What we're reading:
- Petticoat Market in 1948 — the extraordinary photos of Willem van de Pol.
- Alan Titchmarsh herds sheep over London Bridge.
- London photographers celebrate refugees in moving new portrait series.
- Staff accuse Lambeth council of institutional racism.
- What it's really like to run a London art gallery.
Things to do:
UNVEILING THE MASK OF YOUTH: One of Britain's most eminent contemporary artists, Mat Collishaw, has created a piece in response to the famous Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I. Now, the time has come to reveal the fruits of his labour. See the grand unveiling of this new commission in the historic setting of Queen's House (Greenwich), free, just turn up, 10am-5pm
MR POOTER'S HOLLOWAY: Fiction comes to life on this guided walk inspired by George and Weedon Grossmith's The Diary of A Nobody. Explore the remnants of late Victorian, lower-middle-class Upper Holloway, as the Diary's hapless hero Mr Pooter would have experienced it. Meet in Holloway, £12, book ahead, 11am-12.30pm
COCKTAILS ON THE EYE: Let 18th century fizz whizz Jacob Schweppe take you on a journey through time and flavour way above the London skyline. That's right, we're talking an immersive cocktail experience on the London Eye. Your ticket includes a bespoke cocktail, a mixology demo, drinks tastings, and a 30 minute ride on the Eye, as well as entry and a drink at the London Cocktail Week hub. London Eye (South Bank), £37, book ahead, 11am-6pm, until 7 October
WHEN DALI MET FREUD: 80 years ago, one very famous Freud fanboy finally met the father of psychoanalysis in the flesh. To mark the auspicious occasion, surrealist master Salvador Dalí brought along his recently completed painting, The Metamorphosis of Narcissus. Now it forms the beating heart of a new exhibition exploring the extensive influence of Freud on Dalí and Surrealism. Freud Museum London (West Hampstead), £9 (included in museum admission), just turn up, 12pm-5pm, until 24 February
IKONA EXHIBITION LAUNCH: Multi-media artist Samantha Louise Emery pays tribute to 10 significant women who have inspired her through 10 portraits that celebrate feminine solidarity and power. Get down there early to receive a free sarong or scarf. The Brick Lane Gallery (Brick Lane), free, just turn up, 6.30pm-8pm
OKTOBERFEST: Get boozy, Bavarian-style, at Flat Iron Square's Oktoberfest. Your ticket includes a welcome beer, entrance to their pop up bierkeller and oodles of entertainment. Flat Iron Square (Southwark), £10, book ahead, 6.30pm-11.30pm, until 6 October
THE FORAGER'S TABLE: Experience a wilder side of London life at a three course dining experience inspired by urban foraging. Every plate incorporates ingredients that can be plucked from the ground right here in London, and comes with a expertly paired The Botanist Gin cocktail. The Shoreditch Treehouse (Shoreditch), £45, book ahead, 7pm-10pm, until 5 October
EMILY MAE WINTERS: Folksy chanteuse Emily Mae Winters has earned a whole host of emerging artist awards — including the Guardian Song-Writing Contest — over the last year or so. See what all the fuss is about at her live gig in one of Camden's most charming venues. Cecil Sharp House (Camden), £12, book ahead, 7.30pm
LONDON PIANO FESTIVAL: Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva kick off London Piano Festival tonight with a thrilling programme featuring Schubert, Ravel and Debussy. They're the first of many leading contemporary artists coming to tinkle the ivories over the next four days. Kings Place (King's Cross), £18, book ahead, 7.30pm, until 7 October
LOLA: Physical comedy and circus stunts might not be the most obvious medium of choice for a show about loneliness, social exclusion and dementia, but Lola is all about bringing dark humour to serious subjects. Jacksons Lane (Highgate), £10, book ahead, 8pm, until 4 October
Good cause of the day
Hear about the beauty and terror of being the first crew to row across the infamously inhospitable Arctic ocean from a man who was part of it — the owner of seven Guinness World Records and two Olympic Gold Medals, Alex Gregory. All the proceeds from this evening talk will go to British Exploring Society, a youth development charity that empowers young people by taking them on challenging expeditions.
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