Last full week before Christmas, we expect your bank account's feeling the strain. All that Christmas shopping and partying taking its toll? If you want to make the most of being out and about before Christmas cabin fever and complete exhaustion set in then we're here to help. Monday: Keep the braincells going through silly season. Go to the free lecture at Gresham College about why our society rewards celebrities, fads and fashions and......

Yesterday comes the news that a shiny new medical centre is to be built on wasteland somewhere behind the British Library….and today sees the start of the more-or-less obligatory protests therein. The idea is to build the £500 million ‘UK Centre for Medical Research and Innovation’ as a partnership project – the key players are the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, Cancer Research UK and University College Hospital. All very exciting. London could do......

The Londonist Music Minions have had a night off from their hectic gigging schedule tonight, and we hope that you have done the same. The party season is rapidly approaching, and you need at least one laid-back evening to conserve your energy for the rest of the week… If you can, start things off gently tomorrow (Tuesday) with one-time Zero 7 vocalist Sia at King’s College Student Union (tickets are officially sold out, but......

Girls from Greece with a thirst for knowledge looking to study sculpture will soon have a new home. Central St Martin's College of Art and Design is taking up residency in King's Cross to the delight of residents. Not everyone, however, is so enthused as the space for the new campus is currently home to three night clubs. The Cross, the Key, and Canvas are all due to host their final nights on New......

Here’s what we’ve learned this weekend Pedestrianisation is very popular But so is shopping online Olympic building ambitions are being scaled down due to spiralling costs. Potential 2012 Olympians, though, will be sent to Beijing to soak up the Games and fire London ambitions. Greenwich Old Royal Naval College wasn't quite grand enough for Northern Lights film But the late, great, Tony Wilson gets photograph of the month at the NPG Picture of the......

Four weeks till Christmas! Argh. Funds are all focused on present buying and getting through the party season but we still want to go out and about because the heating isn't working properly at home. We can't afford to go and see Gandalf drop his trousers in King Lear but, thankfully, there's lots of cheap and interesting stuff about as usual. Monday: Start the week with an event truly in the spirit of London......

For many of us ice-skating is a terrifying experience, bringing back memories of clinging to the edge of the rink, cold feet and humiliating wipeouts. We all know it's never as serene an experience as the Christmas cards make out, but there’s a veritable plethora of skating experiences to be had across London this snowy (hopefully) season. There are rinks with a touch of class at Somerset House (21 Nov - 17 Jan) or......

Hailed by Steve Lamacq and produced by Trevor Horn, London band Captain released their debut album in 2006 to critical acclaim. But somehow their brand of slightly dark twee pop (and we say that in the nicest way) didn't quite hit the charts as well as they may have liked. Now they're back for a 2nd go with a forthcoming second album in 2008 and they've been reminding people of their existance with a......

A week after opening for the Queen, St Pancras International is finally ready for the likes of us. The station has been restored beyond its former glory. Britain's answer to Central Station is ready for business. Everyone knows by now that the sumptious Euston Road frontage to the station was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. But what else in London did the Great Scott design? Time to dust off our old 'Stalks' series,......

Tonight start the week by going to see massive Swedish popstar Marit Bergman at Hoxton Bar & Grill. She's playing a one off UK gig in an attempt to get signed in the UK. (£6, here. Former Hefner frontman Darren Hayman teams up with fledgling band The Wave Pictures at The Luminaire (£8, here). Plus the awesome Cold War Kids play Shepherd's Bush Empire. On Tuesday, German dance kids Digitalism are at the Scala......

Some of our favourite Scandinavian bands are coming to the UK in the next couple of weeks and we thought you better know about them. First, the most mainstream, Robyn will play her first live dates since everyone woke up and realised she was actually amazing, at The Scala on Thursday. The gig is unsurprisingly sold out but there are tickets currently knocking about for face value on Scarlet Mist. The weekend is filled......

Kick off the week tomorrow with Stephen Fretwell at Cadogen Hall (£15). The singer songwriter is touring his 3rd album "Man On The Roof" and by all accounts it's pretty good. Or if you like your things with a bit more soul (or rubbish pop depending on your point of view) then the 'legend' that is Craig David begins the first of four dates at Ronnie Scott's (£25). The Mercury nominated one man dream-machine......

Cult canadian star Feist is back in the UK playing a sold out date at the Shepherd's Bush Empire on Monday night. Now "1, 2, 3, 4" is all over an advert it might be tricky to find tix but we reckon the ever reliable XXX. Kill Hannah bring their Chicago rock to Kings College with I Was A Cub Scout and Saving Aimee supporting. Tickets are £7.50 and here and American R&B lothario......

First it was skulls, now it's nude paintings. A painting that Francis Bacon gave to The Royal College of Art in return for rent, is soon to be auctioned at Christie's. It's expected to fetch more than £9 million. Wowser. Study from the Human Body Turning on the Light will go under the hammer in October. The renowned art college is selling the painting in the hope of raising cash for its new campus.......

Happy first weekend of September - and happy Labor Day weekend, too, for our American cities! Let's take a look at what's been happening around the Ist-a-verse. The deaths of two firefighters shook Bostonist this week. Boston's firefighters bent over backwards all week long - first, they fought flames pouring from the Boston Tea Party museum, and then a restaurant fire killed two and injured many more. Their efforts make everything else - like Tom......

Worrying news for one of our country’s top gourmet icons. Gordon Ramsay’s flagship restaurant in Chelsea, called simply Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, has lost some of its brownie points, according to the latest edition of ‘Harden’s London Restaurants’. Love-him-or-hate-him-Ramsay has been undisputed king of the London restaurant scene for nearly ten years. Take a large measure of chefly talent, whisk it with lashings of colourful personality, and then cook up with a generous helping of......

It seems that half the country (and Londonist staff) is on holiday at the moment. Still, here's the best of what's on musically across the capital this week.Jazz singer-songwriter Norah Jones  is the highlight of Bank Holiday Monday night, playing with M. Ward at Hammersmith Apollo. Tickets are sold out, however be sure to check out scarlet mist and other providers. Meanwhile hardcore punk stars Bane play Underworld, with £10 tickets available either on the......

The Proms are a marvellous institution. Remarkably diverse musically, accessible, world class and - crucially - cheap as chips, they are the soundtrack to summer in London and we are privileged to have them on our doorstep. It was with an eager step that we hied ourselves to the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday afternoon for the sold-out 48th Prom, despite the glowering sky and hint of rain in the air. Arriving at around......

There are a number of well worn excuses for not giving in your homework on time. The dog ate it. You left it in your locker. You left it at home. It was taken off you by the school bully. A student at Imperial college by the name of Brian May has come up with quite an original effort having given in his PhD thesis 36 years after he began it. According to this......

Ian Brown has announced a two night stay at the Brixton Academy to cap off November. He plays Thursday 29th and a late show on the Friday 30th till 2am. Tickets go on sale at 10am tomorrow morning. Emos of London stop crying – My Chemical Romance are back in the capital in just a handful of months. Catch them at the O2 on Thursday 15th November. Expect some extortionately priced tickets and a bunch......

While SFist cringed at the fatal dose of crime littering the Bay Area, it found solace in Hillary Clinton's San Francisco campaign headquarters opening, which featured loads of exposed mammary glands. In other news, SF Taxi Commission ruled that Satan's cab must keep its (in)famous medallion number, 666; and in an un-fashion-forward frenzy, San Francisco Fashion Week (chortle) bars bloggers from covering and getting smashed at their shows and parties, respectively. Also, they found a......

. This is it art fans. The end of Free Range. Already? What will we do? Well get down do these shows to see the final few pieces. And then look forward to next year, when you get to do it all over again. In the mean time watch out for them, and secretly wish that it was one of them who designed the 2012 logo. Carry on Textiles Who? Norwich School of Art &......

. Oh no! Free Range is nearly over! What do you mean you still haven't been? It's Europe's largest free art and design showcase, so what are you waiting for? Here's what's going on this week. Collective Who? Nottingham Trent University (Product and Furniture) What? DESIGN (2D & 3D) Where? F Block T2 T.B.A. Who? University of Portsmouth What? PHOTOGRAPHY Where? F Block T3 Photo Eclectic Who? Amersham & Wycombe College What? PHOTOGRAPHY Where? F......

21/7 men found guilty. Academic couple killed in car crash on M11. Cavalry Museum opens in Whitehall. Prince Philip becomes a Doctor of Science while his wife opens a new department and grants new charter to Imperial College - which breaks away from the University of London on its 100th anniversary. Phew, what a day to be a Royal. A (possibly) well-named Dr Pratt (allegedly) prescribed an exorcism and other mumbo-jumbo to a Muslim......

Fashion can, for the most part be really quite annoying what with its coke snorting, bitching and falling over in heels (and that's just the boys). However, there are some people who deserve to be celebrated. Whilst Free Range is going on one side of town, Royal College of Art graduate turned miliner Philip Treacy has teamed up with photographer Norman Parkinson for their own show at the Eleven Gallery. For those of you......

Still don't think you've found the new Tracey Emin? Take a look at these exhibitions at Free Range and you might just come across the 'next big thing'. RAW EDGE Who? Thurrock & Basildon College (Textiles) What? DESIGN (2D & 3D) Where? Dray Walk Gallery Forming emotion Who? Northumbria University What? DESIGN (2D & 3D) Where? Brick House Ravensbourne Graduates 2007 Who? Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication (Textiles) What? DESIGN (2D & 3D)......

We're half way through now folks. Here's what'S happening mid-way into Free Range, Europe's biggest free arts exhibition. camberwell graphics 07 Who? University of the Arts London, Camberwell (Design) What? DESIGN (2D & 3D) Where? U Block Camberwell Illustration Degree Show Who? University of the Arts London, Camberwell (Illustration) What? DESIGN (2D & 3D) Where? G3 Gallery (Shop 14) CSM 2nd Year Graphic Design Degree Show Who? University of the Arts Central St Martins......

This week, get yourself down to Free Range to see some of the best exhibitions from UK's finest students. Seamless Who? Loughborough University School of Art and Design (Textiles) What? DESIGN (2D & 3D) Where? Boiler House University of Westminster Photography Degree Show 2007 Who? University of Westminster What? PHOTOGRAPHY Where? Atlantis 2nd Floor white room Who? Salisbury College What? PHOTOGRAPHY Where? Dray Walk Gallery traces of document Who? University of the Arts, London......

Busy week for music as bands start to warm up for the massive festival known as Glastonbury next weekend. Monday night sees Pearl Jam grace Wembley Arena, with support coming more than ably from the brilliant Idlewild. Tickets are sold out; however as always check for a last minute allocation or Scarlet Mist for a fair deal. Doors are at 6pm. Everyone’s favourite Liverpudlians The Coral grace the Astoria as a warm up for Glastonbury,......

We, at Londonist, love all things artsy that try different things in unusual places. We also really love free things hence we’re collectively hopping up and down with excitement at the prospect of this year’s Greenwich & Docklands International Festival which kicks off four amazing days of free arts festivalness this week. We went last year. It was great. "Festival Fanfare" promises to open proceedings on Thursday evening with riotous street arts, music and......