London: Tea Time in Wonderland

The countdown to the Jubilee has begun, tricolor bunting is on, waves of merchandising are coming our way.

Flags, portraits of the Queen, carriages, horseguards,Buckingham Palace, crowns and tiaras, you name it. And this royal twirl, another icon triumphs: the corgi, Elisabeth II’s faithful companion (s, she has 3). Biscuit, bag, fluffy toy, brooch…

Even Selfridges offers us a doggy smile:

Fascinated but the Jubilee celebrations? This Thursday, the condown begins – only 60 days left before the Queen’s 60 years of reign. Go and raise your glass to the royal couple at Gordon’s Wine Bar. Look at the walls – historical covers of the Daily Mail present some of the most marking moments of Elisabeth II’s life. Cheers, your majesty! Want more ideas for the week-end? Scroll down:

Yummy time ahead:
* Hoorray! It is free cone day with Ben & Jerry’s.
* Add an exotic touch with this African market.
* Hips, an adult egg hunt with cocktails.

That’s art baby!
* Damien Hirst, the polemical artist, opens his retrospective at the Tate.

Take the little ones along:
* Oh! A Lindt chocolate egg hunt!
* Not interested in the boat race? Discover the goat race in Hackney city farm on Sunday.
* If you loved the Secret Cinema, rejoyce. The Future Cinema has launched some morning sessions in the same spirit, meant for families. And believe me, Bugsy malone at the Troxy is worth making a detour for.
* Enjoy a family tour of Wembley with the Beano tour.

Out of the ordinary:
* Boring bingo? Try this Indie version on Thursday!
* On Thursday and Friday, go and play at the Old Vic Tunnels: volley-ball, badmington,campfire, ping-pong, deckchairs…
* Did you know there was a huge coffee culture in London a long time ago? Learn more with this walk through the city.
* Remember the roof garden planted last year for the Festival of Britain on the top of Royal Festival Hall? It is reopening this Saturday and is a lovely place to enjoy a Pimm’s with a view.
* Don’t miss the boat race between Oxford and Cambridge.
* Sunday, see the whole first season of Twin Peaks again at the Chapel Cinema. Oh, and a slice of cherry pie is included in the ticket.
* Try this app which tells you about the dark little stories of London.

An Argentinian dream with Midnight Tango. Such a glamourous, seductive dance. Dresses seem to be flying around the dancers. And when the music speeds up, so does your heart, and so do the heels on the stage. Exceptional skills, not only of  Strictly Come Dancing’s Vincent and Flavia but of the whole troup. Do go and see it.

That’s art, baby!
* Knitting obsession.
* Step back in David Lynch‘s world.
* Redefine art.
* A poetic page.

Yummy time ahead:
* A special one for meat lovers.
* A suivre, donc! Try Pierre Hermé‘s new macaron: Jardin enchanté (Enchanted garden). Lime cream, a heart of cherries, a touch of Espelette chilli to wake up the tastebuds. There will be a different edition on the garden theme every month – do not miss any!

Love, love, love:
* Add some glitter with Tatty Devine on Thursday.
* 50 romantic ideas in London.

Take the little ones along:
* Get those roller skates out and spend a disco time with the family.
* Re-celebrate the Chinese New year.
* The Somerset House too has craft workshops for kids this week-end

Royal London:
* Discover Queen Elisabeth II’s life through Cecil Beaton’s pictures of her. At the V&A until April 22, 2012.

So British:
* The best pubs in London? Click this way. Cheers.
* This week-end, your pint could also be rock’n'roll.

Out of the ordinary:
* Daniel Radcliffe fan? Meet him Thursday evening.
* Walk through Dickens‘ world (free, no need to book)
* Street art gets colourful with Jimmy C.
* London plays the high tech card (yeah, it seems we have a budget for that)
* Saturday, see the best slices of Bollywood movies.
* Meet the London clowns and tip your hat to Grimaldi.
* Follow the street art. Litterally.
* Tropical extravagance at Kew Gardens.
* After the Chinese New Year, the Russian one. This will be on Sunday and on Trafalgar.
* Snowdrops are already blooming at the Chelsea Physics Garden.