10 things to do and watch in July

Mid-summer has arrived and with it new restaurants, intriguing exhibitions, outdoor art installations, theatre openings and, of course, Wimbledon (don't worry, there are plenty of screenings if you didn't manage to secure a ticket). Plan your month with our July 2021 hot list:

Somerset House encourages you to embrace your inner child with Dodge, its new conceptual open-air experience that offers a twist on the traditional fairground. Its famed courtyard will host dodgems, where every thump of the bumper car triggers explosive new musical material from Mercury Prize 2020 nominee Anna Meredith. Culinary star Jimmy Garcia will host a new pop-up, serving up summer favourites from street food to seriously extra sundaes, as well as weekend brunches with live DJ sets to kickstart those long summer days. Dodge: Drink, Dine and Dodgems will serve as much-needed playful afternoon out to be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA

Allow the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s royal wedding florist to help you bring in the outside in with her free summer mini course. Philippa Craddock is passionate about helping others to find enjoyment in working and designing with flowers, so has devised a programme aimed at just that. Over the course of three tutorials, you’ll learn how to care for delicate summer flowers, how to utilise vessels in your home and how to create the perfect table design using your newfound skills. Both practical and inspiring, this virtual course will ensure you impress your guests this summer.

The course launches on 24 July at philippacraddock.com.

This month, one of the largest and most comprehensive retrospectives of Paula Rego’s work begins at Tate Britain. Eleven inventively curated rooms chart the extraordinary life and seventy-year plus career of the London-based Portuguese artist. Her complex and politically charged pieces have revolutionised the way women are presented in art, from early works challenging the institutionalised misogyny of the Portugal’s former fascist regime to oil-paintings made as a response to the failed 1998 Portuguese referendum to legalise abortion, depicting the visceral impact of illegal terminations. From abstract paintings and collage to large-scale pastels, the exhibition is a captivating riot of colour and shifting style.

Paula Rego, 7 July- 24 October, Tate Britain

From the masterminds behind Gloria and Circolo Popolare comes Ave Mario, another photogenic Italian restaurant boasting some of the best pasta in town. This expansive space is filled with tables covered in traditional checked cloth and beautiful ceramics that you’ll have to resist taking home. Like their sister restaurants, Ave Mario has a few signatures that will prompt repeat visitors – carbonara ravioli filled with pecorino cream, egg yolk and crispy guanciale flakes, and an indulgent dessert in the form a 60cm tall stracciatella cake. The atmosphere is as convivial and lively as you’d expect from any Italian worth its salt, making it an ideal spot for celebratory big dinners with family and friends. A special mention goes to its bathrooms and its neon-light lit cubicles decorated in pictures from The Sopranos. Ave Mario will doubtlessly be as popular as its other outposts – book a table now.

Ave Mario, 15 Henrietta St, London WC2E 8QG

Poet and mental health campaigner Charly Cox hosts her first ever exhibition this month, a “celebration of hope, and of the things we choose to keep that tell us so much about who we are, who we once were and how far we have come.” The two-floor showcases will host visual representation of her new poetry, alongside mementoes and keepsakes belonging to her and her creative peers. It explores the complex relationship we have of the items we choose to keep for nostalgia purposes and what purpose they serve in our lives.

Charly Cox: Wish You Were Here: Postcards From The Past Exhibition is on show now until 7 July at 59 Greek Street, Soho, W1D 3D

Emerald Fennell, who won an Oscar for Promising Young Woman this year, has written a new musical version of Cinderella which officially opens this month. The Andrew Lloyd Webber production, held at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in Covent Garden, is true to the original fairytale, but with added humour, grit and warmth. A romcom based on a more realistic relationship that one based on a woman with the right shoe size, the story focuses on a rebellious Cinderella and her friend Sebastian who suddenly inherits a title and becomes heir to the throne.

Tickets available now at andrewlloydwebberscinderella.com

If you didn’t manage to secure a ticket to Wimbledon, but still want to be part of the buzz, then head down to The Scoop to one of three al fresco screenings. Book one of 200 free tickets to watch the game at the stone amphitheatre overlooking London Bridge. The event, sponsored by official Wimbledon partner Oppo, also offers drinks and nibbles to all guests. We’ll see you there.

Open on 1 Thursday until Saturday 3 July from 11am until COP, book tickets at eventbrite.co.uk

If you’ve embraced horticulture over recent lockdowns, then Selfridges has a treat in store. The Oxford Street branch has opened its first garden centre, selling plants, pots, seeds, tools and even Selfridges branded compost. Adding a luxe twist to green fingered pursuits, the space will also house an edit of high-end fashion, lifestyle and beauty products from brands including Prada and Ganni to look your best when pruning. A resident gardener will be on hand in The Potting Shed to impart advice and expertise, and Selfridges will also host a series of workshops and experiences to help you hone your skills.

Selfridges, 400 Oxford St, London W1C 1JS

Did someone say cake and champagne? Laurent-Perrier and The Berkeley have teamed up to offer a very chic afternoon out inspired by the hotel's legendary fashion afternoon tea Prêt-à-Portea. For spring/summer 2021 sweet treats will look like Valentino gowns, Isabel Marant separates and Versace's ocean-inspired new-season pieces, all ready be washed down with Laurent-Perrier’s much-admired Cuvée Rosé. As part of Taste of London in Regent's Park, ticket-holders will be treated to masterclasses with The Berkeley’s executive Pastry chef, Mourad Khiat, who will share his culinary secrets.

Prêt-à-Portea will be featured at Taste of London from 7 - 11 July 2021