Today's Things To Do In London is sponsored by The France Show — scroll down for more information and to get half-price tickets now.
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Must-read stuff:
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Today's big news, hot off the press.
Things to do today
LONDON'S URBAN JUNGLE: Keeping tigers on your high street isn't the usual, but Animal Emporium, Charles Jamrach's Victorian pet store in the East End had more creatures than Doctor Dolittle. Horniman Museum's exhibition reveals the history behind the British exotic animal trade. Free, just turn up, 10.30am-5.30pm
NOURISH FOOD MARKET: Cram food AND music into your lunchtime. With live tunes from Box Of Toys and Italian, Pan Asian, Indian, Venezuelan and Ghanian cuisines, Nourish Food Market parks up in Whitechapel this Thursday. It's a sort of mobile food party. Free (food prices vary), just turn up, 11am-3pm
THE WILD LIFE OF PHOTOGRAPHY: From their 25 years of work on shows such as Life, Planet Earth and The Hunt, award-winning wildlife photographers, Patrick Morris and Huw Cordey provide a unique insight into Life Behind The Lens. £15, prebook, 6.30pm
POP UP LIKE BANKSY: Make like Banksy and get PopUp Painting. Art pro, Gareth, will talk you through the basics of painting Girl With A Balloon — but with wine in one hand and a brush in the other, you're free to put your own creative stamp on the canvas. Everything's included so just bring yourself. £29, prebook, 7pm
ELMORE JAM: Join Le Cordon Bleu-trained, Andrea Zagatti, at the Grub Club. A four-course meal, live music and a 1960s jukebox set the mood. You can even BYOB to this lively feast celebrating modern Italy. £38.50, prebook, 7.30pm
GOSPELOKE: Yep, that's right, karaoke's spiritual sister comes to Cargo this Thursday. Let your inner diva out with some soulful classics while backed by a 15-strong gospel choir. It's like if Sister Act played Wembley. £5, prebook, 7.30pm
COMEDY: We absolutely loved Fringe favourite, Kieran Hodgson’s last show so are quite excited to see what he’s up to next. Find out at this new material night at the Pleasance in Islington, alongside Emma Sidi. £5, prebook, 9pm
A French day out in the heart of London — for half-price
Francophiles, you don't need to travel far for a day of all things Gallic — The France Show is back at Olympia tomorrow till Sunday with more Frenchy goodness than you can shake a baguette at.
The menu du jour? Cookery demonstrations from top French chefs, Bordeaux wine tasting and an authentic French marketing stock full of cheese, crêpes and confectionery are all making our stomachs rumble. You can also watch can-can dancers, play a game of pétanque, listen to bestselling authors, talk to travel experts about your next trip and attend the UK's largest French property exhibition.
Londonist readers can get half-price tickets! Use the code LOND98 when booking and get your tickets for just £8.
Today's Things To Do In London is sponsored by The France Show. Find out more at The France Show website or follow @TheFranceShow on Twitter.
Big London questions tackled by experts this week
How will we solve the housing crisis in the city? And what responsibility should artists take for the negative effects of gentrification? These thorny issues and more are being argued over by experts at a series of debates at Camden People's Theatre until 31 January. Tickets are £5, available from the website.
Win a year's free travel, or a night at a hotel and dinner
Head on over to our rather splendid new showcase site in partnership with Dot London — londonist.london — to find out more.
Good cause of the day
This Friday 29 January is Woolly Hat Day 2016. Throw on your beanie, bobble or beret in aid of homeless charity, St Mungo's Broadway. Get everyone you can to wear a woolly hat and give a small donation. St Mungo's aims to raise £60,000 to help give homeless people some stability. You can even bid on some celebrity headgear in their auction. See website for more details.
