Arts & Culture
Originally published on Tuesday, 2nd February 2016
The Culturist: February
January, with all its fitness and health clichés, be gone. Welcome February. The month of fashion weeks, Valentines and, it seems, Super Bowl parties. Aside from ‘events’, we’ve got our usual round up of must-see, do and drink happenings, including martinis in a can, a new Banksy artwork, and all manner of carrot cocktails. Enjoy!
DRINK I: THE LINE UP AT THE TYPING ROOM
Feb 7, Seven courses with pairings: £150pp, Town Hall Hotel, Patriot Square, E2 9NF
Big-bill chef line ups have been du jour for awhile (Lyle’s monthly Guest Series, Chefs of Tomorrow…) and now the booze crowd are getting involved. On February 7, Town Hall’s Typing Room is hosting the ‘ Line up’, the first of a series of events based on bringing sommelier talents under one roof. Think seven food courses, seven wine pairings with seven different approaches, featuring the head sommelier from The Ledbury, UK sommelier of the year, and ex-Little Social and ex-Berners Tavern sommeliers… lightweights need not book.
SEE I: LIGHTS OF SOHO PRESENTS LOVE HZ
28 January – 14 February, Free entry, Lights of Soho,35 Brewer Street, W1F 0RX
If you have to do V. Day, do it via the bright, seedy and Instagrammable neons at Lights of Soho’s latest exhibition, Love HZ (Hertz, get it?). A homage to Soho’s seedy and passionate side, peruse the brightly lit neon hearts, smutty signs and vintage porn posters before settling into the achingly kitsch crushed pink velvet boudoir #UJLoves.
ON OUR RADAR TINNED BOOZE
Wine-in-a-box came good last year (St Johns, B.I.B)… and now, we’re turning our attention to tins. From cool beer cans that come with their own playlist to canned Pinot Noir in Oregon and mar -tinny’s in Sydney, we’re all getting canned.
DRINK II: SWAN ON A HOT GIN ROOF
Jan 26 – Feb 14, £14, 1 Ham Yard, W1D 7DT
Soho’s best kept secret rooftop is (finally!) opening up to the public, thanks to Sipsmith. Hosting a hot gin roof pop up on Ham Yard Hotel’s rooftop for two weeks, they’ll be providing blankets and serving hot gin laced cocktails. If the sweeping views of Soho can’t get you there, the reinterpretations of summer classics will – think hot G&Ts and steaming Juleps. Book now.
SEE II: BANKSY
Near the French Embassy,58 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7JT
Constantly dividing opinions, the latest political statement from Banksy is no different. Located near the French embassy, a graffitied poster of Les Miserables – you know the one: little girl crying in front of the French flag – appeared with a QR code next to it for a video of French police tear-gassing crowds of migrants in Calais. Although it has been since been boarded up, we’re hoping it will soon reappear…
WATCH I: THE END OF LONGING
From £19.50, February 2-May 14, The Playhouse Theatre Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5DE
A highly anticipated performance from Matthew Perry – and we’re not talking about the Friends reunion. Instead, Perry is killing off Chandler Bing with his playwriting and theatre debut, The End of Longing. Described as a ‘fast paced bittersweet dark comedy’, it’s about four 40-something lost souls and their search for meaning… could this be more different?
DRINK III: CARROTS AT SAGER + WILDE RESTAURANT
Throughout February, 250 Paradise Row, E2 9LE
As artists explore different tones in any given colour, Sager + Wilde Restaurant (note: Mission no more) have decided to do the same but with one ingredient. The carrot. Compare and contrast the different flavours of the one vegetable via carrot cake punch, a carotene cocktail and carrot gimlets. Kale, kohlrabi, cauliflower, your time is done.
COMPETITION: BALTHAZAR’S SUPER BOWL SOCIAL
11.30pm- 5am, Feb 7, £50, 4-6 Russell Street, WC2B 5HZ
Panthers vs Broncos, Beyonce vs Coldplay, whatever team you’re supporting this Super Bowl, do so at Balthazar. From 11.30pm, the brasserie will transform with five super-screens, astro-turf, foam fingers and popcorn machines. Plus, there’ll be an all American menu with 17 classics – chilli beef nachos, triple mac ‘n cheese, corn dogs, miniature toffee apples and the lot – until 5am, when you’ll depart with a take-away breakfast pastry fresh from the Boulangerie. Tickets are all inclusive and just £50, but we’ve got a table for four to giveaway. Simply enter here for your chance to win.
WATCH II: ZOOLANDER 2
February 12, Various cinemas
Move aside Kendall and Cara – Derek and Hansel are (blue) stealing the limelight from February 12. Oh, and if you haven’t started following Derek Zoolander on Instagram, forget all other fash week coverage, this is the account to follow!
