Populist: 17-30 August

Populist brings you a bite sized round up of the best of Londonist. Catch up on the coolest, quirkiest, most recommended and talked about stories and find out what's hot and what's happening for the week ahead.

In the news:

Basking in British Olympic cycling success, Redbridge Cycling Centre was opened by Boris who then popped over to Beijing to receive the Olympic flag and make an hilarious speech, post handover. London became officially became the new host city and went into a flag waving frenzy in the Mall.

Do you take the most packed train in London?

Recessionist revealed the Londondome we never had.

And in sleb news: Paris wants a new best friend, Madonna gets harrassed by builders and Kate Moss takes up residence in the British Museum.

What's hot:

We exposed the bowels of the British Library and the stylish streets of Portobello.

Notting Hill Carnival said nuts to the credit crunch and partied hard. Metroland is shortly to be revisited, heritage style, courtesy of London Tranport Museum and magic and mystery are in order at Museum of London.

And, if you take up one recommendation from us this week, go and see Le Gun, "The Family" exhibition in Shoreditch.

Images L-R clockwise: Carnival, Millennium Bridge, days of yore, 2012 handover party. You can keep track of our most popular posts by checking out Favourites or using the Populist tag.