FOOD: Pergola on the Roof
So we've had street food in warehouses, street food in parks and street food on pop-up beaches. You might struggle to remember the last time you ate street food in a street. But let's not get pedantic, folks, because once again this summer we're eating street food on the top of the former BBC Television Centre's multi-storey. Under a HUGE PERGOLA. Yup, where once you'd just have found boring ol' cars owned by Blue Peter presenters, you can now find small plates from 8 Hoxton Square, salt 'n' sauce from Bonnie Gull, tacos from, well, Breddos Tacos and gourmet burgers from Patty & Bun – all under lush hanging foliage. Streets are overrated, anyway.
Until 17 Oct
Pergola on the Roof, Television Centre - Multi-storey Car Park, Wood Lane, W12 7RJ
NIGHTLIFE: The Ned Hotel and Members' Club
It's not every hotel launch that draws the likes of Eddie Redmayne, Woody Harrelson, Natalie Massenet, Pam Hogg, Tracey Emin, Tinie Tempah and Poppy Delevingne. But then, The Ned isn't every hotel. A joint venture between Soho House and New York's Sydell group, it's a gargantuan hotel/members' club that has nine restaurants, 252 bedrooms, male and female salons, rooftop pool, gym, spa, hammam, late-night lounge bar… In short: BLIMEY. On a mission to put The City back on the nightlife map (no mean feat), with food from Cecconi's, Café Sou and Zobler's, and an all-hours cocktail bar with DJs, live music and events, we reckon they're only going to do it.
Now open
The Ned, 27 Poultry, London EC2R 8AJ. Doubles from £250, room only
Apply for membership here
POP-UP: Roof East
Rooftops. They're usually fairly functional things, handy for keeping the rain off and the birds out, that kind of thing. Well, except, that is, for Roof East, which additionally has (deep breath…) a rollerdisco, a baseball batting cage club, hip-hop lawn bowls (yup, that's a thing), crazy golf AND the Rooftop Film Club, not to mention cocktail bars, street food, yoga sessions and acoustic nights. Other roofs are suddenly seeming quite rubbish by comparison.
Now open
Roof East, Floors 7 & 8, Stratford Multi-Storey Car Park, Great Eastern Way, E15 1XE
SHOPPING: The Cycling Store
It's the daily conundrum for anyone that wants to cycle to work, but doesn't want to resemble Boris Johnson on a windy day when they get there. Namely: what to wear that's comfy enough for the bike, but will look great when you arrive. And we've just come across a boutique that's solving all our problems. Stocking hip but saddle-friendly designs by the likes of Kate Sheridan, Huez, Protected Species and Thousand, the team at The Cycling Store test all the pieces on their bikes to make sure you can pedal up looking on-point everywhere you go. Talk about reinventing the wheel...
NIGHTLIFE: Jimpster Album Launch
So, there aren't many occasions in life where you get asked, 'What are you up to this weekend?' and you get to answer 'Well, I'm off to the album launch of a revered house music DJ/producer'. This weekend is one of those golden times. Because on Saturday, said revered house music DJ/producer, Jimpster, is launching his new LP Silent Stars and you're invited. Head to The Victoria in Dalston and you can expect top-class deep house care of the man himself, plus a percussive take from support DJs Atjazz and (the fabulously named) Norm de Plume. Oh, and the coolest answer to that weekend question, EVER.
6 May; £10
Album Launch Party, The Victoria, 451 Queensbridge Road, London, E8 3AS
SHOPPING: The Crafty Fox Market
Just how crafty is the Crafty Fox Market? To paraphrase Blackadder, it's craftier than a fox who's just been appointed professor of craftiness at Oxford University. Pretty crafty, then. Returning to Hackney's Oval Space, London's hippest makers' market brings together 70 carefully curated stalls, plus DJs, street food and general jollity. Expect to find unique jewellery, accessories, gifts, stationery and artworks - plus workshops where you can have a go at getting crafty yourself.
6 May; free
Crafty Fox Market, Oval Space, 29-32 The Oval, Bethnal Green, London, E2 9DT
FOOD: Camden Market Cheese Festival
There's only one thing that everyone loves more that a cheese-based joke (did you hear about the explosion at the French cheese factory? All that was left was de Brie). And that's actual cheese itself. And you can find a shedload of it at this weekend's huge celebration of all things fromage at Camden Market. There'll be talks and tastings, craft beer, cocktails and live blues and jazz... But mainly cheese. Stalls and stalls of the stuff. Look out for The Cheese Bar's Swiss fried cheese balls and mac and cheese from – the street-food stall with possibly the best pun name ever – Mac to the Future. Just remember how to handle a dangerous cheese, OK? Caerphilly.
May 6-7; free
Camden Market, 215-216 Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8AB
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