Something For The Weekend

fancy a one night stand?

No we're not being crude, we're just throwing a party on Valentine's night and that's what we decided to call it. Well, it got your attention didn't it? You're invited, by the way!

This party promises to be one of the best Valentine's gigs in town, not only because it's totally FREE, but because it's going to be filled with hot London singletons, all up for a good time. Now, you'd better get there early, it starts at 7pm but just because you've put your name on the guestlist it doesn't guarantee you'll get in. Hey, there are a lot of single people out there, and our new favourite bar Jrink, can't let the whole world in. Space is limited to 150 people only.

You'll get one free drink once you're in, and then your friendly host Jabiz will be only too happy to mix you one of his fancy cocktails. We absolutely love this place - it hasn't been open very long so its darkened candlelit booths and brick wall bar, back wall mirror (making the cosy spot look HUGE), and the fancy spiral staircase down to the loo were a refreshing change from the scuzzy mafia styled hidden spot I usually end up in across the way on Greek Street.

I actually discovered Jrink recently whilst trying to elimenate my own single status, on a date. After a few of Jabiz's mad Apple Collins' I probably would have been anyone's to be honest, but luckily my date was quite nice, thanks. Hopefully, you'll meet some lovely people too. We'll be playing games, the DJ'll be throwing some tunes, and you might just win a date on us in our 'Beau Selector' competition - (like what we did there?)

So sign up now and get on down single friends! We're yours for a

ONE NIGHT STAND

Win a luxury weekend at the Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel...

I’m not particularly posh on the best of days. In fact, when my iron decided not to work about five months ago, instead of getting a new one I just vowed to spend more money on clothes that wouldn’t crease.

Needless to say I was a bit dubious about how I’d look set against the serene backdrop of a leafy London square outside the Jameirah Lowndes hotel.  With Knightsbridge and its stylish stores just yards away I was pretty grateful to step inside and hide quite frankly, although thankfully I had no need to worry. You see, just because  the Jumeirah is gorgeous, you don’t have to be posh all the time to feel welcome. 

I started with a drink in the Mimosa Bar and restaurant, where I’d later feast on a bounty of Mediterranean scrumptiousness. I almost wished it was hot outside so I could sit on the terrace and watch all the lovely looking men wining and dining their special someones in the sunshine. It’s probably gorgeous in the summer. This place really felt like heart of the hotel - always bustling, but instead of sitting under suspended glass pendants and listening to the warming chatter, I could have easily ordered their food via 24 hour room service, gone up to my room and borrowed the iron. Ah, who cares!

There are 87 rooms at the Jumeirah, including 14 suites with a dedicated all-suite 6th floor. I was lucky enough to be staying in the Junior Suite, which had its very own lounge area. Plenty of room for a good old boogie to the music channels on the telly, while no one’s looking of course.  I loved the marble bathroom - it did take a while to realise that they weren’t being extra generous with the two toilets, just in case one broke. One of them was actually a bidet. 

After lapping up the luxury of my suite, I decided to take advantage of the complimentary access to the Spa area of the Peak Health Club and Spa to sooth my cares away. I adore those Sisley and Pevonia treatments, and my massage wasn’t half bad either. Well, I definitely needed one after my lengthy shopping expedition to Harrods! The spa is on the 9th floor of the Carlton Towers just across the road, so I had a panoramic view of London as I did my time on the treadmill. The pool was something else entirely - I swam in a 20 metre pool in tropical water garden settings. Beautiful! A true Oasis in Belgravia.

The Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel is definitely a treat worth repeating, and only 5 minutes from Knightsbridge and Sloane Square underground stations too. I could have even had a limo to pick me up if I didn’t think I could walk. Thankfully, I didn’t buy too many pairs of Jimmy Choos so I wasn’t quite at the staggering stage by the time I got there. Just as well really, I’m not sure that even Jimmy Choos would help to enhance my crumpled look of late. Perhaps I should go and borrow that iron…

To win a luxury weekend at the Jumeirah Lowndes hotel, click here

Billy Elliot - still dancing...

So Elton seems to have a knack for bringing the house down, and although he wasn't present at The Victoria Palace Theatre last night, his soul was most definitely heard. Through the mouths of a hugely energetic cast came the unmistakable words and emotions of a musical legend, renowned for tugging at the heartstrings of every generation.

Based on the film of the same name, Billy Elliot - The Musical reunites the talents of writer Lee Hall, producer Jon Finn and director Stephen Daldry. Set in a small Northern town at the heart of the 80's miner's strike there's much in the way of the freedom Billy craves, and just like many pre-pubescent boys when the hormones are raging, he struggles to express himself clearly. There's upheaval in his male-dominated household, not helped by the pressure on the picket lines. But when Billy swaps his boxing gloves for ballet shoes he discovers that dancing gives him freedom.

Peter Darling's choreography is breathtaking in parts - especially in a scene where a frustrated Billy takes out his anger by bouncing ballerina style off a barrage of police shields on the picket lines. Although strangely it wasn't the dancing that I'll remember the most. It's been five years since I saw the film and to be perfectly honest, I'd forgotten the simple yet gripping message of hope that lies at the heart of Billy's story.

The most moving scene for me was not when Billy and his dance instructor, Mrs Wilkinson, sing with lump-in-throat lethargy the contents of a letter left by Billy's dead mother; although, I did hear a few sniffles. Rather it was when his otherwise senile grandmother remembers with heart-warming sincerity, detail and passion, what it felt like to dance with her husband. Before he died the alcoholic "never lifted a finger", and was pretty much a "w***er", except when he'd twirl her around to music in his arms. She admits that could she live it all again she'd be just as drunk and just as carefree, and her song is a bittersweet reminder of how we all live for love, take it for granted and forget all too easily how fast we can lose it.

Aside from the weepy reality checks, Billy Elliot is hugely amusing. The contrast between Londoners at the Royal Ballet School and Billy's Northern working class father is hilarious, as is a scene where Billy's soon-to-be-known-as-gay best friend introduces him to the joys of dressing in women's clothing. "What we need is individuality", he tells him as they tap dance amongst giant floral dresses and ball gowns, wearing lipstick.

At a time when the dust from the last election has only just settled, the anti-Tory anger at the heart of the miners' despair rang especially loud around the theatre. A scene in which a rowdy Christmas party is overruled by a giant Spitting Image-esque Margaret Thatcher had everyone sniggering in their seats.

Where some moments in Billy Elliot can only be labeled as pure musical cheese, others are unforgettably unique. Where props and scenery are somewhat uninspiring, metaphors bring to light all the imagery that's needed. A scene in which Billy's remarkable talents are realised has him quite literally soaring high above the stage in a harness. He's helped by a mysterious, muscle-clad ballet god, who surely epitomises everything the young boy aspires to become.

In this scene, shadows emphasise the enviably toned physique of the fully trained stranger and the clever lighting makes Billy's swan diving absolutely beautiful to behold.

There's something for everyone in this show and all in all this effort will surely be a huge West End success. But no matter what the critics say, once word gets out about the three cute and talented Billy boys currently playing the lead, it's safe to presume the teenage girls will fill the seats faster than their mum's at an Elton John concert. By Becky Wicks

For more theatre reviews and fabulous offers, subscribe to our Something for the Weekend newsletter.

Get your tickets to Billy Elliot here

live hypnosis event at Tate Modern...

This Saturday, 27 January, there's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see painting and installation artist Matt Mullican perform in Tate Modern's Turbine Hall – while in a state of hypnosis! Mullican uses hypnosis to conjure up symbols, motifs and repetitive patterns from his subconscious mind. Mind-blowing stuff, quite literally! 10pm start, £6.

These performances are a crucial aspect of the artist's work and he uses them as a way of developing ideas through the process of taking on the characteristics of other people whilst he is hypnotised.

The artist, whose work also includes painting, drawing and installation, has long been fascinated by the relationship between information and perception as it is filtered through emotive or unconscious associations. The symbols, shapes and repetitive patterns that he paints during the performance make such concerns visibly manifest.

Tate Modern  Turbine Hall
£6 (£4 concessions), booking recommended
For tickets book online
or call 020 7887 8888

free London...

With the prospect of pay day looming the poverty will soon be over - but if the contents of your wallet is still in rapid decline, there's no need to waste another weekend. There's plenty of free stuff for you to be getting on with -

FREE Great White Bear exhibition
Horniman Museum, 100 London Road, SE23 3PQ
Rail: Forest Hill
Bit of an odd one this - two blokes went on a hunt throughout the entire UK to track down every stuffed polar bear over a three year period, photographing them and tracking their history. You'll find descriptions on exactly how each one was killed, transported and how and where each one came to be stuffed and displayed.  Apparently the Horniman had its own stuffed polar bear that was sold in 1948 and has never been found. How sad. Makes for a grizzly afternoon though.
Daily 10.30am-5.30pm. Gardens daily 7.15am-dusk

FREE An afternoon of Hollywood glamour in Borough
Saturday 27 January
Tube: Borough
Trade the glum for glitz at Roxy Bar & Grill’s Classic Hollywood Musical matinee event. So sit back, forget about the cold outside and lose yourself in some old-fashioned glamour on the big screen. Plus, the screening is free – now that wouldn’t happen in Tinseltown! 3pm start.

FREE Picadilly Line: Past, Present and Future
Chamber Lobby, City Hall, The Queens Walk, SE1 2AA.
Tube: London Bridge
If you're not sick to the back teeth of the entire tube system after an inch of snow caused total citywide chaos this week, why not head along to celebrate 100 years of the Picadilly Line at this London Transport museum exhibition? You'll see intriguing pictures of WW2 Underground shelters, find reams of info about the architecture of Charles Holde and tons more things to make you wonder exactly how the thing has been beneath our feet for so long, yet still never seems to work properly.
Mon-Fri 8am-8pm

FREE A Spoonful of Poison - Monday 29th
Rhythm Factory, 16-18 Whitechapel Road, E1 1EW
Tube: Aldgate East
Hardly the sickly sweet Mary Poppins style offering, but this upbeat open mic night invites us all in for free before 8.30. Hosted by Vis the Spoon, guests are Lonely Krill Escape and Loud Hayley.

FREE - exhibitions at the Oxo Gallery:
Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street,
South Bank, London SE1 9PH 
Curtains - 4 Jan - 4 Feb
Neil Bailey's work hangs all over London, but this is his first solo show of paintings, his striking use of colour and witty metaphors play decoy to his illustrious signwriting career.
20 Impressions - 7 25 - Feb
20 artists from the South Bank Printmakers collective present a selection of original work showcasing a variety of printmaking techniques.

On the party side: pssssssssssssst...
Guilty Pleasures is free before 9 on Friday at Cargo

win Hoodwinked DVDs and goodies...

Hoodwinked is released across the UK and Ireland on September 29th 2006, but we've got some DVDs and goodies to give away. To be in with a chance to win send us an email with your name and address, and cross your fingers!

Everyone knows the story of Little Red Riding Hood... or so they think. That’s all about to change because no one has ever seen their favourite fairy tale quite like this - turned upside-down, inside-out and reinvented as a computer-animated caper comedy that at last reveals the shocking true-crime investigation behind the legend.

HOODWINKED begins at the end of the tale and winds its way back. It all begins as a feathered and furry assortment of cops and detectives turn up at GRANNY’s cottage in the woods to answer a domestic disturbance call. It looks at first to be just another open-and-shut case of a WOODSMAN assaulting a WOLF impersonating a GRANNY, with an assortment of criminal charges including breaking and entering, intent to eat and wielding an axe without a licence.

But looks can be deceiving. As they are questioned one by one, it becomes clear they’re not your usual suspects – yet the investigators must use their clashing eyewitness accounts to solve the increasingly convoluted riddle of who among them has committed a crime. When at last the wicked villain’s true identity is revealed, it’s up to RED, THE WOLF, THE WOODSMAN and GRANNY to put aside their differences and find their own original twist on happily ever after.

HOODWINKED features the voice talents of Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries, Ella Enchanted), Glenn Close (101 Dalmatians, Tarzan), Jim Belushi (According to Jim,K-9, Joe Somebody), Andy Dick (ABC’s Less Than Perfect), Chazz Palminteri (The Usual Suspects, Analyze This), Xzibit (MTV’s “Pimp my Ride, XxX), Anthony Anderson (Hustle & Flow,  Me,Myself & Irene)

Enter the competition here

Clean up with Pears: Win two night's stay at The Hoxton Hotel...

To celebrate Pears being chosen for London’s coolest lifestyle hotel, The Hoxton, we’ve got two night’s stay for one lucky winner and a friend, plus a Pears Gift Pack to give away. 5 Runners Up will also receive a Pears Gift Pack each.

(The hotel's owner, Sinclair Beecham, has always loved the Pears brand and there was no question in his mind that his hotel would be stocked with the amber soap - lush!)  Enter the competition here

We visited the Hoxton Hotel to see what the fuss was all about...

There are a number of happening hotspots that spring to mind when you’re asked the age-old question – “where’s best to stay when I’m visiting London?” Personally I’d tell them anything but the truth – after all, us East Londoners don’t want the whole world getting wise to our secret.

If we really must share though, we might as well admit that Hoxton’s where “it’s at”. Surrounded by unique, hidden and not so hidden, loud and welcoming or quiet and inconspicuous bars and restaurants, Shoreditch holds the key to a cooler slice of London that visitors as recently as the last decade, knew little to nothing about.

The Hoxton hotel, known now as London's most innovative new business hotel is a place “where urban living aims to meet country lodge lounging”.  It only opened its doors last September but its rooms are pretty hard to book already. Not because they’re expensive – far from it in fact. It’s just that when something new, cool and relatively inexpensive opens in the hippest part of town, everybody (me included!) wants a piece of the action. 

Close to Old Street tube and the City of London, the hotel is staggering distance from some of London's best bars, restaurants and clubs. And trust us, you will stagger if you’re out to experience Hoxton in its truest form. In fact, with roaring fires and cool cocktails, Frette linen and flat screen TVs, sumptuous duck down duvets and free WiFi, the Hoxton Hotel has it all. But it had me at the word ‘cocktail’, obviously.

I took some friends to the Hoxton Grille for dinner a few weeks ago. Nestled inside the hotel it holds the bustle and bounce of the Big Apple, mixed with delectable Parisian bistro chic. Tres awesome. Open all day every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the classic dishes and bistro faves will set you drooling, but leave you full - ready for another cocktail perhaps?  Try the potted shrimps with lime mayonnaise, and the Gloucester old spot sausage and mash. To die for!

If you fancy brekkie in your room however as you lounge about in bed and drink your free fresh milk or mineral water, you can always get a free Lite Pret breakfast delivered right to your door - another little gift from Sinclair. With breakfast in your Egyptian cotton bed you don’t need to miss a second of Celebrity BB on your sexy flat screen TV.

If you really want to, you can head to the Market Sports Gym across the road for a fiver – use the pool, relax in the sauna or treadmill your tummy into rumbling mode for another visit to the Hoxton Grille. Well,… you might as well make the most of it.

After your visit to the Hoxton Hotel, when anyone asks you where’s best to stay in London, don’t feel bad if you find your finger pointing to Brixton on their German tourist map. After all, some things are just too good to share.

To be in with your chance to win a weekend at the Hoxton, plus Pears goodies, enter our competition here.

**Pears soap is specially formulated to take care of even delicate and sensitive skin, cleansing thoroughly yet gently rinsing skin clean. It is hypoallergenic and contains a mild cleansing formula. They are also non-comedeogenic, so they won’t clog pores.

Darren does Benicassim...

Never one to shy away from an adventure, Darren was asking about this year’s Benicassim tickets the moment he got back from the last one. But for all of us worried about heading to foreign fields for a few well-known bands and a week lodged in a stranger’s odorous armpit, is it really worth the trek to Spain?  Here’s Darren with the lowdown…

First up, the Benicassim festival is hot!  In my opinion it’s Glastonbury and more without the mud and threat of minging weather. Basically, it’s the fruit of festivals in Europe and something everyone should do once, (although this year will be my fourth because I can’t think of a good enough reason not to go). If you need to justify your trip, just tell yourself how much you need a break, because after all, you’re not just going for the festival. You’re going for the band/sand holiday fusion that lures a million (single) sun and music worshippers to the same town.

Benicassim is a quiet Spanish beach town, only 55 minutes drive from Valencia.  It’s right on the coast and has some amazing beaches.  Most of the year it must be dead, but come festival time it’s buzzing and I couldn’t wait to check out the talent… er, scenery. Your day tends to kick off at 1pm – that’s once you’ve managed to scrape yourself off whichever sleeping apparatus you fell across the night before. Most people get breakfast, then head down to the beach for some sun, surf and ladies in bikinis.  Well, what did you expect? Once you’ve baked yourself sufficiently under those warm Spanish rays, perhaps necked a few beers and handed out your number to about ten people who will probably never call, it's off to the festival.

The line up each year is an indie lover’s dream. I’ve seen bands such as  Franz Ferdinand, The Kooks, The Strokes, We Are Scientists and a heap more. There’s always something you just don’t want to miss, but if you’re anything like my lot, it’s inevitable that you won’t get to see everything. Who wants to run around in the boiling sun when there’s so much to do elsewhere? It’s best if you pick out a few bands that you really don’t want to miss and aim for those. The rest just kind of happens, depending on who you meet and who you lose in the crowds.

The festival goes on for four days and luckily it’s only about a 10 minute walk from the main campsite – this is where you want to stay as everyone stumbles back there together and you can keep the party going if you’re not done with dancing. Although, the main stage acts normally go through to about 6am! The acts usually kick off around 7pm so don’t forget to use those food and drink tickets wisely. And don’t even think about smuggling in your own alcohol – they’ll even check the bags under your eyes. Don’t worry though, there’s plenty on site.  After all, a good festival is never a dry one.

As well as the main stage, there are three other smaller stages which showcase some great bands. In spite of the weather being ridiculously hot, the Benicassim festival is full of chill people. Pretty much anything goes, and I’d advise wearing not very much. And shoes. You’ll need those for venturing into the mosh pits. After each gig there’s always a substantial litter of broken flip flops  scattered about, and most likely a few broken feet too – ouch!

Tired, danced out and sweating buckets, your day will undoubtedly wrap up at around 7am, wherever you might fall. Hopefully it’ll be in your own tent, unless you’re really unlucky. Or lucky, as the case may be…

To book your tickets to Benicassim 2007, click here now

we chat to Kerry Ellis...

Stepping into the shoes of powerhouse Idina Menzel was never going to be easy, but for Kerry Ellis, Wicked's stunning new lead, the role of Elphaba is a magical challenge she's taking in her stride...

Hey Kerry, we love the show! How much of a challenge is playing Elphaba?

"Every show has its new challenges and it takes time to perfect the performance, this role is huge to take on but I’m enjoying finding my way through it."

How much training did you do prior to taking over from Idina, and how did you study for the role?

"I was there from the start with everyone so was able to gain all the original direction and information, I also had a week with the director Joe Mantello, which was great."

So, have you had any strange encounters with Wicked fans yet? They're a passionate bunch!

"Yes, I wouldn’t say strange,... everyone is so enthusiastic and very supportive and just loves the show. It’s really nice to have them on board."

What do you do in London to wind down after the show?

"At the moment I’m still finding my feet with the role so don’t get to go out much
But I am off to see Cirque du Soleil on Sunday, which I’m very excited about"

You must be working so hard, will you be taking a holiday soon?

"Not yet, as I only took one two weeks ago! I think I’m going to stick around for a bit, but I always like a cheeky summer break when I can."

Which song/scene from Wicked do you enjoy performing most?

"I think it would have to be No Good Deed, I love that song, but to be honest, I enjoy it all!" 

You can't keep a good witch down, so what’s next in line for you?

"I don’t know, I’m loving being a part of Wicked and who knows what the future will bring! If my career keeps going as it has I’ll be very happy."

To win tickets to Wicked and dinner at Chez Gerard, click here

Win a weekend in the Cumberland Hotel...

That's right, a whole weekend of total gorgeousness on us and our friends at London's newest and flashiest hotel, The Cumberland. Enter here to win, and here's more about it, through the eyes of... well,... a special sort of customer:

"I don’t know about you, but once I’ve fed Mitty and Pookums-trixibelle and we’re done with our leisurely stroll around the park; after afternoon tea and some casual shopping in Harrods with my personal assistant, I like to unwind properly, in a place where I can be proud to call myself a lady.  So imagine my luck when I realised there was a lovely, brand new hotel just around the corner from my Central London mansion.

The Cumberland appears to be the perfect base for a stay in London, (aside from my own darling house, of course.) If you’re renovating all nine bedrooms and kitchens at once like Gerald and I, it would be the ultimate place to stay - just a stone's throw from Park Lane, Oxford Street and Mayfair, so you can still get on with things. The hotel has over 1,000 designer bedrooms, a state of the art gym to work off all those Christmas calories, and a mouthwatering array of restaurants that, quite frankly, left me wondering as to the future of my cooking staff back at the mansion. Gary Rhodes’ has done wonders in the Cumberland, with his latest bar and brasserie, Rhodes W1. The place is practically a “trendy” nightclub – not my usual haunt at all, but as soon as I tell the ladies at the lunch club they’ll be down there like a shot. Branching out is the new black, don’t you know.  Oh, we’ve got two bars to explore next time, too, (don’t tell Gerald).

After a gorgeous dinner I retired to my room, to find that everything inside calmed my senses. Well, that shopping malrkey was more than enough to stress me out - do you know, they didn't even have the Jimmy Choos I wanted in my size. (tut).  In my room however I felt inspired, contented, relaxed even. Those Egyptian cotton sheets were first class, I don’t know they do it – first they build the pyramids and then they expand to interior design enhancements. I was very impressed and we were well looked after. Well, I was.  Naughty Gerald.  The huge shower was amazing, but I’m not so sure about the plasma screen television. He couldn’t keep his eyes of Carol Vorderman on the late night repeats.

I don’t like to cheapen my own home, but The Cumberland experience begins the moment you enter the lobby - something we should all inspire to achieve in our own delightful, mammoth abodes.  A large, open space at the front is more a gallery than hotel reception, although they kindly declined my offer of a Mitty and Pookums picture, which I thought would look jolly marvelous blown up to a billboard behind the front desk.   

Gerald’s already decided to come back and use one of The Cumberland’s 26 meeting and function rooms with the gentlemen from “the business”, and I hate to admit it but I’m almost sorry that the renovations are complete on the mansion.  I do hope to visit again soon, even if it’s only for a cheeky cocktail at the Kua Bar. I can hardly wait!

To win a weekend in The Cumberland Hotel click here

To book a stay for yourself, click this way