By Charlotte Cox
It’s Christ-maaaaas! So eat, drink and be merry at romantic winter pop-ups, boozy ski chalets and hipper festive markets
DRINK: Ski Lodge at the Montague
Throwing yourself down a mountain on a pair of sticks is all well and good, but everyone knows skiing is really all about the après. Which is why we love this festive pop-up at The Montague, which dispenses with all the sliding around and gets straight to the good stuff. Namely schnapps, winter Pimms, mulled wine and hot spiced cider, served in a pop-up ski chalet complete with pine trees, reindeer and falling snow. And as an added bonus, there’s far less chance of ending up in A&E. Well, unless you REALLY hit the Pimms.
Until January Montague Hotel, 15 Montague Street, WC1B 5BJ
SHOPPING: Shoreditch Christmas Market and Winter Gathering
Still got shopping to do? Well, you COULD come to this bringing together of all things upcycled and vintage, treat your loved ones to affordable artworks, handmade textiles, hip homewares and one-off jewellery, then celebrate with street food and entertainment courtesy of Tokyo Nights. Or, you could get them socks. Your call.
18-19 Dec; free Red Gallery, 1-3 Rivington Street, EC2A 3DT
POP-UP: The Height of Winter
Take a team of mad scientists, put them at the top of The Shard and chuck in a whole lotta lurve. And what do you get? This, the latest art-meets-food spectacle from Bompas & Parr. Turning floor 72 into an immersive winter wonderland, here every sight, sound and smell is designed to evoke a romantic response. Fall in love among supersized crystals, gem-studded snow dunes, iridescent grottoes and carolling plants (yup: carolling plants), then cosy up for what is scientifically proven to be your most romantic ever photo. No other half? No problem. We only have eyes for the mulled champagne and Christmas candy floss, anyway…
Until 31 Jan; £25.95 The View from The Shard, Joiner St, SE1 9QU
FOOD: The Glam Clam
Fans of seafood, star chef Gizzi Erskine and pop-ups with rhyming names, do we have a surprise gift for you… Yes, it's The Glam Clam – a rhyming seafood pop-up by star chef Gizzi Erskine! (We may have given that away from the start somewhat.) And this is a gift that keeps on giving – involving, as it does, five courses of clam, oyster and caviar dishes curated by Ms Erskine, live music from jazz diva Colette Cooper, and burlesque and drag queen cabaret from Sink the Pink. We know, we know, we’re spoiling you…
16-20 Dec; £92.50 The Glam Clam, The Dome, Tufnell Park, NW5 1HL
FILM: Star Wars: The Force Reawakens
It's here! It's here! No no, not Christmas. We speak, of course, of the new Star Wars sequel. And we speak of it very little, because up until this week, details about the year's biggest film have been kept heavily under wraps. Possibly with the use of Jedi mind tricks and lightsabers. But this much we CAN tell you for sure: 1. It's full of badass females (Gwendoline Christie as the Galaxy’s first woman villain? Oh yes). 2. It features Princess Leia! And Han Solo! And R2D2! And CHEWY! And: 3. You're definitely going to see it.
Out 17 Dec in cinemas nationwide
ART: Art and Alcohol
We’re going out on a limb here, but at this time of year we’re guessing you might be enjoying the odd tipple or two. But have you ever stopped to consider that alcohol has inspired far more than highly questionable dance moves at the office party? In fact, drinking has been the subject of works of art since Georgian times, as this Tate Britain exhibition cleverly shows us. Don’t miss Gilbert and George’s ‘Drinking Sculpture’ – a night at a bar retold through 114 increasingly blurry, haphazard photos. Something we can’t relate to. At all. Until Sept 2016; free Tate Britain, Millbank SW1P 4RG
FOOD: Sartoria
Savile Row is undoubtedly London’s most dapper street; and now here comes a bar and restaurant that fits it as perfectly as… well, a Savile Row suit. Mixing old-world Mayfair with Italian flair, Sartoria has just undergone a super-smart revamp and now offers a counter for cichetti (that’s Italian small plates to you and me), two private dining rooms, the high-end Libare bar and a 250-bottle strong wine cellar. And if all that wasn’t enough to swing it, we’re pretty sure we can convince you to visit in just four words: spaghetti carbonara with truffle. Told you.
Sartoria, 20 Savile Row, W1S 3PR
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