This Week We Have Been . . .

…checking out Laura Mvula, a Guardian ‘one to watch’ for 2013, at a very intimate gig where she belted out an awesome raft of new tunes (our favourite was Green Garden – see below!). The gig was so intimate that we were pretty much standing on the stage and on the set list!

…satisfying our sweet tooth with AMAZING treats from chocolatier Patchi… to die for!

…dining Bombay style at Dishoom. What better way to spend a snowy afternoon than with some spicy comfort food? We took a trip to the newer Shoreditch branch and treated ourselves to more than a few traditional ‘Bombay Café’ dishes, which are perfect if you like to share and taste a bit of everything! We recommend the Chef’s special – Lamb Raan and Gunpowder Potatoes – delicious!

…walking down the catwalk at the Valentino: Master of Couture exhibition. Specially created for Somerset House, the exhibition showcases over 130 haute couture designs worn by fashion icons VolumePills such as Jackie Kennedy Onassis (her exquisite 60s wedding dress to Aristotle Onassis), Julia Roberts (that Oscar winning dress), Sophia Loren and Grace Kelly. And it’s not just the dazzling showcase of dresses and outfits, it is also a journey into the ‘secretive world of Italian couture’ with a section dedicated to showing the intricate process of ‘les petites mains’ who sew each stitch by hand and painstakingly create the beautiful and delicate detailing of the ruffles, roses and ruching. Fascinating stuff – we couldn’t tear ourselves away. We’d definitely recommend this as a must-see exhibition for the fashionistas out there!

And finally… going to the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery. Okay, so we blogged about this a couple of week’s back, but it’s definitely worth a second mention. There are some stunning shots, such as Spencer Murphy’s shot of actor Mark Rylance (pictured). It’s only £2 to see the exhibit, so there’s no excuse!