L’Antica Locanda’s location in the Shambles makes it the perfect destination for a romantic dinner, even if the prices are a little high. Helen and James are in the thrall of phallic pepper grinders and authentic Italian food.

Summer isn’t about angst-ridden nights in with Gordon Ramsay… Summer is about getting outside, thinking you’re too cool for the sun to burn you, barbeques and The Beach Boys. This recipe will bring together all of these things in one delicious icy dream.

The panino was OK – it came quickly and with salad and Doritos, but could have used some chutney. The orange wasn’t fizzy so I hurled it back at them and flipped over my table, shouting loudly.

Food, cocktails and art all merrily hand in hand. The project of two sisters, VJ’s is found in one of York’s sneaky little corners. It’s ideal to escape the hubbub of Parliament Street.

It was a surreal experience being sat in a kitchen with a friend, both wrapped in plastic bags, having a sloppy yoghurt like substance spooned onto our nipples for the sake of ‘art’. Brandishing the spoon was York PhD student Tobi.

The opening line of Simon Amstell’s show, “One year ago, I went on a painful journey of self-discovery, and discovered that the self doesn’t exist”, set the tone for a show in which philosophy and comedy combined to ego-destructing but hilarious effect.

Keyes’s latest is bound to be a bestseller, and, for many, essential beachwear this summer. It might be entertaining, but it is anything but vapid, and those in pursuit of something weighty to read will not be disappointed either.

Muldoon is notorious for the obtuse nature of his work, but the referencing required to tease out his meaning is a kind of exploration itself.

Chalk and Kirkbride embrace the fact that their production is “rough around the edges” and somewhat “amateur” compared to the typically “polished” performances offered by the Drama Barn.

Tom Powis, Danie Linsell and Alexander G Wright (director of award-winning Metamorphosis) play three junkie bohemians who witness (and re-enact) an accident at the house of their more successful friend. The second half is an original piece by Hannah Davies.

The depth in this portrayal of too many men communicating too little comes from the infamous Pinteresque pregnant pause, and if Anna Pinkstone and Sally Daniels hadn’t been directing this, they would have been directing Film Noir.

Despite the unconvincing performances of the leads, the chorus brought flavour to an otherwise bland production, with the males standing a league above the rest.

Heathers have resisted the temptation to unnecessarily flesh out their songs with bloated arrangements or studio trickery and have instead shown sufficient confidence to allow their songwriting to remain at the fore.

Call me a reactionary but there’s something romantic (and I don’t mean the mushy kind) about taking the time to appreciate your music for an evening. In our 21st century mentality music plays a far more functional role in our lives.

From indie giants The Arcade Fire and Wilco to that archduke of narcissism, Morrissey, much of alternative rock has declared its support for Barack Obama. He has also unsurprisingly captured the hearts and minds of many in the hip hop and R&B community including such luminaries as Will Smith, Ne-Yo and Usher.