What To Do This Weekend 01.03.19

HAVE BRUNCH HERE: The Oak SW11

The Oak SW11 is a new restaurant and bar located in Battersea. The spacious industrial space is located on the south bank of the Thames near Battersea Bridge, overlooking Ransome’s Dock and adjacent to Battersea Park – perfect for drinks after a weekend stroll. Inside you’ll find a bar, lounge, dining room and an expansive mezzanine level overlooking the main dining and drinking area. We like the idea of heading in for weekend brunch, where dishes include pancakes with crispy pancetta and maple syrup; greek yoghurt topped with quinoa-pistachio granola, seasonal fruits and honey; a ‘Full Tuscan’ (Tuscan parmesan sausage, pancetta, burrata, poached egg, roasted daterinos, basil and sourdough), along with freshly brewed Italian coffee from L’Unico.

39 Parkgate Road, Battersea, SW11 4NP

Visit TheOakSW11.com

MAKE A NOTE TO BOOK THIS: The Gingerline

Arguably London’s best immersive food experience, The Gingerline is back. Naturally it’s all sold out, but this Monday a fresh batch of tickets go on sale, so extend the weekend and don’t miss out as they sell like hotcakes. As always, the evening is strictly secret, as is the location, but we can reveal you’ll enjoy a night of gastronomy meets theatrics somewhere along the Victoria line. This year’s theme is ‘The Grand Expedition’ – expect a 180-minute multi-media experience of mind-blowing set design, theatre, storytelling and the best food the brand has created to date. Intrigued? There’s only one way to find out more…The Gingerline’s Great Expedition; tickets go on sale Monday 4th March at midday via their bookings page. Tickets include a welcome drink and a five-course set menu. Tickets start from £60 per person.

FEAST FAIRLY HERE: Rosine’s Hot Chocolate Salon

Marking the start of Fairtrade Fortnight, the Fairtrade Foundation has unveiled a secret hot chocolate salon, hidden inside an unassuming east London newsagent. Within the magazine racks and behind the countless snacks, inquisitive chocolate lovers are invited to press a secret button that will see a hidden door open and transport them to a West-African themed speakeasy-style cafe. Three delicious hot chocolates will be on the menu, created by leading celebrity chefs Melissa Hemsley, Tess Ward and Tom Hunt. Each creation is named after a real cocoa farmer from West Africa and will be priced at £1.86: the cost of a day’s living income for a cocoa farmer. Guests of the salon will also be treated to authentic West African jazz music, surprise appearances from celebrity ambassadors and the chance to hear the compelling stories behind the cocoa farmers.

Rosine’s, 66 Kingsland Road, Dalston, E2 8DP; until 3rd March

Visit FairtradeLondon.org.uk

HAVE A ROAST IN THE SUNSHINE HERE: Chiringuito

If this weekend’s weather follows that of last, head to Bethnal Green’s Chiringuito for a Sunday roast with a Latino twist. The east London bar and restaurant (that happens to have one of the coolest Ibiza-inspired roof terraces in town) has launched a new Sunday roast menu inspired by Hispanic and Latin American flavours, using top quality British produce. We tried the Pollo Pachamanca – a half a baby chicken slow-roasted in the traditional Peruvian style, washed down with one of their classic Margaritas. Spoiler alert: their roast potatoes might even be better than the classic British ones. If the weather takes a turn the worst, take a table inside and cosy up with a glass of wine.

Chiringuito, Museum Gardens, Cambridge Heath Rd, Bethnal Green, London E2 9PA; roasts are served on Sundays from 2pm.

Vist Chiringuito.co.uk

FEEL ALL SPRINGLIKE HERE: Kew Orchid Festival

Home to more orchid species than anywhere else in the world, Colombia’s verdant biodiversity and vibrant culture is the inspiration for Kew’s 24th annual orchid festival. The experience offers an immersive journey through the different zones of the glasshouse, where visitors will encounter beautiful displays representing aspects of Colombian wildlife and culture. Over 6,200 orchids will feature in the festival including the Flor de Mayo (Cattleya trianae), Colombia’s national flower. To capture the essence of the festival, Kew has also enlisted the help of Colombian multidisciplinary artist Vanessa Moncayo González, who has transformed the glasshouse film room with colourful Boyacá-style street-art murals. We predict an Instagram hit.

Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, TW9 3AE; until 10th March

Visit Kew.org

GET YOUR SAMOSA FIX HERE: Great Guns Social

Secret Samosa Club has launched its first ever residency at Borough pop-up hero Great Guns Social. The residency – a collaboration between Joti Sohi and chef Rick Matharu – promises a host of quirky home-style classics with a Punjabi twist. We’re already eyeing up the ‘Butter Chicken Loaded Fries’, an Asian take on traditional poutine; the ‘Punjabi Cheeseburger’, a 6oz beef patty with melted cheddar, tomato, onion, shredded lettuce, sautéed onion and achari mayo, topped with tandoori spice-infused bacon; and the ‘Rajma Bowl’, a twist on Mexican nachos using stewed kidney bean curry, topped with cheese, sautéed peppers, onions and corn, served with Indian pico de gallo, a crème fraiche-adobo pepper chutney, crispy onions, coriander and chilli crisps. Get there while you can.

96 Southwark Bridge Road, Borough, SE1 0EF; until 2nd March

Visit GreatGunsSocial.com

ATTEND A TOP WELLNESS EVENT HERE: Live Well London

Fancy meeting the wellness industry’s leading health and fitness experts, testing out new studio classes and trying meditation? Live Well London is a new three-day celebration of wellness, nutrition, emotional and physical wellbeing taking place at Old Billingsgate this weekend, where you can get inspired, shop your favourite brands and be put through your paces all under one roof. With an impressive array of talks, workshops and experiences to inspire and motivate, the line-up includes more than 70 speakers, including celebrity trainers, entrepreneurs, doctors, nutritionists, business founders and coaches. Expect mindfulness, meditation, life coaching, complementary therapies, nutritional food and drink, vitamins and supplements, skin and beauty treatments and advice on products to aid a healthy lifestyle. Fancy 30% off entry price? Quote 'SHEERLUXE30' when purchasing your ticket using the link below.

1 Old Billingsgate Walk, 16 Lower Thames Street, City, EC3R 6DX; 1st-3rd March; SheerLuxe readers get 30% off tickets with code 'SHEERLUXE30'

Visit LiveWellLondon.com

CELEBRATE MARDI GRAS HERE: Plaquemine Lock

Creole-inspired pub Plaquemine Lock is throwing four days of celebrations in honour of Mardi Gras. The Islington establishment is truly embracing its roots by celebrating this New Orleans-based festival with a series of colourful events. Expect live music; flowing drinks; traditional Louisianan cuisine including a crawfish boil, king cake and £1 oysters; plus cocktail masterclasses. Costumes aren’t essential, but winners will be in with a chance of winning a jazz brunch or dinner for two.

139 Graham Street, Angel, N1 8LB; 2nd-5th March

Visit PlaqLock.com

WATCH THIS: On The Basis Of Sex

This biopic focuses on Ruth Bader Ginsburg (played by Felicity Jones), a struggling attorney and new mother who faces adversity and numerous obstacles in her fight for equal rights. When Ruth takes on a ground-breaking tax case with her husband, attorney Martin Ginsburg (Armie Hammer), she knows it could change the direction of her career and the way the courts view gender discrimination.

In cinemas now

PRETEND YOU’RE IN RIO HERE: SUSHISAMBA City

This Saturday and Sunday, SUSHISAMBA will host a ‘Carnaval’ party to mark Rio de Janeiro’s most extravagant celebration. Considered the greatest party on the planet, Brazil’s annual Carnaval celebration brings scores of spectacular floats surrounded by thousands of dancers, singers and drummers dressed in elaborate costumes, masks and headdresses parading through Rio de Janeiro. Daytime revellers will enjoy a bossa nova music-filled brunch, and at night guests will revel in live performances by hip-swaying samba dancers, booming batucada drummers and DJs. Brazilian-inspired menu specials by regional exec chef Andreas Bollanos (highlights include salmon, white ponzu, passion fruit, mango caviar, mint, lotus root; and shrimp, squid, sea bass, mussels, clams, coconut milk, dendê oil, chimichurri rice) will be complemented by a tableside caipirinha service.

110 Bishopsgate, City, EC2N 4AY; 2nd-3rd March

Visit SushiSamba.com

BOOK THIS: The Mouse & His Child

For Now Gallery’s 2019 design commission, creative duo Studio Morison has created a sculptural space containing a library of children’s fiction written by adult fiction authors. Launching this weekend, the gallery will be transformed into an immersive sculptural reading room inspired by the home featured in Russell Hoban’s children’s novel The Mouse and His Child, exploring the relationship between adulthood and childhood through authors such as John Steinbeck, Mary Shelley, Virginia Woolf, Oscar Wilde, Leo Tolstoy and Spike Milligan. Central to the exhibition will be a lit sculptural form, surrounded by bespoke stools, tables and a rug for lying on. The library will be placed in and around the sculptural installation, upending the notion of bookshelves and challenging readers to embrace nostalgia by interacting directly with the objects.

Peninsula Square, Greenwich, SE10 0SQ; until 28th April

Visit NowGallery.co.uk

BE A VIP HERE: The Lighterman

The Lighterman is a pub, dining room and bar on Granary Square in King’s Cross. Open every day for breakfast, lunch, dinner, weekend breakfast and Sunday roasts, its seasonal all-day menu showcases delicious, warming dishes that can be enjoyed alongside a wide-ranging list of beer, wine and seasonal cocktails. With three floors offering views across Granary Square and the Regent’s Canal, The Lighterman’s heated terrace is the place to relax come the weekend. Until 31st March, SL VIPs will get 30% off the bill. Not yet a VIP? Sign up using the link below.

3 Granary Square, King’s Cross N1C 4BH; until 31st March

Visit SheerLuxeVIP.com

GET ARTY HERE: Saatchi Gallery

This weekend sees the launch of the 15th edition of Collect: The International Art Fair for Modern Craft and Design as it returns to the Saatchi Gallery. The only gallery-presented art fair dedicated to modern craft and design, Collect provides an opportunity to discover and invest in exceptional work produced in the last five years by living artists, much of which is made exclusively for the fair. From 28th February to 3rd March, Collect will occupy 40 galleries across the Saatchi Gallery for four days, selling the work of over 400 artists, selected by an independent panel of experts. Alongside the galleries, Collect Open returns, providing a platform for 15 individual artists to show ambitious and conceptual craft-led installations.

King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 4RY; until 3rd March

Visit Collect2019.org.uk