Things To Do In London Today: Wednesday 3 July 2013

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House of Peroni opens today, details below.

Listings

BLOOD: Today's opportunity to donate blood is at Bishopsgate Institute. Free, see site for terms and conditions

HOUSE OF PERONI: A showcase of Italian culture sets up residency at 41 Portland Place from today with The House of Peroni. Special events are charged but you can take a look around the art and design-filled house for free. Free, just turn up, until 31 July

AMAZING MAPS: Stephen Walter's incredible maps of London and other cities will need no introduction for regular readers. A solo exhibition of his work opens today at Londonewcastle Project Space on Redchurch Street. Free, just turn up, until 26 July

SUMMERFEST: Plenty of talent today at Hackney Community College's SummerFest. Expect live music, fashion shows, art and media exhibitions, a basketball showcase, BBQ, street dance, and prizes to be won. Free, just turn up, 12-5pm

VIRUSES: As part of The Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition, Dr Jessica Metcalf and Dr Nim Pathy discuss today the risk of infectious diseases and the affect of increasing globalisation. Free, just turn up (first come first served), 2.30pm

STREET PARTY: Head to Portman Village’s annual street party today for a Wimbledon-themed bash with food, drink, beauty treatments, live entertainment, face painting and kids’ workshops. Free, just turn up, 5-10pm

STIR MAGAZINE LAUNCH: STIR is a new London-based magazine that looks at inspiring community-led alternatives in our food and financial systems. Join them for their summer issue launch party at Unpackaged in Hackney, where there’ll be a documentary screening about London’s food revolution. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm

HISTORY IN A PUB: Tonight's the monthly meetup for the London Historians organisation, upstairs in the Windsor Castle, Victoria. It's a preposterously informal affair, where anyone with an interest in London's history is encouraged to show up and say hello over a beer. Nothing more complex than that. You might even spot a Londonist writer or two. Free, just turn up, 6.30pm-closing

BOOKS ON THE HIGH STREET: A panel discussion about the place of the bookshop in the battle for the High Street takes place at the Southbank Centre today with Kate Mosse, Gordon Wise, Anne Sebba, Lindsay Mackie, Southbank Centre’s head of literature James Runcie and bookseller Nic Bottomley. £5, prebook, 6.30pm

COMEDY: Burger Bear provides the food at Invisible Dot's BBQ Previews, where you get two Edinburgh preview shows and a burger for a tenner. Today’s performers are Josh Widdicombe and Luke Wright, which is a sodding bargain. £10, prebook, 7pm

TWO MARYS: Housmans hosts a theatrical performance remembering Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley. £3, just turn up, 7pm

GIG: Why not treat yourself to some 'electronic gloom pop' this evening as Death Rattle, one of our new London bands to watch, perform at Islington Assembly Hall (supporting DeLooze). £8, prebook, 7pm

Please contact matt@londonist.com with any suggestions, solutions or contributions for the following sections.

Good Cause of the Day

An unmissable fundraising event for London dog owners and dog lovers: Dog Day 2013 takes place at at the Design Centre by Chelsea Harbour and raises money for Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, the UK’s premiere dog and cat rehoming centre, and Canine Partners, which trains assistance dogs for people with disabilities. Grab your four-legged friend and join in with doggy games, competitions and even an evening cocktail/dogtail party. £10+bf, prebook, 4-9pm

London Connection Puzzle

Yesterday's clue-word was KINGSLAND. Today's is CITY ROAD. Think you've got the London connection? Email matt@londonist.com with your solution. Two more clue-words to come, on Thursday and Friday.

London Weather, by Inclement Atlee

There once was a city, called Old London Town
Whose grey, leaden skies made everyone frown
Today it might rain,
Tomorrow the same,
But Friday brings sun, so dress down!