****** All December ****** Food & Drink: Dinerama The two-storey site features 15 different food vendors space for up to 1,000 hungry visitors, with benches and floor space to settle in on as you watch the punters chatting below. Serving up the snacks you will find all-star traders such as B.O.B.'s Lobster, Kimchinary, BBQ Lab, Fundi Pizza, Yum Bun and Smokestak. The site has gained a roof for the chillier months, as well as four new bars (bringing the total to ten) which will serve everything from cans of craft beer to hot cocktails. Free before 7pm, £3 after, Every Thu/Fri/Sat up until 19th December 19 Great Eastern Street, Shoreditch streetfeastlondon.com/where/dinerama Food & Drink: Bush Yard Shepherd's Bush Yard has been transformed into a Scandinavian forest, complete with fir trees, manzanita trees, holly covered pergolas, bark on the floors and woods brought in especially from Norway. The yard will be fully covered, heated and have enough banquette seating for 140 people and plenty more room to mill (and 'mull') around, Little Feast Winter offers an alternative eating destination for the festive period with some of the best new street food purveyors in the capital taking up residence in its wooden huts. Expect mulled ciders & wines, smokey meats & broths and a touch of Scandinavia in the heart of Shepherds Bush! Free, until 23rd Dec Shepherd's Bush Yard wefeast.co.uk/ Food & Drink: Once upon a wigwam Inspired by the the Grimms' brothers Fairy Tales, look out for interpretations of well-known stories like Hansel & Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel as you get lost in its fantastical forest and magical menu, bringing you a drinking and dining experience London's yet to offer. Expect ornate mirrors, silhouettes of gnarly branches, and look out for watchful faces amongst the golden trees. Meander through hanging clocks and apples, branches laced with ivy and meadow flowers where you'll find a gingerbread house-inspired bar. You can even gorge on the real gingerbread panels from time to time! Mon-Sat 4pm - 10pm Queen of Hoxton, Shoreditch queenofhoxton.com/rooftop/winter/ Food & Drink: The Woods: Cratediggers Hidden below the streets of Shoreditch, you'll find the new late night bar, The Woods, hosting Cratediggers, a weekly night of records, rarities and unreleased gems spun from the likes of Field Day, Drowned in Sound and Moshi Moshi. With wax at the heart, and a special menu of boilermakers, picklebacks and custom cocktails, you'll find more than teddy-bears in this woods� Every Friday, 10pm- 2am, free 54-56 Great Eastern St, Shoreditch, EC2A 3QR londontheinside.com/2015/10/08/the-woods-cratediggers/ Food & Drink/Attractions: Birdies Crazy Golf Club Birdies Crazy Golf Club's subterranean nine-course course serves up loops, half-pipes, hidden putt-off prizes and even an elevated 5ft drop onto the nerve-wracking sixth hole� DJs will provide the tunes while you sup cocktails by mixology masters Spirited Mixers at the venue's pop-up Caddy Shack. Meanwhile Hawksmoor Knightsbridge head chef Richard Sandiford's pop-up concept RockaDollar Dining will bring its mouth-watering bespoke menu to The Vaults. 2pm to 10pm, £9 The Vaults, Waterloo birdiescrazygolf.com Food & Drink: Beer & Buns Beer & Buns is a take on a Japanese Izakaya that offers the UK's largest range of Japanese craft beer and soft, pillow-like steamed 'Hirata' buns filled with a choice of delicious fillings. Mon-Fri 5pm to late Upstairs @ K10 (look for the flashing neon in the window), Liverpool Street beerandbuns.co.uk/ Food & Drink: York & Albany's winter chalet Transport yourself to a snowy mountain top with the return of York & Albany's Winter Chalet, nestled in the cosy courtyard of the townhouse, restaurant and bar. Set to be the stay-a-while sanctuary this season for weary Londoners, the Alpine chalet, is decorated like a wintery mountain retreat, fairy lights adorning the walls, pinecones scattered below, and lanterns a glow with lightly spiced candles. On the terrace, an open fire roars whilst the sound of soft Tirol-style folk music and warm conversation fill the air. Guests are invited to wrap themselves in luxurious blankets as they enjoy toasty tipples and Head Chef Will Stanyer's festive fayre - raclette, venison kromeski, and rainbow trout with horseradish mousse. Sweet treats include coconut and lychee snowballs and baked Alaska. Enjoy all these canapés plus two cocktails each for £30 per person. 27-129 Parkway, Regents Park gordonramsayrestaurants.com/york-and-albany/whats-on/winter-cabin/ Music: Sofa Sounds Bringing the magic back to live music. Amazing artists, in intimate spaces, performing stripped back sets to a carefully selected audience. Arrive on time, stay till the end, sit down and focus on the experience. Secret locations around London 7:30pm doors until late, free sofarsounds.com/london Nightlife: Silk Stockings The new bar in Dalston "takes a nod from New York's low-lit neighbourhood hangouts", just look for the neon sign outside. As well as some interesting cocktails the bar houses a selection of rare and interesting tequilas. Hip-hop, antipasti, charcuterie and cheese plates are served up alongside the booze and it's open 7 days a week. Looks like another good addition to the East London cocktail scene. 80 Dalston Lane londontheinside.com/2015/11/04/silky-stockings-is-open/ Nightlife: Dram & Smoke Following a sold out run there last winter, Dram & Smoke is returning to its former home in a leather tannery warehouse in London Bridge for four weeks this winter. Dishes from their custom whisky barrel smoker will be served up family-style from an open kitchen alongside Naked Grouse whisky cocktails, wine, Harviestoun beer and a solid playlist. This time around the house party vibe is helped along with some booze-friendly games to keep you entertained too including a dedicated beer pong room. Until December 19th 2-3 Black Swan Yard, London Bridge dramandsmoke.com/ Nightlife: South Pole Saloon A purpose-built immersive drinking hole is offering Brixton a very alternative place to celebrate Christmas. The fully heated, covered and themed pop-up will offer festive cocktails, Brooklyn beers, private booths, DJs and performances from the elves themselves. A street food area will host four traders; Butchies will serve buttermilk fried chicken, Dip & Flip are on the burgers, Papi's Pickles will offer South Indian and Sri Lankan food and Crust Conductor will be wood-firing pizzas. Free before 7pm, £3 after Valentia Place, Brixton facebook.com/SouthPoleSaloon1/ Cinema: Backyard Cinema It's called Backyard Cinema because that's how it started with a bunch of mates in a garden watching 'Jurassic Park' projected on a bedsheet. This year they have teamed up with Winterville to create the ultimate indoor, winter cinema. Set in the heart of the festival we have created our very own enchanted forest named 'The Winter Night Garden', which can only be accessed via a secret tunnel of trees and allows you to watch your favourite winter movies in the cosy, secluded depths of a magical (indoor) woodland. Feast on high quality food and drink from our partners before and during the screening which can be enjoyed in the comfort and shelter of the enchanted woodland bar. Films every day Winterville, Victoria Park backyardcinema.co.uk/ Art & Culture: TINTIN: Hergé's Masterpiece Stepping inside the wonderfully eccentric world of artist-author Hergé and Tintin, his intrepid young reporter, the exhibition explores the evolution of the artwork of Hergé, from the simplicity of early newspaper strips to the genre-defining graphic work of the later books. Drawing on the archives of the Hergé Museum in Belgium, TINTIN: Hergé's Masterpiece features pencil sketches, character drawings, and watercolours alongside original artwork from the finished stories. Daily 10am to 6pm, Thu/Fri late until 9pm, free Somerset house somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/tintin Art & Culture: Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age In 1957 Russia launched the world's first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into space and just four years later sent the first ever human Yuri Gagarin. Discover the dramatic story of how Russia turned the dream of space travel into a reality and became the first nation to explore space in this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition. Daily until 8:45pm, £14 Science Museum, South Kensington sciencemuseum.org.uk/visitmuseum/Plan_your_visit/exhibitions/cosmonauts.aspx ****** Tuesday 1st December ****** Comedy: Free comedy Last night of the year at the awesome, London authentic, award-winning, Modern Mediterranean Restaurant - a perfect oasis for business or pleasure with a relaxed atmosphere. Comedy night starts at 7pm and finishes at 9:30pm, there are 12 up and coming comedians supporting and two professional comedians. Sean Gorman will be closing the first half and the amazing, Steve Owen Williams closing the show. 7pm to 9:30pm, free The Grove Bar & Restaurant, Hammersmith next.fatsoma.com/marvinalan/cjuqevli/free-comedy-in-hammersmith ****** Friday 4th December ****** Music: X & Underground: Finnebassen, Cristoph, Detlef, Seff, System2, Third Son 11pm to 7am, £15 Egg, Kings Cross Music: Kaskade presents Redux Kaskade will play his final UK show of 2015. This is a rare opportunity to see him will take place at a secret London location yet to be revealed. Anyone who has had the pleasure of witnessing a Kaskade show will be able to testify to the energy this Chicago native brings everywhere he goes. If this will be your first Kaskade experience then we can guarantee you're in for an extremely special, one off night to remember. 10pm to 6am, £20 The Paperworks facebook.com/events/845815225537626/ Nightlife: Bump Rollerdisco: Shapes Since its inception as a close-knit gathering of friends, Shapes has snowballed in to one of the most innovative and unpredictable house and techno parties, with otherworldly decor. Not to be missed. 7pm to 11pm, £8.50 Southbank Centre residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?768832 Nightlife: The Hydra: Dekmantel Dekmantel touches London ground for the first time on December fourth in collaboration with local promoters The Hydra, featuring Motor City Drum Ensemble and Bicep. Tickets have sold out, so you can try and use the RA re-sale service. 11pm to 8am, £25 Studio Spaces E1 residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?741479 ****** Saturday 5th December ****** Nightlife: secretsundaze On Saturday 5th December secretsundaze residents, Giles Smith and James Priestley, will play an all night long session at Oval Space's new small but perfectly formed venue, The Pickle Factory. 'secretsundaze all night long' will give the pair 8 hours to romp through the various shades of house, techno and disco that has defined the party's sound. The combination of an intimate 200 capacity venue and Giles and James taking control of the music all night long very much takes secretsundaze back to its roots. 10pm to 6am, £10 The Pickle Factory, Bethnal Green facebook.com/events/753331858128645/ Music: MadTech Record Label Party MadTech the label envisioned by Kerri Chandler rounds of its huge year of releases and incredible parties (Ibiza, Magna Carta, CUFF and Ministry) by heading to east London for a one night only exclusive end of year session at the uber cool and iconic Ace Hotel. With the best of "MadTech 2015 " album just released and pulling together a line up of forward thinking house acts, established and hotly tipped DJ / producers from this years releases. The MadTech trademark sound will be kicking the venue's system all night long at this intimate but perfectly formed venue for a hedonistic friends and family special session. To date the imprint has released tracks from many driving forces and rising stars No Artificial Colours, Waze & Odyssey, Josh Butler, Kry Wolf and Waifs & Strays. 10pm, £8 Ace Hotel, Shoreditch acehotel.com/calendar/london/madtech-x-magic-and-medicine ****** Sunday 6th December ****** Education: Tango Classes Drop-in classes for absolute beginners. 4.30-8.00pm, £8. No experience or partner needed, easygoing atmosphere, no sequences to learn, okay if you can't make it each week. There will then be a class for absolute beginners until around 7pm, followed by time for dancing. The exact finish time may vary according to what event is coming next, but in general the tango will morph into the Sunday Jam at 8pm. 4:30pm to 8pm, £8 Passing Clouds, Dalston tangoserendipity.com/teaching-programme.html ****** Friday 11th December ****** Food & Drink: Peaky Blinders Immersive Experience Inspired by the era of BBC's Peaky Blinders, this is an immersive food and entertainment experience taking place in an "illicit" drinking and gambling den run by seedy gangsters, hidden under the train tracks. Spread across two floors you can indulge into a luscious dinner, sip fabulous cocktails, gamble on horses, sing around the ol' Joanna, or meet a gangster or two. 7pm until late, £10 The Tick Tack Club, London Bridge yplanapp.com/london/peaky-blinders-immersive-experience-bar-44660/ Music: Benny Benassi 10:30pm to 6am Ministry of Sound, Elephant & Castle facebook.com/events/1060836637284456/ Music: The Jazz Bitcher Quartet The Jazz Butcher was always something of a unique vehicle, a sort of musical dune buggy - it interweaves the influence of The Velvet Underground and Syd Barrett with the new wave energies of the day and leaves us all richer for looking in. After the jazz, the Fire Records staff will be spinning records til late. youtube.com/watch?v=n3RYcPySxE4 7pm till late, free Servant Jazz Quarters, Dalston eventbox.fm/venue/servant-jazz-quarters/fire-records-presents-th-4z6jw ****** Saturday 12th December ****** Music: Entity with Levi Verspeek Following on from the success of Entity's Carnival Party they're are back on the 12th of December and have found the perfect intimate East London location for our next session. Headlining will be the Levi Verspeek, a man responsible for some of Entity's favourite releases over the last couple of years. His latest EP, released on RUIS, sits nicely at number 1 on the deejay charts. 10pm to 5am, £5 Secret Location facebook.com/events/203073203358020/ Nightlife: Riddled Free Xmas Party RIDDLED will be bringing 7 very talented DJs including Argy Kay to lay down some of the freshest Deep/Vocal and Tech House going, for this free indoor/outdoor xmas party. If any of you were at the last party you will be the first to realise RIDDLED is all about positive vibes, good music with good people. Hopefully you can all make it on the 12th! 6pm to 3am, free 93 Feet East, Shoreditch facebook.com/events/133858320306104/ ****** Sunday 13th December ****** Music: London Jazz Orchestra Directed by Scott Stroman, the London Jazz Orchestra, 'as fine a band as you can find anywhere'(Independent), is back for its regular Sunday afternoon session featuring compositions and arrangements by several members of this illustrious band. These up-close-and-personal sessions showcase great writing and soloing from a band that includes many of London's top musicians, as well as new talents. Be quick! There are only 30 tickets on sale! 3:30pm to 8pm, £10 Vortex, Dalson wegottickets.com/event/338993 Attractions: Hackney Flea-mas Market Hackney Flea Market returns with another awesome selection of hand-picked stall holders, all selling an amazing mix of salvaged, one-of-a-kind, lost and found objects, and handmade items. 11am to 6pm, free Hackney Flea Market facebook.com/events/130097500672640/ ****** Wednesday 16th December ****** Nightlife: MTA Christmas Party It's been a long time coming! MTA return to London to end the year with a very festive MTA Christmas party, tickets are limited. The big special guest list performing is a secret, which in the past has included Skrillex, Knife Party and Baauer. Set list is the MTA Records family, so expect Chase & Status, Ben Pearce, Josh Bulter, Moko, My Nu Leng and Nero. 10pm to 3am, £10 next.fatsoma.com/mta-records/promotions/et8p6ncg/mta-records-christmas-party Oslo, Hackney ****** Thursday 17th December ****** Attractions: St Katherine Docks Christmas Market Thursday 17th December, 5pm - 7pm and Friday 18th December for the annual Christmas market, mulled wine and Christmas entertainment! Friday includes live music. free St Katherine Docks, EW1 facebook.com/events/1699835703579148/ ****** Friday 18th December ****** Music: Joseph Capriati It was in 2011, and when the then fledging Napoli artist was just 23 years old, that Joseph Capriati made his debut at fabric and since then we have been witness to Capriati's fanship and reputation building to the very height that he enjoys today. 10pm to 4am, £20 Village Underground, Shoreditch facebook.com/events/1652795528309391/ Music: Groove Armada 11pm to 7am, £19 fabric, Farringdon residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?772645 ****** Saturday 19th December ****** Music: Felon Known as 'Felon', their star has elevated significantly in the last year through the colossal viral consumption of their credible house grooves. Honeyed vocals and shimmering keys induce sheer elation, whilst rhythmatic precision bass arrangement feeds the soul on a deeper level. Check out their track Isla: /soundcloud.com/felon/isla-feat-kaleem-taylor-radio-edit 10pm to 2:30am, £5 Proud Camden, Camden residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?775380 Attractions: Pop Up Vintage Xmas Fair Old Spitalfields will be lit up for Christmas and 50 finest vintage traders will have everything you need for a day of Christmas shopping vintage style. Expect to find a wide range of ladies & menswear, party outfits with all the trimmings, a array of vintage & antique jewellery, fashion accessories, haberdashery, retro furnishings, homeware, vintage posters & antique maps, children's retro toys, Xmas gifts & cards, collectables, curiosities and more. 11am to 5pm, free Old Spitalfields Market facebook.com/events/1502770630017602/ ******* Thursday 31 December ****** Nightlife: Viva Warriors 'NYE Spectacular' with Steve Lawler, Art Department, Skream, Lee Foss The biggest ever VIVa Warriors line up will descend upon Studio 338 this New Years Eve to welcome 2016 in spectacular fashion. The party will take place across all areas including the Terrace, loft and car park and go on for a marathon 12 hours. 9pm to 9am, £60 Studio 338, Greenwich facebook.com/events/1213513008675023/ ****** Apps To Check Out ****** Uncover Everyday they hand-pick a shortlist of London's most desirable restaurants. They only show you restaurants with availability to help you quickly reserve those hard to book spots. Uncover great restaurants, from hidden gems to trendy innovators to Michelin classics. itunes.apple.com/GB/app/id920033081?mt=8 ****** Bands To Check Out ****** Bob Moses http://www.residentadvisor.net/review-view.aspx?id=17908 FIN. ****** frolic ****** frolic.london is a weekly publication which features intimate music events, artsy happenings, immersive exhibitions, and a glimpse into London's culture and community. We look for gatherings, from small jazz gigs in back gardens, to hidden parties in warehouses. We also like art spaces, cinema rooftops and fantastic street food, as well as learning and volunteering. In an easily digestible format, we try to publish once a week, usually a Friday, the events that are happening in the week following. This mailer is composed by editing, organising, and filtering stuff we find, and anything we hear from you - so please get in touch! I hope you enjoy it, contribute, and take part in what makes London a great city. [email protected]