What’s on this Week in London
Before getting to the good stuff:
Please take 2 minutes to sign a petition to keep the Westminster fire station open. I have a friend who recently lost her home due to fire trucks not being able to get to her south London home quickly enough, it is imperative for those living and working in Westminster to have fire stations: http://petitions.westminster.gov.uk/firestation/
And one more bit of community activism, in light of the tragic death of Hani Hicham Abou El Kheir many local residents and parents will be interested to learn that a meeting with ward councillors and police is being arranged in Pimlico next week. I will email details out as and when.
Family Events Saturday 2nd Feburary
Southbank Centre, Foyer: The Cunning Little Vixen. Leo Janecek’s opera is transformed into a feature-length, family-friendly animation. Free, all ages.
Geffrye Museum, Chinese Lanterns. Come and join the fabulous team at the Geffrye Museum and make a Chinese Lantern for Chinese New Year. 10:30-12:30 and again from 2-4pm. Free, drop in, ages 5-11.
Somerset House, Drop in Family Art Workshop “Animal Magic”. Come and see the Valentino exhibit (critically acclaimed curating) and then make some of your own designs incorporating animal prints. Give mum the cougar look… free, drop in, ages 6-12.
Forge arts Venue, Children’s Storytelling with Music. This week come engage with “Peace at Last” and “Whatever Next!” by Jill Murphy. Perfect for 2-5 year olds, great coffee and fabulous family-friendly restaurant attached.
Saatchi Gallery, family art workshops: Saturdays, 1-2:30pm, £7 per workshop, ages 3-12. Come and learn about a different Russian artist each week and create your own work of art in response. This week’s artist is Valery Koshlyakov. Booking essential [email protected]
Barbican Family Film Club: Transylvania. Tickets are £2, bring the kids and escape the cold while you chill and watch a movie. Great price. 11am, all ages
Electric Cinema, Kid’s Club: This week’s feature, Rise of the Guardians 10:30am. Check out the newly refurbished Electric Cinema with its plush, red velvet beds, sofas and armchairs. Looks like a great way for Dad to occupy the kids on a Saturday morning. Tickets £8 per person. All ages.
Shutter and Sketch: Perfect Valentine’s Day Gift: London’s Only Bespoke Children’s Portrait Artist. I could not give Shutter and Sketch a higher recommendation or be more pleased with my son’s portrait created entirely in pencil strokes, check out Lucy SM Johnston’s fabulously affordable and beautiful results. Lucy offers vouchers, fabulous fall-back when you are shopping for special gifts for parents, grandparents or yourself!! Do get in touch if you are on the fence with this, you will not be disappointed: [email protected].
Family Events Sunday 3rd February
V and A, Drop-in Design “Lively Letters”: make-up your won monogram masterpiece after exploring the collection to admire all the fancy fonts used in the decorative arts … all ages, free drop in.
Wallace Collection, The Little Draw: work with Tom Humbustre to explore the narrative and storytelling qualities of the collection. 1:30-4:30, free, all ages
Rich Mix, Chinese New Year. Come celebrate with music, dancing, food, sand painting and watercolour. 11am-5pm, all ages
And on to the upcoming week:
For Babies:
Electric Scream: Come and see Life of Pi. Experience the luxury of the newly refurbished Electric Cinema. Monday 28st January, 11am. This screening is only for carers with infants under 12 months, dim lighting, changing tables, quality food, even wine!! £15.50 for an armchair, very pricy but great fun.
Beaufort House Chelsea, Baby Cinema. Wednesday, 6th February, 10am. Mums and babes (even if they are not members) can come to London’s best private family club and see how the other half lives… coffee, teas and “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”. Babes can cruise, crawl, cry and wriggle while you sit back and relax in the plush and super-friendly luxury of Beaufort House.
Gate Picturehouse, Big Scream. Bring your infant under 12 months on Tuesday 29th January at 10:30 for a screening of Silver Linings Playbook, a dark-ish comedy by David O Russell. Tickets are £8.50
Mums and Babies Dolphin Square Gym: Thursdays 10:30-11:15. You do not have to be member to try out this brilliant class brainchild of London’s celebrity yummy mummy trainer, Nina Turner. If you want to get motivated to get fit, come to Nina: she will make you crack a rib laughing as you train so hard you might vomit (she is a bit gentler on new mums) but bring the baby and get your energy levels back. No need to childcare, just come along and get your game back on. £60 for 6 sessions for non-members, £50 for members: use them as and when. Alternatively, try Buggy Fit with Nina in St. George’s Square SW1, 9:30am Monday mornings. You bring the pushchair, Nina supplies the weights, skip ropes, mats and other torture devices er, fitness equipment. Same prices and policy. [email protected]
For Babies and Toddlers:
Love Swimming, Pimlico: London’s premier specialist swimming school (cited in this month’s Triatholon 220 as London’s top swim coach) has opened up morning lessons for babies and toddlers, 10am-4pm, see the timetable for all availability. This is an excellent chance to get your kids in their swim school as there is a waiting list for school-age kids; the demand for places is huge as Love Swimming kids go to join swim on competitive and elite swimming squads all over London. The Baby Lessons are an affordable way to get your kids into this highest quality, over-subscribed, specialist swimming school.
Pippa’s Poppets: SW1’s favourite singer and songwriter is kicking off another term. There is an early morning class at St. Saviour, St. George’s Square (just by the Pimlico Tube) from 9:35am for 4 months- 3 years. £7.50 per class. Mondays and Wednesdays at St. Gabriel’s Church, Pimlico. Thursdays in Chelsea at Beaufort House (fabulous London family club) and Tuesdays in Knightsbridge.
Don’t forget to sign up for Fast track swimming over February half term. Fast Track lessons, an hour or half-hour 1:1 or 2:1 lesson for a very reasonable price. Bila, Rui, Anna and Musa are results-driven instructors; you will see an improvement by the end of the week.
Pippa’s Poppets Half-term Musical Theatre Workshop, St. Gabriel’s Church, Pimlico (just off Warwick Sq, half-way between Victoria and Pimlico stations). For ages 3-6, drop-off musical theatre workshop where children work with an award-winning composer to put on a production of Peter Pan. Monday 18th – Friday 22nd, 2-4pm, the final performance will be at 3pm on Friday, parents and family most welcome. £90 for the week, class limited to 16 places so book soon. [email protected]
