TONIGHT
Oktoberfest at Bart’s

A night out in Chelsea in the company of overflowing beer steins, the hallowed beast that is Jägermeister and a bona fide Bavarian Oompah Band (called Papa Schnitzel’s, no less) might not be the most obvious choice for a Thursday evening. But then, this is Oktoberfest – where the old stocks of beer were traditionally all drunk up to make way for the next harvest. And this is Bart’s – Chelsea’s inimitable tip-of-tongue-in-cheek speakeasy. And yes, there will be lederhosen and dirndl aplenty.

Bart’s, Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Ave, SW3 3DW, 6:30pm-12:30am, Free but RSVP.

UJ OFFER
McArthurGlen Spirit of Fashion

Need duds before LFW starts next week? Then we’ve got an exclusive discount for UJ readers. Head to the McArthurGlen Spirit of Fashion store for their last weekend where you can shop the collections of last year’s award winners and get 20% off. Boys, you can pick up one of Matthew Miller’s ‘perfect’ white shirts and girls, go straight for Rachel Barrett’s school uniform-inspired pieces. Pleated skirts in pastel-hues and lasting staples such as wool culottes and silk blouses make for the perfect front row kit.

Open Until Sun 18 Sept. 20% off from today.
McArthurGlen Spirit of Fashion,
4 Monmouth Street, WC2H 8JB

NYC YES PLEASE
Nicola Formichetti Pop up in NYC

Nicola Formichetti i.e. Lady GaGa’s stylist and director of Vogue Hommes Japan is the latest name to jump on the pop-up bandwagon. In collaboration with Gage/Clemenceau architects, the space in downtown NY is as much an experience as it is a shop – the walls are covered in mirrored prisms creating a futuristic ambience that keeps in line with Formichetti’s vision. Expect studded everything and 3D lingerie á la GaGa, as well as the costume from her ‘Paparazzi’ performance at the VMAs. There will also be Mugler shoes, vintage Versace and Nicopanda rings. GaGa oh la la indeed. Might be just the excuse to book (another) flight.

PODCAST OF THE WEEK
UJ London Fashion Week mix by Audio Sushi

Another stellar LFW week mix from Jeffrey Disaster. Including track's like Crystal Fighter's Champion Sounds, with lines like 'maybe one day we'll go to re-hab', this mix feels perfectly fashion fab. We love Joe Goddard's Gabriel and Metronomy's The Bay, a Clock Opera (who we were tipped off about by RA ages ago) remix – come to London! 

Play

SAMSUNG
Samsung is looking for Olympic Torchbearers
Sponsored listing

We know lots of people we think should be Olympic Torchbearers: friends who make spectacular art installations, siblings who run marathons, colleagues who bring us lillies when it's hot… they may not be world leaders, but they're heroic to us.

If you know someone who "goes the extra mile in life", head to Samsung.com/london2012 or to a Vodafone store and nominate them now – we could all be watching them make history next summer.

JETSETTER
Grand Hotel di Como
Sponsored listing

With LFW upon us, we're already starting to think about Milan…If you're headed over for MFW, might be time to squeeze in a break.  Only a short train journey from Milan, Italy's beautiful Grand Hotel di Como, in Lago di Como is the perfect getaway destination. Take in the mountain views whilst dipping in the outdoor pool or enjoy alfresco dining at outdoor restaurant Kitchen and Kincho. All without an air kiss in sight.

Click here to join Jetsetter and access their exclusive offers of up to 50% off.

SHOP
Take One: Colette for Her

Here at UJ we love a bit of Mary K. This LFW we’ll be wearing something from her A/W collection, and this pencil skirt ticks all the right boxes. The opulently vivid print with splashes of gold make it look more like a Fabergé egg than a skirt, but then that’s her inspiration. Take a look at her other hyperrealist pieces which include some casual bits including floral print leggings and sweaters. Print it up!

Skirt €755, available at Colette, 213 Rue Saint-Honoré 75001 Paris or online here.

SHOP
Take Two: Colette for Him

The collaboration of Commes des Garçons and Dover Street Market is old news, but when we found out they were doing a small collection especially for Colette we had to flag this up. Staying true to its urban-casual chic aesthetic, the collection includes a gabardine parka, a taffeta woolie and a few print tees – we like this one with the lovable, gruff pirate-sailor. Arrrrr.

T-Shirt €70 available at Colette, 213 Rue Saint-Honoré 75001 Paris or online here.

BOOK AHEAD
WineChap: Da Polpo EnoClub

Take a weight of those LFW heels and LDF brogues with a bite and a glass to match, by heading over to Russell Norman’s much-beloved Da Polpo for a little EnoVacation in the more than capable hands of the WineChap, erm, chaps. There are still a few places left for next Tuesday’s exploration of Piemonte – and if you’ve never actually made it to one of Boo and Tom’s great wine nights, then this pairing with Polpo’s Venetian cuisine is an absolute cracker of an opportunity.

Da Polpo, 6 Maiden Lane, WC2E 7NA,
7-10pm, £55 adv.

REMINDER
London Restaurant Festival in partnership with American Express

LRF is nearly here so just a gentle reminder; if you have hopes of getting on a Gourmet Odyssey tour remember to book now as it always sells out. Or, if you’re feeling extremely flash, book a place on the London Eye pods where you’ll be served up a veritable feast by Michelin-star chefs including Angela Hartnett and Nuno Mendes. Three capsules will be available for four nights, with three chefs on rotation. The experience usually costs £1250 per head, but we have a UJ special rate of £950 per couple, just in case your ‘bonus’ came in…

Email here, to book and quote Urban Junkies.

RESERVED
This week’s hottest foodie destination

Wolfgang Puck’s CUT
Steak and stardust on Hyde Park

45 Park Lane, W1K 1PN.
020 7493 4554

www.wolfgangpuck.com

Location
In a swank new hotel, 45 Park Lane, in the gilded parallel universe that is Mayfair. Here at UJ we don’t cover many of these ultra-luxe W1 restaurants, but this is one a bit special: the European debut of American celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. Since making his name with Spago in Beverly Hills, Puck has been empire-building at a rate that makes Jamie Oliver look lazy: this is the fourth in his latest chain, which promises top notch steak and, perhaps, a sighting of his loyal celeb clientele.

Vibe
There’s no getting away from the fact that this is a big-bucks Mayfair hotel and the majority of your fellow diners will be people you’re unlikely to bump into on a night out in Dalston – be they grand, grey-haired men or Joan Collins (we missed her by a day, alas). But it’s far less starchy than these places usually are. A rock soundtrack livens the mood and staff are impeccably professional and friendly: this is the kind of classy place where no-one will bat an eyelid at jeans and un-brushed hair.

Flavours
Carnivores, prepare to be exacting. This being an American joint, you’re expected to specify your steak’s provenance, cut, weight, sauces and add-ons, from onion to fois gras. Size-wise, we advise restraint: despite us being extremely greedy, and it being perfectly cooked, we couldn’t finish our 10 oz New York sirloin. Chips, fried in peanut oil, were excellent. Likewise, the three mouthfuls of our chocolate dessert we managed before admitting defeat. Those forsaking red meat needn’t feel short-changed: alternatives range from pan-fried lobster to a tuna tartare topped with wafer thin slices of avocado, so beautifully presented we were twitching to take a photo.

Décor
Think contemporary gentleman’s club, with a twist. Acres of dark wood are broken up by a series of Damien Hirst butterfly prints – the most ever hung together, apparently – and some serious feature lighting, one of which looks like a vast piece of silver coral. This is no-expense-spared territory, a reminder that not everyone is currently feeling the pinch. Picture windows give a view over the Mazerati-clogged Park Lane to the greenery beyond.

Upshot
Seriously upscale yet surprisingly fun, this is where to take your steak-obsessed loved one for a treat. Bring a heavy wallet and an empty stomach; rubber-necking optional.