For one of the most high-profile and stylish events in the world, London Fashion Week is remarkably accessible. If you can’t blag your way in as a fashion professional, journalist or Anna Wintour’s long-lost relative, you can still get a taste of the glamour that infects the city twice a year. London will be full of fashionable opportunities around 15 to 19 February, when the Autumn and Winter 2013 collections from British designers will be on show.

The closest you can get to the action is London Fashion Weekend, which uses the same catwalk at Somerset House for its runway shows, moving in a few days after Fashion Week has packed up. Inside the marquee in the central courtyard, shows will explore upcoming trends and individual designers. You can also browse the maze of mini showrooms, filled with cut-price designer clothing from classic British labels like Pringle of Scotland and Twenty8Twelve.

You can also emulate the jet-set lifestyle of the fashion elite by visiting foreign embassies dotted around the capital, who will promote their country’s emerging designers in the International Fashion Showcase exhibition. More than 110 designers are involved, representing countries as varied as Argentina, Jamaica, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Nigeria and Vietnam. Follow them on a stylish treasure hunt around the capital with this official map - collecting six stamps on the ‘passport’ enters you into a prize draw to win shopping vouchers or tickets to next season’s Fashion Weekend.

There are also plenty of unofficial events worth visiting – the first ever British Plus Size Fashion Weekend has caused a media stir and will celebrate bodies of size 16 and above, and the designers who are inspired by them. It should offer some refreshing and challenging perspectives, not to mention realistically-sized models. Other alternative events include frock-swapping and upcycling lessons at Forest Hill Fashion Week, while retro cocktail bar Bourne & Hollingsworth is hosting Fashion Retrospective, a vintage fashion show at the Bloomsbury Ballroom which plans to reveal the influence the old has on the new.

And away from the runways, there is the nightlife, much of which you can buy a ticket for. London radio station Capital FM is holding a Fashion Week closing party with design collective London Ethnic at Village Underground in Shoreditch. It’s in aid of the Help a Capital Child charity and some models represented Team GB at the London Olympics. The May Fair is the official London Fashion Week hotel, and has created a range of decadent cocktails inspired by shoes to celebrate. Even if you don’t make a party, a trip to one of central London’s bars could well reward you with a celeb sighting.

Here are the dates for your diary:

• London Fashion Weekend: 21-24 February at Somerset House
• International Showcase Exhibition: 1-28 February at embassies around London
• British Plus Size Fashion Weekend: 15-16 Februrary at Shoreditch Town Hall
• Forest Hill Fashion Week: 15-19 February around Forest Hill
• Fashion Retrospective: 16 February at Bloomsbury Ballroom
• Help a Capital Child Party: 19 February at Village Underground in Shoreditch

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the London Underground, the oldest subterranean railway in the world. A major exhibition at the London Transport Museum opens this week, celebrating one of the most distinctive elements of the Tube – design. The multicoloured lines on the iconic map make order out of chaos, and also provide inspiration for artists and scientists alike. Here are some of our favourite re-imaginings.

The Real-time Tube Map

This fascinating map plots the live location of each train on the Tube network, using departure data from Transport for London. Matthew Somerville created it in 2010 at a ‘hack’ weekend – a gathering of designers and web developers who create projects from scratch over several days.

The History of Music Tube Map

Pop, rock, punk and funk are all there on this brilliant Music on the Tube map, which charts 100 years of popular music thanks to the efforts of the folks on the Guardian’s Culture Vulture blog. Each station is an artiste, and it’s fun to see where Michael Jackson intersects with Basement Jaxx and Bob Dylan links up with The Rolling Stones.

The Geographically Accurate Tube Map

Have you noticed that stations on the London Underground’s map can appear to be in different parts of the capital, yet are minutes away by foot? The map is designed to be easily read and understood, but this geographically accurate version from Project Mapping reveals the true locations of the stops, relative to each other.

The Electric Tube Map

The recently-completed Overground network (the orange line on the map) can take you in a complete ring around the city, albeit with several changes in between. Taking this as artistic inspiration, The Electric Tube uses concentric circles for the orbital sections of the Circle Line and Overground network and straight lines for the Central and Piccadilly Lines. It accurately shows where each train line connects, and uses a sine wave for the Northern Line’s Bank branch which crosses the Circle Line no fewer than three times. The map was the brainchild of Oliver O’Brien from the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA) at University College London.

 The Bikes on the Tube Map

Bicycles are only permitted on certain parts of the Tube (mainly lines outside of the centre, such as the Circle and District lines) and at certain times (outside of rush hours). This handy map from Transport for London points them out, as well as detailing the lines on which carrying a fold-up bike is allowed while a regular bike is not. An invaluable resource for cyclists wanting to take the Underground to speed up part of a journey.

Find more events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Tube.

We heartily encourage you to eat pancakes any day of the year, but tomorrow is Shrove Tuesday, which means they are pretty much essential. As this list of restaurants demonstrates, the humble pancake comes in many different guises. Will it be American hotcakes with blueberries, or the timeless French crêpe with lemon and sugar? If you’re struggling to choose, we’ve picked out some of the most mouthwatering menu choices.

My Old Dutch

The original pancake house has branches in Kensington, Holborn and Chelsea and has been serving large flat Dutch pancakes known as pannekoeken since the 50s. The culinary influences extend far beyond the borders of Holland, with Italian, Greek and Chinese-inspired savoury pancakes – look out for the chicken curry one too. The sweet pancakes are more traditional, with tempting combinations including chocolate, syrup, lemon and berries.
Star pancake: It has to be the eponymous My Old Dutch: a favourite from Holland with smoked bacon, chicken, ham, sweet pepper, mushrooms, sweetcorn and cheese.

The Breakfast Club

While this trio of cafés do serve lunch and dinner, go there for the breakfast and brunches. The atmosphere is cosy, as the murmurs of half-asleep punters mix with clattering plates. Pancakes are of the American variety (smaller and fatter than French crêpes or Dutch pannekoeken) and come with cooked breakfasts or with maple syrup, or berries and ice cream for a sweet treat. Breakfast Clubs can be found in Hoxton, Angel, Soho or Spitalfield. Arrive early as they are very popular at weekends.
Star pancake: Pancakes and Bacon with maple syrup – an unrivalled combination of sweet and salty.

Crème de la Crêpe

Silly names and inventive combinations abound at this cool crêperie, which started off with a stall in Borough Market before graduating to its first shop in Covent Garden. Indulgent creations on the menu include the Billy Goat’s Gruff (goat’s cheese, caramelised onion marmalade, sweet cherrybell peppers and rocket) and the Cheap Date (Mars bar with Baileys). It now has a second outlet in South Kensington too.
Star pancake: The adventurous Gone Fishin’, with hot smoked salmon, spring onions, lemon juice, black pepper mayonnaise and rocket.

The Kensington Crêperie

This is where French locals head when they need a crêpe fix. Stalwart sweet options like lemon and sugar are perfect for snacks and puddings, and The Kensington Crêperie also serves a brilliant range of galettes – French pancakes made with buckwheat flour and a savoury filling.
Star pancake: The effortlessly French Tartiflette Galette, a buckwheat pancake filled with the classic French dish of bacon, potatoes, oozing Raclette cheese, cream, onion and white wine.

More information about Pancake Day in London

February is approaching fast, and for those of you in a couple and looking to impress, so is the decision of what to do for Valentine’s Day. It can be a great excuse to do something special that you’ll remember – forget roses and cheesy piano music, why not go to a venue that is memorable (even if your companion isn’t)?

Sarastro
Opulent Sarastro packs the romance and gusto of opera into its gold and red interior, crammed with curious objects. Dine below ten opera boxes in differing styles, along with brash, erotic artwork and regular singing performances. Situated on Drury Lane in the heart of theatre land, Sarastro is a popular pre-theatre dining spot. The food has a Mediterranean theme and there’s a three-course Valentine’s menu for £35 a head.

Evans and Peel
Dates should be fun, and the entrance to cocktail bar Evans and Peel demands a level of imagination. It is set up like a detective agency, and guests must state their ‘case’ before being allowed to enter. If successful, you’ll be directed into a 1920s speakeasy bar, with old fashioned cocktails (watch out, they’re strong) and American diner food like mac ‘n’ cheese.

Dans le Noir?
Tucked away in an unassuming Clerkenwell location, this French-inspired restaurant has a unique setup. You eat in pitch blackness, guided by blind waiters. Talking to a companion without being able to see them is a strange and liberating experience, and you also don’t know what you’ve eaten until after the meal. Before you enter Dans le Noir’s darkness, you select for the vegetarian, meat, fish or ‘surprise’ menu. The later will appeal to the adventurous – it included zebra and shark when I visited.

Garlic and Shots
The name says it all – Garlic and Shots in Soho is dedicated to the white pungent bulb, as well as over 100 vodka shots. If your date likes garlic (it’s supposed to be an aphrodisiac) this should be a winner. All the dishes, and bizarrely some of the drinks, contain garlic, and the décor is an eclectic mixture of American bar with influences from the restaurant’s Swedish founders.

Inamo
Oriental fusion restaurant Inamo has two branches in London and some very tasty food, but that’s not why visitors come. The main draw is its e-table ordering system, which lets you scroll through images of food and view them on your plate before ordering from your table. You can also play games like battleships, switch between virtual tablecloths and watch the chefs working in real time with the ‘Chefcam’ function. A Valentine’s menu of four courses costs £35 per person.

Circus
A theatrical evening is guaranteed at Circus, the bar which doubles as a cabaret venue. It’s worth arriving early before a meal and staying late, to catch as many of the daring entertainment acts as you can – they range from acrobats to fire-breathers and dancers, and sometimes perform on the table in front of you. The cuisine is pan Asian and there’s a special Valentine’s offer for £70 per person.

Discover more unusual restaurants in London with our guide to the capital’s quirky restaurants.

Last year set the bar pretty high for events and attractions in London, but 2013 is shaping up to be just as exciting. Here are some highlights you can’t miss this year.

View from the Shard

When? From 1 February

What? The opening of the Shard – that spiky new building that you can see from all over London. You can visit the viewing deck on the (deep breath) 69th floor, where digital telescopes will fill you in on the various parts of London you can gaze at.

Why? It was Europe’s tallest building, until November last year when a tower in Russia inched ahead. But height isn’t everything – the Shard is iconic and will give you giddy views of the city from 40 miles around. If you’re feeling brave, head up to the 72nd floor – it’s partly open air and the highest point you can access.

New London Dungeon

When? From 1 March

What? The London Dungeon is moving to a new home at County Hall, due to building work at London Bridge station.

Why? The move to the South Bank means a refreshed and more scary dungeon – there are 18 new spine-tingling shows to watch, and a virtual 3D Brian Blessed will sentence you to death as Henry VIII.

The Coronation Festival

When? 11-14 July

What? Dust off that bunting from the Diamond Jubilee, it’s the 60th anniversary of the Queen’s coronation, which happened a year after she became Queen. To celebrate, Buckingham Palace is hosting an exhibition featuring more than 200 companies who hold Royal Warrants of Appointment – the mark of recognition for companies who have supplied goods or services to the royal family. There will also be two evening galas celebrating music throughout Her Majesty’s rein.

Why? The goods on show will be the best of British – officially. And it’s in the gardens of Buckingham Palace, need we say more?

RideLondon

When? 3-4 August

What? A brand new cycling festival through the streets of London. RideLondon is made up of three events: a 100-mile road challenge beginning in the Olympic Park, a family fun ride around London landmarks for up to 70,000 cyclists and a city centre grand prix for women’s elite, junior cyclists and hand cycles.

Why? After Bradley Wiggins rode to glory in the Tour de France and then won the Olympic time trial, the appetite for cycling in London is huge – 50,000 people have registered for only 20,000 places in the road challenge.

What are you looking forward to this year? Let us know below.

When it comes to presents and luxury experiences, there are far more options out there for the ladies. Here, we’re tipping the scales in favour of boys. They deserve fun too – and some of these experiences could make a great last-minute Christmas treat.

Gentleman’s Afternoon Tea

Tiny scones and cucumber sandwiches are delicious. But if you want something equally miniature but more macho, establishments like Chapters brasserie in Blackheath have come up with a hearty alternative to the traditional afternoon tea. They have replaced the cakes and tea with Greenwich Meantime beer, salt beef on toasted rye bread, mini-burgers and champagne-glazed oysters. More meat-focused, but no less indulgent. The tea isn’t available in December but will be back in January.

Men-only Spa Day

We all like a bit of self-maintenance, and Nickel Spa in Westminster caters only to men. Gents can choose a male or female therapist for treatments including massage, body treatments, facials and microdermabrasion. If you’re a first-timer to a spa and aren’t quite sure how to act, they offer a handy etiquette guide.

The Perfect Steak

London is blessed with many excellent steak restaurants. Hawksmoor and Gaucho are solid choices, but the newly-opened MASH would be my top pick (the name stands for modern American steak house). MASH has an elegant art deco interior, fantastic wine list and an owner who can advise on your carnivorous choices if you need some help.

Go Karting

Adventurous types will love zooming round the track at one of Team Sport’s two London go karting tracks. Each centre at Tower Bridge and Enfield boasts a 400m track and karts that can reach 40mph. At the end of a session, drivers are given a full race report detailing track times and where they ranked against other competitors.

A Trip to the Barber

There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about an old-fashioned barber’s shop. Murdock has branches in Shoreditch, Soho, Covent Garden, Spitalfields and Mayfair, and you can come away with some beautiful shaving accessories that could make stylish presents.

Know of any other pampering activities for men in London? Or have you tried some of these out? Let us know below.

Having just returned from a three-week trip to northern India, the British Library‘s latest exhibition makes me all nostalgic.

It is the first comprehensive look at the art of the Mughals, a dynasty whose empire spanned much of the Indian subcontinent during the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. As Muslims from Persia who ruled over a Hindu majority, the Mughals did not crush their Indian subjects, but fused their artistic skills and resources together, producing iconic creations like the Taj Mahal.

On my visit to India, it was impossible to visit any place in the romantic desert state of Rajasthan, or even in hectic and maddening Delhi, without stumbling across art and architecture that tells the story of the Mughals and their power struggles, romance and deep regard for the arts, as well as their eventual decline when the British came along in the 1800s.

Building an Empire

You’re bound to recognise the subject of this drawing in the exhibition, created in 1812-15. The Taj Mahal is one of the most well-known monuments in the world, and I’m happy to say it deserves its reputation as the most beautiful. The Mughals were prolific builders of forts, palaces and monuments and this legacy marks local people today – the Taj Mahal is maintained by descendants of the original 20,000 craftspeople who worked on its site in Agra for 22 years to create the breathtakingly symetrical building, a monument for Mumtaz Mahal, the late queen of the emperor Shah Jahan.

Fathers and Sons

Emperor Shah Jahan, famous for building the Taj Mahal, is pictured in this painting greeting his son Aurangzeb at the court or durbar in 1650-1655. Court rituals such as this demonstrate the complex hierarchy of life at court, but just a few years later Aurangzeb overthrew his father and imprisoned him for the rest of his life in Agra Fort, where he could only gaze at the Taj Mahal from a distance.

Colonialism

One of the first successful British missions to India was that of the ambassador Sir Thomas Roe. His journal entries from 1616 make a rare appearance in the British Library exhibition. Roe was presented to the fourth Mughal emperor Jahangir on 10 January 1616 and described him as “very merrie and joyfull” in the journal.

Final Days

Monuments like Delhi’s Red Fort, pictured in this painting, are legacies of Mughal creativity but also tell the story of Britain and India. This artwork was created in the dying days of the dynasty 1846. In 1857, the last Mughal emperor was dethroned here by the British.

Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire is at the British Library until 2 April. Tickets are £9 with reductions for concessions, seniors and students.

Christmas shopping should be fun (so what if you pick up a present for yourself in the process?) We’ve picked out some seasonal shopping locations to help you tick gifts off your list and enjoy yourself in the process.

Camden Lock Night Market

Best for: Evening shopping

Camden’s night market makes for an ideal trip if you’re pushed for time in the day. It runs on Thursdays between 5 and 10pm, offering arts and crafts and tasty festive food for Christmas. There’s also live entertainment from the likes of the Belle Fleurs, who deliver a twist on classic rock, pop, punk and metal numbers. 13 and 20 Dec

Southbank Centre Christmas Market

Best for: A taste of Cologne in London

Feast on mulled wine, bratwurst and gingerbread hearts at the German-themed market which has been set up for the fifth year on Queen’s walk outside the Southbank Centre. The 80 chalets focus on food, but gifts like hand-crafted toys should make perfect stocking fillers. There’s a carousel to amuse the kids, and a handy chalet map can be downloaded here. Until 24 Dec

London Glassblowing Christmas Open Studio

Best for: Christmas presents to treasure

Glassblowing is an elegant and beautiful art. Leading workshop London Glassblowing is opening its studio in London Bridge up to visitors for Christmas. It’s a chance to watch artists at work by the furnaces, and buy a piece from £45 if one takes your eye – a glass bauble perhaps. Mince pies and mulled wine will also be on offer. Until 24 Dec

Real Food Christmas Market

Best for: Gastronomic festivity

Real Food takes place weekly at the Southbank Centre Square, but at this time of year it takes on a distinctly festive focus. You can sample traditional mince pies fresh out of the oven from the Flour Station, pick up some marmalade vodka from Chase Distillery or get your

free-range Bronze or Norfolk turkey from The Thoroughly Wild Meat Co, which hangs its birds for a fuller flavour. 14-16 Dec and 20-23 Dec

Find more Christmas markets in our Christmas shopping guide here. Have any to add to the list? Share them below.

Using a bit of his Christmas magic, Santa is appearing at spots all over the capital this month, sometimes even at the same time!

Santa’s Grotto in Duke of York Square
Kids can have their photo taken with Santa and receive a gift at Duke of York Square’s free grotto, where there’s also a special post box to send your Christmas lists to Lapland. On some dates in December, Liz Earle will provide complimentary hand and arm massages in the back of the grotto, so parents can get pampered while the kids chat to Santa. Advanced booking recommended. 
Until 23 Dec

Santa’s Grotto at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City
Seeing Santa in the flesh is exciting enough, but at Westfield London and Westfield Stratford City he’ll be appearing in 5D. Every child will see their name and picture appear in a personalised film, which sees Elbow the Elf save Santa’s presents. Visiting also lets you download the “Elbow Saves Christmas” mobile phone game, so you can take him away in your pocket. Tickets are £3 per person or £10 for a family.
Until 24 Dec

Santa Baby
Santa will be popping into this pop-up Christmas cocktail bar, tucked away in the arches under the railway lines at 347 Old Street in Shoreditch. Indie Christmas tunes provide the soundtrack and top mixologists have designed treats like mulled champagne and molecular Santa Baby Eggnog, using techniques like high-pressure distillation. Santa Baby has a vintage feel - the venue is modelled on a 1950s American suburban living room. 
Until 23 Dec

Santa and His Reindeer at London Zoo
Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Blitzen and of course Rudolph are all at London Zoo this Christmas. You can visit them in their paddock, as well as meeting Santa and telling him your present list (as long as you’ve been good). Cheeky elf photographers will be on hand to take a picture and each child will receive a gift to take home. Tickets are £7.
Until 24 Dec

Winter Wonderland
Every Winter, Hyde Park becomes more festive than a penguin in a Christmas jumper. Winter Wonderland is back in the park with a Christmas market, ice skating, observation wheel and a kingdom of ice and snow sculptures. Santa Land includes a free visit to Saint Nick, as well as the new “Santa’s Factory” where the elves are making gifts ready for the big day.
Until 6 Jan

Find Christmas grottos all over London with our Christmas grottos guide

The famous faces in The Savoy ballroom on Sunday night were enough to make anyone a bit giddy. I was lucky to join stars Judi Dench, Anna Wintour, Bill Nighy, Damian Lewis, Ian McKellen, Colin Firth and Danny Boyle to celebrate the capital’s best theatre, at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2012.

Compere James Corden opened the ceremony with a cheeky song called “For the love of awards”, reminding us that he has a tip-top singing voice as well as plenty of wit. The night had some serious moments too: double award-winner Nicholas Hytner spoke passionately in support of public funding for the arts, and Judi Dench was moved by a special award.

THE BIG WINNERS

Judi Dench

Everyone’s favourite Bond matriarch was awarded the Moscow Art Theatre Golden Seagull Award, a golden bird-shaped broach that signifies her achievements in bringing London theatre to the world’s attention. “I’ll never take it off,” she declared.

Danny Boyle

After he got the Queen to jump out of a helicopter (or so it seemed) in the Olympic Games Opening Ceremony, it’s fitting that Danny Boyle’s extraordinary £27 million production should get special recognition. He and his team scooped up the Beyond Theatre Award for pushing the boundaries of theatre with the ceremony, which was arguably the best – and certainly the biggest – performance of the year.

Nicholas Hytner

The director of the National Theatre picked up the Best Director award for setting the little-known Shakespeare play Timon of Athens in modern times. Hytner also won the Lebedev Special Award in recognition of his ten-year leadership of the National Theatre, which has seen him bring War Horse and One Man, Two Guvnors to the stage.

One to watch – Matthew Tennyson

Jake Gyllenhaal and Tom Hardy won the Outstanding Newcomer Award in their early days, so it’s worth keeping your eye on young actor Matthew Tennyson who won this year’s prize for his role in Making Noise Quietly at the Donmar Warehouse.

PLAYS TO SEE

The Judas Kiss

The Judas Kiss, a play about Oscar Wilde was on everyone’s lips at the awards, despite not being nominated. It received glowing praise from National Theatre director Nicholas Hytner, who described Rupert Everett’s performance as one of the best on the London stage for years.

Constellations

Writer Nick Payne won the award for Best Play for Constellations, becoming the youngest person to the category at just 29. It’s a tender story of love, awkwardness and string theory, using physics as a metaphor for life.

Sweeney Todd

Named Best Musical at the awards, this tale of a homicidal barber could convince even those allergic to musical theatre to burst into song. Stephen Sondheim’s score for Sweeney Todd is delicious in its complexity, and leading duo Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton are musical royalty.

Have you seen any of the award-winners? Or have you seen some theatre recently that deserves an award?