Does the idea of sitting half-naked in a hot tub with strangers fill you with horror? If so, you might want to look away now as that’s exactly what Hot Tub Cinema is. Don’t run away screamingjust yet, though, because as a person who cringes at the idea of stripping off in public, I can reveal that Hot Tub Cinema is actually amazingly good fun. Yes, you have to brave your bikini before it gets dark and unless you book out the whole tub, you may be sharing with strangers, but heck, how often can you loll around in a big outdoor bath, sipping on booze and watching a film?! Exactly. And that’s why it’s so special. It might be out of your comfort zone, but a few drinks in you’ll forget all about your bathers and your tub mates won’t be strangers any longer. Sonya Barber
It’s National Kissing Day! To celebrate the fine art of the kiss, from the family-friendly peck to the full-on sucking of face, we’ve rounded up some photos of London’s snoggers, as captured by the fine photographers of Flickr. We think it’ll prove that London really is a city for lovers.
(And lest you recognise someone you know kissing somebody unexpected, note that not every photo is recent!)
Getting stuck on the Tube alongside some unwanted gases is, unfortunately, a regular fate for the average Londoner, but it seems we might need to worry about more serious circumstances than the odd bout of a neighbouring passenger’s wind. The Department of Transport will soon be releasing gas onto the underground between peak travel times to test the speed that poisonous gases could spread through the network. Don’t worry, the poisonous part is hypothetical. Tube-users won’t be able to see, smell or taste the gas, let alone be harmed by it. But that’s not to stop you borrowing a gas mask for good measure – any excuse for fancy dress, right?
If you’ve had enough of David Bowie this year, look away now. Everyone else, what’s wrong with those guys, huh? As if we could get enough of the king of British rock, The Thin White Duke, the king of the goblins, the… okay, we’ve made our point. It’s fair to say that David Bowie has had a great year (with a new album after a seven year hiatus, a sold out exhibition at the V&A and more documentaries than a Panda reserve) but seeing as he’s influenced the world of music, fashion and art for four decades, it’s not surprising that there is another exhibition dedicated to the ever-evolving glam rocker.
Today, to celebrate Opera Gallery London’s Many Faces of Bowie exhibition, street artist Jimmy C unveiled a large-scale portrait depicting the iconic Aladdin Sane image in Brixton – Bowie’s home turf. The exhibition that opens at the New Bond Street gallery on Friday (June 21) will consist of contemporary visions of ‘Bowie Mania’ with one-off masterpieces and tributes with street artists including Mr Brainwash, Joe Black and The London Police. So if you want to see the ch-ch-ch-changing physical and perceived image of the not-so-aging rock star, plan a trip now. Carly-Ann Clements
Last summer Bikeminded held a competition wittily called ‘Cycle Shorts’, where they asked people to make bike-related films that would help encourage people to get on their two-wheeled steeds. They have selected the best of the cycletastic cinematography and will be screening them at Notting Hill’s Coronet Cinema to launch their first ever Bikeminded Film Festival. Read the full post…
Last time the boy wizard Daniel Radcliffe hit the London stage, in 2007, he traded his wizard’s wand for, er, a horse-blinder’s spike as he played a troubled, occasionally stark naked teenager called Alan in Peter Schaffer’s ‘Equus’. Now he’s back, and more determined than ever to shed his Harry Potter image by playing the role of Cripple Billy, a young disabled man living in a shithole Irish village in a black comedy from Martin ‘In Bruges’ McDonagh.
Ever since 2004′s ‘Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy’ transcended its mediocre box-office success to become a huge DVD favourite, a sequel has been inevitable. And today, the first trailer for ‘Anchorman: The Legend Continues’ burst into being. At first glance it looks like more of an ensemble affair than the first flick, giving Ron’s news anchor sidekicks David Koechner, Paul Rudd and Steve Carell (mere also-rans the first time around) their own space to shine (the fact that Rudd and Carell are now massive stars in their own right presumably helped this decision along). The trailer has a few close-to-the-bone gags – Ron’s courtship of a young African-American woman inevitably leads to some fairly dubious humour – but overall it’s promising stuff, full of the crassness, camaraderie and moustachioed bravado we loved the first time around.
‘Anchorman: The Legend Continues’ opens in cinemas on Dec 20. Keep an eye on timeout.com/film for news and reviews as they come in.
Did you know that ‘homeslice’ is also urban slang for ‘homeboy’. As in ‘Yo, ‘s’up, homeslice?’… No? Us neither. If this Covent Garden newcomer had genuine gangsta origins (it spent the two previous years serving from a mobile oven, so calls itself ‘pizza from the streets’), they’re now long gone. What you’ll get instead are distinctly artisan toppings, such as bone marrow and whole roasted spring onions; or white anchovy, chard and Doddington cheese. Team these with craft beer (what else?) or perhaps a glass of Prosecco. Though what the homeslices from the ’hood would make of that is anyone’s guess.
In collaboration with Red Cross Refugee Week 2013, four famous London faces are making miniature appearances at different locations across the city until June 23. The tiny sculptures, designed by artist Marcus Crocker, not only all have a strong affiliation with the city, but their historical roots all derive from their refugee backgrounds. Queen legend Freddie Mercury, painter Lucian Freud, the first Governor of the Bank of England Sir John Houblon and architect Richard Rogers were all refugees who fled their residing countries in the face of violence and persecution. A Syrian family and aid worker will join the high-profile models and will be displayed in front of buildings that are relevant to them, to celebrate the impact the figures have had on British culture, as well as heightening awareness of refugee issues. Watch your step…
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