"Junior Kickstart" was one of our favourite BBC shows with an awesome bumpy theme tune and kids on Honda 50ccs squealing through muddy courses and over unfeasibly challenging obstacles. Twenty years later, in a sad twist of fate, off-road motorbikes are to be employed by the police to crack down on bored kids with nothing better to do than throw stones at trains, drink cider in railway sidings and generally cause problems on the......

Ignore the crazy weather, and book on something more definite: London's world-class cultural scene is here to entertain you, come rain or shine. Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is offering a reimagined Midsummer Night's Dream for everyone aged six and over from today. If you've got kids, nieces, nephews, or are just trying to entertain small people over the summer, this is sure to be a hit. Camden tube station comes to Shakespeare's Globe......

This weekend column is brought to you by the founders of Niceties Tokens, Liz and Pete of Team Nice. 43. Kids, music, and mobile phones Last week I was told to turn my music down on a train, as unbeknown to me, my earphones were rubbish and other commuters could hear my embarrassingly loud music. But now let’s talk about those people who actually play their mobile phones like little mini stereos for us......

It’s the week before Christmas, and like us, you’re probably panicking because you’ve still got loads of shopping to do. If you have a spare night when you’re not out at wild and crazy office Christmas parties or fighting the crowds on Oxford Street, here are a few suggestions to keep you entertained. On TV, Londonist likes: Monday, 17 December Dispatches: How Safe Are Your Christmas Toys? (Channel 4, 21:00-22:00) If you’re Christmas shopping......

Our weekly roundup of film reviews continues, courtesy of James Bryan… This week, Bee Movie, Enchanted, We Own The Night, Youth Without Youth, Mr Magorium’s Wonder Emporium and It’s A Wonderful Life. And if you’re too busy to even read a review of reviews then just go and see the masterpiece that is It’s A Wonderful Life. Simple as that. Since the last episode of the Greatest Sitcom Ever™ nine years ago, Jerry Seinfeld......

Every day this month the Londonist team will be pointing you in the direction of a Christmas present that (with a bit of luck) you won't already have on your list. Climb up onto our collective lap and we'll see what we can move from our sack to your stockings... We recommended memberships to various arty places as Christmas presents earlier this week, but in terms of things you can wrap and place under......

Forgive us for suggesting you go a venue two nights in a row, but tomorrow night but this sounds ace, if painful. Tomorrow is the latest installment of Cringe London. Based on a New York idea (of course), the night invites you to listen to other people's teenage diaries as well as reading aloud your own. Taking place once a month, 20 and 30 somethings get together to shame their cringetastic teenage diaries including......

The legendary girls from St Trinians had their premiere last night in Leicester Square. St Trinian's is the 2007 film of the 1950s film series is getting certain bits of the press excited, with a cast that features Rupert Everett in drag, Russell Brand twatting about with no noticeable change of costume or persona, Colin Firth striding about being humourless and lots of attractive women playing schoolgirls. Celia Imrie and Anna Chancellor both have......

The Holiday season is in full swing in NYC, with holiday lights in Brooklyn, a giant snow globe in Bryan Park and Chanukah specials for ham. One citizen decided to go vigilante on annoying car alarms, a murder suspect used a fake Asian accent on the stand and a video of a man being beaten up by teenage girls on a subway shocked the city. And we interviewed soon-to-be-leaving-Gawker editor Choire Sicha, who said,......

It's very easy to get caught up in this city for all of it's music, clubs and big shiny loud stuff. Well, as much as we remain a fan of all that is big and shiny, Londonist occasionally needs some down time. Preferably with trees and tweety birds. And there's nothing more relaxing than a walk through the countryside. This is why The Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre is perfect. It's a short skip and......

London is getting more dangerous by the day ladies and gentlemen. It's not enough that a quick trip down Oxford Street is going to leave you gasping like a floundering flounder on the deck of a homeward bound fishing trawler, now you can't even grab the number of your local brass from that phone booth down the road in safety. Well, not if you live in Camden, so breath easy SE London for the......

The cold weather - and holiday festivities - descended upon Gothamist. The Rockefeller Christmas tree was lit, Broadway stagehand finally ended their strike, and NASCAR decided to run their victory lap through Times Square. There were disturbing photographs revealing the working conditions in which many city manholes are produced and ninjas were also a hot topic, either robbing homes or entering into alibis. But the city was really rocked by how Rudy Giuliani's visits......

You'll forgive dear old Londonist for being a touch misty-eyed, but in our day a dog was a child's best friend, a source of companionship and a trusted pal through thick and thin. Times have changed though, and according to the RSPCA there's an increasing problem of pooches being used as status symbols and de-facto weapons, rather than the loveable pets who fetch slippers and chew the Sunday periodical. Last year saw a 42%......

This coming Saturday (by which we mean 1st December) sees a sort of eco-bonanza in Dulwich – fair-trade festivities and eco-friendly gifts galore are being offered alongside Tai’Chi, belly-dancing, story-telling and, most importantly, beer. The organisers are amongst other things attempting to draw attention to a Dulwich-wide initiative to outlaw the plastic carrier bag as a harbinger of evil, and introduce jute or cotton shoppers: as such they have commissioned local school kids to come......

Close to 300 cases of measles have been reported to City and Hackney Primary Care Trust over the last 5 months. It is thought that the outbreak is directly linked to increasing numbers of parents deciding against the MMR vaccination for their darlings in the light of the well publicised but now discredited research which linked it to autism. With hundreds of spotty kids sickening in East London direct action is being taken by......

Tonight start the week by going to see massive Swedish popstar Marit Bergman at Hoxton Bar & Grill. She's playing a one off UK gig in an attempt to get signed in the UK. (£6, here. Former Hefner frontman Darren Hayman teams up with fledgling band The Wave Pictures at The Luminaire (£8, here). Plus the awesome Cold War Kids play Shepherd's Bush Empire. On Tuesday, German dance kids Digitalism are at the Scala......

This weekend column is brought to you by the founders of Niceties Tokens, Liz and Pete of Team Nice. 24. Llamas As Team Nice and the Niceties Campaign is a year old, last week we spoke of niceties tokens, which is the mechanism that started Team Nice. So this week I thought I would speak a little bit more about Team Nice. Team Nice is an ever-growing group of people (currently just under 1,000)......

Here’s what we’ve learned this weekend: Today is Remembrance Sunday which actually falls on 11th November - Armistice Day. The Queen and other Royals attended the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall last night. The Ceremony of Remembrance and Cenotaph Parade take place on Whitehall from 10.30am with Two Minute Silence at 11:00am. There was some pomp, circumstance and kids with strawberries on their heads at the Lord Mayor's Show yesterday. The......

It’s funny what it takes to get the townsfolk riled. A few murders here and there, rampant drug abuse, the cost of living, the state of the world…. these are met with little rumbles of protest at best. No, if you really want to get those petitions signed and that drum banged, bring on the dancing girls. Seriously. (Actually, citizens have also been known to unite over shoddy refuse collection, but that too comes down......

In most senses Londonist is a rather nice blog entity. Liberal, firm where we need to be, objective, a bit goofy at times. But on the issue of ’happy slapping’ we find it hard to suggest anything particularly constructive. Therapy? Social reform? It’s all just so much piffle and tosh. The stocks would be a far better answer. This unfathomable and moronic crime has made the news today as three Croydon youngsters are sentenced for......

As reported last week, Monday should see you going crazy to hear that one good song (are there others) by Peter Bjorn and John at the forum. More importantly make sure you get there in time to see support act Those Dancing Days. We caught them at Water Rats on Saturday and are pleased to report they combine cuteness and moodiness with alarming grace. The much loved Beirut play an instore at Rough Trade......

Londonist is not normally anal or prohibitive about stuff. Hey, we can do nipple tassles with the best of them. And we are utterly dismissive of most of Nanny Government’s patronising dictums. But today we are all up tight….about fireworks of all things. We must confess to a decidedly school-marmly attitude to the things. Sorry ‘n’ all if you’re having a party tonight – we don’t want to dampen your fun or anything. It’s just......

Okay, first of all, the bad news: both the opening and closing previews at the Barbican's London Korea Film Festival are already sold out. Boo! If you were hoping to check out Park Chan-wook's latest I'm A Cyborg, But That's Okay, or the Cannes-pleasing Breath (pictured left) by Kim Ki-Duk, then you're out of luck. The sell-out is testament to the reputation for excellence that Korean cinema has gathered in the last decade, and......

Familiar figures on our streets, lollipop men and ladies provide a criminally undervalued service. Helping hyperactive kids cross the busy streets without disappearing underneath a passing car, whilst taking home a token (if any) payment, takes a certain kind of selfless individual. We salute them. Unfortunately, not everyone agrees. Earlier this month a 65-year old lollipop man by the name of Wiktor Molleskog was attacked after committing the outrageous crime of asking a driver......

Tutankamun's coming to town! First we had Anubis and now pyramids are popping up all over London. Created by Brazilian pop artist, cheeky looking Romero Britto, with the help of 1500 school kids, the biggest - a colourful 45fter - was unveiled at Speakers' Corner, Hyde Park yesterday whilst its smaller sibling, just 25ft, will sit outside the O2 on Peninsula Square, guarding access to the first major exhibition at the sweetly named Bubble......

Remember remember the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason why gunpowder, treason Should ever be forgot... We know that today is Halloween and Bonfire Night is not until next week, but the truth is, most of the fireworks displays in London will happen before the big day. We've already told you about the display on Clapham Common and we wouldn't want you to miss out on the rest of......

What do you do if you’ve got a gallery full of works by William Morris, one of Britain’s most famous artists, and you’re a cash-strapped borough council? (a) Publicise the gallery and get loads of tourists spending their money there. (b) Hitch a ride on green awareness — Morris was an early environmentalist and the collection is housed in his former home, in magnificent grounds, all of which the borough owns. (c) Suggest giving......

Children, children, Londonist wants to play a little game with you: it’s called “How to make you cry in one single snapshot.” The rules are pretty simple: you come equipped with your best smiles for the next school piccie and we’ll wipe them off your face instantly: black kids over there please ... yes, you ... Oh and you look a little dark of skin – over there as well please. Still smiling? Alright, Jewish......

Every now and then, a bit of London-centric news drifts around the Londonist newsroom (which doesn't exist but imagine a bunch of emails flying around in lieu of an actual office) and is not paid that much attention. However, there comes a time when something requires a closer look for what it is really saying, such as this report on a poll for the top ten London film locations. Commissioned by cinema advertising company......

If you happened to stroll into Room 420 of the Trafalgar Hotel during the recent Bridge Art Fair, then your eyes were treated to some excellent art exhibited by the ‘low brow to high brow’ cool kids from Strychnin Gallery. With locations in New York and Berlin, it was probably only a matter of time before Strychnin set up more a permanent camp here. Luckily for us, that time is now. Strychnin is opening......