Populist: 27 July - 2 August

Populist brings you a bite sized round up of the best of Londonist this week. Catch up on the coolest, quirkiest, most recommended and talked about stories and find out what's hot and what's happening for the week ahead.

In the news:

The East End is battling to preserve its character from developers

We're taking an interest in our aspirant Olympic heroes for Beijing

Sister Ray needs a saviour, St Paul's could be demolished and Mr Thant's shut up shop

And Trafalgar Square's fountains were promised a lighting facelift whilst a posthumous statue of her Maj was mooted for the fourth plinth.

What's hot:

Architectural criticism reached a new peak with our assessment of Gehry's Serpentine Pavilion and gallery of pictures

Dessert scaled new heights of decadance at the William Curley Dessert Bar

There's a hard hitting exhibition of photodocumentary by prostitutes at Baltic Restaurant, Mother Nature's on top form in some railway sidings, posh gin goes down well in elegant surroundings, the Camden Fringe has kicked off and, obsessive as always, we're mapping ye olde London place names so please stop by and help.

Check out Music Choice, The Book Grocer, Saturday Cinema Summary, Repertory Film Roundup and Arts Ahead for more.

Images L-R clockwise: Detail of the Serpentine Pavilion, Tanqueray cocktail, posh dessert and Addiction. You can keep track of our most popular posts by checking out Favourites or using the Populist tag.