Tue 12 Nov, 2013 Brave New Worlds London Dresses Up Fancy dress here, kitsch bar there, we love a good theme and lately it seems London has gone from a playful sprinkle of one-trick venues – Mahiki, Bodo's Schloss, Ruski's – to a downpour. Themes have gotten serious. First up, colonialism is back. Case in point: a night at British explorer themed Hoxley & Porter in Islington will have you eating scorpions served by train conductors in faux upper class carriages. Over in Mayfair, Gymkhana is a clash of times, with thoroughly modern cuisine – duck dosas and pig cheek vindaloos - and 19th century British imperialist décor: rattan chairs, sepia photographs, ceiling fans and Jaipur inspired lamps. Next, American clubhouses. In East London sits behemoth Far Rockaway, built in the vein of surf clubs found on the shores of Queens, it's all skateboards, graffiti and vinyls. Meanwhile, the West End carries the US theme via East Coast prep, courtesy of Earlham Street Clubhouse. It's set to open its 'beach club' doors in Covent Garden, complete with Hamptons' style libations of punches, coolers, sea breezes and margaritas. And lastly, Nick House – the Patron Saint of themed drinking and dining in London – is opening two new concepts back to back. Starting with the Americana Steam & Rye, he is transforming the Old Bank of New York into a fusion of thematic styles from Gatsby to the Wild West with threads of rock 'n' roll. Expect steam trains, mechanical bulls, chandeliers and suspended dancers. Next, it's off to the Latin Pacific via Chakana. Here, House is teaming up with UJ Ibiza fave Andrew Dax to create a club with all the trimmings of an Incan Temple: snakeskin banquettes, heavy carved wooden tables, wooden trucks and giant candelabras. Drinks are filled with the super foods of the Andes – chia seeds, maca roots, Inca berries and cocoa leaves – with the option to slurp directly from a giant Machu Picchu statue. Say hello to Mahiki's Latina sister. Now all we need are some izakayas, Victorian boozers and Chinese gastros, oh wait we have them too.   Info Hoxley & Porter, 153 Upper Street, N1 1RA, now open Gymkhana, 42 Albemarle Street, W1S 4JH, now open Far Rockaway, 97-113 Curtain Road, EC2A 3BS, now open Earlham Street Clubhouse, 35 Earlham Street, WC2H 9LD, opens November 14 Steam & Rye, 147 Leadenhall Street, EC3V 4QT, opens November 20 Chakana, 23 Orchard Street, W1H 6HL, opens November 25 LINK TO THIS FEATURE: Eat & Drink by CS Calendar Picks For More Themes... EAT PARTY DRINK REVISIT Feast on all things Caribbean at Rum Kitchen's latest outpost, Rum Kitchen Carnaby. Kingly Court, W1B 5PW, opens November 25 Go underground at london's latest club, Mason House – expect secret rooms, chequered floors and very late nights. 8-9 Argyll Street, W1F 7TF, opens November 15 Eat, drink and party at Hackney's Nordic themed 'one-stop shop', Oslo. 1A Amhurst Road, E8 1LL, opens late November Head to the South Pacific via Trader Vic's. Recently relaunched, expect palm aplenty décor plus totem poles, clamshells and bamboo tiles. 22 Park Lane, W1K 1BE, now open CLICK HERE FOR MORE LISTINGS UJ INVITE: #GETWINTERIZED Quiz Night With Huw Stephens By now you probably know that it's time to #GetWinterized. Converse is taking over beer gardens in every corner of London, transforming them into hubs of winter warming fun – think heat lamps galore, cosy sheepskin throws and more. This Thursday November 14, Converse is heading west, teaming up with BBC radio presenter Huw Stephens for an immersive quiz night at The Masons Arms in Kensal Green. Expect decadent mac n' cheese, hot cocktails from Sailor Jerry, and of course a pub quiz to remember, with prizes for the winning teams. Best of all, you're invited – we have 20 pairs of tickets to give away, just click here to fill out our competition form. Quiz night with Huw Stephens at The Masons Arms, 7pm Thursday November 14, 665 Harrow Road, NW10 5NU CONVERSE #GETWINTERIZED WAYNE'S WORLD SCREENING UJ Party Roundup Last Saturday, Converse kicked off their #GetWinterized events with a screening of cult flick Wayne's World. Transformed into a cosy hangout, the beer garden of The Old George in Bethnal Green was all luxe fur throws, log fires and beanbags, with a neon light art installation by Anna Lomax, and a string quartet thrown into the mix. Urban Junkies got their food fix courtesy of wood-fired Fundi Pizza, washed down with hot buttered popcorn rum from Sailor Jerry. To view the photos from the night, click here. LIKE SHARE FORWARD PREVIOUS EDITION (c) 2013 Urban Junkies. All rights reserved. Reproductions of any portion of this website only with our express permission. Urban Junkies is a free daily mailer. All listings and features are editorial: We do not receive any payment from venues, artists or promoters. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information listed but we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.