What we're reading:
- London set to be hotter than Portugal this weekend.
- Puma's drug and gang-themed London party accused of glamourising crime.
- UK's first abortion clinic safe zone imposed by London council.
- Would you say yes to building a house in your backyard?
Things to do:
LAMBETH OPEN DAY: Explore 10 acres of wilderness at Lambeth Palace Gardens, the grounds of the Archbishop of Canterbury's surprisingly secluded urban pad. Kids and canines get in for free. Lambeth Palace Gardens, £5 (which goes to charity), just turn up, 12pm-3pm
CITY WINE SHOW: If you prefer your fruit fermented, here's a Riesling to be cheerful. The City Wine Show is back to showcase the finest wines on the market and reveal exciting new wine trends, along with a variety of grape-based masterclasses. VIPs get unlimited G&Ts. Stationers Hall (Ludgate Hill), from £20, book ahead 2pm-9pm, until 14 April
DISCOVER FILM AWARDS: Discover Film Awards showcases the crème de la crème of movie shorts, with three days of screenings and a party this evening for opening night. Prince Charles Cinema (Leicester Square)/Somerset House(Temple )from £10.50, book ahead, 3.30pm-10pm until 15 April
PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK: The Bluestocking Club are hosting an suitably sinister film screening for their Friday 13 special. Cult classic Picnic at Hanging Rock follows a band of Aussie school girls and their teacher who vanish without a trace. There are themed cocktails to calm your nerves and Peach author Emma Glass is making an appearance. Waterstones (Tottenham Court Road), £8.97, book ahead, 6pm
ROOF DOWN PARTY: Pop Brixton is shedding its winter roof and welcoming summer in style. Resident DJ Chris P Cuts will be spinning a banging mix of jazz, hiphop, funk and much more while you sip cocktails al fresco. Pop Brixton, free entry, just turn up, 6pm-12am
BELLA NOTTE: Start living la dolce vita with an evening out dedicated to all things Italian. DJ Riccardo provides the best selection of retro Italian hits this side of the Mediterranean while you stuff your face with pizza and wash it down with an Aperol Spritz or three. JuJu (Chelsea), from £20, book ahead, 7pm-2.30am
HAD YOU AT CELLO: Celebrate the best up and coming cellists at Go Cello's inaugural concert. Students and alumni from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance perform underneath the suspended Cutty Sark for sophisticated start to your weekend. Cutty Sark (Greenwich), £12.50, book ahead, 7.30pm
FUTURE LEGENDS: The Secret Variety Club reckons they've put together a line-up of comedy legends in the making—see Drunk History regular Luke Kempner, Edinburgh Comedy Award nominee Jordan Brookes, and many more. At a fiver a ticket, it's unquestionably a bit of a steal. 2Northdown (King's Cross), £5, book ahead, 7.30pm-10pm
SRI LANKAN SUPPER: Paradise's very first supper club is offering an authentic taste of Sri Lanka with a twist to celebrate the Singhalese New Year. Their After Dusk pop-up features delights such as devilled Bentota prawns and Negombo beef curry. Brother Marcus (Balham), from £35, book ahead, 7.30pm-10.30pm
Good cause of the day
Brigade Bar & Bistro in London Bridge serves traditional British fare with one key difference — it's part of a social enterprise hub, Beyond Food Community Interest Company, which helps Southwark residents who are at risk of or have experienced homelessness to gain meaningful, lasting employment. Participants in their training programmes spend six month apprenticeships at Brigade to help them earn an NVQ level 2 diploma in professional cooking and kickstart a career in hospitality. Why not head there for a meal this weekend?
404
