Your Sunday morning best-of-Londonist weekly round-up. If you like it, please share it and forward to a friend.
London News
- The idea of devolution deepens. We could be looking at a 'Thames City' that would encompass not just Greater London, but the surrounding South Eastern counties as well.
- London's new budget was announced. Council tax might be going down.
- Looks like there will be more bus strikes in February.
- One of London's oldest restaurants looks set to close after 187 years.
- Boris Johnson has given the Cycle Superhighway linking Hyde Park and Tower Hill the go-ahead — with some alterations to the initial plans.
- Lewisham Council is looking into building temporary houses to help ease the accommodation shortage — and they could be ready by summer.
- Dippy, Natural History Museum's diplodocus, will no longer be in the entrance hall — a blue whale skeleton will take its place.
- And finally... some Bermondsey residents kept opening their front doors to find mysterious gifts of cheesecake and biscuits on the steps.
Must-read articles
- For our latest video, we went behind the scenes at Hampton Court Palace as the building celebrates its 500th birthday.
- Continuing our etymological tour of the capital, we look at how London's Thames bridges got their names.
- Spanish, Peruvian, Turkish... eat breakfasts from all over the world without having to leave London.
- How many of London's secret shafts do you pass on a daily basis? (No sniggering at the back, we're talking about tunnel, sewers and bunker ventilation shafts.)
- Londoners have the highest rates of sexual infection in England, according to the Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.
- Could Wembley host the Super Bowl?
- We investigate the latest reported UFO sightings over London.
- We love this hand-drawn map of the rivers of London.
- The shrinking penis of Broadway: our latest video features a sculpture which caused quite a stir at the time of its unveiling…
Top reviews
- Which of the many recently opened art exhibitions are actually worth seeing? We did a recce of them so you don't have to waste your time. You're welcome.
- We enjoyed our night with Reg at the Apollo Theatre ★★★★☆
- Indian history becomes intoxicating theatre in Dara at National Theatre ★★★★☆
- British outlook, Mediterranean flair and US influences at new John Doe restaurant ★★★★☆
- Tom Stoppard's new play at the National did more for our brain than our heart ★★★☆☆
- The Ruling Class hasn't been staged since 1969 — and we can kind of see why ★★★☆☆
- See a flat share with a difference in Hello/Goodbye at Hampstead Theatre ★★★★☆
- Tango Fire is quite possibly the sexiest night in London ★★★★☆
- The service bowled us over as we ate the veggie dishes from Riverford at the Duke of Cambridge ★★★☆☆
Things to do
- London. Made from Lego. It's two of our favourite things — and it's coming to The Orbit.
- If your new year fitness resolution has fizzled out already (ours never even started), get back on it at one of London's fitness bootcamps.
- Single or not, there are some interesting, unusual, and in some cases hilarious, things to do in London this Valentine's Day.
- Superbowl XLIX takes place tonight — here's where to watch it in London.
- 'Could be good, could be shit'. A tribute show to comedian Malcolm Hardee takes place on Monday, 10 years after his death.
- Looking forward, we've picked our top 10 London art exhibitions to see in February.
- The Who, Van Morrison, Paul Weller and other big artists are playing at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust.
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