South London swooning
Rom-coms aren’t normally set in South East London but Raine Allen Miller is giving Peckham its very own When Harry Met Sally via her directorial debut Rye Lane. Following tough break-ups, Yas played by Vivian Oparah and Dom played by David Jonsson, meet in a chance encounter on their mission to get over heartache. Spiralling into a day of trying to get records back from ex-boyfriends, scrolling on Tinder and crying over bad break-ups in bathrooms, the pair ultimately realising romance might not be dead after all. It’s a fun ride and great for some SE15 I-spy.

Rye Lane is out in cinemas now. 

Road trip
West London’s David Hill Gallery has just opened an exhibition documenting the work of US photographer Baldwin Lee and it’s a stunning journey across the deep South. Setting off on a road trip in 1983 with no plans, Lee captured the realities of life in the 1980s in a series of striking black and white portraits. Photographs of childhood pleasures, the working life of adults and familial bonds sit alongside staggering documentation of the racial injustice experienced by Black Americans in the South as they lived their lives in poverty. Capturing life in America in its entirety, Lee’s work has been acquired by the likes of MoMA and The Guggenheim and now exhibits in London until summer, so we’ve given you plenty of warning to not miss it.

Baldwin Lee: A Southern Portrait runs at David Hill Gallery until July 22nd, more info here.

Prose pro’s
Now in its sixth year, the annual Poetry for Every Day of the Year festival is back at the National Theatre. Curated by poetry advocate Allie Esiri, the evening traces each month of a calendar year and links it to a poem reflecting specific events, key dates and the changing seasons of the year gone by. Always boasting an A-star line-up of diverse voices, this year will see the likes of Asa Butterfield, Tom Hiddleston, Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù and Kate Fleetwood take to the stage to read a selection of poems. Even though tickets have been on sale for a while, there are a still a couple of last minute ones up for grabs so if you didn’t have Friday night plans, you do now.

Poetry for Every Day of the Year runs at the National Theatre until March 17th, more info here. 

Bright lights
Celebrating the new visual art programme from The Beams – a huge warehouse in East London – Thin Air marks the inaugural exhibition for the city’s newest cultural venue. Taking advantage of the venue’s vast 55,000 square feet space, the showcase brings together works from seven global contemporary artists and collectives exploring the boundaries between art and technology. Working with light, atmospherics, sound and experimental new media, installations from the likes of Matthew Schreiber, Robert Henke and James Clar transform the expansive space into a journey of sensory discovery.

Thin Air runs at The Beams until June 4th, more info here. 

Binge-worthy
The UK’s largest queer film event, BFI Flare returns to the Southbank for a ten-day stint to showcase the best new LGBTQIA+ cinema from around the globe. Works include the likes The Stroll from Kristen Lovell and Zackary Drucker, a documentary following the lives of transgender sex workers in New York City’s Meatpacking District, Emily Railsback’s American Parent exploring the dynamics of queer parenthood, and Hannes Hirsch’s Drifter, which tells the story of one gay man’s journey in contemporary Berlin. Alongside brilliant independent films, there are screenings of Elegance Bratton’s The Inspection, Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean and the Nan Goldin documentary All The Beauty And The Bloodshed.

Flare runs at the BFI Southbank until March 26th, view the full programme here. 

Top scran
After a series of deliveries, pop-ups and residencies in various locations, Matthew Scott has finally given Hot 4 U some permanent digs. Joining forces with Charlie Carr of Wingnut Wines, the pair opened Papi in London Fields earlier this month to combine their expertise in creative cooking and natural wines. Focusing on sustainability and zero waste, the menu is constantly rotating but you can expect an array of dishes such as iced rhubarb oysters, smoked rabbit kielbasa and veal brain cacio e pepe. While the ever-changing wine list focuses on small and lesser-known producers to offer up a daily selection of carefully selected vino by the glass.

Papi is located at 1F Mentmore Terrace, E8 3PN. Check out their Instagram here.