There's lots happening in London this week, from a ballet class on an incredible rooftop to a floating wine festival. We also have an idea of where you can celebrate National Burger Day. Read on for fun things to do in the capital...
Visit London's first floating wine festival
This is one for oenophiles! Wine Over Water, London's first floating wine festival, is taking place on 22 and 23 September at Tamesis Dock boat. Hop on the boat docked at Southbank and learn, discover and taste award-winning wines from Hungary, South Africa, France, Italy, Romania, Australia, New Zealand and the UK, whilst taking in stunning views of The Houses of Parliament, Big Ben and the Tate Britain. Speak to the experts about the hottest trends, take part in epic Voyage to Discovery tastings including blind tastings and sample some delicious food to go alongside it. Your £25 ticket includes eight tasting samples.
A night at the theatre with The King & I
Fresh from Broadway, and bringing with it two of the production's main stars, The King & I features Kelli O'Hara as Anna – she recently won a Tony award for the role – and Memoirs of a Geisha star Ken Watanabe as the King of Siam. Set in 1860s Bangkok and following the same plot as the original hit show, it follows the relationship between the tempestuous monarch, torn between following tradition with trying to adapt to changing times, and the English schoolteacher who comes to teach his children. The costumes are rich and evocative of the era they are replicating, the set design is beautiful and luxurious and the choreography is breathtaking. Kelli's beautiful voice does perfect justice to the classic songs on offer while Ken's charisma evokes plenty of humanity and humour into his role. A sidenote: HELLO! was lucky enough to see Ruthie Ann Miles play the role of Lady Thian the night we went (she shares the role with Naoko Mori); after having overcome terrible tragedy this year, the Tony-award winning star offered up an incredibly brave and powerful performance, causing many audience members to break down in tears. A must-see Superbreak are offering for one night's accommodation at the Holiday Inn Express London Excel Hotel and Grand Circle tickets for The King & I for £78.00 per person. Valid for arrival on 6 September 2018.
To book, visit superbreak.com or call 0800 042 0288.
Need weekend plans? Sip bubbly at an Ab Fab brunch
Begin your bank holiday in full style with a drag brunch at 100 Wardour St on Saturday 25th August. The brunch is packed full of crazy dragantics, drag game shows, live DJs and dance troupes! Alongside the entertainment you can also enjoy a three course brunch with an option to add 2 hours of bottomless fizz. www.100wardourst.com/
Weekend entertainment among the clouds
Make the most of August Bank Holiday with Ibiza style parties and live DJs from Friday 24th – Monday 27th August at Madison. On Friday 24th August, start the weekend off right with Evo and RST, whose international experience has taken them from Nikki Beach St Tropez to intimate VIP parties in LA. Saturday 25th brings a Bank Holiday Madbrunch with Madison resident DJs London Beats, bringing the party with their line-up of musical showmen.
On Sunday 26th the party goes all day and all night long from 2pm. Take things a little slower with Madison’s resident DJ on the roof and their Sunday brunch menu running all day on Monday 27th August.
www.madisonlondon.net/event/bank-holiday-madison-london/
Dance on a London rooftop
A series of fitness classes have taken over the rooftop at Aviary this summer, and this month, it's all about ballet. Scoot to the 10th floor of the swish Montcalm Royal London Hotel for a class from Royal Ballet-trained dancer and teacher, Karis Scarlette, and sweeping views of London as you workout. When your hour is up, you'll get access to the hotel's showers and you can snag 50% off breakfast at the rooftop restaurant.
Celebrate National Burger Day with the Skagenburger
It's National Burger Day on 23 August - how could you forget? If you're looking for a more quirky way to celebrate, head to Aquavit London in St James's. The Nordic-inspired restaurant has just launched a new burger called the Skagenburger - a hearty beef patty made from the highest quality short rib and skirt beef, topped with traditional shrimp Skagen, which is Norwegian shrimp in a mayonnaise, chive, dill, horseradish and lemon sauce. It's then topped with a layer of melted Västerbotten cheese, smoked whole grain mustard mayonnaise, sauteed onions, pickled red onion and cucumber. Epic!
Have a drink at London's smallest bar
Ever heard the saying 'good things come in small packages'? The Brig is the smallest bar in London, seating between two and four guests, and it's got 'date night' written all over it. You can only book out this secret hideaway for an hour, but in those sixty minutes you'll get your own private bartender, unlimited drinks and free reign of the playlist. Operating a 'make yourself feel at home' policy, you can jump behind the bar and mix your own drinks, if you please.
designmynight.com/london/bars/city-of-london/merchant-house/the-brig?t=5b743c50001ad50e7a2df9e7
Pamper yourself at this gorgeous beauty haven
Treat yourself to a lovely girls' pampering session at Blush + Blow. This is the ultimate luxury beauty bar for West Londoners, where you can get a gorgeous manicure and pedicure. This place is perfect for those who want some rest and relaxation, you can switch off, choose your shade and kick back...
Visit the Rathfinny restaurant for the ultimate wine experience
The Rathfinny Wine Estate in East Sussex is already renowned for its incredible English wines, and has just opened a new Tasting Room Restaurant and Cellar Door within their winery. Their vineyard tours are already popular amongst wine enthusiasts (40,000 people visited in 2017 alone), and now guests can enjoy the wines in their new restaurant with a seasonal British menu curated by Head chef Chris Bailey. Chris uses local produce as much as possible and pairs the food perfectly with the Rathfinny wines for a truly British feast. Their first Sussex Sparkling wine launched this June and HRH Princess Anne opened its Bottling and Cellar - so why not try some bubbles in the countryside?
Enjoy a dining experience 450ft above London
On Tuesday 21st and Wednesday 22nd August, Deliveroo is inviting Londoners to help recreate one of the most iconic images of the 20th century; Lunch Atop a Skyscraper, taken at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, during the construction of the Rockefeller Center in New York City, 1932. The brand, as part of its summer campaign, is going to transform the photograph into the ultimate dining experience for some lucky winners. Guests will dine 450ft in the air, suspended over London with an unparalleled panoramic view of iconic London landmarks including the London Eye and St Paul's Cathedral. Seats at the experience are strictly limited, picked at random through an online ballot which kicked off from the Deliveroo Twitter on Tuesday 14th August. To enter you simply need to select a time and apply for a slot to dine before 5pm on Friday 17th August.
