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HANNA MOON & JOYCE NG | ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE
A new photography exhibition exploring the feeling of “being lost in translation” by two most acclaimed fashion photographers Hanna Moon and Joyce Ng is coming to Somerset House. Driven by the feelings of being immigrants in London, the work showcased by the two artists will celebrate the vitality of international perspectives within our multi-cultural society, challenging the concept of ‘otherness’ and the power fashion photography holds in shifting our perceptions of beauty, style and taste.
BILL VIOLA | MICHELANGELO
The Royal Academy is bringing together the works of Michelangelo and Bill Viola, who though born centuries both explore the themes of the cycle of life. A selection of Michelangelo’s drawings will be on display, as will the Virgin and Child with the Infant St John, his only marble sculpture in the UK. Twelve of Viola’s installations will feature in the show, including the five-metre high projection Tristan’s Ascension (The Sound of a Mountain Under a Waterfall), which depicts the ascent of the soul after death.
ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG | SPREADS 1975 - 83
Large-scale pieces (with one stretching to six metres) from Robert Rauschenberg are on display for the first time in the UK at the Galerie Thaddaeus Ropac. The Spreads series, inspired by “autobiographical feelings”, feature many of his best-known motifs like doors, lights and tyres though they are used with a brighter colour palette. If you liked the retrospective the Tate held in 2016, you’ll want to come and check these out.
JOHN SNOW
- Monday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 7:30 AM – 7:30 PM
The man who showed the world that cholera was carried and spread via water, Dr John Snow wasn’t just a fan of pubs, but science. Outside the John Snow is a replica of the water pump that was actually the source of a huge cholera epidemic in Soho way back when. The pub itself is a beaut, a traditional beast with dark wood panelling and a big focus on ales. The saloon bar also has a partition in the middle under which you must duck, unless you’re vertically challenged, to pass from one side to the other. The upstairs is huge and more lounge than bar. Downstairs is where it’s at though.
THE TOUCAN
- Monday: 4:00 – 11:00 PM
- Tuesday: 4:00 – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday: 1:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 1:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 1:00 – 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 1:00 – 11:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
Famous for its exceptionally well-poured and tasty Guinness, The Toucan is definitely the place to come for the black stuff. Some say that there is a tunnel under The Toucan that transports Guinness underground right from Dublin itself. Others say there’s no way. An Irish bar through and through, the place is small, often rammed and bloody good fun.
BRADLEY'S SPANISH BAR
- Monday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 11:30 PM
- Friday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Saturday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM
The best thing about Bradley’s is the original vinyl jukebox. The most annoying this about the jukebox is that it takes the old pound coins, so you’ll inevitably leave with a loads of gold you can’t use. However, this is a blinder of a pub. It’s tiny and hidden away just off Oxford Street where you’ll meet all sorts of people with enchanting tales of times of old. And it’s open late, obviously.
YE OLDE CHESHIRE CHEESE
- Monday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM
You wouldn’t want to miss having pint at one of the tables Charles Dickens sat centuries ago, would you? Rebuilt after the great fire in 1666, the pub is one of the oldest in London. With low lighting, wooden walls and a labyrinth of rooms and corridors, one step inside really does feel like you’ve turned the clock right back. It’s defo one for the tourists but every Londoner should drink in here at least once in their lives.
THE HOLY TAVERN
- Monday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 – 10:30 PM
What was the Jerusalem Tavern, with St Peter’s Brewery beers on the bar, is now the Holy Tavern, and whilst the name and ownership may have changed, the atmosphere hasn’t. It’s still one to fight for space inside but it remains a beauty with rooms dating back to the 18th century, and they now do some nights with candelight only, so there’s plenty of old pub charm.
THE FRENCH HOUSE
- Monday: Closed
- Tuesday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
- Wednesday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
- Thursday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
- Friday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
- Saturday: 12:00 – 3:00 PM, 6:00 – 9:00 PM
- Sunday: Closed
The French House is our favourite place in Soho, if not London, for meeting new, random, weird and wonderful people. It’s a Soho institution with an incredible history, having opened in 1891. Inside the interiors are typical of an old school pub with lots of wood and dark brown – it doesn’t look like the interiors have been touched since the 70s and don’t even think about asking for a cocktail. This place serves draft in half pints, classic spirits and mixers and some dodgy wine. If the weather allows, grab a drink at the bar, stand outside and be entertained by the Soho crowds.
To honour the centenary of women’s suffrage, SHOWstudio is hosting a fashion illustration exhibition that features images of 100 models, including Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Kendall Jenner, Andrej Pejic, Devon Aoki, Slick Woods, Cindy Crawford, Cara Delevingne, Iman and Karlie Kloss, in an outfit they wore that made them feel most empowered.
MODERN COUPLES | ART, INTIMACY AND THE AVANT-GARDE
The Barbican is showcasing the creative collections of over 40 artistic couples, from Pablo Picasso and Dora Maar to Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo. Modern Couples exhibition features work from iconic duos of painters, sculptors, photographers, architects, designers, musicians and performers, alongside personal material that defined their relationships. A true collab of modern art and modern love.
For their big winter exhibition, Somerset House is celebrating the cultural legacy of Peanuts, showcasing contemporary works inspired by Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the rest of the Peanuts gang, alongside original drawings from creator Charles M. Schulz. As one of the world’s most influential comic strips, the exhibition explores the lasting social and political impact of one of our favourite cartoons.