Stricken City @ Pure Groove

Like Rough Trade East, Pure Groove in Clerkenwell does a fine job in hosting free instore gigs. I've seen some fun shows here from Kill it Kid, Kitty Daisy and Lewis, Au Revoir Simone and Nouvelle Vague. Last night saw Stricken City take the stage for a 30-minute set. Although they didn't play Tak o Tak it was an energetic show with singer Rebekah Raa rocking out in a fab zebra halter jumpsuit. Girlcrush alert.

The Bathhouse

The Bathhouse. A descent of tiled-lined stairs leads to a candlelit room. Blue Velvet is projected on the vintage wallpaper. The caped DJ spins from within a golden birdcage. Bladerunner girls with 40s hair and black nails drink cocktails. A decoupage of Victorian nude postcards span the bathroom ceiling. The best late night venue in this town.

Anish Kapoor @ The Royal Academy

Yesterday I attended the late night opening of the Anish Kapoor exhibition at the Royal Academy. It is one of my favourite exhibitions of recent years. I love the way Kapoor experiments with spaces, transforming the very established Academy galleries into his very own playground.


The first gallery was filled with his undulating Hive sculpture, reminiscent of when he filled the Tate Modern's Turbine Hall with Marsyas.

The exhibition feels alive; especially as the scents from each medium permeate the space - from the cool cement of Greyman Cries, Shaman Dies, Billowing Smoke, Beauty Evoked, to the melted wax and smoking cannon of Shooting in the Corner.

(image source: Royal Academy)

Polpo

Last night, I decided to try my luck for a seat at the newly-opened Polpo in Beak Street. It is already generating quite a buzz with its Venetian-style small dishes in an intimate Soho space. As a solo diner on this occasion, I knew that I wanted to sit at the bar and I was offered the last seat.

I ate a selection of beautifully prepared plates: grilled courgette with fresh rocket; mackerel tartare with a side of horseradish; and slow roast roast duck with tomatoes and olives. Washed down with a small carafe of Bianco Castellani, it was the perfect way to mark the end of a stressful week at the office. Service was friendly, relaxed and attentive. I'll definitely be back.

+J by Jil Sander @ Uniqlo

After scoring a free ticket to the earlybird launch of +J, the Jil Sander range at Uniqlo, I queued up for a quick look. The usual organised calm of the store was lost for the morning at least while hordes of customers cherry-picked their way through the stock. The shop assistants could not fill the rails fast enough. I saw many baskets filled with multiple versions of the same jacket or coat in each colourway. It was a bit too much stress for my liking, especially when most items are available here. For me the biggest surprise was seeing the familiar faces from Grazia getting stuck in and helping out. I heart Paula Reed.

(image source: Uniqlo)

I love it in the mountains