Brick Lane

Joined the queue for a smoked salmon bagel and cheesecake slice today - not exactly breaking the bank at £2.10.

Rounding off the afternoon with a cold beer at the Cantina, where the wax covered most of the table, including the cutlery.

Even my cat loves the kitchen

Allegra, Jamie, Jane, Nigel, Nigella, Ruth & Rose, Simon, Skye - many a feast has been made from these pages!

Caviar lunch @ Bob Bob Ricard

Last weekend, we met up with a few pals to try the Caviar lunch special at Bob Bob Ricard, one of the flashiest diners this side of Moscow. Its gilt and marble interior is fabulously over the top.

We started with caviar and sour cream blinis, which were still warm from the pan. The individual serving of caviar alone costs £24 (from Harrods), making the £20 lunch a very good deal.

The second course was either meat or vegetarian dumplings - I chose the vegetarian mainly because they contained black truffles, continuing the decadence! They were topped with the smallest crunchy onion rings.

Happy meal.

The house was full but there was only you

The man is spending the day helping out on a friend's film, so I'm having a retrospective morning listening to the music of my teenage years. This song by Falling Joys remains one of my favourites; I have fond memories of seeing them playing at the Livid Festival in the early 90s.

Wild Boy's Ball @ Kensington Palace

Last Friday, Kensington Palace opened late for the Wild Boy's Ball. With thoughts of Simon le Bon in my head, I wasn't sure what to expect. It turned out to be a fun evening of history, theatrics and fashion. Each room in the Palace was themed according to one of the princesses who once lived there.

The Room of Sorrows.

A dress worn by Princess Diana.

In Victoria's room, a dress made of thousands of paper cranes by William Tempest was suspended from the ceiling.

A gown by Vivienne Westwood.

Outside in the gardens, guests in fancy dress and masks drank Pimm's and danced to the string quartet on the manicured lawns. It was a very memorable evening and one that showed the Palace in a new light.

The Summer Pavilion by Jean Nouvel @ Serpentine Gallery

Alien

When we dance it takes me back

I found this after reading about Niki & the Dove on The Line of Best Fit and now I'm addicted. It fills a Knife-shaped hole in my listening universe.

Bethnal Green Road

Rox @ The Sanderson

Last Thursday, The Sanderson (partnering with Rough Trade) opened its doors to showcase the second of its emerging artists' nights. After ordering a drink from the very fine and packed Long Bar, we ventured outside to the Japanese garden to watch Rox.

Surrounded by plants and hanging bamboo chairs, she took to the small stage area accompanied by a single musician. It was a chilled out affair with Rox's smooth, soulful voice taking centre while performing a number of tracks from her album 'Memoirs'.

Rox is a great new artist with pure talent, natural stage presence and bags of potential - catch her playing the smaller shows now. She be off supporting Beyonce and Christina in no time.

On Rivington

You never know just how you look through other people's eyes

Framed

Polly Morgan @ Haunch of Venison

After reading about the Polly Morgan show in a number of weekend papers and magazines, I was itching to go this week.

Named 'Psychopomps', in reference to mythological creatures that took souls to the afterlife, the works inhabit a world of metamorphosis and flight. They are delicate and meticulously crafted with incredible attention to detail.

However, there were only a handful of works in a single room, suspended high above the floor so it was difficult to appreciate the works close-up, without the use of a zoom lens. Although this was central to the theme of a fleeting moment, I felt that it distanced the viewer from the gallery experience.

Joana Vasconcelos @ Haunch of Venison

This week I visited the Haunch of Venison in Mayfair to take in two shows: Joana Vasconcelos and Polly Morgan.

The Vasconcelos exhibition was pretty comprehensive, including a number of works that filled either a gallery room or the entire atrium. My favourite work was the pitch black room with a maze of artificial flowers shimmering in a low light. There is a sinister edge to her work which elevates the pieces beyond their initial 'arts and crafts' appearance.