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Listings
BLOOD: Today’s opportunities to donate blood are outside No 73 Alleyn Park in Dulwich, Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Tower Hill, St Pauls Church Hall in Stoke Newington and Assembly Hall in Morden. Free, see site for terms and conditions
V-DAY: Today is the internationally recognised lovers' day. Yes it is, even if you don't fancy the idea so much. There's plenty going on around town: if you haven't planned anything yet, whether you're single or in a relationship, then have a look at our sopometer of London events.
LFW: As well as love, London will today be full of... fashion. An entire army of fashion designers, models, buyers and so on will be in town for London Fashion Week AW2014, until 18 February. Even if you're not a fashionista, you'll find stuff to look out for in our top 10 things to do during LFW (including bus-stop art).
ON THE MOVE: London Transport Museum launches London Stories, an exhibition featuring the best 50 entries for The Serco Prize for Illustration 2014 (we've seen them, they're a must-see), linked to the year of the bus. And it's organised a Cocktail Night for their late opening tonight (Tickets £10/£8 concession). Entry to the museum which includes the exhibition is £15/£11.50 for a year long ticket, under 16s free, until 6 April.
ART: The 19th century Chapel of St Barnabas is the setting of The Anatomy of Melancholy, the solo exhibition of artist Dr Viktor Schroeder. Booking is required for viewings because of the nature of the venue. Free, prebook by email, until 22 February
FREE BOOK & LOBSTER: A Penguin Books pop-up teams up with BOB’s Lobster at Spitalfield’s Market. They're giving away 100 delicious lobster rolls and copies of bestseller The Rosie Project absolutely free. Free, just turn up, from 11.30am
FREE SWEETNESS: Divine Chocolate shares the love on Potters Fields, next to Tower Bridge. They'll be handing out boxes of miniature chocolate hearts to passers-by in two different shifts. Free, just pass by, 9-10am & 12.30-1.30pm
TALK & WALK: For Valentine’s Day, Guildhall Library hosts Book Lovers, a talk about historical London lovers. There will be a themed walk afterwards. Free, prebook, 2pm
AT THE MUSEUM: Looking for love? Then head to the Grant Museum of Zoology for its special late opening: learn about seduction in the animal world. Glass of wine included. £5, just turn up, 6.30pm
MUSIC: Pop singer and pianist Izo Fitzroy performs storytelling jazz with The Royal Bastards, Hackney Colliery Band and some more at The Finsbury in Manor House. Free, prebook, 7pm
REGULAR MUSEUM LATES: See in the weekend with a spot of culture at the British Museum, National Gallery, Tate Modern, or National Portrait Gallery. Free, check websites for closing times and events
ANTI-VALENTINE: Some of London’s best poets bring their verse to the Picturehouse in Hackney for an evening of Anti-Slam: Anti-Valentine. You’d better not bring your date! £5/£4, prebook, 7.30pm
ROLLER SKATE: The Friday Night skate starts at Wellington Arch. Anyone who feels competent on skates is welcome to join. Free, just turn up, 8pm
Reader Offer
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Good Cause of the Day
Good Gifts offers a refreshing alternative to conventional unwanted presents: it's a website where you can buy a charitable present for a loved one. Today, you can buy their online Valentine’s Day dinner and spend your £40 (the average price for a dinner for two in a restaurant) on directly buying dinner for 140 hungry children in Africa.
London Connection Puzzle
Your complete set of clues are ST PETER AD VINCULA, CUTTY SARK, HOUSE OF LORDS and THE NASH CONSERVATORY. What connects these four London structures? Email [email protected] if you think you've got it.
From the Archive
Everything we know about love, we learnt from a press release. Last year on this day, we published a round up of all the wretched, vacuous Valentine's crap which had reached our inbox over the previous few weeks.
Londoddities
To conclude 'bridge week' on Londoddities, we commend to you this bridge in Paddington Basin. It doesn't look like much, does it? Yet each Friday at noon, you can see it curl up into a ball. It's designed by Thomas Heatherwick (he of the Olympic Cauldron and the New Routemaster).
Previously in Bridge Week: A bit of old Waterloo Bridge, an exploding bridge, a pointless indoor bridge, London's oldest bridge.
