We've not done very well on the virtuous January front and seem to have spent all our money and most of our nights out on the lash with a flagrant disregard for propriety and our bank account. We don't mind though because, as usual, there are some excellent free things to do in town this week. Monday: British Asian gangsta folk ska punk is where it's at with the intriguing sounding Barbar Luck at......

There's an interesting article over on the Beeb's magazine today about the experiences of Rajesh Thind, a British Asian who decided to grow a full beard in order to see if people's attitudes to him changed in the wake of the London bombings. Short answer: yes. The results were immediate and very intense. People were moving off Tubes to get away from me; I would sometimes have a whole carriage to myself. I felt......

This Sunday, if you can get down to Gunnersbury Park in Ealing then you can join in the festivities at the third London Mela. Designed to display the "rich tableau of South Asian culture and creativity from London" the London Mela (Mela means 'to meet' in Sanskrit) is known for commissioning new work, providing a platform for emerging British artists, and featuring pop acts alongside the more traditional and classical musicians. The line up......