Entertainment picks: Tuck into a returning favourite

Nip/Tuck returns to TV2 tonight.

Television

Yay. One of my favourite TV shows returns tonight and I can't wait to reacquaint myself with the sexy stories, rude dialogue and perfect cheekbones. No, not a certain someone's debut on Prime, although come to think of it, Holmesy did take care of his crow's feet last year.

I mean the new season of Nip/Tuck (TV2, 9.30pm) which won Best TV Drama at this year's Golden Globes. Tonight, Sean considers having Botox and Julia gets to throw one of her brilliant, dagger-eyed wobblies at Christian because he shagged Stifler's mom. Oops, I mean, hers.

And although ER has never really been up there on my must-see list (the camera work makes me dizzy) the premise of an angry motorist starring in the first of the new season sounds like something I can relate to. That's at 8.30pm, TV2.

Art exhibition

But there's too much happening in the rest of the week to spend it in front of the box (except maybe the excellent new drama Lost on Wednesday, TV2, 8.30pm.)
On Tuesday Auckland's intimate Oedipus Rex Gallery hosts the opening of a photo exhibition by Geoff Steven, one of those people I love to hate because he's good at everything.

Steven is not only a successful photographer whose work is displayed around the world but a film director and TV executive whose production credits include Once Were Warriors, Scarfies, Stickmen and Popstars.

Necessary Reflections (5-7pm until February 25) is a series of prints he described as a frame within a frame, an image within an image.

Social circuit

If the opening of Swashbucklers Tapas and Lounge Bar on Wednesday is as good a night as it promises, I'll be seeing double myself.

Not quite sure what pirates have to do with traditional Spanish cuisine - and the neon green cocktail on the invitation does worry me - but its Westhaven Drive location sounds appealing.

Proprietor Ginger Gibbs, who describes himself as New Zealand's last pirate, enlisted the help of Nicholas Cowley and Ricardo Doran, a couple of cocktail connoisseurs who spent months living the tapero lifestyle in Spain.

Eating, drinking and being merry, in other words.

Movies

That means on Thursday the comfy pants are coming out again when I head to Martin Scorsese's The Aviator to see if it deserves an Oscar.

Frankly I think Leonardo DiCaprio looks like a 15-year-old, so if can pull off the complex life of Hollywood and aviation tycoon Howard Hughes then I'll be rooting for him.

I'm getting there early, though, because it's nearly three hours long. That's a lot of movies, women, planes, crashes, battles and obsessive-compulsive madness.

Music

Still, it should make for the perfect start to an evening with synth-pop princess Lederhosen Lucil.

Not sure what to make of a Canadian-German chick who thinks she's Swiss. But her gigs have been described as a mixture of comedy, punk and fashion.

Story goes a designer for the label Paul Frank saw a performance she did in Toronto and begged her to let him design her graphics and stage attire. She's playing at the Kings Arms with DJ Jester and a collection of her vintage keyboards.

Zoo sounds: I like animals. The Zoo has been putting on gigs lately which I'm not so sure the animals are happy about but it does sound like a nice way to spend a weekend, particularly if you turn up early with a picnic lunch.

Dave Dobbyn, Yulia, Katchafire, goodshirt, Nesian Mystik are all part of the Zoo's summer line-up and on Sunday (5.30pm) it's Nathan Haines' turn.

Supporting the international jazz and mullet maestro will be charismatic Auckland singer Caitlin Smith, with a possible cameo from the hyenas.

Circus

In keeping with Lucil's Canadian theme, Saturday night is the last chance to catch a performance of Cirque du Soleil's Quidam. I saw it on New Year's Eve, and aside from an embarrassing incident involving being pulled on stage by a mean clown (anyone else want to form a support group?), it was a thoroughly entertaining evening.

Since then, more than 100,000 Kiwis have witnessed the acclaimed troupe's dazzling rope tricks, physically incredible stunts and freaky, noirish themes.

The best thing about it? No animals.