Blame it on the fresher weather, but this weekend, we’ve got food on the mind. From a pork festival to a southern Italian brunch and a couple of highly anticipated restaurants, our weekend menus are looking good. Culture wise, we’re feeling playful, and as for our health? We’re looking to Tulum. Also, have you noticed there’s something going on with interactive plays? This Weekend’s Picks • FRI Pork Life • SAT Tincan • SUN The Art of the Brick FRIDAY EAT: Pork Life DRINK: Modern Love BAR The weekend starts with a bit of Pork Life, the new foodie fest from Tweat Up (Ribstock, Chilli Chilli Bang Bang…). Head over to Dalston Yard for your fill of swine as chefs, restaurants and street food traders serve up head-to-tail pig dishes: think pig's head terrine, pork-belly fried rice, and porchetta via vendors such as Blackfoot, Steve Parle and Rotorino. Points also for the inventive drinks: Trotter Shots, Percy Pig Fizz and Squeal of Fortune but, the most interesting – the Vodka Bacon Inhalation Station. Modern Love Bar is the latest dive bar to add to the Old Street contingent with music on its mind (Shoreditch Grind, Loves Company…). Come here for simple drinks (beer, wine, picklebacks) and indie pop and rock-heavy soundtracks. Make sure to keep your ear to the ground for live sets – last night saw Temper Trap on decks. 5pm – 11pm £15 Hartwell Street, E8 3DU 4.30pm – 12am Prices vary 323 Old Street, EC1V 9LE Here Lies Love at the National Theatre Sponsored listing Fresh from taking New York by storm, this revolutionary musical experience by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim arrives at the National Theatre for a strictly limited run. Here Lies Love traces the astonishing journey of Imelda Marcos, First Lady of the Philippines, from her meteoric rise to power to descent into infamy and disgrace. The new Dorfman Theatre is transformed into a pulsating club for this immersive theatrical event; Alex Timbers’ production combines heart-pounding beats with adrenaline-fuelled choreography and a remarkable 360-degree staging. Dress comfortably, and come ready to dance! From 30 September 2014 – 8 January 2015. For more information and to book tickets visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk or call 020 7452 3000. Suitable for 14yrs+ FOLLOW US! Facebook | Twitter | Instagram See what we've been snapping this week on Instagram ! SATURDAY BRUNCH: Brunch with The Guide DINNER: Tincan Usually a dinner spot, Rotorino is doing something a bit different today. The restaurant will be serving their southern Italian dishes, wine and cocktails, all before midday – thanks to the Guardian Guide. Come here for discussions with editor Paul MacInnes and DJ duo 2 Bears, live comedy from Josie Long (fresh from her Edinburgh Festival sell out show) and a menu of antipasti, fresh pasta and wood fired fish and meat. Plus, there’ll be papers and bottomless coffee. It is 10.30am, after all. From one meal to another – gastronomy wise, there’s little that surprises us these days. Enter Tincan – a pop up in Soho with one thing on the menu, tinned fish. Forget about your generic sardine brands (although there are some) and instead expect the “best tinned fish in the world”. Think Icelandic smoked cod livers, Galician urchin caviar and Los Peperetes squid marinated in its own ink. Even if you eat in, we say take a tin home, these are collectibles disguised as takeaways. 10.30am £40 434 Kingsland Road, E8 4AA 11am - 11pm Prices vary 7 Upper James Street, W1F 9DH PRODUCT PICKS Penelope Chilvers We love anything that keeps the summer time feeling going. Case in point: Penelope Chilvers’ Dandy slippers with palm trees and flamingos. We can’t resist. Penelope Chilvers slippers available online UJ RADAR CAUGHT IN THE ACT Plays and immersive theatre are back in the limelight. But it’s not because of sell-out shows and quirky production houses, but rather, for their novel collaborations. Starting with the play that was actually a fashion show. Spike Jonze and Jonah Hill’s one act, one night only play for Opening Ceremony – starring models and the SS15 collection. Next, The Hoxton, Holborn will be giving guests 'A Backstage Tour' of their newly launched hotel, which includes a night’s stay. Genius. And for a Nippon twist? The Peninsula Tokyo presents The Pokémon Hotel Adventure: The Power of Ten. A hotel-wide quest to seek out Pokémon characters. SUNDAY EAT: Hubbard & Bell SEE: THE Art of the Brick The Hoxton, Holborn has opened and, with it, the restaurant, Hubbard & Bell. Part of Soho House, you can expect a similar vibe to their other restaurants, including the chef creds. Tim Fuller (previously Head Chef of the Fifth Floor at Shoreditch House) takes charge of the Brooklyn style menu which features grill-house dishes such as Texas T-bone steaks and bbq baby back ribs. Alternatively, head downstairs to the tried and tasted Chicken Shop for some rotisserie classics. Put down your toys and go check out Nathan Sawaya’s toys instead. The global sensation The Art of the Brick exhibition is finally making an appearance in London… on Brick Lane. Works ranging from a Lego Mona Lisa to a six metre long T-Rex skeleton are playful, identifiable and impressive. Once done touring the exhibition, exit through the workshop space and create your own. Prices vary 199-206 High Holborn, WC1V 7BD 10am – 6pm £16.50 Old Truman Brewery, Brick Lane, E1 6QL Welcome to the neighbourhood MONDRIAN LONDON Mondrian London opens in a few days! And to welcome themselves to the neighbourhood, they’re giving 25% off rooms for the first 100 people to find the 'Welcome To The Neighbourhood' code on their Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Challenge accepted! Mondrian London, opens 30 September, 20 Upper Ground, SE1 9PD Bikini Bootcamp Tulum DO NOT DISTURB Bank holiday weekend for team UJ is all about Ibiza. Time to put our guide to use. It’s a jam-packed weekend of eat sleep rave repeat, and then it’s usually back to London for Red Bull Music Academy’s gig under the Westway. So this year, when a week before Ibiza bank holiday kick-off, we said we weren’t going, and were heading instead to Tulum for a fitness retreat (we didn’t dare say ‘bikini bootcamp’), the reaction was unsurprising. ‘Are you guys okay? Is there anything I can do?' Yes, we’re okay, and think taking time out instead of raving on this occasion was just what the doctor ordered. Click here to read the Bikini Bootcamp review WEEKEND GUIDE BY CS & SO, DO NOT DISTURB BY TR LIKE SHARE FORWARD PREVIOUS EDITION (c) 2014 Urban Junkies. All rights reserved. Reproductions of any portion of this website only with our express permission. Urban Junkies is a free daily mailer. All listings and features are editorial: We do not receive any payment from venues, artists or promoters. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information listed but we cannot accept responsibility for errors or omissions.