The Last Tuesday Society; images courtesy of Mr & Mrs Smith

Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of occasional posts from Mr & Mrs Smith.

The latest doings in London involve Indian gola ices, voodoo heads, dress parties, Basil “Faulty” and a trip through the (cocktail) looking glass.

LEARN Peering in at the window of The Last Tuesday Society, you’re a little bit perturbed and a big bit curious. You see weird shrunken heads, a Frankenstein-like doll, elk’s horns, tattered drawings, oh, and a white-haired man: That’s owner Viktor Wynd. This curiosity-shop-cum-lecture-theatre-cum-bar is inspired by 17th-century wunderkabinetts. It’s pretty peculiar, even for this East London post code. That’s why we love it.

EAT Beside a pink fishing boat full of melons, eke out the last shreds of summer over a bacon naan roll dripping in chilli jam at Dishoom Chowpatty Beach Bar. The South Bank is keeping the dream alive with its Thameside beach huts which will appear brighter in color (even if the weather is distinctly grey) after a few gola ices packed with enough Ketel One vodka to have your grandma singing sea shanties. Your last chance to enjoy the Capital’s Indian flavor of the moment, Dishoom’s pop-up café-cum-bar is tinkling out the Hindi tunes only until Oct. 4.

SHOP Ladies: shopping should go like this: cupcakes, cocktails, pass the parcel and a knowing selection of designer dresses. Pretty jewelry, too. Step forward: mobile clothing service, 44 Frocks. This friendly fashion fest is hosted in hipsters’ flats; Mr Smith, why not admire that vintage vinyl and those mid-century design classics, while Mrs is frocking out?

The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town

DRINK You’ve got an important date. You can’t be late. You arrive Alice in Wonderland-style via a large Smeg fridge. Before you know it, you’re sipping a ‘Basil no Faulty’ at The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town,  a sexy speakeasy that will leave you wondering if the My Little Pony wallpaper would look good in your bathroom. Chin-chin.

LISTEN Convicted criminals, madams, barristers, ladies of the night: not your average dinner party guests, but a crew ripe for a few juicy tales. Each All Ears story-telling event has a different theme –– crime and sex have been previous food for thought –– with each of the monthly sessions hosted by three erudite and entertaining speakers.

READ Most London media types with a bit of downtime snuggle up to their iPads or up their bikram yoga. Not the husband and wife behind Boat, a collectable new publication that seeks to uncover unsung cities, starting with the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It’s not about boats. Says co-founder, graphic designer, Davey Spens about issue one: ‘We pulled together the most talented people we know – writers, photographers, illustrators, musicians –  gave them a blank canvas, and set them loose on the streets of Sarajevo. We had one goal: to tell a new story.’ Next stop? Detroit…

photo by Wang de Gang

Chinese Treasures In D.C.
The incredibly popular Terra Cotta Warriors American tour concludes at D.C.’s National Geographic Museum, arriving on November 19 and staying through March. Chinese national treasures, the figures have captured the imagination of people around the world since their discovery in 1974, and until recently have never been seen outside of China (they visited the British Museum in 2007). As many as 7,000 figures are thought to be entombed, but only some 1,000 have been excavated. This tour features a mere 20, consisting of a dozen warriors plus assorted musicians, acrobats, court officials, and five horses. They’re accompanied by other cultural relics such as bronze, jade articles, and pottery. Tiny sampling or not, expect crowds and buy your tickets way in advance. Information: www.warriorsdc.org

New Performing Arts Center in Dallas
With star-chitect pedigree in the form of a theater by Rem Koolhaas and an opera house by Foster + Partners, the $345 million AT&T Performing Arts Center marks its grand opening on Oct. 12, and proceeds with a weeklong celebration featuring a variety of free indoor and outdoor performances, concerts (including one with David Sanborn) and architecture forums (both Koolhaas and Foster are scheduled to show up). It’s the latest addition to the Dallas Arts District, which already includes a symphony hall by I.M. Pei and Renzo Piano’s Nasher Sculpture Center. Information: http://www.dallasperformingarts.org

photo courtesy of Israel Ministry of Tourism

Dancing In Tel Aviv
The third Tel Aviv International Dance Festival will take place at the Suzanne Dellal Center, and the Israeli Opera at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center, October 16 to November 17. The month-long festival showcases 34 performances by 16 companies from Asia, the U.S. and Europe, including the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Barak Marshall, and the National Ballet of Spain. Information: www.suzannedellal.org.il and www.israel-opera.co.il

Observing History in Berlin
From Oct. 13 – 25, Berlin observes its annual Festival of Lights. The city’s most recognized historical sights and locations will be enlivened by colorful lights, projections, and fireworks. This year promises to be extra-special, coming in the midst of a year-long observation of the 20th anniversary of the dismantling of the reviled Berlin Wall. Complementing the festival: events, all focusing on the topic of “light,” such as “lightseeing tours” offered by bus, boat, or bicycle, and the Night of Open Doors on the first Saturday of the festival, when many of the illuminated buildings host special events until midnight. Information: www.festival-of-lights.de

The W Boston "Living Room," courtesy of hotel

The travel market may be soft, but the boutique-style hotels keep coming; here are three such properties opening his fall.

The W Boston: This all-glass building from Bentel & Bentel, New York, is meant to distill Beantown’s most famous green spaces –– think Boston Common and the Public Garden –– in a contemporary design that contrasts with its traditional brick neighbors in the city’s theatre district. The 235-room hotel, which opens Oct. 22, will offer a health club and spa, and also be the site of 123-privately owned apartments. It promises typical W bells and whistles, such as feather-top mattresses and Egyptian cotton sheets, and amenities, like a gym and spa and the “Whatever/Whenever” service, which aims to fill ‘most any guest request.

Hotel Palomar Philadelphia, courtesy of Kimpton Hotels

Hotel Palomar Philadelphia: Opening Oct. 15, this 230-room hotel is located in the circa 1929 Architects Building, which was the former home to the Philadelphia chapter of the American Institute of Architects. The handsome 24-story, Art Deco building has undergone a $92 million top-to-bottom renovation, and is Kimpton’s first property created to receive LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. Kimpton is giving the Rittenhouse Square-area property a distinctly Philly touch by featuring works by local artists and installing an abstract portrait of founding father Benjamin Franklin under the front entrance awning. The name of the Square 1682 restaurant and bar also is a nod to the city’s long history: It refers to the date of Philadelphia’s founding by William Penn.

Crosby Street Hotel: With this latest project in New York’s SoHo neighborhood, London-based Firmdale Hotels, a small collection of upscale properties, is venturing across the pond for the first time. This 86-room hotel, which opens Sept. 29, has been designed by co-owner Kit Kemp in a modern luxe style, and also claims to be one of the first LEED-certified properties in the Big Apple. Among its standout features are a ground floor bar serving meals all day and afternoon tea, a guests-only lounge, a private garden courtyard and a 99-seat screening room.

photo courtesy of Denver Metro CVB

It has a mayor credited with co-founding the city’s first brewpub and a baseball stadium that bears the name of a local sudsmaker, so it makes sense that Denver is staging its first Beer Fest, from Sept. 18-27. Featuring nearly 100 beer-related experiences that solidify the Mile High City’s distinction as one of the world’s great beer cities, Denver’s celebration leads up to America’s most prestigious beer festival, the Brewers Association’s Great American Beer Festival, September 24-26. GABF has been recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as offering the largest number of beers available for tastings of any place on earth and attracts 46,000 beer lovers each year. More than 400 breweries are expected to attend, offering more than 2,000 beers for tastings and medal competitions. Besides Wynkoop Brewery, Mayor John Hinkenleooper’s pub, make time to visit Rock Bottom Brewery, Breckenridge Brewery, and Falling Rock Tap House, all downtown. Information: www.denverbeerfest.com

Photo by Lonely Planet

In the “why didn’t we think of that?” department, the world’s first-ever Lonely Planet store has opened as part of Sydney Airport’s $500 million International Terminal redevelopment. “Airports are strange places,” observes Howard Ralley, sales and marketing director at the Australian publisher. “You’re half-excited and half-bored. Everyone waiting for a flight wants to be inspired or have their attention diverted.” In addition to the brand’s 500 books, videos and travel gear, the two-week old shop offers i-touch screens to deliver expert information fro authors, plus the ability to print custom guidebooks from “Pick & Mix” chapters.

The store was designed by Studio Red, a Sydney-based design studio specialising in retail interior design. Inspired by Lonely Planet’s iconic array of guidebooks, the designers have created a graphic montage of book covers which appear to spring from the wall. A world map displays Lonely Planet photographic images from around the world. Information: Lonely Planet

photo courtesy of Roosevelt Hotel

Summertimes and New Orleans may not be the best of pairs, but this year the slumberous weather heralds the re-opening of the grande dame Roosevelt Hotel. Now a member of the Waldorf-Astoria Collection, the 504-room hotel shines from a $145 million historic renovation which, among other things, introduces a Guerlain spa. Through the summer, rates start at $139 per night and feature a welcome drink for two at  the Sazerac Bar. Book two nights, stay the third free. Information:   www.therooseveltneworleans.com.

photo courtesy of SCPA

SCOTTSDALE CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS FINALIZES $16 MILLION RENOVATION
After being closed for more than a year, the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will open its newly renovated Virginia G. Piper Theater on Oct. 24. Kicking off the reopening will be ARTrageous , a special benefit performance featuring Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth. The event will start the Center’s 2009-10 season, which also includes performances by world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, the Martha Graham Dance Company, jazz musicians Herb Alpert and Arturo Sandoval, and actors Jason Alexander, John Cleese and Martin Short. Improvements to the facility include a new floor and mezzanine, box office, café, public art project, enhanced theater acoustics, lighting, seating and accessibility. www.scottsdaleperformingarts. org

Plaza Mayor photo courtesy of Spain Tourism

Spain’s capital welcomes some of the world’s top performing artists during Veranos de la Villa, the “Summer in the City” Festival. A total of 1,166 performances – 65 concerts, 50 plays, 30 dance companies, 200 film screenings and two circuses – will run through August 23.

Now in its 24th year, Madrid’s summer festival includes many free events and, yes, there’ll even be dancing in the streets (July 13-15.)

On June 30, Roberto Benigni takes the stage in “Tutto Dante” at the Sabatini Gardens. George Benson kicks off a series of 27 concerts and ballet performances on July 6 at the Puerta del Ángel. A varied slate of music stars and artistic companies including Laurie Anderson and Lou Reed, Kool & the Gang, Seal, Paquito D’Rivera & Chano Dominguez and the Opera Ballet of Munich will perform there through August 3.

Elsewhere, the city’s grand 16th century Plaza Mayor, one of the finest main squares in Europe, will be the setting for a free concert of Liszt and Berlioz on August 5 by the West-Eastern Orchestra Divan with Daniel Barenboim conducting.

World Music is on the “Música del Mundo” program at the city’s 4th century B.C. Templo de Debod (a gift from Egypt) with groups from Greece, Egypt, Morocco and Spain giving nine free concerts, July 19 to August 8.

Through August 31, the open-air Parque de La Bombilla is showcasing movies for every taste ranging from “Che,” “Grand Torino” and “Harry Potter” to “Slum Dog Millionaire” and “Vicky Cristina, Barcelona.”

The entire city is a summer festival with every one of Madrid’s theatres, concert halls and cultural institutions like Teatro Español, Sala Cuarta Pared and the Matadero Madrid, presenting plays by William Shakespeare, Harold Pinter, tango, zarzuela, Spain’s version of lyric opera and much much more. There are also many activities for children as part of the Titirilandia Festival.

Information: www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do

Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park, outside Philadelphia. Photo by Emily Cooperman

One of Frank Lloyd Wright’s final projects, the Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park, PA,  will open a new visitors center this fall. Designed by Venturi, Scott Brown and Associates, the 1,800-square-foot center will make the temple accessible to the public while minimizing the disruption of religious services.

Designed by Wright in 1954 in a quiet suburb located five miles outside Philadelphia, Beth Sholom has a soaring steel roof meant to evoke hands joined in prayer. The synagogue was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2007 and attracts thousands of architecture buffs each year.

“Our goal is to provide an exciting, informative, and provocative visitor center while respecting the historically sensitive architecture,” says James Kolker, principal architect on the project.

Beth Sholom’s visitor center will exhibit historic photographs, Wright’s ink drawings, and correspondence between him and client Rabbi Mortimer J. Cohen, who instructed Wright to create a truly modern “American Synagogue, a “Mt. Sinai of light …wrought in modern materials.” A 400-square-foot gift shop will sell Frank Lloyd Wright-designed housewares, stationery and jewelry.

Wright never saw the glass, steel and concrete temple; it was completed shortly after his death in 1959. Rich in Jewish symbolism, the building’s roof is translucent during the day and glows like a lantern at night. Of more than 1,000 projects in his 70-year career, Beth Sholom is the only synagogue Wright designed. Information: www.bethsholomcongregation.org