Top things to do in London: week of 20 April

Late April in London is the best London. Sun is out, jackets are optional, the parks look indecent, the Pimms hits different. Here is the week.

Monday — gentle

Mondays are still Mondays. There is a small panel at Newspeak House on AI evaluations and the speakers are people who actually build evals rather than people who tweet about them, which is rare and welcome. Free, RSVP, get there for 6.45.

If you want a meal not a meeting, the Conduit dining room is genuinely lovely on a Monday and you do not have to be a member to eat there if you book ahead.

Tuesday — Soho Theatre, again

Yes I keep recommending it. It is reliable. New material night, four acts, £18, two hours of comedy that ranges from punishing to brilliant. I have been every Tuesday I am free for about a year and the hit rate is genuinly steady.

If comedy is not your thing, Bush Theatre studio has a play on that I keep meaning to see and keep not.

Wednesday — invite-only invite-trying

The Stripe x Mistral panel at Soho House on Wednesday is invite only but if you ask three of your founder friends, one will have a spare. Topic is AI infrastructure cost, format is moderated, the wine is fine. Worth going if you can.

Public alternative: The Frontline Club has a foreign-correspondent panel that is consistently excellent and almost always has tickets two days out.

Thursday — pick and commit

Thursday is the week's worst calendar problem. There is:

• A meetup at the Anthropic London office (this one I think is a community event rather than a hiring event, but you should always check before going to anything that is technically at a company office).
• A talk at the FT building.
• A gig at the Shacklewell.
• Four overlapping after-work drinks at four different pubs in Old Street.

I would do the Shacklewell. Music wins.

For a full sweep, AI events in London covers most of the talks.

Friday — Roundhouse

Roundhouse main stage Friday. The band is the band, the support is meant to be excellent, the venue is the best mid-size venue in town. £30. Worth it.

After: late dinner at Dishoom Shoreditch (I know, I know, but it is a genuine workhorse) or a drink at the Buck Street Market. fabric room one is also doing a thing if you want to extend.

Saturday — outdoor

Saturday weather is supposed to be 21 degrees so go to a park. Hampstead Heath, the Regents Canal, anywhere with grass. Lunch at Princi or Smoking Goat depending on direction of travel. Saturday night I am at home eating leftovers, you can do what you want.

If you must do a Saturday night, the Roundhouse studio has a small thing on, fabric is fabric, XOYO has a decent lineup. Pick one and commit, do not try to plan a transfer.

Sunday — Mayfair galleries

A nicer Sunday than people realise: Mayfair gallery walk. Half the galleries open Sunday now, the work is mostly better than the prices suggest, the staff are politer than the stereotype. Lunch at Mount St Restaurant or 34 Mayfair if you fancy lashing out, otherwise a pub in Shepherd Market.

Quiet alternative: Brockwell market again. It does not stop being good just because I keep saying it.

That is the week. Get outside, eat well, be a bit irresponsible on Friday. Standard.