Urban Junkies London - Thursday December 13, 2007

FORUM

EAT

DRINK

SHOP

In an age when 'limited edition' perfumes and 'one-off' collaborations have replaced hand-knitted sweaters as the more thoughtful gift to give, it can be hard to find anything truly unique to tickle The Loved One's fancy.

Auction houses are the exception, and this coming week sees the opportunity to buy your beloved something genuinely different. No less than the entire contents of The Savoy Hotel - running to over 3,000 lots - are being sold by Bonhams next week.

Most of it's rather stuffy and the kind of thing that says 'hotel your parents would like', but where else are you going to get a trompe l'oeil dividing screen replete with birds and butterflies, or a table top cigar humidor for less than a Stella dress in Selfridges?

Over at Bloomsbury Auctions they're holding a Books, Photographs, Drawings, Watercolours and Prints sale with highlights including sketches by Edwardian fashion designer Victor Stiebel, and photographs by Bob Carlos Clarke and Terence Donovan among many, many others.

The Savoy Sale - you must obtain an advance calogue to attend. Viewing Dec 16-17. Sale Dec 18-20.
The Savoy, Strand, WC2
Bloomsbury Auctions - December 19-20
Bloomsbury House, 24 Maddox Street, W1S 1PP

by SOC

Blues harmonica guru, Little Victor settles into The Black Gardenia in Soho. 6pm. 93 Dean Street, W1. £5.

Tax? Pretty? Who would've thought it? And glögg & buns too? Nordic Bakery. 4-8pm. 14 Golden Sq, W1. Free.

Culture Calendar picks for today: La Cage Aux Folles
at Mernier Chocolate Factory and Great Collectors of Our Time at the NPG.

The Pigalle prepares for an evening of lounge with a trio of vocalists crooning. 7-11. 215 Piccadilly, W1. £15-55.

Big-up Westside style for a Notting Heaven celebration. SCA. 1:30-7:30pm. 101a Ken Church St, W8. Free.

If there is no God, then the question at Waterstone's is: what's after atheism? Gower Street, WC1. 6:30pm. Free.

Bourbon and rock Under the Westway for Jack's Xmas Craic. Craic, I said. 8-2am. 242 Acklam Rd, W10. £10.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Make lists. Check twice. It's the G1FT-BOT-2007, and he's busy getting ready for the holiday season. See what's going on in his workshop, download some free tunes, and check out the holiday collection while you're there.