As we ease out of the austerity, self-denial and penny-pinching of January, so too the arts world comes even further out of its shell. This week sees a whole host of exciting openings. Take your pick; payday's passed and February's just round the corner! Be the first Gilbert and Sullivan's hilarious opera about love, corrupt local government, marriage, executions and heroics, The Mikado comes to the Gielgud Theatre from Wednesday. Alistair McGowan stars as......

33. Big Cat Round Up 2007 was a record year for my own research into ‘big cat’ sightings – www.kentbigcats.blogspot.com – although London and the infamous ‘beast of Bexley’ was reasonably quiet, this proved to me that such animals had wider territories. In January a black leopard was seen at Bexley by a Miss Skinner as she walked her dog. The massive cat sped across a field. A few days later, two yellowy-green eyes......

Isn’t it too early for winter? You’ll risk hypothermia if you’re outside this week, so stay in and watch the telly. Isn’t that really the best option? On TV, Londonist likes: Tuesday, 20 November & Wednesday, 21 November The Eight Hundred Million Pound Railway Station (BBC2, 22:00-22:30) The next two parts of this series on the brand spanking new St. Pancras station look at the race to finish the station on time. Apparently, the......

Hello Jeff! But don't bother opening your mouth to reply, because I haven't got the time to listen; I'm too busy celebrating! No no, don't worry, you haven't missed St. Satan's Day. I'm celebrating because it's been a year since I started doing stand-up! You'll have to forgive me, as this may be quite a self-indulgent post. But I can scarcely believe I've managed to persevere for this long! You see, I'm a notoriously......

A fox cub found in a garden in Stoneleigh was duped by a Dunlop over the weekend, getting its head stuck in the centre of a tyre. Animal rescue charity Wildlife Aid was called to the scene to free the trapped animal. Wildlife Aid’s Betty Banning had a top tip to share for members of the public who come upon creatures caught up in objects: for God’s sake, don’t douse the poor things in......

A New Year, and new format for the Londonist Literary List... Fresh this Week: The first Anything but Hackneyed for 2007. Susan Elderkin, Betty Trask Award winner and one of Granta's 20 best British novelists will be reading from her Odaantje nominated novel The Voices on Thursday 29 March at 6.30pm. The Broadway Bookshop, Hackney - See their Myspace for more details. Givin’ ‘em away: Daniel Mason, author of The Piano Tuner, reads from......

We knew something strange was happening when one of Londonist's friends who likes house music and r&b and refuses to listen to indie music started singing The Gossip's amazing Standing In The Way of Control while doing the weekly shopping last week. It was only when we were pigging out in front of the television watching Hollyoaks later than night that we realised why. Yes possibly 2006's greatest song is being used on the really......

Here at Londonist, we like Eat Your Own Ears - a promotions company who always seem to put together really good lineups. And their gig this week featuring King Creosote, Larrikin Love, Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor, and Peter Bjorn and John is absolutely no exception. If we weren't going to be dancing round to Betty Boo songs at Cosmic Fury then this gig would tickle our fancy no end. So instead, we're going to......

It's not often that the motley gang here at Londonist plan clubbing nights out with more than a couple of hours, or at most a day to go. So brace yourselves, here comes a suggestion a whopping NINE days early. Reasons why this will be ace: 1. It's a good excuse to go to Bloomsbury Bowling Alleys. Drinks aren't that expensive (cocktails from about £4), it's smack bang in the middle of well, Bloomsbury (well......

Move over Betty the monkey - we have a new favourite Londoner in the form of retired painter and decorator Roy Thayers: The pensioner was unable to walk more than 20 yards without suffering severe pain - leaving him a virtual cripple. "It was like someone stabbing me in the heart with a lump of wood and constantly twisting it," he said. "The pain was so bad." Doctors told Mr Thayers he risked a......

This day in London’s History 1703: Daniel Defoe is ordered to stand for three days in the pillory (a kind of hardcore version of the ‘stocks’) for taking the piss out of the government and the church. Good man. His satirical pamphlet ‘The Shortest Way With Dissenters’ was judged a little close to the bone. (Unless you’re a fan of ironical observations on non-conformity under the reign of Queen Anne, you probably don't want......

For all the Londonist readers who've been hanging out for news of Betty the squirrel monkey, the good news is she's back. Yes, after 12 hours roaming of roaming the treetops in Regent's Park, Betty "voluntarily returned to her enclosure when it got dark, at around 10pm to eat food, including her favourite mealworms, that had been left for her." If you've ever gone to the pub after work, stayed longer than you intended,......

Following last week's Rare monkey found on Clapham Common headlines, we've just heard news of yet another 'zoo break' involving a rebellious primate. Betty, a 10-year-old squirrel monkey has legged it from London Zoo: Visitors to Regent's Park witnessed some disgraceful monkey business today as a primate from London Zoo swung into action and made her Great Escape. Today crowds watched the monkey running through the trees as staff waited for the moment to......

And you thought the God Squad was a mere turn of phrase. If the previews for God's Next Army (Mon 8pm C4) are right, then the Grand Old Party should be on its guard as a Trojan horse of bright young things - bright, utterly fanatical young zealots from fundie colleges in the South, we should say - is preparing to take it over from the inside. Yes, in this documentary we get to......

Anyone with even a hint of taste and decency will know that the only time to drink Carling is after you've been atomised by a particularly nasty nuclear power station meltdown. And yet still their indominatable quest to tie up every concert venue in the country continues, as does their role as foremost sponsors of UK indie-guitar rock. As they have done for the past couple of years, they're endeavouring to kick off the......

You may have noticed we love The Pipettes. We also may have slightly become obsessed with the concept of Betty Boo's Wigwam which we told you about a couple of weeks ago. So imagine the squealing and bedwetting that occured when videos for both these bands new singles popped through our email box on the same day. The Wigwam video was set on a rooftop on Dean Street. Directed by Dom Joly, you get a......

One of our favourite monthly nights here at Club Londonist is Mornington Crescent's Stay Beautiful and as luck would have it, this Friday night sees it spin round for its March visit. Set up by music journalist Simon Price in the late 90s, it's been through a variety of venues, but us younglings have only known it at the Purple Turtle. This isn't an indie club, it's not a pop club, it's not a......

So yes it's been rather a while since Londonist went clubbing. January is all about the money saving, and February is all about the gym. This weekend though? It's all about the Guilty Pleasures. Occupying the final Saturday of each month at London's swankiest venue, Koko, the night has come a long way since it's tiny beginning at Hammersmith Working Mens club. It's manifesto is to play those songs which you'd shy away from......

To tell you the truth we're getting a bit bored of 90s pop reunions. Take That - yes that's quite funny. All Saints - hooray, their 2nd album was fab. East 17 and the Honeyz? No there is no need! However, we are much more interested however in a few more acts who've taken several members of one band, tweaked it somehow and comeback as a whole new act! That is at least taking a......

First of all, it is important to know How to Order Your Meals and what is expected of you and your staff at each meal time. If you are the Lady of the House, then these matters are your main concern and we urge you to continue reading for the sake of your family and those who work for you. If you are the Master of the House, then you may stop reading and......