Hyde Park

Hyde Park has many attractions that make it a perfect picnic spot – not only is there oodles of space in which you can stretch out to enjoy some nosh, but you can also go roller-blading, play numerous sports and go boating on the Serpentine. Hyde Park is also the venue for fantastic events at which picnics are welcome – September’s Proms in the Park is just one of the great options. The wonderful Kensington Gardens is just a short stroll away, why not spend a day exploring both?

Ham Polo Club

Serve up some high-octane sporting action with your picnic on Sundays at Ham Polo Club, when spectators can lounge by the side of the pitch and watch London’s only polo team compete whilst they munch on sandwiches and scotch eggs. Entry to matches, which take place until 29 September, is £5 per person, or £20 for a car of up to four people.

Highbury Fields

If you like your picnics sizzling, head to Highbury Fields where you can BBQ in the park. As well as a warm welcome for your disposable barbecues, the park offers a children’s playground, sports facilities and a dog-free picnic area.

St James’s Park

Situated next to Buckingham Palace, St James’s is one of London’s prettiest parks. Not only can you have a picnic whilst admiring the surrounding architecture, the park’s foliage and the stunning expanse of water, but you can also see the park’s famous pelicans when they’re fed every day at 2.30pm.

Lincoln’s Inn Fields

Lincoln’s Inn Fields, which adjoins one of the four Inns of Court at which all barristers are members, is the largest public square in London. It’s a peaceful place for a picnic in between seeing the sights of central London – both Covent Garden and the British Museum are less than 10 minutes away.

Hampstead Heath

At 790 acres, you’re truly spoiled for choice as to where to picnic on Hampstead Heath. You could head to Parliament Hill, from which you can get an unrivalled view over London, sit in the grounds of historic Kenwood House or picnic next to the lido if you feel like an afternoon swim.

Greenwich Park

It’s not often you can picnic in a World Heritage Site, but London’s Greenwich Park allows you to do just that. Situated by the river Thames, the park offers stunning views of both the water and central London. Closer at hand are the magnificent Royal Maritime Museum and the old Royal Observatory, which provide a dramatic backdrop as well as the perfect post-picnic activity.

Victoria Tower Gardens

Picnic next to the Houses of Parliament in this riverside park, which gives you a chance to study the historical palace of Westminster up close. The park itself also contains a range of interesting features, including a replica of Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais and the Buxton Memorial Fountain, commemorating the emancipation of slaves.

The Regent’s Park

The stunning Regent’s Park is a wonderful place to have a picnic, especially if you’re having a relaxed meal before you see a production at the park’s Open Air Theatre.  Picnic-ers can enjoy views over the lake, the glorious expanse of roses in Queen Mary’s Gardens or even the entire city of London from the heights of the park’s Primrose Hill.

Battersea Park

South London’s Battersea Park is full of picturesque picnic spots, as well as a host of attractions. Explore the children’s zoo, float on the boating lake or see an exhibition at the striking Pump House Gallery.

Where’s your favourite place to have a picnic in London?

London Vintage Kitchen

Combining two of the city’s favourite trends – namely pop-up dining and a retro lifestyle – the London Vintage Kitchen hosts glamourous dining events that make you long for a time machine. Their next event takes diners back to the Bohemian world of Paris in 1913, and offers them a four-course menu of period dishes – served by a troupe of butlers – alongside Pernod Absinthe cocktails. After dinner in the candlelit secret location, guests can dance the night away to ‘newfangled’ jazz music. Tickets are £37. 25 May

Concrete Fragments, Shoreditch 

Want to get an exclusive look at tomorrow’s big names in contemporary art? Head to this exclusive two day show by Morgan Concrete Art Advisory London, which brings together seven young international artists for a cutting-edge exhibition featuring both static and performance art. Catch the opening night from 6pm to 11pm on Friday, or the day viewing from 11am to 6pm on Saturday. Entry is free. 24-25 May

IncrEdibles Festival at Kew Gardens

Learn about surprising sources of food at this fun festival, which explores the huge range of edible plants growing at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. Not only can you attend a variety of interesting talks and workshops, but you can also enjoy the festival’s more frivolous side at the Rose Garden Tea Party and the Picnic Garden. A highlight will undoubtedly be the Tutti Frutti Boating Lake by renowned jelly-makers Bompass and Parr, which allows visitors to sail across a giant fruit salad to a pineapple island. Entry is £16 for adults; check the website for details of individual events. 25 May – 3 Nov

The Book Club’s May Film Hop

Shoreditch hotspot The Book Club presents an innovative take on the cinema experience this bank holiday weekend. Guests at their outdoor film screenings wear wireless headphones, which not only guarantees great sound but also means you can dance, drink and party along to the film. Three classic films, Grease, Dirty Dancing and Purple Rain, will be shown, and dance experts will be on hand before the screenings to show you the all-important moves. Tickets are £15. 25-27 May 

Foodies Festival at Hampton Court Palace

A food festival fit for a king, the Foodies Festival at Hampton Court Palace is a haven for the culinarily curious. Not only will TV chefs be demonstrating their skills, but you can also sample dishes from popular London restaurants, learn about new products and even take the kids for a cookery lesson. A day ticket costs £15 for adults. 25-27 May

The Star of Bethnal Green Street Party

To celebrate its fifth birthday, the Star of Bethnal Green is hosting a street party at which you can enjoy popular London street food, DJs and live entertainment that includes live graffiti. From 2pm to 9pm the party also features children’s entertainment, including a bouncy castle and face painting, then it moves inside the pub for more revelry until 2am. Entry is free. 27 May

More London events

By Eleanor Mills

London has one of the best jazz scenes in the world. With the release of The Great Gatsby fast approaching, why not get in the mood with a visit to one of the capital’s best jazz clubs? If you’re planning a trip later in the year, make it November, for the London Jazz Festival.

Ronnie Scott’s, Soho

The most established of all London’s jazz clubs, Ronnie’s was set up in 1959 by Ronnie Scott who had dreamed of opening his own club after frequent trips to New York in the 1940s and 50s. Some of the biggest names in jazz have graced the stage there, including Miles Davis (above), Wynton Marsalis and even Jimi Hendrix. Ronnie’s has changed the face of British jazz and remains the quintessential jazz experience. With popular acts like legendary drummer Roy Haynes’s Fountain of Youth Band (15-16 May) and vocalist Claire Martin (29-30 May) coming up, be sure to book early.

The Vortex, Dalston

Off the beaten track, The Vortex Jazz Club has provided a platform for the most groundbreaking jazz for the last 25 years, launching the careers of many groups like Mercury prize nominees Polar Bear and Portico Quartet. Easy to get to on the London overground, the club regularly has outstanding musicians playing for very reasonable prices. Look out for a two-day residency with Oriole and Basquiat Strings (featuring the acclaimed drummer Seb Rochford, of Polar Bear) from Friday 17 to Saturday 18 May. Great burgers in the restaurant downstairs too!

Dover Street Restaurant & Bar, Mayfair

For a sophisticated jazz experience book tickets to the Dover Street Restaurant & Bar. With great blues outfits and lively big bands, Dover Street offers a fun night out. For a more traditional sound, watch out for the Sugar Ray Ford Quartet playing jive and swing classics on 3 June, or check out the Blues Engineers on 8 May or 11 June.

PizzaExpress Jazz Club, Soho

It does exactly what it says on the packet: great jazz, great pizza. This PizzaExpress venue is underground, giving the club a great ambience. Acts to see in the coming month include saxophonist and rapper Soweto Kinch playing with the Moses Boyd Band on Sunday 2 June and elegant jazz singer Nikki Iles with The Printmakers playing on Wednesday 5 June.

Hideaway, Streatham

One of London’s newest jazz venues, Hideaway has already made a mark on the UK jazz scene with renowned acts like the Neil Cowley Trio, Mark Lockheart, Ingrid Laubrock and Tom Cawley’s Curios playing there. The acoustics are great, food is delicious, service exceptional and, because it’s one of the capital’s best-kept jazz secrets, you’re bound to get good seats and an opportunity to meet the musicians afterwards. Make a trip down there on 16 June for Sunday lunch to see NYJO (the National Youth Jazz Orchestra).

More London jazz clubs and events

The Belgraves Edible Garden

Between 21 and 25 May the Belgraves hotel, located in Knightsbridge, is transforming its terrace into an Edible Garden that features a wall of edible flowers and an interactive cocktail station. Not only will there be cocktail classes and ‘food and flower pairing’ tutorials, but guests can also take away seed packets so they can enjoy the same tastes at home. Those staying in the hotel can opt for the full Bed, Brunch and Botany’experience, which features delights such as brunch in bed, an edible flower recipe book and complimentary cocktails.

Chelsea in Bloom

For eight years Chelsea in Bloom has been extending the wonders of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show throughout the entire borough by encouraging local retailers to create their own floral displays. These creations, this year themed on ‘decades’ to mark the centenary of the prestigious flower show, are assessed for prize-worthiness by official RHS judges and can be viewed between 20 and 25 May. To see them all, join the regular tours, which take place every half hour.

A Guide to Green Scents at the Athenaeum Hotel

Not only is this 5 star hotel on Piccadilly offering a menu of delicious floral cocktails for the duration of the Chelsea Fringe, but it is also hosting ‘a guide to green scents’ on 21 May. This evening event is inspired by the hotel’s landmark Living Wall (right), and features a talk by perfume specialist Lila Das Gupta on perfumes that capture the fragrance of nature, plus a guide to the scented flowers that are grown on the Athenaeum’s wall. Tickets for the talk cost £15 per person and include the talk, canapés and a cocktail. Send an email to reserve your place.

Chelsea Flower Show Menu at LIMA

For the duration of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show LIMA, the Peruvian restaurant in Bloomsbury, is putting on a celebratory menu that puts a flowery twist on their national cuisine. Dishes include orange and pisco poached lobster salad and steamed fillet of halibut with rhubarb blue potato aji Amarillo. Guests can either opt for a three course menu which includes a Chelsea Cocktail of melon and pink Champagne (£60) or order from the a la carte. The menu is available from the 20 to 26 May.

Floral Afternoon Teas

Given the traditional nature of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, it’s no wonder that many venues are serving special afternoon teas during the week to celebrate. Radission Blu Edwardian, Vanderbilt, for example, is serving a Floral Afternoon Tea throughout May that includes rose fruit jellies and orange blossom and lavender scones (£29.50). Nearby, the Royal Garden Hotel offers elderflower posset, jasmine opera and rose marshmallow as part of its celebratory Afternoon Tea during Chelsea week, which is accompanied by tunes from the resident pianist (£24). Further east, The Dorchester has worked with the team behind Laurent-Perrier’s 2013 show garden to create a menu that includes delights such as a ‘lavender basket’; a dark chocolate tartlet infused with lavender scent and decorated with a spun sugar handle. This afternoon tea menu is available between 20 and 26 May for £56.

Floral Facials and Cocktails

The Jumeirah Carlton Tower is offering a range of excellent floral indulgence options; why not follow one of their new Rose Facials (£65) with a Chelsea Flower Show-themed cocktail in the hotel’s Rib Room Bar? Guests can choose between rose, camomile and elderflower martinis – yum!

The Avant Garden in Covent Garden

Head to the Covent Garden piazza to see Crabtree & Evelyn’s twist on the classic British herb garden. Created by garden designer and rising star Emma Coleman, ‘The Avant Garden’ will be a tranquil urban oasis that promises to be a highlight of the 2013 Chelsea Fringe Festival from 14 May to 9 June.

Floral Cocktails at Barts, South Kensington

Popular speakeasy Barts, situated close to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, is offering a special cocktail in honour of the event. ‘The Chelsea Flower’ is a mix of home-made lavender-infused Grey Goose Vodka, peach liquor and jasmine essence, garnished with a molecular raviolo of lavender. Furthermore, guests can really get into the spirit of the occasion by availing themselves of the bar’s dressing-up box, which will feature a range of floral-themed items during the show week.

Floristry classes and lunch at Tom Aikens, Chelsea

Learn the delicate art of floristry at the Michelin-starred Tom Aikens restaurant in Chelsea, where you can create a stunning arrangement of freshly-cut blooms to take home, before tucking into a delicious three course lunch that contains edible flowers. The package also includes coffee and pastries and a glass of Laurent Perrier champagne. Classes run throughout the RHS Chelsea Flower Show week, as well as on selected other May dates, and cost £120.

Chelsea Fringe at Battersea Power Station

This free event takes place between 17 to 19 May and 21 to 26 May, and allows visitors to enjoy a variety of entertainment and activities in the newly-opened temporary riverside park at Battersea Power Station. The focus of the fringe hub at Battersea will be installations, including one that features 35 people planted knee-deep in soil to promote conversations on sustainability. See the website for opening times and full details.

Last weekend, some of the world’s most glamorous theatre stars gathered at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden for the Olivier Awards. Here, stars including Daniel Radcliffe, Damian Lewis and Kim Cattrall talk about their love of the theatre. If they’ve inspired you to see a show, check out our London theatre guide, top 10 musicals, special offers and fun theatre facts.

What does A Chorus Line mean to you?
It’s an iconic musical and being involved in it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A Chorus Line is the forefather of reality TV shows, such as X Factor, and is therefore particularly relevant today.

What’s your favourite song from A Chorus Line?
“Dance Ten, Looks Three” for obvious reasons!

When was the first time you saw A Chorus Line and how many times have you seen it?
I’d never seen the stage show, but I did see the movie while I was training myself.

Do you think A Chorus Line is the ultimate dancer’s musical?
I don’t think A Chorus Line is the ultimate dancer’s musical; I think it’s the ultimate performer’s musical.

Why do you think A Chorus Line has been so successful?
I think it’s successful because it deals with real emotions and real-life stories. It isn’t a fairy tale or a fantasy, it offers a glimpse into the lives of performers striving to achieve their dreams. It’s inspirational.

What does performing at the London Palladium mean to you?
It’s legendary! Icons and idols have walked through the corridors, sat in the dressing rooms, laughed, cried, and sweated on that stage. It has an energy all of its own.

What do you bring to the role of Zach?
I bring my own experience to the role. I’m not so old that I can’t remember what it was like to be young, eager and excited by all the possibilities that lay before me. But I’m also old enough to know what it feels like to have a fresh batch of kids right behind you snapping at your heels. I know what it feels like to be rejected, to have your whole self worth wrapped up in a “Yes” or a “No”.

What part of a musical do you enjoy most; the dancing, acting, or singing?
I enjoy all of them equally.

Any lucky charms or rituals before you go on stage?
No, I am not superstitious. Preparation is King.

How important are your fans to you?
My fans are extremely important to me as they root for you, encourage you and support you – a little like family.

A Chorus Line is currently playing at the London Palladium. You can book tickets to see A Chorus Line here. You can follow A Chorus Line and John Partridge on twitter: @AChorusLineLDN and @mustbejp

In addition, new musical American Psycho, a co-production with the Headlong theatre company, will play at the Almeida Theatre from December. Based on the novel by Bret Easton Ellis, American Psycho is the story of Patrick Bateman, a young man publically embracing the high life in 1980s Manhattan while concealing a particularly nasty secret. The new show has a book by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa with music and lyrics by Duncan Sheik, choreography by Lynne Page and designs by Olivier Award winner Es Devlin. Together, these two shows make for a promising autumn / winter on London’s theatreland…

Good news now for Horrible Histories fans. The family-friendly series returns to London at the Garrick Theatre this autumn with a brand new show. Barmy Britain – Part Two offers a fresh – and no doubt sometimes disgusting – look at Britain’s grisly past. Barmy Britain – Part One will help fans brush up on the series, kicking off the Horrible Histories residency at the theatre from 7 August to 1 September. Part Two then follows from 26 September to 5 January.

Finally, I’m very excited about the news coming from the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, the newly built indoor theatre next to Shakespeare’s Globe. The first season, starting in 2014, will feature drama, opera and live music in its candlelit interior. The first shows will be Jacobean tragedy The Duchess of Malfi, Francis Beaumont’s anarchic comedy The Knight Of The Burning Pestle, the satirical The Malcontent, performed by the Globe’s Young Players, and Cavalli’s rarely performed opera L’Ormindo. There’ll also be music from Grammy Award-winning guitarist John Williams.

Talking about the venue’s first season, Artistic Director Dominic Dromgoole says, “We could not be more delighted than to be opening this theatre with three such shining jewels from this time: a macabre tragedy, a riotous comedy and a beautiful philosophical satire. We hope that the Wanamaker Playhouse will afford as many insights, and prove as theatrically rejuvenating, as the Globe has proved over the last 16 years.”

London Theatre Cast News

• Charity Wakefield, Honeysuckle Weeks and Alec Newman will star in the UK premiere of Melanie Marnich’s These Shining Lives at the new Park Theatre in Finsbury Park from 8 May
• Imelda Staunton and Toby Jones join forces in the Royal Court’s latest Theatre Local scheme this summer. The pair will perform in Annie Baker’s Circle Mirror Transformation at the Rose Lipman Building in Haggerston from 5 July
• Lesley Manville will take on the role of Helene Alving in Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts at the Almeida Theatre from September, alongside Will Keen and Jack Lowden
• Finally, our first piece of news about Christmas! Steven Webb returns to the Lyric Hammersmith to star in the pantomime Jack And The Beanstalk from 23 November

This month, we begin by wishing happy birthday to the London Hilton on Park Lane, the first Hilton hotel to open in the UK, which turns 50 this week.

New Hotels

As spring arrives, so does a bumper crop of new London hotels. Here are London’s hottest new hotels:

Great Northern Hotel – Relive the romantic age of train travel at the Great Northern Hotel, which re-opened this month. The hotel, which was London’s first railway hotel, has undergone a £40 million refurbishment and offers a quiet oasis in the hub of King’s Cross and St Pancras. The 91-bedroom hotel has been refurbished to exude “timeless elegance with a hint of modernity”. Room rates from £250

The Apartments by The Sloane Club – For stays of seven days or more, try a luxury serviced apartment in the exclusive neighbourhood of Sloane Gardens. Apartments are set in two beautiful late 19th century buildings and guests have access to a 24-hour concierge. Rates from £220 per night excluding VAT. Opens this week

One Leicester Street – A new boutique hotel comes to London on 1 May. One Leicester Street is the first hotel from the Unlisted Collection to open in the capital. Opening on the site of the former St John’s Hotel on the edge of Chinatown, the property will feature 15 bedrooms, a restaurant and bar. The restaurant will be headed by Michelin-starred chef Tom Harris. Opens 1 May

Nadler Soho – Boutique hotel brand base2stay is becoming Nadler Hotels, and opening a new property in London. The Nadler Soho promises “affordable luxury” with stylish rooms and Local Ambassadors on the front desk providing an introduction to the best bars and restaurants nearby. Opens late May

Xenia – Coming to South Kensington next month is Xenia hotel, situated in a restored Victorian building with contemporary interiors. The boutique hotel includes 99 bedrooms, an Italian restaurant, and a bar with a herb garden terrace. Opens in May, room rates from £160

Chelsea Flower Show

Even if you haven’t got tickets to this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, you can still be there in spirit thanks to London’s hotels.

Belgraves – A Thompson Hotel in Knightsbridge will be transforming its terrace into an edible garden for the duration of the show (21-25 May), with edible flower cocktails, and food and flower pairing classes. Both the Landmark London and the Royal Garden Hotel are offering floral-themed afternoon teas during Chelsea Flower Show week – reservations recommended.

Extra, extra

• The Goring hotel has received the Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea Award 2013
• The Berkeley has launched new balcony rooms which include luxury wooden birdhouses on the terraces!
• In its 175th anniversary year, Brown’s Hotel is celebrating with a Victorian menu at HIX from 20 May and welcoming British nail brand Ciaté to its spa

From shop openings to designer sales, here are this week’s top London shopping news stories:

New shops for Carnaby Street
Start flexing your credit card because a slew of under-the-radar labels are opening up in Carnaby Street, in London’s West End. Here’s a sneak peak:

Iconic French fashion label Eleven Paris is opening its first UK store on 25 April. Inspired by music and art, the shop is launching with a campaign fronted by brooding rock star and style icon Lenny Kravitz. British design icon Paul Smith is also opening a store in Carnaby Street this month.

Women can treat themselves to a glam-over at make-up giant Benefit’s one-off beauty emporium, which is opening in June with a champagne bar, blow-dry bar, nail bar and treatment rooms offering waxing and spray tanning. Men, meanwhile, can enjoy a touch of old-school barbering at Pankhurst London’s first-ever flagship barbershop in the Newburgh Quarter. With Steve McQueen plastered on the walls and Sinatra providing the soothing soundtrack, men can be expertly groomed in style.

Follow in the dapper footsteps of rock gods David Bowie and Led Zeppelin by swinging by shoe legend Terry de Havilland’s new store, which opens in the Newburgh Quarter on 25 April. The shops homes winkle pickers, bespoke platform picture wedges, 80s platform sandals and stiletto mules.

Designer Labels at Charity Fashion Evenings

Calling all label lovers! Designer and vintage fashion fans can get their mitts on original pieces from the likes of Givenchy, Chanel, Stella McCartney, Christian Louboutin, Dolce and Gabbana and Ossie Clark. The items will be on sale at two special shopping events at the Octavia Foundation’s Charity shops on the Brompton Road and Fulham Road. Guests will be treated to special offers and refreshments. 5-8pm on Thursday 18 April at Octavia Foundation Brompton Road. Thursday 16 May at Octavia Foundation Fulham Road. RSVP info@octaviafoundation.org.uk

Shop Openings at Westfield
Belgian luxury chocolatier Godiva has launched a new kiosk at White City’s Westfield Shopping Centre. Melt-in-the-mouth treats on sale include biscuits, carrés, chocolate spread and gold gift boxes. Also opening this weekend is fashion-forward shoe and accessories brand Mascotte.

Rock Photography Pop-up at Seven Dials
Rock photography store Rockarchive has opened a pop-up shop and exhibition in Monmouth Street. The space is showcasing never-seen-before photos and iconic rock images of legends like Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie. Open until 27 April.

Oysters and Absinthe at Callooh Callay 

This weekend is your last chance to discover the atmospheric absinthe and oyster bar at Callooh Callay, an eclectic Alice in Wonderland-inspired bar by Old Street. Located behind the venue’s wardrobe (seriously), the upstairs absinthe bar offers a selection of reasonably-priced oysters and bar snacks alongside delicious absinthe cocktails such as Sazerac and Death in the Afternoon. You’ve only got until Saturday to mix with the Green Fairy, however, as the pop-up bar is being once again converted to a new theme. Until 6 Apr

Bollywood Showstoppers at The O2

Revel in the magic of Bollywood dance at this spectacular show, which combines colourful costumes, catchy songs and amazing choreography. Amongst the performers will be notable performers Bipasha Basu, Shaan and Atif Aslam. Tickets start at £25. 7 Apr

Open Days at Upminster Windmill

Visit one of England’s finest examples of an 18th century smock mill (a windmill with a hexagonal or octagonal tower) in Upminster this weekend. The Grade II* listed building will be open for free tours on Saturday and Sunday, on which visitors can view the mill’s fascinating machinery and enjoy views that extend over London to the transmitter at Crystal Palace. 6-7 Apr

Eagles at Easter: Falconry Displays at the Royal Air Force Museum

In celebration of the symbolic place that birds of prey have within the Royal Air Force (RAF) – the eagle is, for example, featured prominently on the service’s badge – the RAF Museum is staging falconry displays on its helipad. Three displays will be held per day, and visitors can also enjoy the museum’s display of more than 100 aircraft as well as a host of fun activities. Entry is free. 6-12 Apr

Warhol on Film at the ICA

This weekend the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) will be screening UK premieres of three rare Warhol films from the 1960s, which have been newly restored. Chelsea Girls, Sleep and Vinyl are among the most significant works of the artist’s career, during which he created more than 600 films. Screening times and ticket prices can be found on the ICA website. 5-7 Apr

The Wonder Street Fair at the Barbican Centre

Coinciding with the Barbican’s Festival of Neuroscience, the Wonder Street Fair will fill the Barbican Foyer with free activities, performances and demonstrations. More than 20 inspiring activities will be on offer, including the chance to discover cave painting, play with motion sensors and even knit a neuron. 12pm-7.30pm, 7-9 Apr

Photo by Ade Bradshaw via Flickr.