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PAUL SMITH ✓
The long but increasingly "done" checklist of 'things we need in Birmingham but don't have' had one of its most comforting boxes ticked, last week, as Paul Smith opened in the Mailbox. In tribute to the designer's first shop in Nottingham, a three metres by three metres square is inlaid into the shop’s floor, exactly mirroring the original store's dimensions. Paul Smith is now said to be worth £300 million, which by our maths is £100 million per square metre. That's like London property prices. Current in-store highlights include winter coats for women (look out for the shearling collars) and a sizeable gents suits section. Gift-buying? Paul Smith socks rock and his purses are almost universally thumbs-upable.
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RECIPE: COMiDA @21
While the great and the good of Harborne are still moved to the edge of breakdown about the loss of COMiDA's modern European plates, Edgbaston Village is feeling rightly smug at its latest addition to the Highfield Road. Opening yesterday, for brunch, lunch and dinner (Wednesdays through Saturdays) COMiDA @21 takes up its perma-home after two years of experimentation and refinement. Huge-hearted Jade and chef Stewart are at the helm, and bringing with them a number of customer favourites, including the sea bass (pictured), which is served with clams and mussels. To mark the launch, the team have released this recipe, which you can recreate and digest at your leisure. Though Monday's good for us. Book
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ENHANCE YOUR WINE WITS
It's worrying, really, that despite dining out more often than society generally deems acceptable, nobody ever passes us the wine list. If you're being similarly barged off the bibendum bible then join us on Saturday October 22 from 4.30pm at Harvey Nichols, for a lesson that will right this most egregious of wrongs. Steered by grape demigod Joanna Simon, who spent 22 years as The Sunday Times wine critic, the event is part of the Mailbox Sessions, a weekend of experiences aimed at elevating your life skills. Of which wine is, surely, in the top three. Join Joanna, assisted by in-house expert and all round love-er-ly, Siofra, for a canter through both contemporary and classic drops, accompanied by cheese and charcuterie. It's a mildly pedantic £13.25 to secure your pew (including fee), of which you'll get £10 back in the form of credit to spend in the Wine Shop on the day. There's a total of just fifteen spots available. Chop-chop!
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FILM OF THE WEEK: MY SCIENTOLOGY MOVIE
When David Attenborough goes, Louis Theroux is heir apparent for the seat of the nation’s favourite documentarian. He deserves it, too, but for all his skill, he just about meets his match in the Church of Scientology, such a hefty target they merit his first film. Stonewalled by the ‘church,’ he instead sets about recreating life in it with actors under the direction of a prominent former member. If you’ve seen Alex Gibney’s Going Clear there won’t be much that’s new, but Theroux is an expert wind-up artist, and there moments of such absurdity it’s a miracle he keeps a straight face. Times
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PLASTIC MONKEYS AND FABRIC CACTI
Eye Candy's pop-up store is open in the Great Western Arcade for but three more days. And you can make those days count in the form of entirely nuts (and free) workshops, starting with today's lunchbreak. Pick from fabric cactus making with Maddi Underwood (1pm today), a pom pom party (from 6pm tomorrow) or plastic monkey construction with Frilly (from 10.30am on Saturday). Because weird is entirely wonderful. More
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Venue: The Southern Oven at The Sunflower Lounge, 76 Smallbrook Queensway, B5 4EG; website
Choice: Shrimp & grits (£6) Chooser: Bek, Co-founder
Every time we go on holiday, a plan is at some point forged which involves the opening of a restaurant — just something small, local, manageable. And the tanin-fuelled decision remains at whatever taverna, bistro or trattoria it was formed. Bek and Stu went to New Orleans, had the same stroke of genius (though this time rum-based) and The Southern Oven was formed. After spending some time experimenting, the pair have arrived at The Sunflower Lounge's kitchens with plenty of creole chutzpah, from Tuesday through Saturday. The most popular order is the buttermilk fried chicken burger, served with homemade comeback sauce (a big deal in Mississippi) and served on a brioche bun. But our pick was the shrimp and cheesy grits, which come with unapologetic lashings of buttery, garlicy, spicy goodness to coat the unctuous, pink heroes of the sea. Proper finger lickin' stuff. And in case you're not up on your deep south chomping, grits are made from mature corn kernels. We'll split whatever pub quiz prize that secured you. Menu
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