Enjoy a handmade Christmas as the O2

It might sound like an awful idea, but your author popped in to Handmade Christmas at the O2 yesterday to see Jane Parker's clay pipe stall and it really was quite pleasant, full of stalls from hard-working sorts who have taken the time to handmake special things for you to give to friends and family at Christmas time.


Sure, you have to walk through (probably) Europe's largest collection of generic chain restaurants to get there, and it's on a patch of tarmac at the back of the O2, but the people there are trying just as hard as the ones at your local markets and there is a fine gifting range. Entry is £5.

For more, see http://www.handmadechristmas.co.uk



_{^Picture © Jane Parker used under a Creative Commons license^}

Shop in the Finnish Christmas Pop-Up Shop

Though your author usually reacts quite strongly to anything including the words 'pop up', the Finnish Christmas Shop at the Finnish Institute in Holborn today sounds interesting enough to be worthy of a visit, with a Finnish Christmas delicatessen, Finnish gifts and Finnish Mulled Wine.


It's open today, tomorrow and Monday at the Institute in Holborn, and if you can't make it over the weekend it stays open until 8pm on Monday so you should be able to make it.

For more, see http://www.finnish-institute.org.uk/en/articles/657-insituutin-pop-up-joulukauppa

_{^Picture © The Finnish Institute in London from Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons license^}

Experience Christmas Past at the Geffrye Museum

The Geffrye Museum on Kingsland Road in East London is a museum of the domestic interior, founded nearly 100 years ago to explore the way the insides of our homes have changed. This theme really comes alive each Christmas when its displays can be adapted to help us things about how the way we celebrate the season has changed over the centuries and decades.


The museum's displays range from 1600 to present, exploring decorations, trees, feasts, greenery, parlour games, cards and cocktail parties through the ages.

For more, http://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/whatson/christmas-past-2013/

_{^Picture © Heather Cowper used under a Creative Commons license^}

Buy presents at Stanfords

There are, of course, scores of places in London selling things that you can give to friends and family for Christmas, but your author has rarely found anywhere that throws up such gems as Stanfords in Covent Garden, opened in 1901 and now the world's largest travel bookshop, with a huge collection of maps, books, guides and globes.


We are told that explorers such as Captain Robert Scott and Ernest Shackelton once shopped here and the store sees frequent events and signings covering a wide range of travel interest. Indeed, Stanfords was the venue for the launch of your author's new book Mad Dogs and Englishmen back in July, for which he was very grateful, and it feels opportune to mention that that book is still on sale there, and last Friday 100 signed copies of Tired of London, Tired of Life hit the shelves, both of which make excellent gifts, alongside most things in the shop.

For more, see http://www.stanfords.co.uk

_{^Picture © Thierry Gregorius used under a Creative Commons license^}

Attend the carol concert at Kenwood House

There are, of course, carol concerts everywhere in London over the next couple of weeks and it perhaps seems counter-intuitive to suggest one that costs £15, but there has always been something quite festive about Kenwood House for your author and tonight sees their own carol concert from 7.30pm - 9pm.


We are told that the ticket price includes a glass of wine or soft drink, and the House is within easy stumbling distance of the Spaniard's Inn, making for a fine winters evening walk back to Hampstead. Bookings are essential.

For more, see http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/carol-concert-kh-19-dec/

Sing carols around the Trafalgar Square tree

The tree in Trafalgar Square is always a welcome sign of the coming of the festive season, and last week the lights were lit and the countdown began. The tree always feels particularly important due to its interesting story, for a new tree has been given each year since 1947 by the people of Oslo in thanks for Britain's support for Norway during World War II.


And following the lighting of the tree on 6th December, another bonus element of the tree's presence has begun, with twice daily carol singing sessions beginning yesterday and continuing until 22nd December. Sessions take place from 4pm - 8pm on weekdays and 2pm - 6pm on weekends. Just show up.

For more, see https://www.london.gov.uk/get-involved/events/christmas-2013-trafalgar-square

_{^Picture © Kathleen Tyler Conklin used under a Creative Commons license^}

Find the Millennium Sundial

Installed in Greenwich Park to mark the passing of the year 2000 with support from English Heritage, the Royal Parks, the Stone Federation of Great Britain and an anonymous benefactor, the Millennium Sundial is found beside the currently drained boating lake.

A ten-metre squared stone circle, the sundial was designed by Chris Daniel, chairman of the British Sundial Society. The sundial is situated close to the Meridian, but we are told that due to errors in its construction, it is around ten minutes fast.

For more, see http://www.thegreenwichmeridian.org/tgm/location.php?i_latitude=51.481332

Drink at The Surprise

On Sunday, following the fair at the Garden Museum, your author went on a wander around Stockwell with someone who was thinking of buying a flat there, before heading to Camberwell for a choral concert at St Giles'. Though both parties usually have a good sense of direction, they managed to walk in an almost perfect circle ending up at Larkhall Park. Eventually, on the edge of the park, The Surprise came looming out of the darkness and a decision was made to head there and regroup. The pub is an attractive little Young's pub with very pleasant staff and friendly locals.


Outside, though the sun had long set, old friends played pétanque on a designated pétanque pitch and inside they watched football and played board games and it felt like Sundays should do. The only problem was that Camberwell was still miles away...

For more, see http://www.fancyapint.com/Pub/london/surprise/1959


_{^Picture © Euan Munro used under a Creative Commons license^}

Watch the December Dip at Parliament Hill Lido

Thanks to Londonist and the hardy sorts at the Outdoor Swimming Society for drawing out attention to the annual Outdoor Swimming Society December Dip which takes place at Parliament Hill Lido today from 11am - 1pm, where dippers are told to expect water temperatures of between 0.1 and 6 degrees.


Though the swim is followed by hot drinks, warm mince pies and festive snacks, it all sounds a bit much, but spectators welcome to pop in for a £1 donation on the door, standing by in a nice warm coat before heading off for a lovely walk around the Heath.

For more, see http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=events&s=&id=89

_{^Picture © Tom Page used under a Creative Commons license^}

Pay tribute to Mandela at the Southbank Centre

We'll be hearing an awful lot over the next few days about Nelson Mandela, whose death was announced last night, and rightly so. One of the greatest men of our age, Mandela visited London many times and a statue on the walkway between the Royal Festival Hall and Hungerford Bridge, unveiled by ANC president Oliver Tambo in 1985.


There is of course, another statue of Mandela in Parliament Square, and your author was lucky enough to be present in August 2007 when Mandela came to London to speak at the unveiling his statue in Parliament Square. He told a story about how he and his friend Oliver Tambo visited Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey in 1962, joking that one day a statue of a black person might be erected in Parliament Square alongside former South African leader General Jan Smuts. That dream came true and Mandela's story is a demonstration of how humans can change the world for the better. He will be missed.

For more on the Southbank statue, see http://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/2573

_{^Picture © Paola Gospodnetic used under a Creative Commons license^}

Experience Handel's Messiah at St Paul's Cathedral

Your author is off to St Paul's Cathedral this evening, for a performance of Handel's Messiah by the Cathedral Choir and Chorus and  the City of London Sinfonia. Though it appears the free tickets are now fully subscribed, the Cathedral website tells us that further tickets may be issued, so it felt worth featuring here just in case.


Kick off is at 6.30pm, and we are also told that there are likely to be a number of seats available for those who are willing to queue up a bit this evening, as ticketed seats not claimed 20 minutes before the performance begins will be forfeited, so it sounds like it's worth a punt if you're in the area, as plenty of people tend to be a bit fickle when it comes to these things.

For more, see http://www.stpauls.co.uk/Visits-Events/Special-Services-Events/Messiah-by-George-Frideric-Handel

_{^Picture © Tony Hisgett used under a Creative Commons license^}

Go to Columbia Road Christmas Wednesdays

Your author must apologise for getting into the festive spirit a little earlier this year than any other year, but at least this means he is remembering to note some great annual events in time for readers to actually attend. The annual late openings of the various independent shops along Columbia Road in Hackney are a great example, offering all sorts of gifts and treats


The special events take place weekly until 18th December on three Wednesday evenings fro 6pm - 9pm, and for those who have left their shopping late there is also a special Saturday opening on 21st December.

For more, see http://www.columbiaroad.info/news/article/christmas_wednesdays_2013

See Hockney's A Bigger Splash

Continuing with the Tate Britain theme today, A Bigger Splash was painted by David Hockney between April and June 1967 when Hockney was teaching at the University of California at Berkeley. For the artist, this an early in his experience of living in California after graduating from the Royal College of Art, and before returning to London in 1968.


We are told that Hockney found the Californian way of life particularly appealing, and the painting captures the blue sky, stark colours and the swimming pool by making use of vibrant acrylic colours. Hockney had previously painted swimming pools in other works including Picture of a Hollywood Swimming Pool in 1964. The painting currently hangs in the Tate Britain's 1960 room.

For more, see http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/hockney-a-bigger-splash-t03254/text-summary


_{^Picture © Derek Lee used under a Creative Commons license^}

Take a picture of the Tate Britain's new staircase

There have been some changes at the Tate Britain recently, with some £45m worth of alterations led by architects Caruso St John unveiled a couple of weeks ago, featuring a new cafe, a new members room and a newly reopened riverside entrance. However, the main attraction when your author dropped in yesterday to take a look was the spiral staircase which was attracting a number of amateur photographers keen to capture its curves.


Back in May the Tate Britain reopened its permanent collection - which covers British art from 1500 to present - re-curated in a pleasingly chronological fashion, and now this second phase of the redevelopment is open it is certainly worth another look, especially if you haven't been for a while. And they have an especially good selection of books in the gifty.

For more on the changes see http://www.tate.org.uk/context-comment/blogs/six-things-know-about-new-tate-britain

Dig design at the Garden Museum

Though it is only the first Sunday of advent, for some reason everyone seems determined for it to be firmly the Christmas season, which is why today's winter fair at the Garden Museum is a little welcome. Though the organisers do allude to it being a great place to buy Christmas presents, at least they haven't put Christmas in the title.


We are told to expect festive foods, photography, jewellery, ceramics and textiles (and clay pipe jewellery), and there will even be animals thanks to the participation of Vauxhall City Farm.

For more, see http://www.gardenmuseum.org.uk/page/diggin-design-01-12-13

_{^Picture by Rosakoalaglitzereinhorn, from Wikimedia Commons under a Creative Commons license^}