel? Catch up with Geoff Marshall as he explores the Secrets of the Underground. The perfect way to while away the hours and scrub up on your London trivia. If you love the series (and we're sure you will) we recently released a DVD of Geoff's adventures on the Underground, which includes bonus material and a shiny new cover.
Find more London events in our Free & Cheap events listings. 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.
