Best In Show

From the stars of This Is Spinal Tap - the funniest film ever made - comes another hilarious spoof documentary, this about an oddball group of pet lovers at a dog show.

Río Guadalaviar

Nativity Scenes

The Christmas Nativity is an important feature of the Italian festive season, and Venetians queue round the block to see the best on show. Most of the larger churches have their own - Frari, San Giovanni e Paolo, Carmini, San Giacomo dall'Orio - but the most fascinating this year will surely be the Naples crib at the Chiesa di San Barnaba. Neapolitans do nativities better than anyone, so this is one not to be missed.

Memento

Ingenious thriller, which unspools in reverse, about a man (Guy Pearce) suffering memory loss attempting to track down his wife's murderer. New British talent Christopher Nolan directs.

Bulunkul, Pamirs

Sushi Doraku

At Sushi Doraku, the raw fish travels via conveyor belt throughout the restaurant, four pieces to a plate. The plates colour-coded to reflect price and you lift up a little plexiglass door and snatch whatever you like as the dishes go by. At the end, the server comes over and counts the plates, feeds the info into a handheld computer and tabulates the bill. You can eat like a pig for $25, or get reasonably satisfied for $15. As an added bonus, service is polite and drinks are served quickly.

srilanka-drying-fishes

Firestone + Huckleberry + Degrassi + Senator

A truly eclectic night of crazy punk rock from Edinburgh-based bands. Expect psychedelic antics from Firestone, 60s garage from Huckleberry, angry noise from Degrassi and dark rock from Senator. Guest DJs include Tall Paul Robinson, Beat Patrol, Vic Galloway and Some Bloke Called Fuz. Promises to be quite a night.

Domus Aurea

A new shop selling furniture and home accessories has opened near Piazza Santo Spirito. It only has a small window, but go inside and Domus Aurea has several large rooms filled with collectables. The items are carefully sourced, mostly from Spain, Provence and the Orient. You can buy anything from a wrought iron, white-painted garden pergola, an 18th-century French sofa re-upholstered in bright, contemporary fabric, mirrors, wrought iron candelabras, beautiful candles, Chinese cabinets, vases, Spanish furnishing fabrics and Japanese incense stones. There's something for every budget.