Things To Do Today In London: Tuesday 9 July 2019

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Things to do

KEW THE MUSIC: Beverley Knight and Billy Ocean headline tonight's Kew The Music opening gig. The week-long music festival consists of a series of picnic concerts, taking place in the botanical gardens after the daytime crowds have left, with a bar and food stalls open throughout the evening. Kew Gardens, various prices, book ahead, 9-14 July

GARDEN HISTORY: 10 objects are used to recount the history of Chelsea Physic Garden at this exploration day, featuring indoor presentations, a walk around the gardens, and access to objects from the library. Books, artefacts and plant specimens all feature. Chelsea Physic Garden, £88, book ahead, 10am-4pm

DR JOHNSON'S HOUSE: The Fleet Street home of dictionary compiler Samuel Johnson is always a pleasure to visit, but a new mini-exhibition adds a new reason. 'Committed to their Custody: The Women Supporting Dr Johnson’s House and Legacy Across the Twentieth Century' takes a look at the female curators whose inspiration has kept the museum fresh, including their creation of 'The Fireman’s Arts Club' during the war, when the House was attacked during the blitz. Dr Johnson's House, free with entry £7/£3.50, just turn up, Mon-Sat 11am-5.30pm

KUBRICK DESIGNS: You may not have heard of Ken Adams, but he played a crucial role in some of Stanley Kubrick's films. The designer first worked with Kubrick on Dr Strangelove, and went on to design sets for several of his other works. Hear all about their creative partnership in this lecture. Design Museum (Kensington), £12/£8/£5, book ahead, 6.30pm-8pm

Learn about the history of Chelsea Physic Garden

RUSH HOUR: Avoid the rush hour madness and enjoy a concert instead of piling onto an overcrowded tube. The Pegasus Chamber Choir performs everything from British folk songs to contemporary Baltic music. Once the concert's finished, the ride home should be a lot quieter. Royal Over-Seas League (Green Park), £16/£12, book ahead, 6.30pm-7.30pm

SPIRIT OF PRIDE: The latest in Gay Times' series of Pride Talks features Paris Lees, a writer, broadcaster and passionate campaigner for better media representation of the transgender community, hosted by Gay Times CEO, Tag Warner. Ticket includes champagne and canapés. The Ivy Soho Brasserie, £25, book ahead, 6.30pm-8.30pm

MODERN CALLIGRAPHY: Learn the basics of modern calligraphy at this beginners' session, which covers how to hold the pen, form individual letters, and join them into words. Materials are provided, and it's a BYOB event. Redcross Way (Southwark), £45, book ahead, 6.30pm-8.50pm (sponsor)

WINDRUSH GENERATION: What happened to the descendants of the Windrush Generation? Attend the launch of a new book which tells the story of one of them. My Life Story: A Child Of The Windrush Generation focuses on Xystus Sestus Marcell, who was left behind in St Lucia when his parents sailed to London, arriving in the capital to join them in 1972. Housmans (King's Cross), free entry, just turn up, 7pm-8pm

POPBITCH QUIZ: Pop culture gossip newsletter Popbitch hosts its monthly quiz. Expect to be challenged on all manner of trivia, not just pop culture — although we imagine plenty of that will come up — along with puzzles and music. Prizes include bar tabs and theatre tickets. Smiths of Smithfield, £5.50, book ahead, 7.30pm

BRIDGET CHRISTIE: Comedian Bridget Christie offers a look at her current work-in-progress, giving London audiences a chance to preview it before she performs it in Edinburgh. Battersea Arts Centre, £10/£8, book ahead, 8pm (repeated tomorrow)

ARMSTRONG: Watch new documentary Armstrong, about astronaut Neil Armstrong, timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. NASA footage and home-movie footage of the astronaut are combined with narration by Harrison Ford and interviews with Armstrong's family to give an idea of the private man behind the news headlines. It's followed by a recorded Q&A with the director. Bertha DocHouse (Bloomsbury), £9/£7/£5, book ahead, 8.30pm

Tube ponderings with Barry Heck

Our resident tube fancier dishes out daily thoughts on the London Underground.

Fancy a pint on a tube platform? Sadly (or happily, depending on your stance), drinking is no longer allowed anywhere on the Underground. That hasn't always been the case. At least two station platforms once featured their own bars. Sloane Square's westbound platform was home, until 1985, to The Hole in the Wall, also notable for its pub cat. The other trackside boozer could be found at Liverpool Street. Pat-Mac's Drinking Den traded until 1977, when it was converted into a cafe. Ian Visits has a more detailed account of these and other tube pubs. Tomorrow, we'll look at the one remaining place where you can raise a glass to a tube train. Follow Barry on @HeckTube.

Good cause of the day

A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to construct a rolling bridge at Cody Dock. The planned crossing on the River Lea in Newham would provide an entrance to Cody Wilds and the new Lea River Park, linking Canning Town to 26 miles of towpath walks along the Lea Valley. Find out more and make a donation.