Cheeky burlesque dancers giving private shows in swank hotel rooms, a private nude portraiture salon, an edible floral feast of 24 dishes, an Apothecary Bar serving herbal, floral and vegetable cocktails, extremely cheeky parlour games and more: yep, Qype was there. We even had a freebie giveaway to this romantically inclined White Blackbird event (Why? Because we love you!).

Set within the understated grandeur of Stoke Place – a three storey “William and Mary” style house in the Buckinghamshire countryside (but merely about 30 miles from London) – White Blackbird’s “Tainted Love” country house party gave Londoners the opportunity get dudded up (in swank and/or fancy dress), hop a coach in Soho and party like there’s no tomorrow … or at least until you crashed in your room for the night or took the 2.30am coach back to London – and all for only £35.

If you like your glamour with a side of naughty and could use a jaunt out-of-town without having to rough it, take heed! The next White Blackbird Party will be Friday the 13th of May with a “Superstition” theme!

Tate Modern, Museum of London, Photographer’s Gallery, yadda yadda yadda … they’ve all hopped on the street photography bandwagon in the past couple of years, right? So why shouldn’t there be a London Street Photography Festival? Well, this summer there will be. The London Street Photography Festival launches in July 2011 with lots of killer events, exhibitions and awards.

Defining this newly appreciated craft with deep, arty roots (Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Diane Arbus, Martin Parr) as “un-posed, un-staged photography which captures, explores or questions contemporary society and the relationships between individuals and their surroundings,” the London Street Photography Festival aims to support emerging and celebrate existing talent within the genre. To do so the festival has launched the Street Photography Awards with a Student Award and an International Award.

Think you’ve got the street shooting skills to compete. Check it out:

International Street Photography Award

The International Street Photography Award is looking for the world’s best street photographer as part of the first annual London StreetPhotography Festival in 2011.

The global winner will receive £1,000 cash PLUS an all-expenses-paid trip to the exhibition launch and awards ceremony in London.

Application deadline: 31 March 2011
http://londonstreetphotographyfestival.org/competitions/street-photography-award/entry-information-open

Student Street Photography Awards

Six finalists will be selected to take part in a one-day workshop with celebrated street photographer Nils Jorgensen and work together to produce an all-expenses-paid group show at a prestigious central London venue. An overall winner will be awarded a fantastic Olympus PEN camera.

Application deadline: 28 February 2011
http://londonstreetphotographyfestival.org/competitions/student-award/info

It’s that time of year again. The cold weather begins to grate and we all start dreaming of fantastic getaways we’d rather be planning for hot weather. The first of the holiday dates for the year are being booked off and you want to get in early to beat your colleagues to the best of the long weekends, right?

Beginning this Thursday 3^rd – Sunday 6^th Feb is one of the hottest exhibitions for travel buffs.

Sponsored by the Times, the Destinations – Holiday and Travel Show is a fantastic place to pick up ideas and tips for exciting trips.

I last visited in 2009 and was overwhelmed by the information to hand. I’m told this year will be the biggest yet, with all my favourite features still there; The Wanderlust Travel Photo of the Year Competition, fantastic guest speakers on the Main Panel sessions and loads of stands where you can buy every type of camping gear, book holiday packages or just glean information.

I’d recommend at least 3 hours there as the more I began looking the more I wanted to see – I tried on hiking shoes, climbed into a giant yellow iron tourbus that goes through 10 countries in 10 days and listened to a seminar on how to get more work from travel writing.

I can also highly recommend the frozen margaritas in the World Entertainment Stage, so potent were they, that by the time we stumbled out of the show after 6 hours of wandering, we had acquired sarongs from the Caribbean, José Cuervo tequila straw hats, bags of brochures and magazines and even a spork – a necessary implement for any serious camper, backpacker or general traveller I’m told.

If you miss it in Earls Court then the show will take on Birmingham from 4^th – 6^th March 2011. Tickets for London can be bought here and are only £10 in advance or £12 on the door.