HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all our US readers. We've put together a separate dedicated listings post for Thanksgiving events.
SKATING: The ice rinks at Westfields east and west open today, and glide on until 6 January. Times and prices vary.
ART FOR A GOOD CAUSE: If you're in the Putney area and fancy some new art to liven up the living room, you could do a lot worse than heading to the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability, on West Hill. Original art by patients and residents is for sale on a pay what you think it's worth basis. The sale runs till 24 November. Free, just turn up, 11am-6pm (till 4pm on other days)
OLYMPICS: Remember that? Well, now it's all about 'legacy'. A talk tonight at London South Bank University discusses the challenges of creating the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Free, prebook, 5.30pm
VINTAGE: Camden Market not only extends into the evening tonight, but also harbours a vintage pop-up sale. Free, just turn up, 5.30-10pm
STREET FOOD: The foodie haven formerly known as Eat.St and now known as KERB holds a 'canopy party' near St Martin's in King's Cross, with 16 food and drink stalls and music. Free, just turn up, 5.30-10.30pm
COLD WAR: Christopher Andrew delivers the Orwell Lecture at UCL, considering secrets of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Free, prebook, 6pm
ART: Wimbledon Open Art Studios gives you a chance to mingle with artists in their own studios, and perhaps buy something to hang on your wall. Runs till 25 November (opening times vary on other days). Free, just turn up, 6-10pm
SUPERHEROES: Find out how extreme human anatomy can become, and whether the muscular build of superheroes is realistic at the Wellcome Library (Conan the Librarian?). Free, prebook, 6pm
DIY SURGERY: The Hunterian Museum opens late for a look around the collections and a chance to try your hand at suturing. A few tickets for a ‘pop up operating theatre’ are also available. Free, just turn up, 6-9pm(pop-up surgery is £5, prebook)
TECHNOLOGY: In what senses has new technology made us more free and in what ways more burdened? A Battle of Ideas discussion at the Royal Academy of Engineering pushes the buttons. £5, prebook, 7pm
PATTERN RECOGNITION: Chris French at Goldsmiths College descRibes how Our brainS havE evolved toBehold patterns all aroUnd us, even in ranDomness. £2, just turn up, 7pm
SHIPS: The Cutty Sark celebrates its 143rd birthday today. The National Maritime Museum pays tribute to the old lady with a special talk about her construction and design. Free, prebook, 7pm
CIRCUS: The Beyond Circus season begins at The Albany in Deptford. Watch inventive circus acts over four days of performance, starting tonight with experimental works above and around you. £12, prebook, 7.30pm
RELAXED CLASSICAL: The Night Shift returns to the Queen Elizabeth Hall, with some Handel highlights. These relaxed concerts let you take booze into the performance, clap and guffaw whenever you like, and there's a warm-up show in the bar an hour before the start. £12, prebook or turn up, 10pm
Random London Facts Of The Day
It's Parliament Week. To coincide, they've donated these three Parliamentary nuggets:
- The HP in HP sauce stands for Houses of Parliament, which was invented by a grocer, who registered the name in 1895 because he had heard a restaurant in the Houses of Parliament had begun serving it.
- Sir Charles Barry, the architect of the rebuilt Houses of Parliament, also designed Downton Abbey — Highclere Castle.
- Officially, no-one is allowed to die in the Palace of Westminster. Any deaths that do occur are said to have taken place at St Thomas' Hospital — the nearest hospital to the palace, because commoners may not die in a royal palace.
Weather
The sun is out, the sky is blue, there's not a cloud to spoilt the view; and we're lying, lying from the start. It's wretched, grey, windy misery, all day long, unfortunately. BBC Weather has the details.
Secretly Hidden False Rumour Of The Day
Roman Abramovich has appointed Sirius Snape as the new Chelsea FC manager. The former wizard comes from the relatively stable Defence Against the Dark Arts professorship at Hogwarts, which saw seven incumbents in seven years. By contrast, Snape will become Chelsea's ninth manager in just over five years.
