Five things to do in London this week/end

With thanks to Country and Townhouse, here are five ideas of things to do in London this week/end:

How to create a children’s haven in your garden, and the neon wonderland to visit now

Is that the sun I see? Hooray! Time to whack on the suncream (reef-friendly only, of course), ditch the winter colours and go all out in yellow (my style picks for the season are here). You’ll catch me in Hay on Wye this week for our annual Lit Fest talk, as well as tramping around in the Brecon Beacons and firing up the barbecue (we’ve found some supercool new ones here – whether you have patios or palace gardens) for the first cook outs of the year. Happy half term.      Have a great week.   Lucy Image: ‘Grandiflora Rose’ wallpaper design by Designers Guild

WHAT’S EXCITING ME THIS WEEK Designer colours I recently spied images of the former fashion-turned-interior designer Matthew Williamson’s gorgeous house in Mallorca (where he had the misfortune to spend lockdown, poor lad) and fell in love with his choice of colours. It was the sky-blue walls and yellow paintwork in the kitchen that did it for me. Is it bad to steal his style (or at least his palette)?  Kitchen gardens Having built our first raised beds this spring, there’s nothing more satisfying than eating fruit and vegetables you’ve planted with your own fair hand. Having your own kitchen garden though is one step up, so if you want a trawl through houses for sale where you can do more than just stick some basil on the windowsill, let the property fantasy begin. Half term fun The kids are at home. The weather’s looking good. So my advice is to lock away their screens, chuck them outside (when you can) and let them not return till their tummies are rumbling. We have some amazing ideas for creating a child’s haven in your garden, with everything from building tipis and hedgehog sanctuaries to upgrading your playhouse to something you’d aspire to live in yourself.

FIVE THINGS YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS​​​​​​​ A new exhibition at Leadenhall Market shines a light on neon art collective Gods Own Junkyard. Glamp at Home Farm’s new summer season, which features music, al fresco feasts and open-air theatre. The UK’s first float-in cinema, Häagen Dazs’ The Openaire, returns to Regent’s Canal this week. The inaugural London Gallery Weekend takes place from 4 – 6 June. Hundreds of trees are appearing in the Somerset House courtyard as part of this year’s London Design Biennale.

WHAT'S TRENDING ON C&TH From outdoor cabanas to a room dedicated to pies, these are the private dining rooms to book now   Cool down at one of London's best lidos and outdoor pools, selected by Rebecca Cox Longing for some peace and quiet? Susan D'Arcy picks the best secluded hotel stays in the UK   Actor Russell Tovey and gallerist and musician Robert Diament star on this week's episode of Break Out Culture

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