Urban Junkies London | Weekend Guide May 13

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NIGHTLIFE

Friday the 13th - statistically the worst night of the year for first dates (but presumably rather good for last ones). But with Thursday already seeing more openings than we can shake a stick at - the new three-floor, multi-terraced Ladurée in Covent Garden, The Gun’s A Grelha al fresco rooftop, all wrapped up by Whisky Mist’s Pre-Cannes throw-down - we say dates-be-damned. Start as you mean to go on. Amazing music, throngs of company, tonnes of food and theatre and of course a glass or two of quality vino. Cheers!

• FRI Stateless • SAT Short Circuit • SUN Coco

LAST CALL: MORGANS HOTEL OFFER
SPONSORED LISTING
Double the Pleasure

You know what they say: two heads are better than one. And now you can bed down in Miami with the partner of your choice at a very intelligent rate. Morgans Hotel Group are offering visitors to their South Beach properties (Mondrian, Shore Club and UJ fave Delano) 10% off the best available rate at the time of booking, a complimentary double room upgrade upon arrival and two complimentary cocktails per day. And, for every Swedish Massage you purchase, you get one free. But be quick to bag this offer while it’s available!

Valid until Sept 30, 2011
Click here to view the offer.

FRIDAY

ART: Late Shift Extra
The National Portrait stays up way past its bedtime this weekend to celebrate the annual culture all-nighter, Museums at Night. Inspired by the current Hoppé and Ida Kar exhibitions, guests to this photo-themed shindig can get a taste of 20th century London émigré life on twilight tours around the big smoke. Alternatively stick around at Gallery HQ for exhibition tours, a screening of the legendary Battleship Potemkin, and sip 2-for-1 drinks at the Late Shift Bar. See, like we said: culture.

Time:		6-10pm
Place:		National Portrait Gallery, St Martin’s Place, WC2H 0HE
Cost:		Free (booking required for tours)
Info:		Late Shift Extra

MUSIC: Stateless
Running off the back of their second album which came out back in February on Ninja Tune, Stateless are one of those outfits that absolutely come to life when you see them live. As Mojo described them: "Hopscotching from a rhythmic electronica to brutal DJ Shadow-style sonic assault and back again." Beat that with a drink at the local pub, we dare ya.

Time		7pm
Place:		Jazz Café, 5 Parkway, NW1 7PG
Cost:		£12.50-£35.75
Info:		Stateless

BOOK AHEAD
Pirates of the Caribbean Special Screening

Want to see how La Cruz fares on high seas? Then sail out to the distant land of Notting Hill for this Electric House Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides special, serving up Sparrow’s Punch and Fountain of Youth cocktails and West Indian nibbles as you enjoy the latest adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow from the comfort of those enviable leather armchairs.

Electric House, May 18 (6:30pm), 22 (5:45pm) & 28 (6:30pm)
Tickets from £30.50, email: piratesofthecaribbean@electrichouse.com

SATURDAY

MUSIC: Short Circuit Presents Mute
Mini- festival! This two-day music marathon pays tribute to the much-loved Mute label, with Richie Hawtin taking to the decks alongside the likes of Moby and Depeche Mode legends Martin Gore and Andy Fletcher. Live performances come courtesy of classic ’80s Mute artists Alison Moyet and Erasure, and be sure to check out the exclusive Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds film by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard. With so many workshops, screenings and installations running over the weekend, there’s more than enough to make even our brains short circuit.

Time:		6pm-1am
Place:		Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8EH
Cost:		£30-£75
Info:		Short Circuit Presents Mute

FOOD: Dishoom Bombay Beach Bar
With the major Emin exhibition, the Festival of Britain celebrations and the annoyingly popular Terrace Bar (you try finding a table on a Saturday afternoon) it really feels like the South Bank is buzzing this summer. Now Covent Garden’s Dishoom is bringing a pop up Chowpatty Beach Bar into the mix, serving Indian street-food staples including Golas (ice shavings doused in flavoured syrups). With a resident DJ recreating an acid trip on Chowpatty Beach in Bombay circa ‘65, this little slice of Bombay in the Big Smoke could really mess with your head - in a good way.

Time:		10am-12am
Place:		Queen Elizabeth Hall Terrace, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX
Cost:		Free
Info:		Dishoom Bombay Beach Bar

BOOK NOW
International Music Summit May 24-29, Ibiza

The International Music Summit (IMS) has in three years, established itself as a heavy hitter on the International music schedule. Now spanning over five days- the summit is a great chance to network with music bods, as well as take in the host of opening soirees and unique parties- highlights this year being the IMS opening party at Pacha, Guetta in Dalt Vila on Thursday, and the Gran Finale with 2manydjs and Hercules &Love Affair on Friday night- that happen over the period.

UJ gets the low-down from founding IMS partner and production manager, Simeon Friend…Click here to to read the feature…

PODCAST OF THE WEEK
Ibiza Preview

This time two weeks from now the International Music Summit will be in full swing. To get you in the mood- UJ’s Audiosuhi has put together a real mash up of Ibiza bangers (think dark DC-10 to happy terrace beats). Put your hands up in the air. And book a flight, STAT...Click here to listen..

OFFER
Shrek the Musical

Yes, we’re serious. Life is hard. It’s not every day you get to be a kid. So throw caution to the wind, and get ready to see the big Ogre and his trusty steed, Donkey, on a quest to rescue the feisty Princess Fiona (you know the story…) from her dragon-guarded tower. Throw in the diminutive Lord Farquaad (brilliantly played by Nigel Harman) and Amanda Holden absolutely nailing Cameron Diaz’s Fiona, and you’ve got one admittedly saccharine sweet but truly hilarious musical comedy. Plus, UJ readers can get top tickets, a two course meal at Tom’s Kitchen Somerset House and a glass of Prosecco all for £62.20. Nice price. So, take a kid, or be one for the day and get Shrek’d.

£62.20 offer available via See Tickets
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, WC2B 5JF.

SUNDAY

DRINK: Natural Wine Fair
You’re all picnicked up, partied out, and fed and watered to your heart’s content. So what to do on a Sunday like this? Clearly wander over to Borough Market and disguise a little afternoon guzzling beneath the wily front of a Natural Wine Fair. 120 growers, touting 500 bottles (made from grapes and nowt else), all pleasantly liberal with the old tasting glass (this is a tasting rather than purchasing event after all) and eager to wax lyrical (and informative) about their products should make for quite the enjoyable post-Sunday lunch stroll.

Time:		10am-6pm
Place:		Borough Market, Southwark Street, SE1 1TL
Cost:		£18
Info:		Natural Wine Fair

THEATRE: Coco
André Previn and Herman Levin (My Fair Lady) wrote this ode to Coco Chanel back in 1969, charting her return from retirement in a world dominated by youth. Despite the fabulous topic, top names on board (Chanel also oversaw the original production) and all star cast (originally Katherine Hepburn and later also Ginger Rogers), the production never touched foot in Blighty. Which means that this, some 40-odd years later, is technically the gorgeous musical’s European premiere. Not bad for a sub-30-quid Sunday afternoon.

Time:		4pm
Place:		Lillian Bayliss, Roseberry Ave, EC1R 4TN
Cost:		£22-£28.50
Info:		Coco

COMPETITION
Gelupo

Everyone knows, the only thing better than ice-cream is amazing ice-cream; and the only thing better than that, obviously, is amazing ice-cream delivered straight to your door. So to celebrate the online store from Gelupo (the artisanal gelataria from the guys behind Bocca di Lupo, they’re offering the first 20 UJ subscribers a kilo (yes, that’s as big as it sounds) of Gelupo Gelato delivered direct to their office (as if) or home (that’s more like it). Everyone after that will also receive a discount voucher gaining them a kilo of gelato for the price of a half-kilo - so everyone’s a winner.

Weekend guide by AC

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