By Charlotte Cox
Bank holiday, incoming! Celebrate with boat parties, BBQ parties, yoga parties… And good old all-night party parties
FOOD: Barrio’s Taco Takeover
While tacos are undoubtedly brilliant (tortilla, chilli, cheese – what’s not to love?), they’re not exactly thought of as a gourmet item. But that is ALL about to change. Yep, following in the footsteps of the burger and the BBQ rib, the taco is about to get a mouth-watering makeover of its own – courtesy of Barrio’s Taco Takeover. Each month, one of London’s most exciting chefs will reinvent the dish with their own unique and unexpected combinations, starting with Brit street-food stars The Roadery. Braised lamb belly, wild nettle salsa verde, apricot hot sauce – no really, what’s not to love?
From 4 May Barrio Soho, 6 Poland St, W1F 8PS; and Barrio Shoreditch, 141-143 Shoreditch High St, E1 6JE
EVENT: SS Atlantica Party
Hello, sailors! (And landlubbers on the lookout for a good time.) It’s all aboard The SS Atlantica, which is setting sail this Saturday from that famous port of, um, London. But this pop-up party isn’t letting a little thing like being landlocked get in the way of its champagne-fuelled voyage, oh no. Taking Thames cruiser The Silver Sturgeon and transforming it into a 1930s art-deco ocean liner, this night promises vintage live bands, floorshows, cabaret acts and dancing as you glide down the river the glamorous way. Expect lavish costumes, even-more-lavish cocktails – and maybe even the chance to find your own Leo on deck.
29 April; £35 SS Atlantica, Savoy Pier, Victoria Embankment, WC2N 6ND
POP-UP: Secret Yoga Club
Serenity is about to get a LOT more social, thanks to the return of Secret Yoga Club’s Supperclub Sundays. As the name would suggest, this occurs on a Sunday (the first one of every month, specifically) and involves yoga (an hour-long Zen-out taught by a changing roster of top teachers) and a post-class supper (a three-course veggie banquet, no less). However, as the name would NOT suggest, it’s no secret that you need to get yourself along to Bootstrap Company in Dalston to join in the ommmmmm. And then the yuuuuuum…
1 May; pre-booking essential 18 Ashwin St, London E8 3DL
FOOD: Smokey Tails
Like BBQ? Like beats? Like bars? Well, our alliteration-loving friend, allow us to direct you to new Hoxton Square restaurant Smokey Tails, where you’ll find all three. Run by DJ Seth Troxler, it seems not only does this guy know how to mix records, he knows how to mix up a SERIOUSLY good barbecue sauce. It’s a skill put to good use in classic dishes like pulled pork, smoked lamb ribs or buffalo chicken wings. Of course, here the beats are as important as the eats – this place comes complete with DJ booth – and there are carefully crafted cocktails to boot. Gives the phrase ‘dinner party’ a whole new meaning, wouldn’t you say?
Now open Smokey Tails, Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen, 2-4 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU
NIGHTLIFE: The Hydra: Dekmantel
To recap for anyone who missed this night’s debut last December: The Hydra, throwers of London’s most pounding warehouse all-nighters, are teaming up with Amsterdam label/festival/all-round purveyors of underground dance par excellence, Dekmantel, to take over Studio Spaces for nine hours of beat-laden shindiggery. This time they’re bringing the likes of Joy Orbison, Kyle Hall and Marcellus Pittman along for the ride. The result? Oh, you know, it’s bound to be quiet, reserved and pretty low-key, we’d say…
29 April; The Hydra Dekmantel, from £20 Studio Spaces E1, 110 Pennington Street, E1W 2BB
THEATRE: Dr Faustus
So, you may have heard one or two people talking about the fact that Game of Thrones returned to telly this week (just maybe). Chances are, those same one or two people will have been mighty upset that (SPOILER ALERT) it seems Jon Snow is staying pretty darned dead. But wait a minute, he’s right here! Well, Kit Harington is anyway, taking to the London stage in the title role of Christopher Marlowe’s Dr Faustus. Not that things are looking much better for the tousle-haired one in this modern reworking of the epic tragedy, in which he plays a man who thinks it’s a good idea to make a deal with the devil. All together now: you know nothing, Dr Faustus…
Until 25 June; Dr Faustus, from £15 Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, WC2N 4BG
NIGHTLIFE: Disco Bandit at Foundation Bar
So, the weather is officially rubbish, and you’ll be looking for the best way to escape it. Did I hear somebody say: ‘burn baby burn, disco inferno’…? Yup, because there’s no better way to heat up a freezing bank holiday than to throw some serious shapes at this, Covent Garden’s most disco-fabulous new night. DJs including Faze Action will be spinning floor-filling tunes alongside live percussionists, while you can sip specialist cocktails to get you in the party mood. In a word: YES.
29 April Foundation Bar, 5 Langley St, London WC2H 9JA f
A First-Timers Guide To Visiting Jamaica
The Best Romantic Staycations To Visit
How Manchester Became A Global Hotspot For Fashion
Five Of The Best Hotels In Milan