Things to do
LONDON COFFEE FESTIVAL: Caffeine addicts and connoisseurs will be pleased to know that the London Coffee Festival opens its doors and fires up its coffee machines today. Watch 16 coffee masters go head to head to be crowned the winner, take part in a mindful coffee tasting experience, watch some of the world's best latte artists at work, and of course, get a pick-me-up in the roaster village. Old Truman Brewery (Brick Lane), £18.50, book ahead,28-31 March
COUNTRY LIVING FAIR: A four-day festival of stalls, crafts, demonstrations, workshops, food and drink, the Country Living Spring Fair takes over Alexandra Palace from today. Watch cookery demos, learn how to do calligraphy, pick up tips on taking care of chickens, and stock up on beauty products, homewares, gifts, food and drink. Alexandra Palace, from £8.50 (additional charge for workshops), book ahead, 28-31 March
GIN WIN: Gin in always a win in our book, but there are actual, boozy prizes to be won in a tasting game at this evening of gin. Two gin cocktails, plus tastings of three gins overseen by an expert are included in your ticket price. Six Storeys (Soho Square), £30, book ahead, 6pm/7.45pm
GOODBYE EUROPE: Documentary experts 1000 Londoners screen Goodbye Europe, a series of short films coinciding with the UK's departure from the EU (...maybe). Watch short films about people from the 28 EU countries who now call London home, some of whom take part in a panel discussion after the film. Curzon Soho, £16.50/£14, book ahead, 6.30pm
FEMINIST HISTORY: See objects in Bishopsgate Institute's archive that relate to women's and feminist history, and hear their stories from Library and Digital Archives Manager Grace Biggins. Tales told include that of Britain's first female firefighter. Bishopsgate Institute (Liverpool Street), £7/£5, book ahead, 6.30pm-7.30pm
BREXIT LESSONS: Confused about what the heck is going on with Brexit? This panel discussion may clear things up for you — or it may confuse you further. Experts in EU law, politics, economics and Brexit itself gather to discuss what's been decided so far, and what the short-term implications for Britain are likely to be. LSE (Holborn), free, just turn up, 6.30pm-8pm
UNSENT LETTERS: From Beethoven to Van Gogh, Virginia Woolf to Iris Murdoch, and George III to JFK, many well-known historical figures wrote letters that they left unsent... but not unseen. Actors Harriet Walter and Tuppence Middleton read out these letters, which never made it to their recipients. The Tabernacle (Notting Hill), £30-£39.99, book ahead, 6.45pm-8.15pm
EXPLORE ANTARCTICA: Find out how polar exploration has helped us better understand the world at this talk. Dr Anna Jones of the British Antarctic Survey and Dr Richard Powell of the Scott Polar Research Institute are among the experts sharing their thoughts on how early polar explorers paved the way for modern day research. The Royal Society (St James’s), free, just turn up, 7pm-8pm
TEENAGE DIARY: Rufus Hound hosts an evening with actress and impressionist Jan Ravens reading extracts from her teenage diaries to the audience. Hear about her time growing up in Merseyside, covering school, her best friend Nicky, her love of pop music, and her crush on Gary. British Library, £10/£7, book ahead, 7pm-8.30pm
GOLDEN PARTY: Golden Tongue is a poetry night shining the spotlight on work by South Asian women, celebrating the diversity of their diaspora and identities. There's an all-gold dress code for tonight's event, where poets and spoken word artists including Shagufta K. Iqbal, Amani Z. Saeed and Afshan D’Souza Lodhi share their work. Rich Mix (Shoreditch), £10, book ahead, 7.30pm
TEMPLE CINEMA: As cinema settings go, this one's pretty impressive — the Andaz London hotel's Masonic temple, buried underground in Liverpool Street, complete with lacquered thrones, marble columns and a golden zodiac-adorned ceiling. If you manage to tear your eyes off your surroundings and glance at the screen, the film being shown is Hereditary, a 2018 horror masterpiece. Andaz London (Liverpool Street), £15, book ahead, 7.30pm-10.30pm
Tube ponderings with Barry Heck
Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.
Yesterday's image of a power socket in a tube train comes from the wonderful Walthamstow Pumphouse Museum — a treasure trove for anyone who loves transport. Visit this Sunday when the engines will be all a-steam, and a chance to see a fire engine from London's Burning.
Follow Barry Heck on Twitter @HeckTube.
Good cause of the day
Book ahead for this Sunday's concert at Cadogan Hall, raising money for the Princess Alice Hospice. The Princess Alice Hospice community choir joins forces with the Strawberry Hill House choir and West End stars for an evening of show tunes. Find out more and book tickets.
What we're reading
- An opera singer was asked to change out of a pro-EU dress for a Royal Albert Hall concert.
- Should London's night czar role be scrapped?
- The Dunkirk boats used in tourist services on the Thames could be under threat.
- An art gallery has been unveiled within the new Spurs stadium.
