The Evening Standard's Going Out resolutions for 2019

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No New Year is complete without a few well-meaning resolutions.

Here at GO London, we've put together resolutions for each month of the year, covering everything we do – so there's something for theatre lovers, music fanatics, foodies and those simply wanting to get the most out of the capital's culture.

Whether you’re looking to take up a new hobby or give back to your local community, we've got an activity to tickle every fancy.

These are our going out resolutions for 2019.

January: Broaden your horizons with alternative cabaret

January shouldn't stop anyone letting their hair down and making some noise. Pubs, clubs and small theatre spaces are where you’ll find the cutting edge of London’s performance scene, offering drag, music, burlesque, comedy and circus. A lot of it defies labels and sows the seeds of what's coming in the mainstream in years to come. The Glory, Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club and the Royal Vauxhall Tavern have the best in regular queer cabaret, while collectives such as the Cocoa Butter Club – who celebrate performers of colour – are worth catching for their one-off performances. If you’re looking for something new, these places are where you’ll find it.

February: Try an immersive film screening

(Jay Maidment)
Jay Maidment

Film fans shouldn’t just watch movies in 2019, they should live them — extra tickets for Secret Cinema’s spectacular Casino Royale events are being released in the new year, offering the chance for aspiring spies to throw themselves into espionage first hand. The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square is also one of the best places for quirky, immersive film screenings, and their 2019 programme is sure to be well worth checking out, too.

March: Tuck in before it's too late

Fera: The name means wild in Latin

The restaurant business is undoubtedly one of the trickiest to survive. 2018 saw Michelin-starred restaurants Bonhams and Fera at Claridge’s among the closures in the capital, showing that even the biggest hitters aren’t immune. 2019 will see the likes of Stevie Parle’s Rotorino, Gordon Ramsay’s Maze and Nathan Outlaw’s restaurant at the Capital shut their doors, so if you hear that the hotspot you’ve been eyeing up is on it’s way out, make sure you get there before it’s too late.

April: Watch a gig at an independent venue

Dawid Laskowski

London is home to some truly world-class music venues, from the O2 and Wembley Arena to Brixton Academy and Alexandra Place. They’re all worth your time but if you want to really support the music scene in London, go to an independent venue. They’re the ones that operate with the help of sponsors or investors, but still manage to nurture and showcase the best grassroots talent the capital has to offer. Check out our guide to the best independent music venues in London to plan your next gig.

May: Rave at one of London’s new clubs

London's best clubs, in pictures

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It’s an exciting time for clubbing in London, with a handful of new, boundary-pushing venues popping up all over the capital. In Canning Town, there’s Fold, which opened in August and makes the most of its 24-hour license to host sprawling parties every weekend. Up in Tottenham, The Cause has been making a name for itself with a dark, Berlin-esque vibe, incredible programming and a charitable mission — a chunk of its profits are donated to local mental health charities. Or, is there somewhere you’ve been putting off going to because you’re all the way out west and the club is all the way out east? Make 2019 the year you embark on that voyage.

June: Drink vegan

Adam Barhan/Flickr

Doing Dry January or Sober October is pretty much impossible — everyone knows that — but there is an easy way you can change your drinking habits this year. When it comes to picking your pints in 2019, go for one made without isinglass, a brewing process using fish guts, and check out our guide to choosing vegan beer. Head to the Spread Eagle in Homerton for a 100 per cent vegan drinking experience too.

July: Eat up at a charity supper club

Björn Rådeström

There’s certainly no shortage of dinner events in London, with new ones popping up every week, from multi-sensory experiences to TV-show themed nights. However, there’s also a plethora of places supporting great causes. Both the Cook For Syria supper club and What the Fattoush found great success in 2018, so keep an eye on their websites for their 2019 schedules. Usually with these special supper clubs, profits go towards the charity the event is in aid of, so you can enjoy an evening of great food and merriment knowing your contribution is helping those in need.

August: Get into work-in-progress comedy

It’s essential to have an audience in to test out new jokes. Some land, some don’t, but a great comic makes it funny either way. Work-in-progress comedy is a wonderful way to see your faves for just a few quid in intimate venues. The Bill Murray is one of the best for new material, with something on every night of the week. The Pleasance Islington and Soho Theatre have great offerings, and new material nights such as Old Rope at the Phoenix Cavendish Square give you a batch all in one go. The run up to Edinburgh Fringe is a great time to see comedians practice their craft, especially if you’re not able to get up to Scotland.

September: Become 'a regular'

Ewan Munro/Creative Commons

The pub is a cure-all for any matter of ills: they comfort, console and satiate. When everything else in London feels cold and unwelcoming, a pub is usually there with open arms and a pint. A few even still have something like a sense of community – hidden in the back room maybe, but still there. While it’s true a quarter of the UK’s pubs may have shut since 2001, perhaps this is a kind of drinkers’ Darwinism. London is still blessed with plenty of gorgeous places that thrive on their locals, places like the Hemingford Arms in Barnsbury, the Hare in Bethnal Green, the Red Lion in Leytonstone, Turner's Old Star in Wapping, Whitechapel’s Princess of Prussia (or nearby Artful Dodger), and The Clapton Hart in – where else? – Clapton. Find yours, and get to know it. Not much tops walking in a place and asking for "the usual".

October: Go to your local theatre

There’s so much more to London’s theatre scene than the West End, with smaller theatres dotted about across the capital — so make 2019 the year that you venture further afield. These venues work tirelessly to offer bold and exciting seasons of work, often on a shoestring budget whilst still offering extremely affordable tickets. Notting Hill’s Gate Theatre, Battersea’s Theatre503 and Hackney Wick’s The Yard are just a few local theatres who consistently punch above their weight, with a knack for spotting thrilling new voices and making imaginative use of the most intimate auditoriums.

November: Support a street food market

Whether it’s up at Camden Market or south of the river at Hawker House, Londoners are rarely too far from a street food market. Popping along to one means you can support independent traders, and taste some of the most exciting food in London at reasonable prices. From barbecue masters Smokestak to Indian snack enthusiasts Kricket, via doughnut doyennes Crosstown and crust connoisseurs Pizza Pilgrims, some of the biggest names on London’s casual dining scene have started as street food stalls. You never know, you just might discover the next big thing.

The best street food markets in London

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December: Party on at a museum late

Getty Images

Everyone knows that museums are bursting with life in the day but paying a visit to them after-dark is well worth a trip too. Many London museums offer late night events, for guests to come and explore the space for a quieter, more intimate session. The Natural History Museum, the V&A and the Science Museum hosts a number of themed Lates with after-hours entry to current exhibitions along with exclusive talks and workshops.

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