What's On 4th November

Ellie Smith
November 03, 2023

Dear Reader,

Whether you were team Posh, Scary, Ginger, Sporty or Baby, there was no denying that the Spice Girls defined an era. Despite being the same age as them when they had their first hit, Wannabe, I still (semi-secretly) loved them. Straitjacketed as I perhaps was in academic rigour, being a pop star seemed as distant as Mars (plus I can’t sing anyway), so these five mouthy girls were a breath of fresh air. Now? Well, one of them, Geri Halliwell-Horner, is on our cover this month – she’s 51 and smashing it as a bestselling author. As she tells us, the words were always more important to her than the music. To find out more, buy our latest issue which is out now.

Plus don't forget to enter our Christmas hamper competition. The prizes are incredible!

Have a great week.

WHAT’S EXCITING ME THIS WEEK

Lenny immortalised over and over again

Speaking of legends, Lenny Henry was the live subject for the 10th anniversary of Sky’s Portrait Artist of the Year and smashed the Guinness World Record for the most people painting online and in a single venue simultaneously. Go, Lenny.

TV dinners

Or rather places that you can actually eat at that feature in our favourite shows. From Sex and the City’s Magnolia Bakery on New York’s Bleecker Street to Ted Lasso’s The Crown and Anchor (really called The Prince’s Head), in Richmond, we go dining in the footsteps of our favourite characters.

Cheese, please

I love cheese. It’s the one food item I couldn’t forgo (ok, apart from chocolate). Soft, strong, blue or stinky, I’m game for them all, so bravo to Sinodun Hill by Norton and Yarrow Cheese which has just been named the Best British Cheese in the recent World Cheese Awards. See more recommendations here.

FIVE THINGS NOT TO MISS

There are still some tickets available for the fireworks at Battersea Park tonight – complete with food stalls and mulled wine. 5 November

Staying in? Check out our new culture radar, where we’ll bring you a whole host of suggestions for things to read, watch and listen to each week.

Arriving in Shoreditch this week is Pearly Queen, a new fish restaurant from Cornerstone chef Tom Brown.

Tuck into some fondue in an igloo by the river at Fire & Fromage, Jimmy Garcia's pop-up which has returned to the Southbank.

Marylebone is getting its Christmas makeover this week, with a light display made from recycled plastic bottles.

WHAT'S TRENDING ON C&TH

Top tips for looking after your skin this winter

Raby Castle

What’s it really like to own a castle?

William Boyd is our guest on this week’s Break Out Culture

Everyone’s talking about this pizza restaurant

Win A House of Suntory x Lucy Wong Afternoon Tea experience

Fancy trying a brand new Asian-inspired afternoon tea in the heart of London? You’re in luck: we’ve teamed up with Lucy Wong to offer two lucky readers the chance to win a unique afternoon tea experience – and you can bring three friends along to enjoy it, too.