Last week neon got the chance to take a look around the recently refurbished Rich Mix, which is looking fresh with a brand new bar and rooms now available to hire for events.

We managed to catch a photographic exhibition called Famous For The Wrong Reasons that forms part of the Rich Mix Arts & Culture programme.

Famous For The Wrong Reasons is a moving photographic exhibition that aims to educate and deter those vulnerable to gun and knife crime. Created by photographer Sal Idriss it is inspired by the artist’s own experience of this, his brother Nassirudeen, who died in 2007 as the result of an unprovoked knife attack in Islington, a few days before his 17th birthday.

The grieving experience drew Sal’s attention to the many families throughout London, dealing with the devastating loss of a loved one through knife or gun crime. Their personal stories are the impetus for this poignant project, which aims to educate and deter people from across London and beyond.

Individual portraits (many taken on location) show families who are coping with loss, pain and immense sadness every day as a result of knife and gun crime activity. Unfortunately so many families across London have become Famous for the Wrong Reasons.

We found the exhibition to be very moving, each portrait is taken so the families are looking directly into your eyes so you get an overwhelming sense of their grief. Neon recommend you have a look for yourself, the exhibition is FREE at Rich Mix until the 7th of November 2010.

For five days in November the Indian community will celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Light that unites multicultural followers of Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. The festival is symbolic of good triumphing over evil and families demonstrate this by lighting candles, lanterns and fireworks.

This year six of the UK’s best Indian chefs are working together to host a five-course Diwali banquet in aid of Action Against Hunger.

Vivek Singh who is hosting the banquet in his Cinnamon Kitchen said: “Just as Diwali is a time of year that unites millions of people in celebration my chef colleagues are coming together in aid of a good cause. Millions of people are malnourished but we are doing what we are best at in order to highlight their plight”

Vivek will de joined by fellow chefs Alfred Prasad of Tamarind, Navin Bhatia of Dockmaster’s House, Jitin Joshi of Benares and Vatika and Anirudh Arora of Moti Mahal and Abdul Yaseen of Cinnamon Kitchen.

Tickets are £85 for cocktails and canapés and dinner – followed by a luxury auction hosted by Helen Lederer with all proceeds going to Action Against Hunger.

Sunday 14th November @ 6pm onwards
Cinnamon Kitchen
9 Devonshire Square
EC2M 4YL
0207 626 5000

Any plans tonight? Why not take the ferry to Puerto del Canario and watch the sun set behind El Pepinillo?

Such exotics are actually only ten minutes on a Thames Clipper from London Bridge and tonight Camino will be celebrating the grand opening of their second venue.

Your wallet can take a holiday too as it is all free** with a wristband.

6pm – ’till late
Live music at 7pm from Jardares Por Fuera
Followed by DJ’s
Camino Puerto del Canario
28 Westferry Circus, E14 8RR

* The Gherkin
**while stocks last

Champagne afternoon teas are great.

Block out at least 4 hours for lounging, boozing and snacking, followed by some drunken shopping or a snooze. Neon did not think these days could ever be improved but we were wrong.

Take the traditional Champagne afternoon tea – dainty sandwiches, petits fours, delicate cakes and light fluffy scones with jam and clotted cream with how-many-have-we-had-again glasses of Champagne.

Now for the improvement – keep the dainty sandwiches, swap the petits fours for canapés, the delicate cakes for savoury treats and the light fluffy scones with jam and clotted cream for cheese and olive scones with salty butter.

For the final ultimate upgrade swap the champagne for a gin or vodka Martini – if you are not sure which you have 4 hours to decide your preferred for your next visit.

Savoury Martini Afternoon Tea
Served in the Cocktail & Tea Rooms @ Flemings
From £32.50 per person (24hrs notice required)
Served daily between 2.30-5pm (bar open until 11pm)

Just a little heads up about a free download by one of our favourite emerging artists GHOSTPOET. You can download his new EP absolutely FREE here.

Thanks to a Twitter tip off from St John NEON are fervently debating how to get our bums on this little contraption.

Events In The Sky is a 120 tonne crane dangling a 5 tonne table 50 meters above the ground. With lights, heating, sound, TV screens and customising options the vehicle can be used for dinner, meetings, events and the oddball marriage option.

Dinner in the Sky seats 22 people plus three staff (chef, waiter and host) in the middle. No flames are allowed but electric appliances or a gas bbq can still whip you up a decent meal. There are no fixed menus, food depends on budget (natch) however “clients have been served sushi to lobster, tapas to gastronomic dinners”.

In The Sky can be hired for periods of 8 hours and with the 22 capacity, can be divided by as many sittings as desired, and for high-flyers price for purchase is upon application only.

Ever thought about submersing yourself in a G&T? … Yep, we had too… and lo and behold – t’was a reality when Alcoholic Architecture’s pop-up space just off Carnaby Street invited us to ‘drink’ gin via a room filled with G&T vapour.

The concept was somewhat of a novelty but well worth attending so thanks are due to the creators Bompas & Parr purveyors of fine jelly! Despite not being able to see more than a metre in front of your face and being caked with vapourised gin this was a very pleasant experience.

The event was certainly helped by the fact it was sponsored by Hendricks (exceptionally good gin especially after adding a slice of cucumber ) and Fever Tree (the best quality tonic water money can buy).

Although a novelty approach to drinking I can see this technique catching on for pure comedy value. And yes we did try and stand as close to the vaporiser as possible!