Before the week is out...

Hear this

I ONCE knew a girl who was so in love with Duran Duran that she changed her name to Rio, hoping it would bring her closer to Simon le Bon. To commemorate the era that gave us legwarmers, peroxide blonde flicks and men in eyeliner, Radio 2 is broadcasting a tribute to the New Romantics on Saturday, presented by Spandau Ballet crooner Tony Hadley and godfather of the movement Steve Strange. Go on, tune in and have a giggle.

7pm, Saturday 26 June, Radio 2.

Wear this

GOOD NEWS for those that are allergic to formaldehyde! F2 Pure Polish is a new range of nail varnishes that are completely free of both formaldehyde and toluene - chemicals which are both used in conventional nail polishes. The Care range also contains essential oils such as lemon, verbena, lavender, geranium. What's more, the nail-polish remover is acetone- free. All lovely news if you hate unnaturals in your products. In the autumn there will also be water-based nail varnish that you can wash off which will be safe for children to use and will do away with the need for nail-varnish remover altogether! You know it makes sense.

F2 products, pounds 6 per bottle, from Pharmacy F2, 42 Shorts Gardens, London WC2 (tel: 0171 836 3192).

Eat this

IF YOU were to forget about calories for a moment, the Strawberries and Cream ice-cream lolly from M&S would still be stupendously yummy. But when you know it's only 88 kcals you can really understand why it should be given lots of freezer space. Ostensibly for children, the S&C is an ultra-creamy vanilla ice, full of chunks of real strawberry. So even if you're on a diet, you can allow yourself one of these a day (at least).

Strawberries and Cream ice-cream lolly, 39p, M&S branches nationwide.

See this

HORNIMANIA IS alive and kicking in southeast London from next weekend. Nothing to do with rumpy- pumpy, this is a celebration of world music and dance, featuring all manner of acts from Harare Dread (a fusion of African music and Jamaican reggae) to Brazilian capoeira (a combination of dance and martial arts). And if you're in the mood for something eastern, check out the Tibetan monks display and the Kuljit Bhamra band. Entrance is free, so now you can enjoy the ultimate exotic holiday on a shoestring.

26 June to 4 July. The Horniman Museum & Gardens, 100 London Rd, Forest Hill SE23 (tel: 0181 699 1872).

Buy this

SICK OF damp grassy knolls and awkward, pebbled beaches? Then get ye a handy fold-up seat. Made from two jointed sets of slats, the Ocean picnic seat is designed to counterbalance the body's weight and make lounging around easy. It's light, simple to set up and a guaranteed no-numb zone. Now all you have to remember is the hanky for your head and a six-pack.

Ocean, pounds 29.95 (tel: 0870 848 4840).