What To Do This Weekend 01.07.21

WATCH THE TENNIS HERE: Bluebird Chelsea

To celebrate the 2021 Wimbledon Tennis Championships, Bluebird Chelsea has installed an outdoor screen on its terrace to show every single match during the two-week tournament. Between games, diners will be able to enjoy a range of Wimbledon-themed food and drink, from special cocktails to a quintessentially British afternoon tea. The restaurant has partnered up with tonic brand Fever Tree to create a range of refreshing spritz cocktails made with their new soda collection, including a Mexican lime spritz and a rhubarb, raspberry and rose spritz. Be sure to order one of the special Wimbledon afternoon teas, too, which include gin-infused teas, a selection of sandwiches and scones, and sweet treats like a strawberries and cream tartlet and milk chocolate and Lotus Biscoff choux buns.

350 King's Road, Chelsea, SW3 5UU

Visit Bluebird-Restaurant.co.uk

GET PLANTING AT HOME: Selfridges Garden Centre 

As part of its ‘Good Nature’ campaign, iconic department store Selfridges has just opened its first garden centre where customers can choose from a range of horticultural products and get advice on their gardening projects. Shoppers can browse gardening tools, seeds, indoor and outdoor plants, pots, and Selfridges’ own label compost. There are also lifestyle products on offer, as well as an exclusive gardening collection from Prada. Be sure to visit the Potting Shed where the resident gardener can offer horticultural advice, or head online for the virtual ‘dial-a-gardener’ service if you can’t get into store. Look out for Gary the Gnome – Selfridges’ very own garden ornament dressed in – wait for it – new-season Versace, Bottega Veneta and Jacquemus. 

400 Oxford Street, W1C 1JS

Visit Selfridges.com/TheGardenCentre

TRY A NEW WORKOUT: Secret Yoga Club X The London EDITION

The London EDITION hotel has teamed up with Secret Yoga Club for a series of bi-weekly movement and yoga sessions as part of the hotel’s new wellness program. Starting this Saturday from 11am, each 75-minute session aims to reset the mind and body with a series of high-impact moves accompanied by live music from a DJ. Suitable for all abilities, each session will be taught by a Secret Yoga Club instructor – this Saturday’s session will be led by sound and movement artists Bianca Scout and Darcy Jayne Wallace. After the class, guests can enjoy a healthy smoothie to set them up for the rest of the day. Tickets cost £30.

Visit SecretYogaClub.co.uk/Gatherings

GET THE DRINKS IN: Sipsmith At-Home Wimbledon Gin Hamper 

Regular SL readers will know we’re big fans of Sipsmith Gin, so we were very excited to hear they’ve created a limited-edition hamper for the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Ideal for an at-home picnic with friends, each hamper contains a cool bag, a Wimbledon picnic blanket, six highball glasses, six copper swan drink stirrers, a copper bar spoon and jigger, plus a 70cl bottle of Sipsmith Wimbledon London Dry Gin and a 70cl bottle of Sipsmith Strawberry Smash Gin, made from strawberries from last year’s cancelled tournament. Hampers cost £200.

Visit Sipsmith.com

DISCOVER NEW ART: Wondering People Exhibition

From today until Sunday 4th July, Wondering People, an art collective born during lockdown 1.0, is holding their first exhibition in East Dulwich. A favourite of celebs and those in the know – the brand count Alexa Chung, Suki Waterhouse and Soho House as customers – the team look after over 70 up-and-coming artists and photographers. During the exhibition, which showcases talent from a range of diverse backgrounds, you’ll be able to browse a selection of pieces, all of which will be on sale. From abstract paintings and cool travel prints to beautiful one-off ceramics, there’s something for everyone – artists include Hannah Ackroyd, Anyaa Dev, Rob Lyon and Holly Mills.

155A Lordship Lane, East Dulwich SE22 8HX

Visit WonderingPeople.com

BINGE THIS NEW SERIES: Physical, Apple TV

If you haven’t started this new series, add it to your watch list this weekend. Set in the idyllic beach paradise of sunny 1980s San Diego, Physical is a dark comedy following Sheila Rubin (Rose Byrne), a quietly tortured, seemingly dutiful housewife supporting her controversial husband’s bid for state assembly. But behind closed doors, Sheila has her own darkly funny take on life she rarely lets the world see. She’s also battling a complex set of personal demons relating to her self-image… that is, until she finds release through the unlikeliest source: the world of aerobics. The series tracks her journey from a stifled, overlooked housewife to a powerful, confident economic force and something we take for granted today (but was entirely radical at the time) — the female lifestyle guru.

Visit Apple.TV

SUPPORT BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSES: JAMII Weekender

JAMII, the UK’s largest online marketplace for Black-owned creators and makers is hosting a shopping weekend featuring 50 small, independent brands. Taking place on Saturday 3rd at Protein Studios in Shoreditch and Sunday 4th July at Pop Brixton, shoppers can browse everything from skincare and beauty products to unique pieces of art and homeware. Shop handmade candles by Tribal Unicorn, Caribbean-inspired kitchenware by Village & Homes, spicy condiments by Vicky’s Kitchen, and more. A great way to support local Black-owned businesses, the market will be open from 11am-6pm on both days. Tickets are free.
Protein Studio, 31 New Inn Yard, EC2A 3EY; Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PQ

Visit Eventbrite.co.uk

MAKE A RESERVATION AT: TOKii At The Prince Akatoki London, Marble Arch

The Prince Akatoki London hotel in Marylebone has just reopened its Japanese fusion restaurant with a new menu. Ideal for a special occasion, diners can choose from a range of sushi, and hot and cold dishes served in the atmospheric restaurant. The new spring menu uses fresh and seasonal ingredients designed to fuse the best of the Eastern and Western flavours. Highlights include lobster croquettes with yuzu and mango salsa; hot stone wagyu beef with grilled vegetables; green tea cured mackerel with shaved fennel, and a selection of nigiri, sashimi and sushi rolls – be sure to order the seabass and shrimp. Finish your meal with a delicious yuzu and raspberry posset or chocolate fondant, then head to the hotel bar which has just installed a beautiful display of cherry blossom trees.

50 Great Cumberland Place, Marble Arch, W1H 7FD

Visit TOKii.co.uk

BRING YOUR FRIENDS HERE: King's Cross Summer Love Film Festival

From today until Sunday 25th July, King’s Cross is hosting its annual Summer Love Film Festival where visitors can watch a range of cult classics and blockbusters on a huge outdoor screen. Located on the Granary Square steps overlooking Regent’s Canal, visitors can bring a picnic or grab some takeaway food from the square’s restaurants to enjoy during the film. Suitable for the whole family, movies include La La Land, Clueless, Aladdin, Little Women, Fantastic Mr Fox and The Parent Trap, to name a few. The best part? You don’t need a ticket to get in on the action, simply turn up and find a seat.

Granary Square, N1C 4AB

Visit KingsCross.co.uk/Summer-Love-Film-Festival

GET YOUR CULTURE FIX: Kensington & Chelsea Summer Festival

Today until Sunday 4th July, Kensington and Chelsea will host its annual summer festival of culture. Taking place in and around the Cadogan Estate, visitors can see outdoor art installations, exhibits and murals, and attend events and talks led by local artists. This year’s theme, ‘Reimagine’, reflects the borough’s mission to create public spaces to spark new and exciting conversations between artists and local residents. Follow the light display by contemporary British artist Lauren Baker, then head to Duke of York Square where a pop-up screen will show a selection of Wimbledon matches and film screenings during the evenings. Tickets are free.

10 Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY

Visit KCAW.co.uk

SHOP UNIQUE ART: The Other Art Fair By Saatchi Art

The Other Art Fair by Saatchi Art is returning to King’s Cross this weekend for their first in-person London art fair of the year. Taking place from Friday 2nd until Sunday 4th July at West Handyside Canopy in King’s Cross, there’s an exciting line-up of independent and emerging artists to browse. With something for every budget, there are over 100 exhibitors. On the day, you can even book an impromptu tattoo from one of the stalls, get involved in a range of immersive installations, and enjoy music from a series of DJs. Tickets start from £11.

1 Wharf Road, N1C 4BZ

Visit TheOtherArtFair.com

TOAST TO THE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Wimbledon Brewery Garden Gin

Premium British drinks brand Wimbledon Brewery has created a new gin to celebrate the Wimbledon Tennis Championships. Made in small batches using botanicals found on Wimbledon Common, the gin has notes of lemon, and honey made from local SW19 bees. Ideal for a gin-based cocktail or classic G&T to enjoy over the tournament – whether watching at home or on one of the many screens in the capital this summer – it’s best served with ice and lemon. The bottle can also be refilled at the brewery.

Visit WimbledonBrewery.com