Stars on Ice

This years 'Stars on Ice' tour marks Olympic champion Scott Hamilton's farewell. Since Hamilton founded 'Stars on Ice' in 1986, it has become America's premier skating show. Tonight, 12 of the most notable stars in the sport will entertain South Florida fans. Joining Hamilton will be fellow Olympic gold-medalists Tara Lipinski, Kristi Yamaguchi, Ilia Kulik, as well as four-time World Champion Kurt Browning.

Pinnacles desert

Schöne Perle

In the culinary wasteland of the 2nd district, the Schöne Perle is quite a find. This airy spacious watering hole conserves the essentials of a good Viennese Beisl - no-nonsense drop-in places offering fine beer, the daily papers and hearty main courses - but with a touch of PoMo cool. Owner Georg Aichmayr has made subtle amendments to the classic Beisl pork and dumplings repertoire with the odd wink towards the Mediterranean. A magnificent Italian billiard table at the far end is the only piece of clutter in the place.

Royal AcademySummer Exhibition

(29 June-7 Aug) - Royal Academy, Burlington House, Piccadilly, W1 (020 7300 8000)


Green Park or Piccadilly Circus tube.




Every year around
10,000 works are submitted by artists of all styles and standards -
from members of the Royal Academy to enthusiastic amateurs - and judged
by a panel of eminent Academicians. The thousand or so entries on show
are usually something of an artistic hotchpotch but interesting
nonetheless.

Amu And Heather

Ghanaian storyteller and musician Gift Amu Logoste is joined by her Scottish equivalent Heather Mule (clarsach) in this performance. Part of the Ghanaian Arts Festival.

Too Much Pity

A public debate on whether Czech society coddles its weakest members is bound to produce sparks. And that's how Respekt likes it. The republic's leading alterna-weekly, Respekt likes to force the issues and has been reviving the pre-war tradition of Q&A forums on important social topics. This week's considers whether the Czech state 'liquidates its own wealth through its social assistance'. Speakers include the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, a senator, a sociologist and correspondents from Czech Radio and Respekt. In Czech with some interpretation.

Objects Relating to Early Christianity in Japan

What better time to host this exhibition than around Christmas? Like many other imports from the west, Christianity has a chequered history in Japan. Many of the Spanish and Portuguese missionaries came here in the 1500s expecting to find natives to convert in the same way as they had elsewhere. Instead they found a land that surprised them with a civilised alternative to the west. In fact many missionaries converted to Japanese Shinto and never went back. Even today, only 2 per cent of the Japanese population is Christian, so this exhibition promises interesting early artifacts from one of the few countries where Christ has failed to make much of an impact.

Football: Vasas vs Debreceni VSC

Vasas, who are in the middle of a strong season, host Debreceni VSC, one of the better Hungarian teams from outside the capital, in a Hungarian league championship match. Vasas has several of the league's better players, including goalkeeper Attila Hajdu and striker Tamas Sowunmi. Vasas stadium also boasts the Santa Fe restaurant, where you can often get beers brought to your table at a window right behind the goal. Check Nemzeti Sport daily, or call a day ahead, as kickoff time is subject to late changes.

Café Taberna

Calle Mercaderes #531, esquina a Brasil (Teniente Rey) (611937)


Open 11am- midnight daily. Admission free.





Café Taberna is also known as 'el Rincón de Beny Moré' (Beny's corner), because the whole place is dedicated to the man and his music. Full of new jukeboxes and old pictures of pre-Revolutionary celebrities, the airy bar/restaurant has a 1950s feel to it. El Septeto Matamoros and the Septeto Son de Trópico play son and bolero music here daily from 11am to 5pm and from 7pm to 11pm. Watch out: the waiters will rip you off in a flash. .

Galeto

Galeto, a slice of 1960s nostalgia with wood-panelled walls, curving formica-topped bars and PVC-covered stools, has a special place in Lisbon residents' hearts. It's a great place for a post-anything snack or meal, with an impressively varied menu. You can also get a slap-up breakfast for 490$00. There are weekly specials and a fantastic range of triple-decker sandwiches. It is also a great place for people watching and attracts an incredible variety of people from young couples to moustachioed middle-aged singletons.