Little Miss Random Recommends - Week ending 22/04/12

This week, I present an eclectic mash-up of wine, zombies, romance, espionage, comedy and clubbing to help cheer this rather rainy week up. That’s right, just a typical week in London. That’s why I love this place so.

Enjoy!

School nights

1. Celebrate Malbec Week at my favourite Argentinian restaurant, Moo Grill. Even if you have plans to imbibe copiously elsewhere, you simply have to come down to Moo at least once in your life just to see what a great place this is, with its fantastic food and incredibly friendly staff. I’m including in both the school nights and weekend section as this event starts early on during the week, but, given the sheer amount that anyone taking part is sure to be drinking, it might be more wise to save it for the weekend. Moo Grill, Apr 16th to 22nd, tasting menu £24.75
2. London Independent Film Festival presents A Little Bit of Zombie, a rom-zom-comedy about a man infected by a zombie virus during his stag party, preceded by the best of UK music videos. Roxy Bar & Screen, Apr 18, music videos 6.30 pm, movie 9 pm, £3
3. Learn about the modern world of espionage from the Economist’s International Editor Edward Lucas at Inside East-West Espionage. Edward will be discussing his book Deception: Spies, Lies and How Russia Dupes the West. London School of Economics, Apr 19th, 6.30 pm, free
4. Laugh the stresses of the week away at The Pin (A Work in Progress), an up-and-coming three-man sketch group consisting of Ben Ashenden, Mark Fiddaman and Alex Owen. The Invisible Dot, Apr 19th, doors 7.00 pm, show 7.45 pm, £5
5. Watch Slumdog Millionaire at Movies at the Misty, the Lexi’s pop-up cinema at the Misty Moon pub in Harlesden. Misty Moon, Apr 19th, 8.00 pm, free
6. French group Chinese Man, an independent rap collective with oriental influences (among many others), performs at 229 The Venue on Thursday. The group will be performing fully live for the first time in London, presenting their full array of audio-visual mastery. 229 The Venue, Apr 19th, doors 7.00 pm, £20 (adv) / £22.50 (door) (Time Out offer of half-priced tickets if bought before Apr 18th)
7. Get an inside glimpse into the fast-paced world of media at ditto TV’s Campfire with this month’s storyteller Michael Lawrence. Michael has over 30 years of journalistic experience under his belt, having led Reuters’ coverage of Iraq from 2003 and many years after. Canonbury Business Centre, Apr 19th, 8.00 pm, free, RSVP: campfire@ditto.tv

Weekend

1. Commemorate Malbec Week at my favourite Argentinian restaurant, Moo Grill. See event 1 in the school nights section for details.
2. Watch the gloriously titled Late Night Gimp Fight. I can’t do better than their own description of “expect singing toilets, an ode to Henry the Hoover and an incredible rap about Bestiality” so I shan’t even try. Soho Theatre, starts Apr 19 and runs till May 5th, 8.30 pm, £17.50
3. Lee Rous and Andy Gardener, aka The Plump DJs, return to The Nest for another night of old-school house and techno. There’s no better way to club than in a small venue surrounded by just-as-up-for-it crowd as you are. Support includes the talented Starsmith. The Nest, Apr 20th, doors 9.00 pm, £7
4. Go even more old-school with Sub-Sonic Live featuring clubbing pioneers and legends Greg Wilson and Afrika Bambaataa at the bargain price of a fiver. Greg will be presenting Reels of Steel, where he adds visuals to the music he plays, for the first time in London, while Afrika Bambaataa will be spinning a DJ set with MCs, 30 years on from the release of his seminal “Planet Rock”. The Garage, Apr 20th, doors 9.30 pm, £5 (adv)
5. Catch Keane and Little Boots headlining Record Store Day at Rough Trade East. Alternatively, shoot off West and see Cate Le Bon and Allo Darlin’ performing at Rough Trade West.  Rough Trade, Apr 21st, usually starts close to midday
6. You usually can’t go wrong with at any of the Bugged Out events, and this Saturday, featuring techno genius Tiga on the decks, is no exception. XOYO, Apr 21, £10 (adv), doors 9.30 pm
7. If electro-beats aren’t quite your thing, then opt to celebrate The Westbury’s fifth birthday with Ms. Dynamite live on Friday and T4’s Jameela Jamil DJing on Saturday. Apr 20th: doors 8.00 pm, £5 (adv) / £6 (door) / Apr 21st: doors 8.00 pm, free before 10 pm / £5 after