It's worryingly easy to get stuck in an activity rut. Eating at the same restaurant, drinking at the same pub, almost buying tickets at the same theatre...we empathise. In fact, we empathise so much that we've gone and decided to give you some help. Each week, we'll be listing the very best ways to spend your free time.
This week's picks:
1. Grimes – Thursday 30th
Young, super-eccentric synth artist Grimes (aka Claire Boucher) has been flagged up by pretty much everyone as the next big thing (‘intoxicating’, says the Guardian) since she exploded out of Montreal earlier this year in a burst of infectious electro-beats. But this week she’s playing HMV Ritz in Manchester for just ten pounds. We think she’s going to be a really big deal by next year, so catch her in intimate surroundings now.n
Buy your tickets here
2. 1-2-3-4 Festival – Saturday
As you’d expect for the ‘ditch, this unbeatably cool one-day festival features a lovely lineup of underground acts that your very coolest friend has heard of. Plus what’s set to be an inspirational appearance from classic punkers Buzzcocks. You’ll want to check out the nice slate of after parties, too.
Head over to Facebook for tickets and more
3. Another London – all week
If you’re still buzzing on post-Olympic London love – who isn’t? – this is the week to catch this exhibition of classic twentieth-century photographs of the city, taken by a diverse group of international photographers between 1930 and 1980. Get yourself over to see it at Tate Britain before it closes on 16th September.
4. End of the Road Festival – Friday through Sunday
Can’t bear to wait for next year’s Glasto? If you’re longing to squeeze in one more proper camping festival to Summer 2012, then End of the Road in North Dorset is our pick: little, indie, chilled, with the likes of Alabama Shakes, Patti Smith and Grizzly Bear on the lineup. Plus there’s plenty of comedy, and the Woodland Library for you bookish types. Pack your mac and a couple of jumpers to layer on top of each other as you immerse yourself in this perfect summer farewell.
Check out the festival website
5. Spamalot – all week
The Monty Python musical’s had brilliant reviews during this seven-week West End revival, thanks in large part to the efforts of comedian Marcus Brigstocke in the lead role. It closes on 9th September, so grab tickets now if you want the chance to sing along to ‘Always Look On The Bright Side of Life’ sung live by a bunch of people in silly knight costumes. It’s OK, we’re not judging.
Tickets available here
(Image: Rex features)
A close and personal experience with Watatsumi
Watch your sushi being prepared or have it delivered to your table in person by the sushi chef himself
Watatsumi is located at 7 Northumberland Avenue, just off Trafalgar Square. The opulent, marble-pillared restaurant provides an elegant backdrop to Watatsumi's expertly executed Japanese dishes.
Book with your MasterCard® and when you arrive, you’ll be welcomed with a complimentary glass of sake, or select one of the gorgeous Japanese fusion cocktails. In addition, you can also choose to be seated at the sushi bar where you can interact with the chefs and ask questions as you see your dish prepared. Alternatively you can reserve a table in the main restaurant where the chef will bring your platter personally, explain your dish and answer any questions.
Signature dishes include Watatsumi crispy baby calamari, Gressingham duck breast marinated in mikan miso, pan fried sea bass with homemade shisho butter and US grain fed beef in spicy miso.
It’s a fantastic opportunity for you to enjoy the very best of contemporary Japanese flavours in the heart of West London. Book now to secure your Priceless experience and the restaurant will be in touch so you can select your preferred offer.
Get more details here
Wednesday 22nd August
1. Leeds Festival - Friday through Sunday
The summer festival season draws to a climactic close this weekend at Brantham Park in Leeds, where Florence + The Machine, The Vaccines, Bombay Bicycle Club and Foo Fighters will be amongst those getting down and dirty in the Yorkshire mud for a good old-fashioned knees-up, pure and simple. And yes, you can still buy tickets.
Get involved here
2. The Revenger’s Tragedy - all week (except Monday)
The thinking man’s pick of the week: this classic Jacobean drama by a contemporary of Shakespeare has been recast for the Eighties by an innovative director and playful cast. A bloody, sexy black comedy with bankers, pinstripes, braces, and The Cure. Intriguing. At the Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington.
Tickets and info from the Old Red Lion website, here
3. Notting Hill Carnival - Sunday and Monday
As ever, the August Bank Holiday fest promises to be loud, colourful, crazy and awesome. The parades start at 9 am each morning (Sunday is the family-friendly version; Monday’s for adults only) and we reckon that pulling yourself out of bed early on Monday is worth it, if you’re ready for an all-day party (and a slightly delicate Tuesday).
Get all the details and tips from the official website
4. 24 Hour London Tour - Saturday to Sunday
Chances are if you live in London that you don’t often (or never) find yourself on a walking tour. But there’s a first time for everything, and this one’s a little bit different: guide Joe Morris will be walking and talking his way around London for a solid 24 hours, in aid of the Rob Knox Foundation. If you don’t fancy the whole trek, you can join in for one of five sub-tours to discover a fresh bit of the city.
The lowdown is here
5. The Agony and Ecstasy of Steve Jobs - Thursday to Monday
Our top Edinburgh Fringe piece this week is this monologue by American writer and performer Mike Daisey, whose dramatic account of his adventures investigating where his beloved Apple products really come from (hint: it’s not pretty) will mean you’ll never again look at your iPhone in quite the same way.
Tickets available here
(Image: Rex features)
MasterCard Priceless Nights at the Natural History Musum - Take the Heat
Join us for an evening of discovery in the Natural History Museum’s spectacular Earth Galleries and adjoining galleries.
Monday 10th September - 7pm
Summer may be all but gone, but in the Natural History Museum the heat is still on. Once again MasterCard and the Museum take you on an afterhours journey of discovery that focuses on nature that survives, thrives or is synthesised in some of the universe's hottest climates. Join us on a tour where you will meet scientists and experts who will reveal what gets them all fired up, giving you access to prized specimens and exhibits rarely let loose for public viewing.
Gaze upon diamonds that are formed in the hottest regions of space, find out how a fur coat can keep you cool and about beetles that roam some of the planet’s most blistering surfaces. Enjoy sumptuous drinks and delicious cuisine courtesy of MasterCard and be sure to leave some room to try the world’s hottest chillies!
As a VIP guest of MasterCard you’ll have a completely different experience and hear directly from top scientists – world-leaders in their field - during this truly interactive evening.
The reception will take place at 7:00pm in the Earth Galleries.
To enter the ballot for your chance to attend, simply register your details here by the 30th of August. Winners will be contacted between the 31st August and the 7th September 2012.
Find out more here
Wednesday 15th August
1. Green Man Festival – Friday - Sunday
Retreat for your post-Olympic comedown to the peaceful climes of Glansk Park in Wales, where ethically-inclined music lovers will gather at super-chilled, hippy Green Man to hear the likes of Metronomy, Van Morrison, Feist, Of Montreal and Scritti Politti. Plenty of non-music attractions, too, including Robin Ince and Mark Oliver in the comedy tent and poet Luke Wright in the literature tent.
Get your tickets and information here
2. Official Pete Doherty After Party – Friday
Both of Pete Doherty’s gigs at Jamm are sold out. Devastated that you didn’t manage to get a ticket? Good news: you can still get them for the afterparty, which shows promise, seeing how it features a DJ set by Babyshambles, among others and runs until 6am.
Visit the Jamm website for details
3. Age of the Geek – all week
This week’s Edinburgh Fringe pick is one for anyone who’s ever spent a little too much time on the X-Box or getting excited about an Apple release. Hayden Cohen uses spoken word, comedy and music to demonstrate how all those years of having sand kicked their faces means nothing to geeks now: now, they’re inheriting the earth. A real charmer of a stand-up show at Surgeons Hall.
The lowdown is here
4. Chariots of Fire – all week, except Sunday
Is your Olympic spirit waning? Pep it back up in time for the Paralympics with a trip to see this stage adaptation of the ultimate Olympic flick (and the source of that iconic, tear-jerking Vangelis theme tune). After a sold-out run at the Hampstead Theatre, the show has transferred to the West End along with its five-star reviews. And if you go this week you can get tickets for only £20. Better, er, sprint to the box office…
Discount tickets via Time Out
5. Hackney Colliery Band – Sunday
Fresh from playing on the world stage as part of the Olympic Closing Ceremony, the nine-piece brass-centric band are coming to the Hackney Picturehouse to put on a foot-stomping show for the local crowd. It’s perfectly sunny music to round off what promises to be a sunny summer weekend; grab a pint and expect something seriously unique. And don’t expect to stay in your seat.
All you need to know, here
(Image: Rex features)
Get 10% off The Natural History Museum’s Dinosnores for Grown-Ups
Use your mastercard® when purchasing tickets to the Museum adult sleepover this month.
Dinosnores For Grown Ups Offer – 17th August 2012
Experience a different kind of sleepover. On Friday the 17th of August, London’s celebrated home of the dinosaurs presents a sophisticated night of art, culture and science in Museum’s grand Central Hall and surrounding galleries.
Set up camp underneath the iconic Diplodocus Skeleton and begin the night with a sumptuous 3-course dinner after which the museum bursts into life with a whole host of activities that will run into the wee hours.
There’ll be big quizzes, movie marathons, free entrance to exhibitions, life drawing, hilarious stand-up and even a midnight feast with a twist; all this and much more.
It promises to be a whole lot of fun with prizes to be won!
Click here for further information
Wednesday 8th August
1. Olympic Closing Ceremony Concert - Sunday
We can hardly remember what life was like before we spent our days becoming oddly fascinated by handball and weightlifting, but this weekend sees the close of London 2012 (sob). If you’re not going to be in town, the hottest ticket is the Closing Ceremony Concert in Hyde Park – we’re not going to pretend that the remaining tickets are reasonably priced, but it is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see Blur, The Specials, New Order and Bombay Bicycle Club salute London at its finest moment.
Very pricey tickets still available via Ticketweb
2. Edvard Munch – all week
Chances are you know Norwegian painter Munch for the much-memed The Scream, but this retrospective of his work at Tate Modern gives a glimpse into the entire span of the painter’s remarkable body of work – his experiments with photographic self-portraiture are especially interesting (and charming). It’s open until mid-October, but go this week while everyone who left London because they were afraid of the Olympics are still out of town – the Tate’s rarely been so chilled.
Tickets and info here
3. An Evening With David Hasselhof – Live
Yes, you read that right: The Hoff is presenting a multi-media extravaganza (song! dance! film!) about his life at the Edinburgh Fringe. And here’s the even more surprising bit: all the reviewers are saying that he’s actually rather charming indeed. Relive Knight Rider and more at the Pleasance.
Tickets and information here
4. Global Feast 2012 – until 13th August
If you’re more interested in international cuisine than international sport, you’re in luck: Global Feast in Stratford is a magnificent showcase of world food: each night takes diners on a trip through a different region of the world, with dishes prepared by some of London’s best international chefs. All curated by the super-cool hostess of The Underground Restaurant.
Pick your destination here
5. Strawberry Fields Festival – Friday – Sunday
Festivalheads will be off to Leicestershire this weekend for Strawberry Fields: it’s a small festival, only its third year, but one that’s been building plenty of buzz as an important addition to the summer festival slate, thanks to its ability to attract global talent. The Charlatans and Labrinth are the mainstage headliners, while the dance village also promises to be a major highlight with the likes of Friction and Funtcase.
Tickets and information here
(Image: Rex features)
Exclusive wine experience with lunch at Skylon
Enjoy an introduction to the world of wine by Skylon’s sommelier, followed by lunch overlooking the Thames.
Enjoy a Priceless experience at Skylon with your MasterCard®. Dine at lunchtime and you and your group will receive a special presentation on the world of wine from the sommelier, with insights on the latest and most exciting wines from Skylon’s vast selection. You’ll then try a complimentary glass of one the sommelier’s favourite wines, before sitting back to enjoy your lunch which you can select from the Market Menu offering 2 courses for just £24.50 per person.
Situated in the Royal Festival Hall, London’s cultural epicentre, Skylon enjoys stunning views over the River Thames and the South Bank from its huge floor-to-ceiling windows. Head Chef, Helena Puolakka offers a Modern European style of cuisine in the main restaurant, while a meal in the grill is a more relaxed, informal affair. The central bar is popular in its own right, famed for the quality of its cocktails.
This Priceless London offer is available to cardholders for a limited time only - from 1 July to 31 August.
Book now to secure your place so you can start looking forward to a spectacular riverside experience.
Wednesday 1st August
1. One Rogue Reporter – from Thursday
The Edinburgh Festival kicks off this week…where to begin? This week our pick is freshly minted comic Rich Peppiatt, who’s playing at the Pleasance Courtyard. He’s best known as the tabloid reporter who broke ranks after resigning from the Daily Star and told the filthy truth about the red-tops. His testimony at the Levenson Inquiry was definitely a comedy highlight, so we have high hopes for his stand-up routine.
Tickets here
2. Standon Calling – Friday - Sunday
Artists on the edge of making a break, a swimming pool to cool off in and plenty of space to camp: Standon Calling started out as a gathering among a couple of dozen friends and has grown to an intimate, chilled, and fancy-dress friendly festival (this year’s theme is ‘Journey to the Ends of the Earth’). On the grounds of a 16th century mansion house in Hertfordshire, the headliners this year are Beardman, Death in Vegas and Fat Freddy’s Drop (worth noting that both Florence & the Machine and Mumford & Sons played here before they were huge).
Tickets and info via the festival website
3. Public Image Ltd – Friday
Haven’t snagged a ticket to the sold-out Blur gig in Wolverhampton? Opt for a different kind of nostalgia with old-school post-punk rockers PiL, who are playing Wolfrun Hall the night before. Judging from the studio album that they dropped in April, John Lydon et al have still got legs.
Tickets from Ticketmaster
4. Super Saturday – Saturday
Yes, we mentioned the Olympics last week and you’re probably already watching them. But we feel it’s worth noting, nonetheless, that Saturday is quite possibly going to be the biggest day of them all, what with 25 gold medals up for grabs. If you’re not going to be at the venues, then we reckon The Book Club’s Basecamp in Shoreditch is the place to be – big screens, street kitchen, even ice cream and a paddling pool when it gets hot (here’s hoping it gets hot).
Get the info here
5. Play Without Words - until Sunday
You may think that dance is not your thing, but this show at Sadler’s Wells Theatre might make you reconsider. It’s the work of the rebellious, sometimes renegade choreographer Matthew Bourne, a study of sex and class in 1960s London. The Guardian describes it as ‘tautly visualized storytelling’; the moves are explosive and sexy; the music is an intense jazz score.
Get tickets from Sadler’s Wells
The ultimate family day out with Harrods
Enjoy a tour of Harrods and brunch at The Georgian restaurant, before boarding their famous bus to see the best of London
Enjoy an exclusive VIP experience for four people at Harrods with MasterCard. This perfect family day out gives you the opportunity to see one of the world’s most prestigious department stores before the doors open. During your early morning tour, you’ll watch it come to life while learning some fascinating facts about how the store is run – did you know 300 of the outside light bulbs are changed every day? As well as taking in some of the newer departments like the Pet Spa, and Toy Kingdom, you’ll also get to appreciate the more established sections that make up its proud history.
After the tour, you’ll receive brunch at the famous Georgian restaurant, sampling some of the fantastic food on offer. It’ll set you up for the day ahead, which will see you join a Harrods Vintage Bus Tour with a Thames River Cruise. This exclusive trip will take you around London’s most renowned landmarks, including Big Ben, The Houses of Parliament, The Royal Albert Hall, The London Eye and many more.
You’ll be taken through the entire experience with a professional guide, while also having the opportunity to stop for photos at key moments. From iconic ceremonies such as the changing of the guard, to Westminster Abbey where Prince William married Kate Middleton, you’ll be able to fully immerse yourself in a Priceless London experience. The tour includes a leisurely trip up the River Thames, where you’ll enjoy fantastic views of Cleopatra’s Needle, Shakespeare’s Globe and London Bridge.
This package includes a goody bag for each guest and costs £150 for group of four. Additional passes can be purchased for just £50 for adults or, £25 for children. It’s your exclusive chance to experience the best of London with MasterCard, starting at its most famous store
Wednesday 25th July
1. Olympics – from Friday
Apparently there’s some kind of sporting event in London starting this weekend? If you don’t have tickets to the events, we reckon your best bet is watching them on one of the big live screens that are being erected in various parks in London – ring up by 2 pm on the day to bag tickets. We’ll be aiming for Victoria Park on Friday night in the hopes of catching a glimpse of the fireworks for real as well as on the big screen.
Get the info about all the live sites here
2. Designing 007 – all week
Lacking Olympic spirit? No problem: this is a great week to catch some of London’s most popular exhibitions while everyone else is at the venues or clustered round the television. Designing 007, at the Barbican, takes a look at everyone’s favourite British spy – from his slick outfits to his swish rides to the cinema magic behind fifty years of Bond filmmaking. A must-see.
Details and ticketing information here
3. Cardiff Comedy Festival – Thursday – Sunday
Hilarity looks set to ensue in Wales as the Cardiff Comedy Festival ends its month-long run this week. The hottest ticket in town is Sunday night’s Grand Finale. Expect a diverse night of laughter: it’s headlined by the British-Iranian comic Omid Djalili, plus other acts including the Welsh-Jewish comedian Bennett Aaron, Londoner Duncan Oakley and Johnny Disco.
Get the details here
4. Eddie Vedder – Monday
Playing the Hammersmith Apollo on his first European tour as a solo artist, the former Pearl Jam front man will mine the back catalogue from his old band’s glory days as well as showing off tracks from last year’s ‘Ukulele Songs’. Yes, he’s just playing the ukulele, and no, it isn’t a gimmick; expect a set of songs that the Observer has described as having ‘genuine charm’.
Tickets are on sale over here
5. Camp Bestival – Thursday – Sunday
Even if you don’t have any sprogs to tote along to this rather kid-friendly festival, it’s worth heading to Dorset for the pretty sweet lineup, including Hot Chip and Little Dragon, plus comedians like Jimmy Carr and Russell Kane, and writers Richard Milward and Stuart Evers.
Check out the full listings and buy tickets via the website
The Milestone Hotel
Stay for two nights or more and receive a £50 voucher to spend at Harrods
The Milestone Hotel is an award winning five star family run boutique hotel overlooking Kensington Palace and Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The Milestone consistently ranks among Europe’s top hotels and is regularly voted by TripAdvisor® as the number one hotel in London. If you stay for two nights or more you’ll receive a £50 voucher to spend at the world famous Harrods Department store, located nearby.
To help you get started on your shopping trip, staff will arrange for a private car to take you from the hotel to Harrods. After all of your shopping is done you can unwind whilst enjoying a delicious Afternoon Tea for two. On top of all this you will also be able to start each day of your stay at The Milestone Hotel with a traditional full English Breakfast.
Find out more here
Wednesday 18th July
1. Shoreditch Festival – Wednesday through Sunday
The Shoreditch Festival is running across East London’s hippest ‘hood all week. But the clear highlight is happening on Saturday, when a slate of up-and-coming acts take to the floating stages in the Regent’s Canal for a day-long music showcase -- free. Look out especially for folk-rockers Urusen, who will be playing around 16h.
Get all the details here
2. Tramlines Festival – Friday - Sunday
All of Sheffield prepares to be taken over by this multi-venue music festival – go to hear the likes of Reverend and the Makers, Mr Scruff, Roots Manuva (pictured above) and We are Scientists. And here’s the crazy part – not only does it not require you to stand in a muddy field, Tramlines is actually all free. Definitely worth a visit to Steel City.
Check out the festival website here
3. Morrissey - Monday
Back in the spring when he announced his tour, Manchester was going to be the only UK stop, but the predictably unpredictable Morrissey is making a stop in Edinburgh as well, playing at Usher Hall. We doubt we need to tell you why to go, but the fact that he keeps threatening to retire may serve as a small extra incentive to go out on a Monday.
Last time we checked you can still grab tickets here
4. Claudia O’Doherty – Tuesday
This Aussie comedienne is over in the UK for her third summer, previewing her new show, The Telescope, before she takes it up to Edinburgh. O’Doherty’s past shows have been reviewed as ‘stunning and bizarre’ by the Guardian and had the ringing endorsement of Daniel Kitson. So, you know, we have pretty high hopes that she’ll once again make us cry with laughter. At the Invisible Dot in Camden.
Tickets to be had over here
5. Tino Sehgal – from Tuesday
We actually can’t tell you what Tino Sehgal’s new installation in Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall is about – because like all of the Hall’s 12 previous exhibitions, it’s being kept a secret up until the opening. But with Sehgal’s established track record in creating works that catalyse audience participation and engagement, it’s safe to say that this will be an intriguing, provocative experience. Tuesday marks the work’s unveiling, so pop down and see it before everyone else (as ever, entrance to the Turbine Hall is free).
Here’s the rundown on the Tate website
Meet the cast of the hilarious Abigail’s Party!
Enjoy this VIP theatre experience at the Wyndham’s Theatre
Exclusive to MasterCard, cardholders can enjoy top price seats to the hilarious comedy Abigail’s Party, followed by a chance to meet the cast and put your questions to them at a post-show Q&A.
As a special thanks to our cardholders, we’re giving you the chance to enjoy a VIP theatre experience on Thursday 16th August 2012 for only £49.50. Your Priceless night will include:
• A seat in a prime location
• A complimentary glass of champagne during the interval
• The chance to put your questions to members of the cast whilst enjoying another glass of champagne
• A show programme
About the show:
Set in 1970’s suburbia, Abigail’s Party sees a party hosted by Beverly and her husband Laurence turn from an evening of drinks and cheesy pineapple nibbles into a night of unmasked prejudices and flared tempers.
Find out more and book here
Wednesday 11th July
1. Latitude Festival – Friday - Saturday
Now in its seventh year, Latitude has earned its rightful reputation as one of the nation’s best summer weekends . Bon Iver, Lana Del Rey, Elbow, Paul Weller, Metronomy and Wild Beasts are all on the lineup. And that’s just the music: there are super-strong literature, comedy, theatre and film slates as well. Don’t be put off by the festival’s child-friendly rep – as is fitting for the pleasant Suffolk location, Latitude is always chilled, but there’s plenty of mischief to be had…
For tickets and info click here
2. Mass Observation – Friday and Saturday
The Mass Observation archive was launched in 1937 to collect ordinary people’s observations of everyday life in Britain; this new play at the Almeida Theatre in Islington, by young theatre company Inspector Sands, brings its ethos to life. Rave reviews from all over the press in New York as well as London praise the play’s great humanity as well as its natural comedy – catch it in this final weekend.
Go to the Almeida Theatre website for more information and tickets
3. Traction – Saturday
Gilles Petersen puts Granary Square – a big public space that’s a key part of the Kings Cross/St Pancras development – to good use, curating a day-long festival of world beats featuring cult hero Sebastian Tellier, as well as Benny Sings, Brandt Brauer Frick, and Ghostpoet. A properly good lineup – and even if the weather’s rubbish, the paved-over square means this will be a mud-free festival.
Get more information and buy tickets here
4. Heatherwick Studio: Designing the Extraordinary – all week
From the new Routemaster-style bus to the ‘Rolling Bridge’ in Paddington Basin, Thomas Heatherwick’s studio has produced some of Britain’s most iconic design work over the past 20 years, and this retrospective exhibition is a must-see. Go this week, we reckon, before the V&A becomes too crowded with Olympic tourists.
Read more about it and get tickets via the V&A website
5. Birmingham Food Fest – Friday – Tuesday
This annual celebration of Brummie deliciousness kicks off on Friday with a day-long opportunity to indulge in taster menus from twenty of the city’s best restaurants, serving from pop-up venues in Victoria Square. Running concurrently: the Birmingham Chilli Festival at Brindleyplace, for those who value spice highly. But save room for the next six days…
Get the lowdown on the festival website
(Image: Rex features)
Sake and Sushi MasterClass at Inamo St James Restaurant
MasterCard Priceless London Exclusive Experience
Learn new techniques and dine with the award winning Inamo St James
Inamo St James is hosting a series of exclusive sushi & sake master classes for Priceless London. Guests will have the opportunity to don their aprons and learn how to prepare tasty nigiri & maki, alongside sampling hot and cold sakes. Experts will be on hand to explain the history, culture, and how to hold your sushi knife properly!
Format of the masterclass:
• 1.5 hour sessions
• Classes start at 18:30
• Maximum of 24 guests
• Split into 2 groups of 12, half do sushi first, half sake, then swap.
• 3 pieces of salmon maki per guest.
• 3 pieces of nigiri per guest.
• sushi served to all guests at end of session at bar to share.
• 2 sakes to taste (one hot, one cold).
• wasabi pea passing competition (incorporated into sake tasting) with winner getting flask of sake to share if staying for dinner.
• 15% off total bill if guests stay on to dine in the restaurant
About Inamo
Inamo St James couples high-quality food with a state-of-the-art concept .The upmarket Oriental fusion restaurant boasts the world’s first interactive ordering system, where the menu is beamed straight onto the table surface and orders are placed at the touch of a virtual button.
Click here to book
Wednesday 4th July
1. Pink Martini and Tim Minchin -Thursday
If you’ve only ever ventured to Kew Gardens for a drizzly stroll through the rose gardens with your nan, then Kew The Music is your opportunity to give it another chance. There’s a whole range of tops acts in this concert series, but the Pink Martini-Tim Minchin double bill is our top pick. Minchin’s comedy rock stylings are the kind of hilarious that make us cry, and the Oregon jazz band promises to finish the evening of levity off with a round-the-world travelogue.
2. Memento - Saturday
The first part of July at the National Film Theatre has been dedicated to a celebration of the director Christopher Nolan, and Memento, Nolan’s 2000 breakthrough film is our pick -- starring Guy Pearce as a tragic man straining to recall his own life. Do keep an eye on the rest of the schedule, too – Dark Knight and Batman Begins are among the other key films in Nolan’s oeuvre that are being screened as part of this mini-season.
Click here for all the details.
3. British Design – Saturday and Sunday
Bad news: the weather is set to continue to be rubbish pretty much all week. Good news: the British Design 1948-2012exhibition at the V&A is brilliant, ranging from post-war appliances to Zaha Hadid’s London 2012 aquatics centre. It may well make you feel proud to be British; get in this weekend before it’s totally overrun by Olympic tourists.
Details and tickets here
4. Simple Minds - Sunday
Indulge in a blast from the past with this Newcastle stop on the reunion tour of Simple Minds. We’ll take a wild guess and say that it will feature plenty of their classic material and perhaps rather less from the albums from the last ten years that no one’s really even listened to. In other words: the perfect gig for the nostalgic among us. Nice.
Tickets and info here
5. Spirit Photography – all week
Part of an exhibition curated as part of Refugee Week Scotland, this exhibition at Glasgow’s excellent Street Level Photoworks showcases the work of seven refugee photographers who interviewed members of their respective communities to discover what the concept of ‘spirit’ means to them. Not just moving; some of the work shows real streaks of brilliance.
Information here
(Image: All Star)
Enjoy breathtaking views over the Thames with Brasserie Joël
Gain exclusive access to the Atrium Lounge and enjoy dinner in Brasserie Joël
Enjoy a drink in the luxurious Atrium lounge before indulging in a sumptuous meal at the critically acclaimed Brasserie Joël restaurant, all thanks to your MasterCard®. When you arrive, you’ll enjoy a glass of champagne along with canapés, while admiring the spectacular wall-to-wall views out over Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament.
You’ll then be served a delicious 3-course meal (excluding beverages) from a set menu in the restaurant. It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the food of top chef, Walter Ishizuka. With three years at Lyon’s famous three Michelin starred Paul Bocuse Restaurant and three and a half at Paris Ritz’s two Michelin starred Restaurant, L’Espadon, behind him, he brings his own blend of creativity and passion for food to London.
Ishizuka’s menu contains classic French fare featuring bold, simple flavours cooked using the finest ingredients. Rave reviews from the press and public should be enough to convince anybody that Brasserie Joël is a must-try restaurant. Book now to make the most of this exclusive offer, which is available for just £35 per person.
Wednesday 27th June
1. M Ward - Monday
Electro-guitar country-folk worth going out on a Monday night for. LA-based M Ward is known best for his collaborations with Zooey Deschanel and Conor Oberst, but his solo work is definitely worth a listen: Ward is a consummate musician. Tonight at Koko in Camden, he’ll be playing tunes from his new album, A Wasteland Companion, recorded in various studios along the way on previous tours, with the assistance of friends such as PJ Harvey and John Parish.
Get tickets and info here
2. Andy Zaltzman’s Political Animal – Thursday
At Udderbelly, the acerbic and hilarious Zaltzman heads up a slate of politically minded comedians (including Josie Long and Richard Herring) who don’t pull any punches when it comes to making erudite critiques of our nation’s politicians. Except to laugh until you cry (partly from the joyful hilarity, partly from the state of our nation).
Get tickets here
3. The Comedy of Errors – all week
Give Shakespeare a whirl with this critically acclaimed production of his most farcical comedy. Staged at the Roundhouse in London, director Amir Nizar Zuabi has re-set the classic tale of twins separated at birth, only to be unwittingly reunited, in contemporary times. The result is a bold, bright, laugh-out-loud show that’s hardly the stuff Shakespeare of your schooldays (but going still gives you that little bit of intellectual cache). This is the show’s last week, so grab tickets tout de suite.
Details here
4. Edinburgh International Film Festival – Thursday - Sunday
Get to Edinburgh for the last four days of the EIFF: the line-up is an absolute belter. It’s hard to pick programme highlights because, frankly, it all looks good, but we reckon retro horror flick Berberian Sound Studio (showing Thursday and Friday) and California Solo, starring the unparalleled Robert Carlyle (showing Friday and Saturday), are among the strongest contenders.
Get the EIFF lowdown here
5. Relentless Energy Drink Nass Festival – Friday-Saturday
Overlook the slightly embarrassing branded title of this Bath-area fest – the line-up of action, sports and music looks set to make for an adrenaline-filled weekend. The music line-up features a who’s who of DnB and dubstep. And the athletic demonstrations will have you saying, ‘What OIympics?’, thanks to the current stars of skateboarding, BMX, Inline and FMX.
Tickets and info on the festival website here
Wednesday 21st June
1. Jack White and First Aid Kit – Thursday and Friday
Yet another incarnation for soul-rock-country boy Jack White (post-Meg, post-Raconteurs, post-Dead Weather) as he goes solo with his new album, Blunderbuss. Catch it while it’s hot at one of the two London gigs he’s playing this week to show it off: Brixton on Thursday and Hammersmith on Friday.
Get Tickets via Ticketmaster, from £12.50
2. Bands and Books – Thursday
A newish indie night for bookish musos, Bands and Books combines readings from top authors paired with sets from up-and-coming bands. A pretty clever combination. This month’s edition: readings by novelist Stuart Evers, writer Zoe Howe, and graphic novelist James Eve; tunes from Fountains and Tied to the Mast. It’s at Power Lunches in Dalston and it’s just a fiver on the door.
3. Hip Hop on Trial - Tuesday
An unprecedented global debate on hip-hop, sponsored by Google and Intelligence Squared, this evening at the Barbican will feature a raft of top flight speakers, from American politician Jesse Jackson to hip-hop artist Q-Tip to British poet and performer Benjamin Zephaniah. Chaired by BBC presented Emily Maitlis, with Jemima Khan acting as web host – some of the speakers will be there on stage, other beamed in via the internet. Frankly, fascinating stuff.
Tickets start at £10, click here to get yours
4. Edinburgh Fringe Preview, Jarred Christmas and Lloyd Langford – Tuesday
Yes, the Fringe is nigh – get a head start on some of the acts that everyone will be talking about in August by getting along to this two-comedian night at The Stand in Edinburgh. Jarred Christmas and Lloyd Langford are from New Zealand and Wales respectively and both beginning to make a real mark on the stand-up circuit…watch them now to say you knew them before they were famous.
Get more info and tickets here
5. Turner, Monet, Twombly: Later Paintings – from Thursday
See works by these three masterful painters juxtaposed in an iconic exhibition, opening on Thursday at Tate Liverpool. Curated in collaboration with Stockholm’s Moderna Museet, these exhibition looks at the painters’ works in the last 20-30 years of their careers and serves as a crucial introduction to those unfamiliar with the artists’ work, but also offers fascinating illumination to those more familiar with painting.
Entry is £12; details: here
(Image: Rex features)
Wednesday 13th June
1. Lovebox – Friday - Sunday
So what if you’re not at Sonar this weekend? You don’t need to trek to Barcelona when there’s a stunning line-up at Lovebox in east London’s Victoria Park: Hot Chip, Lana del Rey, Little Dragon, Crystal Castles, Grace Jones...and it goes on. We’re not going to tell you to expect good weather (you love your cagoule, don’t you?) but it’s safe to say you can expect some amazing beats.
Tickets available here, from £31.90 for Friday night to £108.80 for a three-day wristband.
2. Poetry Olympics – Thursday
Even if you haven’t read a poem since GCSE English we think this night at the South Bank Centre is worth a look-in. Expect an eclectic fusion of music and spoken word with guest appearances by a cast of performers that includes Damon Albarn (who knew the Blur man was a poet at heart?) and fringe comedy favourite John Hegley.
Tickets from £10 available through the South Bank Centre. Click here to buy
3. Beer, Cider, Music Festival – Thursday – Sunday
The perfect trio of ingredients for and ideal weekend? The annual festival returns to the Miners’ Arms in Bristol, with 30 beers and ales to sample and enjoy every night (and day, during the weekend) of the festival, along with a range of great tunes. Free entry, for a £2 cover on Saturday, which includes a donation towards the local city farm (you’ll be drinking beer for a good cause).
For more information click here
4. Zoo Lates – Friday
Head to London Zoo on Friday night to mix and mingle with the animals after dark (and some humans, too, in features like the Silent Disco). Demonstrations, talks, street food and music make this a pleasingly sophisticated way to visit the animal kingdom – this is an adults-only event.
For tickets click here
5. Communion – Sunday
The passion project of Mumford & Sons’ Ben Lovett, the Communion tour grew out of a club night that he started six years ago to give emerging artists a chance to be heard by more people than their mums. Now it’s an indie record label and tour that punches above its weight, showcasing small bands with big talent. This Sunday at Sneaky Pete’s in Glasgow, be prepared for the possibility of discovering the artists who everyone will be talking about this time next year.
Get information and tickets here
(Image: Rex features)
Roll up! Roll up! Cantina has arrived at Priceless London Wonderground
Ring side seats & VIP Bar access to the greatest cabaret show everyone is talking about!
MasterCard has teamed up with Underbelly and Southbank Centre to bring you the Priceless London Wonderground - a festival of cabaret, music, sideshow and fantastic circus entertainment. Built around a magnificent 1920s Spiegeltent, it brings a taste of early 20th Century Coney Island to London. International circus hit Cantina is headlining all summer, so come on down to the South Bank for an evening of beautiful, exhilarating and truly breathtaking entertainment.
Every Thursday Priceless London is delighted to offer cardholders the chance to buy ring side seats to Cantina with access to the VIP Bar, a complimentary drink before and after the show for just £45, exclusively for MasterCard cardholders.
Book now to secure your exclusive Priceless London experience.
Wednesday 6th June
1. Rockness — Friday - Sunday
Get thee (and thy most waterproof jacket) far north this weekend. The RockNess festival near Inverness has managed to seduce a huge lineup to some of Scotland’s furthest northern reaches: Mumford and Sons (pictured above), Hudson Mohawke and Metronmy are just a few of the dozens of acts appearing. Spontaneous road trip, anyone?
Tickets still available, from £174.90 for three days plus camping (and a booking fee) get them here
2. Secret Cinema — Sunday - Tuesday
We don’t want to give too much away, so suffice to say this edition of Secret Cinema is an intense, jaw-dropping immersive theatre experience that will allow you to live out several of your childhood dreams, followed by a blockbuster of a flick. Put on your best boiler suit (this isn’t a joke) and go.
Buy tickets here
3. The Hairy Ape — Thursday - Saturday
Revived in London for the first time in twenty-five years, this play by midcentury American playwright Eugene O’Neill looks at the plight of oppressed working class men -- unsurprisingly, it has keen contemporary relevance. The stellar lead performance by Bill Ward is worth it alone.
Get tickets from the Southwark Playhouse
4. First Thursday — Thursday
Gillian Wearing at Whitechapel Gallery is the top draw for this month’s installment of late openings in East London. And this month, even the most avant garde pieces will go down extra-smooth, thanks to pop-up Jameson’s bars serving free cocktails at Whitechapel Gallery, Calvery 22, Aubin and DegreeArt.
Mostly free! Get all the details here
5. Hot Chip — Sunday
It’s time to get your early noughties on with a sweet little gig at The Leadmill with Hot Chip. Bound to be a bit emotional: it’s the day before the official release of their latest studio album, and a chance to hear in person whether they’ve still got the chops that got them to the top of the charts in their heyday.
Buy tickets direct from the venue, here
(Image: Rex features)
Book your VIP Booth for Cantina at the Priceless London Wonderground
Exclusive VIP Booth and Meet The Cast of Cantina, the cabaret show everyone is talking about!
MasterCard has teamed up with Underbelly and Southbank Centre to bring you the Priceless London Wonderground - a festival of cabaret, music, sideshow and fantastic circus entertainment. Built around a magnificent 1920s Spiegeltent, it brings a taste of early 20th Century Coney Island to London. International circus hit Cantina is headlining all summer, so come on down to the South Bank for an evening of beautiful, exhilarating and truly breathtaking entertainment.
Each month Priceless London is offering cardholders the chance to book a VIP Booth for 8 people . As well as VIP hospitality and table service, you will also be able to meet the cast after the show, all for just £480.00 per VIP booth.
Book now to secure your exclusive Priceless London experience.
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