Credit: Kensington Leverne
As autumn takes over I spend most of my time inside so these are my favourite suggestions at the moment.
London’s Cine Lumiere in South Kensington has great independent films and there is the French Film Festival coming up 18th-29th November. The other night we saw the Polish Pawel Pawlikowski's Fatherland there and had a terrific dinner after at their restaurant the Gazette Brasserie. Essential to book.
It’s time to swap out the bare ankles for boots and Penelope Chilvers has some beautiful leather ones that can make even someone like me who hates winter, excited about keeping warm. I’m also eyeing up the Zara collaboration with Caramel. Most of it is children’s clothes but there are a few lovely pieces for adults like a cosy dressing gown and some corduroy drawstring trousers
I’m a Trustee at The Wallace Collection which is the perfect place to hide away from the chill. The exhibition Winston Churchill: The Painter is a lovely antidote to grey London with his landscapes of the Middle East and the South of France. Everyone who sees it comes away saying they hadn’t realised what a good painter he was. Also nearer the end of the month the Christmas decorations go up which are rather gorgeous.
I’m also keen to see the Celia Birtwell and Ossie Clark show at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey. The show features his designs and her prints and the whole building is interesting to visit.
When sitting at my desk writing I also escape by going down a Spotify rabbit hole. My favourite discovery is Lolo ( with a strike through both O’s) . She went viral for her version of the White Stripes’ Hey There Delilah earlier this year but her own diatribe to an ex, Hot Girls in Hell is brilliant.
My latest book Black Coffee and Red Lipstick - Notes on Living has just been published and like all authors I am wandering around bookstores checking they have it in stock. My favourites are Daunts but I just found a lovely little independent one focusing mainly on art on the Golborne Road called Special Rider Books. I even forgive it for not stocking mine! It’s opposite Canteen which is a delicious restaurant where you can’t book but if you turn up at 12.30 on Friday you can get something delicious after browsing the stalls on Portobello Market and Golborne Road.
NEWS RESTAURANT: LUNETTE
Credit: Paul Scala
London's dining scene is about to gain a rather special new opening…
High above the Strand, on the 11th floor of the glamorous new St Clement hotel, acclaimed chef Florence Knight is preparing to unveil Lunette, her first solo restaurant in November. Having earned a devoted following at Sessions Arts Club, Knight is bringing her beautifully restrained, ingredient-led cooking to an intimate, light-filled dining room with sweeping views across the capital.
Seating just 30 guests, the restaurant promises a wonderfully personal experience, with a changing four-course lunch (£80) and an eight-course dinner (£120). We’re talking delicate smoked-eel pomme soufflé, silky milk custard with onion and caviar and thoughtfully composed seasonal dishes that celebrate flavour over fuss.
With its floor-to-ceiling windows, handcrafted tableware and understated elegance, Lunette is for sure going to be a hugely popular restaurant. And with all the trimmings of St Clement on site,….pure perfection.
new Bar: SCHOFIELD’S
Credit: Schofield’s Bar
A Truly great drink needs no unnecessary theatrics.…
Brothers Joe and Daniel Schofield, the award-winning duo behind Manchester's much-loved Schofield's Bar, are bringing their celebrated approach to classic cocktail-making to Covent Garden this month! Renowned for their meticulous attention to detail, impeccable hospitality and belief that a truly great drink needs no unnecessary theatrics (finally!), the brothers have built an impressive reputation among cocktail aficionados.
Their London debut promises an elegant alternative to the capital's more flamboyant drinking establishments. We can look forward to their celebrated Schofield's Irish Coffee, a signature serve combining whiskey, coffee and cream, alongside beautifully executed classics including the Penicillin, a warming blend of Scotch whisky, honey, ginger and lemon, and the Hawaiian Stone Sour, a tropical twist on the traditional whisky sour. Adventurous drinkers might even be tempted by the Whoopsie Daisy, a vibrant concoction of tequila, apricot, pineapple, passion fruit, lime and bitters.
With approximately 90% of the Manchester drinks offering expected to make its way to Covent Garden, plus a handful of exclusive London creations, there's plenty to thaw us out and warm our cockles on the incoming cold winter evenings!
NEW SHOW: LEAR, THE YARD THEATRE
Credit: The Yard Theatre
A performer of McKellen's calibre in such a small space will make it nothing short of unforgettable.…
Imagine watching one of Britain's greatest Shakespearean actors perform at such close quarters that you can catch every expression, every flicker of emotion and every devastating moment.
Well imagine no more, friends. Because this November, Sir Ian McKellen is taking on the monumental role of King Lear at The Yard Theatre in Hackney Wick, an intimate, boundary-pushing venue better known for adventurous contemporary productions than theatrical royalty. Shakespeare's extraordinary tragedy of power, pride, betrayal and family loyalty is already among the most emotionally charged plays ever written; placing a performer of McKellen's calibre in such a small space will make it nothing short of unforgettable.
Tickets are selling FAST so don’t wait too long but if they do sell out, keep an eye on the returned ticket options that pop up periodically.
new opening: london museum, smithfield’s
Credit: London Museum
Beneath soaring restored architecture, visitors will journey through thousands of years of London life.…
A Roman writing tablet, a glittering hoard of Elizabethan jewels, a Banksy artwork and a notorious chunk of London's infamous fatberg might sound like an unlikely collection of treasures, but together they tell the gloriously eccentric story of our city. On the 28th November, the much-anticipated London Museum finally opens its doors in Smithfield's magnificent Victorian General Market, following a staggering £437 million transformation.
Beneath soaring restored architecture, visitors will journey through thousands of years of London life, encountering everything from ancient artefacts and royal relics to objects celebrating the capital's music, fashion and street culture. One particularly ingenious feature is a six-metre window through which real Thameslink trains will thunder past the underground galleries. A treat for even the most hardened of Londoner’s. There will also be food, music, late-night events and a fascinating inaugural programme exploring London's culinary identity. Such an exciting new space for the city.
new Exhibition: CHARLIE MACKESY - THE BOY, THE MOLE, THE FOX…AND YOU
Credit: Dulwich Picture Gallery
A heart warming celebration of creativity.…
Few illustrators have captured the world's imagination quite like Charlie Mackesy, whose tender drawings of a boy, a mole, a fox and a horse have become beloved reminders of friendship, courage and compassion. Now the Dulwich Picture Gallery is inviting us into the artist's wonderfully imperfect creative world with The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse...and You. This intimate exhibition brings together original illustrations, previously unseen sketches and unpublished studies, revealing the hesitant lines, experiments and happy accidents behind his instantly recognisable work. Rather than simply admiring the finished pictures, visitors are encouraged to pick up a pencil and rediscover the joy of drawing themselves. Curated by art historian Kate Bryan, it's a heartwarming celebration of creativity and a lovely reminder that art doesn't need to be perfect to be meaningful. This is a great one to take the kids too as well.
NEW SHOW: THE JUNGLE BOOK, THE NATIONAL THEATRE
Credit: Chevelle fryer/National Theatre
A thrilling new interpretation of Rudyard Kipling's classic.…
This month, the National Theatre is transforming its vast Olivier stage into the lush, mysterious mangrove forests of India's Sundarbans for a thrilling new interpretation of Rudyard Kipling's classic. There can never be too many remakes! At the heart of the adventure is Mowgli, of course, played by Olivier Award-winning Hiran Abeysekera, whose extraordinary performance in Life of Pi captivated audiences.
Directed by the iconic Indhu Rubasingham, with a fresh adaptation by Anupama Chandrasekhar, the production brings the jungle's unforgettable inhabitants to life through imaginative puppetry, atmospheric design and an ensemble cast.
We can expect that familiar world where wolves raise children, tigers inspire terror and questions of belonging, loyalty and identity feel more relevant than ever. With its combination of visual spectacle and emotional storytelling, this is set to be a pretty spectacular imagining of one of the best childhood faves.
NEW EXHIBITION: VANESSA BELL & DUNCAN GRANT, TATE BRITAIN
Credit: DACS.Photo © Tate (Mark Heathcote & Abbie Soanes)
Art, romance, rebellion and wonderfully unconventional interiors .…
The Bloomsbury Group never did believe in following the rules. Tate Britain's major new exhibition, Vanessa Bell & Duncan Grant: Inside Bloomsbury, opens a captivating window into the lives and extraordinary creative partnership of two of Britain's most influential modern artists.
Bringing together more than 250 works, from vibrant paintings and intimate portraits to ceramics, textiles and decorative objects, the show reveals how Bell and Grant blurred the boundaries between fine art and everyday living. A particularly enticing highlight is the reconstruction of Grant's studio at Charleston, their legendary Sussex home, where creativity spilled across walls, furniture and almost every available surface. Oh to be able to just doodle and create wherever you wanted to!
Beyond the beautiful colours and bold patterns lies a fascinating story of artistic freedom, friendship and the determination to live differently. A treat for anyone interested in art, interiors or the lives of Britain's most intriguing cultural figures.
NEW POP UP: CRAFT FOX MARKET, BRITISH LIBRARY
Credit: Crafty Fox Market
Can we say the C word yet….CHRISTMAS!
With the festive season, shockingly only round the corner now, it’s time to start thinking gifts. Well if you’re anything like us and like to spread the cost that is! So swap the predictable high-street Christmas presents for something with a little more personality this year.
For one weekend only, on the 14th and 15th of November, the British Library becomes a treasure trove of independent creativity as Crafty Fox Market brings together a carefully curated collection of talented artists, designers and makers.
Browse beautifully crafted ceramics, illustrated prints, distinctive jewellery, handmade homewares and thoughtful gifts that you won't find in the usual shops. Better still, the line-up changes each day, so there's every reason to return for a second look. It's a chance to meet the people behind the products, hear their stories and support small creative businesses while getting a head start on the festive shopping.
NEW EXHIBITON: NAN GOLDIN - YOU NEVER DID ANYTHING WRONG, HAYWARD GALLERY
Credit: Nan Goldin courtesy of the artist and Gagosian
Raw, intimate and fiercely human….
Nan Goldin's photography has spent decades challenging how we look at love, identity, addiction and the fragile beauty of everyday life. Now the Hayward Gallery is staging her first major UK institutional exhibition since 2002!! Bringing together five decades of work by one of contemporary photography's most influential voices. You Never Did Anything Wrong is far more than a conventional photographic retrospective: four powerful film installations, presented in specially designed screening spaces created with architect Hala Wardé, immerse visitors in Goldin's deeply personal visual universe. Alongside moving explorations of memory and relationships, newer works turn towards animals, nature and our connection to the world around us. Some imagery is confronting, much is profoundly tender, and all of it invites us to reconsider what it means to be alive, vulnerable and connected. Get tickets from just £19.
CHARITY OF THE MONTH: THE ROYAL MARSDEN CANCER CHARITY
Credit: The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity
Raw, intimate and fiercely human….
As darkness falls over Chelsea this November, something quietly magical begins to happen. More than 30,000 luminous white roses transform Duke of York Square into a breathtaking garden of light, each delicate bloom representing love, remembrance and hope. Created in support of The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, the annual Ever After Garden offers Londoners a peaceful moment of reflection amid the bustle of the festive season. Visitors can wander through the glowing installation free of charge or dedicate a rose to someone special, with a suggested minimum donation of £15 helping fund vital cancer research and care. There's something extraordinarily moving about seeing thousands of flowers illuminated together against the winter night, a reminder of the people who shape our lives and the memories we carry with us. Beautiful, poignant and full of meaning, it's one of London's most touching seasonal traditions. Plus, we all know someone affected by cancer so what better charity to support whilst getting to enjoy a magical evening.