Things to do
HALF TERM: Running out of ways to keep the kids busy in half term? Take a look at our event highlights — today, pick from a garden safari, a family theatre show and a day of mucky fun.
BEER FEST: 155 breweries are pouring their brews at Craft Beer Rising. As well as a chance to sample and buy many, many beers, hear from experts on topics such as cider tasting and beer and food pairing — then test out your new found skills in the street food market. Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane), £16.80-£21.60, book ahead, 21-23 February
BEYOND RETRO: If you're in need of some new clobber, get yourself to Peckham where legendary vintage store Beyond Retro is having a massive garage sale. Jeans, dresses, jumpers, shirts, trousers, jackets and more are all on sale, with new items added every day. Bussey Building (Peckham), free entry, just turn up, 21-24 February
ELIZABETHAN TREASURES: This new exhibition brings together intricate portrait miniatures from the Elizabethan and Jacobean periods. Find out what the artworks would have revealed about the identity and social class of their owners in the 16th and 17th centuries. National Portrait Gallery, £10/£8.50, book ahead, 21 February-19 May
LEGO CITY: Have a go at building your own Lego city (with some Duplo thrown in) at this architectural workshop, aimed at kids aged 6+ and their families. Drop in and get inspired by some of Soane's own building designs. Sir John Soane's Museum (Holborn), free, just turn up, 11am-3pm
THE BURQA: 17 Muslim women contributed to It's Not About The Burqa, a book in which they speak freely about their faith, love, divorce, feminism, sex, queer identity, and other topics that are rarely considered to be part of being a Muslim woman in the West. Tonight, editor Mariam Khan is joined by some of the contributors for readings and discussions. Foyles Charing Cross Road, £18/£8, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm
(SOME OF) THE OSMONDS: American family group The Osmonds bring their tour to north London, playing some of their classic tunes. Original members Merrill and Jay now perform as a duo. Union Chapel (Islington), £37.50, book ahead, 7pm
IF THEY COME FOR US: American screenwriter Fatimah Asghar’s work reflects her experiences as a queer Muslim woman of Pakistani-Kashmiri heritage living in contemporary America. Tonight she launches and discusses her debut poetry collection, If They Come for Us. Kings Place (King's Cross), £12.50, book ahead, 7pm
VICTORIAN PHOTOGRAPHERS: The Chapel at Highgate Cemetery is the setting for this talk about Victorian photography, by expert Stephen Furniss. Learn about some of the influential photography pioneers who are buried in Highgate Cemetery, including the Watkins brothers, who photographed over 1,500 celebrities, James Perriman, a studio photographer who went to prison for displaying another photographer’s work outside his premises, and Valentine Blanchard, who photographed London streets from a disguised van. Highgate Cemetery, £9, book ahead, 7.30pm-9pm
JAZZ HERSTORY: If you're into music, trombonist Rosie Turton is one to watch this year. After featuring in The Guardian's Best New Music of 2019 feature, she leads her own band in this performance of tracks from her new EP. Poplar Union, £9/£7/£5, book ahead, 7.30pm-10.30pm
Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
Do you know about the secret mosaic of Green Park? Look out for these tiles on the monotonous corridor between the Jubilee and Piccadilly lines. The proportion of grey tiles increases as you approach the Jubilee; while blues go up nearer the Piccadilly.
Good cause of the day
Tonight, head to the Royal College of Nursing in Marylebone for a brief history of women's underwear, in association with Crimson Tea Parties, a platform providing menstrual supplies to shelters, centres and schools in south-east London. Find out more and book tickets — entry is free with a donation of menstrual products, or £5 otherwise,
What we're reading
- The tube map, redesigned for the BRIT Awards.
- LBC radio host 'racially attacked' in Soho.
- The new IKEA's going hard on its sustainability efforts.
- London rental opportunity of the week — in Ilford.
