Things to do
BRIDGE LIGHT SHOW: Celebrate the 125th anniversary of Tower Bridge with a special light show in the bascule chambers. Go down into the cavernous (and usually off-limits) rooms for an hour-long experience telling the story of the people who helped build the world-famous river span, and those who operate and maintain it today. Age 14+. Tower Bridge, £20, book ahead, 29 November-1 December
LONDON ILLUSTRATION FAIR: Five floors of artwork, prints, workshops and talks from top artists and designers is what the London Illustration Fair is all about. Meet your favourite artists and chat to them about their work — and maybe buy a piece or two as a Christmas gift, or to brighten up your living room. OXO Tower Wharf, £10-£12.50, book ahead, 29 November-1 December
ICE RINK: Covent Garden gets a New York-inspired makeover when the Tiffany & Co ice rink opens. Skate around a giant bottle of the brand’s fragrance, with the floral scent diffused over shoppers and skaters throughout the day. Covent Garden, free, book ahead, 29 November-26 December
A CHRISTMAS CAROL: Wilton's puts a new twist on a well-known classic for this year's Christmas show. Christmas Carol — a fairy tale takes place when Ebenezer Scrooge is dead, as is Jacob Marley. The story focuses instead on Fan Scrooge — Ebenezer's sister and Marley's widow — and a festive haunting she receives from three spirits (OK, so some of it may be familiar...). Wilton's (Limehouse), £10-£36, book ahead, 29 November-4 January
CHRISTMAS LIGHTS: It’s Poplar’s turn for the Christmas light treatment as Chrisp Street Market welcomes the festive season. Family-friendly events run all afternoon, before Father Christmas switches the lights on at 6pm. Chrisp Street Market (Poplar), free, just turn up, 2pm-7pm
CHRISTMAS MARKET: The lovely Forty Hall stays open late for a Christmas night market. Wander through the beautiful rooms browsing stalls selling handmade gifts, with a glass of mulled wine in hand. Forty Hall (Enfield), free entry, just turn up, 5pm-9pm
COME ALL YE QUIZ-FUL: Head to Waterstones for an evening of festive fun and games, the highlight of which is a general knowledge quiz. Bring your own team of five, or be put into a team on the night, and go head to head on a range of subjects and a picture round. Waterstones Tottenham Court Road, free, book ahead, 6pm-9pm
MUSEUM LATES: It’s the last Friday of the month, which means Natural History Museum stays open late, and this time there’s a Seven Worlds, One Planet theme, inspired by the Attenborough documentary of the same name. Chat to the production team about how the programme was made, learn about the musical score that soundtracks it, and hear talks about drone filming. The usual displays and exhibitions are open late too. Natural History Museum (South Kensington), free, just turn up, 6pm-10pm
BODY WORLDS: Also open late tonight is Body Worlds. Wander among Dr Gunther von Hagens’ exhibition of real human bodies, preserved and displayed through the process of plastination, after hours, and take part in free yoga sessions. Body Worlds (Piccadilly Circus), £22.50, book ahead, 7pm-10pm
80s LIVE: Now That's What I Call The 80s. Been there, lived it, got the CD — now attend the live show. Legendary broadcasters Gary Davies and Mark Goodier host an evening of live covers of songs from the 80s, including tracks by Whitney Houston, Toto, A-ha, Cyndi Lauper, Jon Bon Jovi, UB40, Wham! and Eurythmics. Southbank Centre, £19.50-£49.50, book ahead, 7.30pm
Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
If you're ever in the Baker Street area and fancy a pint, you might enjoy The Metropolitan Bar, beside the main station entrance. It's a Wetherspoon, so has cheap beer, but you'll also find a shed-load of posters, drawings and paintings relating to the Metropolitan line. I found this gem hanging outside the gents toilets. It's a colourised version of an illustration from 1862, showing an early trial of the first underground line (Paddington to Farringdon).
Follow Barry on Twitter @HeckTube.
Good cause of the day
A Peaceful Noise takes place tonight. The gig is in aid of the Nick Alexander Memorial Trust. Nick was the merchandise manager of Eagles of Death Metal, and was killed in the Bataclan terror attacks in Paris in November 2015. Find out more and book tickets.
What we're reading
- The four staircases of Holborn Viaduct.
- Indian ride-sharing app Ola is due to launch in London.
- Look what Clapham's W*nkerville sign has been replaced by.
- Donald Trump's heading for Buckingham Palace.
- Our friends at London Historians have a Black Friday membership sale going on this weekend.
