The racing season is upon us! Royal Ascot begins today: expect five days of world class racing, pageantry, fashion and fine dining. Speaking of which Haute Time has the low-on the capital’s restaurants and bars that racing enthusiasts will want to gallop to before or after a trip to Royal Ascot Racecourse

With pubs shut circa 11pm, the capital’s nightclubs become one of London’s biggest draws. Whether you take your music seriously or just like to fling yourself around to a bit of Beyonce on a Friday night, you can rest safe in the knowledge that London is a clubber’s paradise. Here are five of the best in town…

The capital is set to experience high temperatures of 30 degrees this week with Thursday tipped to win the coveted ‘hottest day of the year’ title. Looking to beat the heat? Nothing beats a cold ice cream, on a sticky summer’s day. Absolutely everybody loves ice cream (as Walter Williams once sung: ‘I scream you scream, we all scream for ice cream), the origins of which date back to biblical times. Indeed legend has it that the Roman emperor Nero (A.D. 37-68) ordered ice to be brought from the mountains and combined with fruit toppings. However it wasn’t until the second half of the 21st century – when refrigeration became commonplace – that the ice cream business really began to heat up. In America, there’s even a whole month dedicated to the creamy concoction: sweet toothed President, Ronald Reagan, declared July to be ‘National Ice Cream month’ back in 1984, while also establishing the third Sunday of the month as ‘Ice Cream day’. The popular dessert can be calorific, make no mistake, but being made from milk it’s also a good source of calcium: something we all need to help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Vanilla remains the most popular flavour, closely followed by chocolate but there’s also a whole host of more unusual offerings out there from smoked bacon and egg (Heston Blumenthal famous creation) to baked beans on toast – available at Moreli’s Harrods outlet in London. Chances are that by now you’ll no doubt be craving the cold stuff and fortunately for you, dear reader, Haute Time has made it our mission to find the best ice cream in the capital. A copious amount of cups and cornets later, we can reveal the top ice cream scoops and shops in London town. Read on for the full low-down.

Don't let the rain get you down. Here are five haute activities that will keep you dry with a high chance of pleasure.

Alicia Keys has enlisted the help of her famous friends to raise awareness of world issues through We Are Here movement

This week Heritage Auctions will host an uber-exclusive auction featuring a number of extremely exclusive, super-luxurious pieces, including an Hermès Extraordinary Collection 30cm Diamond Matte Himalayan Nilo Crocodile Birkin Bag, a Louis Vuitton Motorcycle Helmet and a rare diamond and white gold Chanel bracelet. To kick off the sale—jewelry on Sept. 22 and other luxury accessories on Sept. 23—Rochelle Gores Fredston co-hosted an intimate preview and cocktail party at Soho House on Sept. 19. Here, the founder of PSLA and chair of the Autumn Party, picks the pieces you need to get your hands on at this week's auction.

The sun is still out – huzzah! And when it’s t-shirt temperatures, we fancy light, bright dishes like fish. Here’s five upscale seafood restaurants that are sure sate your appetite

Planning on checking out some of the capital’s brilliant museums and art galleries this summer? Be sure to arrive with an appetite: London’s top cultural spots boast hip restaurants and chic cafes that, whisper it quietly, are stealing the spotlight away from the actual exhibitions

And here we are in September with the dreary days of autumn – think sudden downpours, scattered leaves and the need for scarves – just around the corner. But thanks to the tropical storm, Cristobal, it’s not all doom and gloom! The Met Office predicts that the sun is back for one final hurrah: temperatures are set to reach 12C (77F) by the end of the week. Result! Haute Time has the low-down on five salubrious rooftop spots where you can see out the last of summer in style…

Beatriz Milhazes is one of the most valuable female artists on the planet. Here is how the opening of her first stateside exhibition went down.

Tea is brewing up a storm. Yes, the charming, relaxed ritual of afternoon tea is in vogue – so much so that there is even a National Afternoon Tea Week (which runs until Sunday 17) dedicated to the much loved British tradition. Wondering where to celebrate having your cake and eating it? Haute Time has the low-down on London’s best afternoon tea venues

Notting Hill Carnival – a spectacular two day event that celebrates Caribbean culture in the capital – is just around the corner! The annual west London Carnival is great fun but – being Europe’s biggest street festival – it can get crowded and, as such, the cleanliness leaves a lot to be desired. But panic not! Haute Time has the low-down on five salubrious spots where you can enjoy a (stylish) taste of the Caribbean. As Jamaican reggae icon, Bob Marley, once famously sang “every little thing is gonna be alright…”