Page 30 – A Little Bird

26th May 202125th October 2021

Win Kit Kemp’s new book

In Kit Kemps’s latest book, Design Secrets, which was published last week, the founder and creative director of Firmdale Hotels and the Kit Kemp Design Studio, encouragers readers to have confidence in their own style. From clever tips on how to hang art to designing your own headboard and lighting a room, this book is a treasure trove of useful advice and ideas. She also talks to some of her favourite craftsmen, from ceramicist Martha Freud to figurative painter Joe Fan, to find out how they get inspired and invites every reader to become a ‘maker’ of their very own. There’s even a hand illustrated colouring-in book, which invites readers to reimagine some of Kit Kemp’s most iconic interiors.

And we’re very happy to say that we’ve got a signed copy of the book Design Secrets to give away. Enter into the prize draw below and we will pick one lucky reader out of a hat after 5pm on Friday 18th June. Good luck!

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Design Secrets by Kit Kemp was published 20th May 2021 by Hardie Grant and costs £17.99 from Amazon

26th May 202125th October 2021

Fowey Hall Market

If you’re in Cornwall over the summer, then we’d highly recommend making a visit to the new outdoor market at Fowey Hall. Curated by Fiona Golfar, Ex Vogue Editor-at-Large, together with former Port Eliot Festival director and co-founder and director of Farms to Feed Us, Cathy St Germans and designer Harriet Baylis, the market will feature vegetables and farm produce, bakers, potters, quilters, artists, antiques, wood carvers, cake stalls, Cornish storytellers, musicians and much more. The whole enterprise is being funded by Fowey Hall Hotel to support the community (there are no pitch fees or shares of profits taken). The organisers are also asking knitters to knit a square and either send it or bring it so they can be sewn together to make a blanket which will be sold at auction to raise money for the community gardens. The market will run every other Sunday 10am to 2pm launching on Sunday 30th May 2021 and continuing throughout Summer.

Also, don’t miss The Little Shop, which Golfar recently launched at the end of last year in the grounds of Fowey Hall Hotel with homeware, clothing, books, beauty products, as well as sustainably and ethically made gifts. We particularly like the LilyEve Towel Collection and the Jennie Hale ceramics, as seen below.

26th May 202125th October 2021

Summer Beads

Beaded jewellery is everywhere this spring: it’s a great way to liven up and bring a warm weather feeling to your wardrobe. Here are our favourites:

Lauren Rubinski Forever Beaded Necklace,

Roxanne Assoulin The Brighter the Better twelve piece bracelet set,

Timeless Pearly Pearl Pendant and Beaded Necklace,

Pendant Initial Beaded Necklace,

Roxanne Assoulin Rainbow Brite Set of 3 Bracelets,

17-inch Zeus Arcadia Necklace, £1,080 at Robinson Pelham

Lauren Rubinski Dream Bracelet Green,

Create Your Own Crystal Healing Braclet, £35 from Tinkalink

Allthemust Heishi Beaded Necklace Set,

Gianna Beaded Hoop Earrings,

Timeless Pearly Crystal, Glass, and 24 carat gold charm bracelet,

Anni Lu Alaia Beaded Cowry Shell Pendant Necklace,

Bottega Veneta Beaded 18ct Yellow-Gold Plated Sterling Silver Earrings,

Sunset Stretch Bracelet,

Mixed Bead Necklace,

Anita Berisha Medallion Pearl Necklace,

Personalised alphabet pearl necklace, £55 from Cardi Bead

Médecine Douce Sapho bracelet gold,

Rainbow Floral Hoop Earrings,

Esther Rainbow Monogram Necklace,

Small Multicoloured Handmade Crochet Gold Mandala Earrings,

26th May 202125th October 2021

Storystock Sounds

If you’re wondering what to do this May half term then we recommend a trip to Belgravia to try out the brilliant new Storystock Sounds walking tour. The app is free to download to your phone and takes you and your children on an hour-long wander around the streets of Belgravia stopping to listen to stories as you pass six houses with blue plaques. You’ll hear all about Mozart composing his first ever symphony, stop at Ian Fleming’s Bond-worthy bachelor pad and find out where Vita Sackville-West first invited her friend Virigina Woolf to supper. The three-minute audio snippets are very witty so will amuse the adults too. The route begins at Sloane Square, from there head straight for Daylesford on Pimlico Road where you can pick up your free illustrated map. Storystock have cleverly partnered with them too so you will receive either a free coffee or tea to take away, or a free glass or Leoube rose (with the purchase of a meal) by showing them the voucher within the app. Lockdown prevented Storystock from hosting their pop up storytelling sessions at London’s galleries, festivals and theatres, so this is their new invention with Michael Morpurgo as ambassador. We love it and what’s more there are more areas to come including Chelsea, Mayfair and St James’. To get started with your walk scan the QR code below (within the app itself you click the arrow to the left of the person’s name to access the audio story).

scan this QR code for map & stories

26th May 202125th October 2021

A Weekend in Bath

This summer we’re going to have to get creative with our travel plans. In a new series we’re exploring some of the places within easy reach of London that still feel like a holiday – starting with Bath. Nestled at the bottom of the beautiful green valley of the River Avon, wander amongst the Georgian architecture stopping along the way at independent coffee shops and bookshops. Here are the places to put on your list.

Shops

The west country seems to have a magnetic pull for creatives. Londoners’ Patrick and Neri Williams, founders of the design studio Berdoulat de-camped to Bath eight years ago with their young family and dreams of opening a shop selling beautiful things. They started out running a B&B, Berdoulat and Breakfast, the kind of place where guests would come down in the morning full of questions – where’s that egg rack from, what colour paint is on the walls? Partly in response to the demand they’ve spent the past few years developing a collection of furniture, kitchenware and tableware drawing on the skills of artisans living within an hour’s radius from Bath. Then the perfect space came on the market, an historic shop on Margaret’s Buildings, a pedestrianised street situated between the Royal Crescent and the Circus. It had a wonderful story; it was previously Stoffell and Fortt’s grocery store (known as the ‘Fortnum’s of the West’) as well as being home of the Bath Oliver Biscuit.

After four years of renovations following the Berdoulat interior decorating ethos that ‘the building is the client’, the shop is now just two weeks’ away from opening. I went in for a sneak peek and was shown round by the lovely Paul and Neri and their dog Elizabeth. A kind of miniature department store for all things culinary the shop spans three floors. The ground floor is styled as a Victorian shop with mahogany and marble counters that will soon be filled with wine, spices and homewares. Frome’s Rye Bakery will occupy the back corner; take a coffee upstairs to the gallery and sit looking down on the hubbub below as you browse the collection of cookery books. Down in the basement there will be a florist, a showcase of Berdoulat kitchen furniture and a space for events. It is the shop to find the perfect iteration of everyday household items: a set of taps developed with Barber Wilson & Co, a Berdoulat x Farrow and Ball paint colour, a functional and beautiful laundry maid, a solid oak pepper grinder. Do go and visit when they open from 4 June.

Just along the street from Berdoulat visit Uber, an independent shop launched in 2006 (and named before the taxi business) selling mens and womens clothes. And you can’t miss the sunshine-yellow façade of Mercy in Action opposite. Bath has some excellent charity shops but this one has a boutique feel – we found a Seraphina dress (£8.50) and a pink string bag (£4).

Edgar Buildings is the new home of Persephone Books. Lamb’s Conduit Street’s loss is already Bath’s gain. Buzzing with customers when we visited, the shop is utterly inviting with an enormous bookshelf filled with grey-jacketed books opened to show their colourful endpapers, and tables to stand around and browse. A top tip that anyone visiting the shop from London can claim a free Persephone mug designed by Cambridge Imprint.

Bath is a rare town that can have so many good bookshops that all do really well – just along the street from Persephone the independent Toppings Books is another must-visit. We could have whiled away a good hour in there, the staff are friendly too.

On New Bond Street Nam is a tiny but perfectly-formed shop selling Astier de Villate, John Derian and trinkets made by local craftspeople. We loved the beeswax birthday cake-style candles – different lengths take from 10 minutes to an hour to burn down and can be used for timing meditation, yoga or just a bit of time out. They also come with wonderful cannele holders.

Finally, cross the shop-lined Pulteney Bridge to reach Found, a lovely gift shop for greetings cards, Baggu laptop sleeves, Hansel From Basel socks and Meadows dresses. And down by the station the wonderful My Small World toy shop is a treasure trove for little ones.

Eating and Drinking

Bath is not short of coffee shops but it’s worth making a beeline to the best ones. Our favourite, Colonna & Smalls really doesn’t do anything other than coffee. Go for the perfect Flat White. There are then two bakeries to put on the list: Landrace Bakery for sourdough and cinnamon buns, and The Bertinet Bakery which has a cookery school and a small shop selling bread, pastries, sandwiches and coffees. Fans of pasteis de nata will also want to visit Nata & Co. For brunch or lunch the Green Bird Cafe is lovely, with tables out on the pedestrianised street in front.

For something smarter, Beckford Bottle Shop is a wine bar in a very pretty part of town serving up small plates – think courgette fritti and burrata with peaches and prosciutto. In a similar vein, Corkage on Chapel Row is an excellent tapas restaurant with a wine shop attached. Bath’s only Nepalese restaurant, Yak Yeti Yak is one of its longest-standing institutions and for good reason. And for a British tasting menu, Henry’s is the place with 2 courses at lunch and 5 or 7 in the evening.

Sleeping

One of Bath’s best placed hotels, Number 15 Great Pulteney has just been taken over by new owners. Stay in the newly-decorated bedrooms – there are also six tranquil treatment rooms in the basement. From £162/night.

Getting There

Trains to Bath take one hour twenty minutes from Paddington. You arrive right in the centre of town and can walk from the station. If you’re driving you get the most incredible views over the sweeping green valley as you exit the M4 and descend on the A46 into Bath. Street parking is tricky so aim for Charlotte Street car park.

19th May 202125th October 2021

Basics: The Best High Street T-Shirts

The basic t-shirt is something we try to update in our wardrobe at least once a year. These items see more wear and tear than almost anything else. But, finding the best t-shirts can be a a struggle. And, as a wise fashionista once told us, it’s not necessary to spend a lot to find a great t-shirt.

We look for shirts that are 100% cotton. While we don’t put our t-shirts in the dryer, they should be able to withstand regular washing without losing their shape or fading dramatically. Some of the best tees will even soften and improve over time.

Here are our favourites from the high street.

Arket has an excellent basic t-shirt, in both long and short sleeve, that doesn’t change shape each season. Not too wide, not too slim, fits well under blazers and jumpers, excellent worn alone, and even the white isn’t too see-through. Black, white and grey and also a selection of seasonal colours. A general warning — the basic colours sell out regularly, but do restock.

Crew Neck T-Shirt,

Arms are flatteringly slim, Long Sleeved T-Shirt,

Cos is another go-to for clean lines. The current season has a choice of three fits in their basic t-shirt — regular, slim, or oversized. Like Arket, these shirts are all pleasingly opaque and made of good quality, 100% cotton.

Regular Fit T-Shirt,

Slim Fit T-Shirt,

Oversized Fit T-Shirt,

If you are looking for a v-neck rather than a crew neck, Cos also has these in stock. The neckline is just right — not too deep or shallow.

V-Neck T-Shirt,

Uniqlo is another destination for great basics and t-shirts are no exception. While the cotton is a little thinner, pricing is compelling for the quality and there is a wide selection of colours.

100% Supima Cotton Crew Neck T-Shirt,

100% Supima Cotton V-Neck T-Shirt,

The airy feel that comes with a linen t-shirt is lovely, particularly for summer. Finding a high-street version that is not too sheer can be difficult, but Jigsaw does have a few cuts and colours in stock this season offering good quality at a reasonable price.

Linen Kimono Sleeve Top in Navy,

Linen Scoop Neck Tee in white,

Cos is also doing linen this season. These are not quite as substantial as the Jigsaw version, but much more compelling price-wise.

Linen T-Shirt,

There is always a place for stripes in our wardrobes, and we are forever keeping an eye out for a good basic stripe as well.

Slim-fit Striped T-Shirt,

Crew-Neck Striped T-Shirt,

Boxy Breton Stripe Top,

If you are looking for something a little different, Mango offers a number of t-shirts with a twist.

Buttoned-ribbed t-shirt,

Frills cotton t-shirt,

Organic cotton t-shirt with dropped shoulders,

19th May 202125th October 2021

Toile de Jouy

Toile de Jouy is the French for ‘cloth from Jouy’ where, in the 18th Century, the German-born Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf set up a factory near the Bièvre river. At the time, Indian cotton was most popular in Europe but the factory became the first to print using copper plates rather than the traditional Indian woodblocks, allowing for a larger repeat pattern and more detail. Oberkampf commissioned the best artists of the day to design pastoral scenes with human figures. Soon, however, manufacturers all over France were making their own versions of toile and today, toile de jouy is still popular. We’ve rounded up our favourite versions on everything from duvet covers to ironing boards.

Ixora toile de jouy dress,

Provencal toile de jouy lampshade by Damask and Rose, £25 from Etsy

Mallow shirt toile de joy by Meadows,

Toile de Jouy: French Printed Cottons, £24.05 from Amazon

Toile de jouy cushion, £36 from Etsy

Toile de jouy mini dress,

Tie-detail twill top in toile de jouy,

Kendrick toile de jouy cotton-poplin midi dress by Erdem,

Ironing board,

Toile medium shopper bag,

Floral dress,

Stjarnrams duvet cover and two pillowcases,

High catalina toile espadrilles,

Toile de jouy linen midi dress by Zimmermann,

Downloadable tags, £2.65 from Etsy

Pink toile wallpaper, £150 from Polly Fern

Toile de jouy wallpaper,

Jouy spirit duvet cover and pillow slips,

Girls short-sleeved poplin dress,

19th May 202121st May 2021

Seb Bishop of Summerill & Bishop

It’s easy to think that Summerill & Bishop, creators of such lovely tableware and settings, are having a moment, particularly with the current enthusiasm for tablescaping. Actually, though, it’s been having a moment since 1994 when two friends June Summerill and Bernadette Bishop first opened a shop on a picturesque street in Notting Hill to celebrate dining at home. After the death of his mother, Seb Bishop (whom we first met 10 years ago when he was working as the CEO of GOOP) came on board as CEO and Creative Director in 2015. He tells us below about why he made the move to work at Summerill and Bishop, his favourite products and the best business advice for those just starting out.

At first glance, working at RED and GOOP seem worlds apart from S&B (especially as you were involved in the early stages of RED and GOOP whilst at S&B, the company was first set up in 1994 and you joined in 2015). How did your experience in the first two help you with the business you’re working in now?

I like to be able to define the purpose of any business I am running into a single sentence. Purpose is what drives every business forward and purpose is what gets you up at four in the morning to go the extra mile. At my first business, Espotting, where we were the first to introduce pay per click advertising in Europe, our purpose was to change the way advertising worked. At (RED), it was to save lives. At GOOP, it was to bring together the worlds of publishing and ecommerce and at S&B, it’s to change the way people eat. We do this by designing beautiful tablecloths. A beautifully laid table encourages people to stay at the table for longer, to tell stories, share their anxieties, to be present and to disconnect from the digital world and reconnect with the real one.

What is your favourite item at S&B?

Our very first tablecloth design, ‘Bernadette’s Falling Flowers’ – inspired by a floral motif which my mother would sign off all her notes and letters with. We trademarked her design and created this beautiful first collection, to honour Mum and to commemorate her passing and her love of being surrounded by family and friends at the table. So, although Mum might not be physically with us, her presence is always felt at the table. The collection first launched in 2015 and it’s what inspired me to take S&B in a new direction. It prompted me to think, what if we made tablecloths cool and relevant again? Up until then, they were seen as an old-fashioned heirloom, something that you kept closed away in a cupboard and so this collection really was the catalyst for the beautiful statement pieces we create today.

What advice would you give to somebody thinking about starting their own business?

Consider your purpose and make it the solution to a problem. Work harder than your competitors. Make sure you have a brilliant partner in the business or a good support system – whilst the highs are incredibly high, the lows can be incredibly low and so it’s not always fun. There’s inevitably going to be lots of dark days and it’s the people around you on your team that are going to pick you up.

Who are your top 3 accounts that you follow on IG?

@summerillandbishop (who else?!)

@heidibishopceramics (my wife is a ceramicist who handcrafts the most beautiful pieces)

Heidi Bishop Ceramics jagged bowl with gold alphabet sold at Summerill & Bishop

@skyebishopofficial (sorry I’m a family man)

Where do you live in London and which are your favourite restaurants/bars/shops?

My family and I live in Notting Hill. In all honesty, you’re much more likely to find me either at the Linford Christie running track with my kids, who are both keen athletes or being my daughter’s roadie when she goes busking on the streets of Notting Hill. Halepi, is a great Greek taverna in Bayswater – that’s probably my one of my favourite restaurants in London. However sometimes, there’s nothing nicer than sitting on the terrace at Julie’s in Clarendon Cross and popping into Summerill & Bishop afterwards!

Illustration of Julie’s by www.carolynkingart.com

Is there anybody that you would love to work with/collaborate, that you haven’t yet?

The list goes on and on but perhaps we have things in motion with one or two of them already. You’ll have to watch this space…

Astier de Villatte are very particular about who they are stocked by. How did S&B come to stock them?

I think they recognised in us, a kindred spirit. Everything we stock at S&B is chosen with a specific question in mind, will it keep us at the table for longer? Is it a conversation piece? Astier de Villatte tick both of those boxes with aplomb.

Citrouille vase by Astier de Villatte

What are your plans for S&B for the next 5 years? Are you going to expand?

Back in 2015, we set out to reposition the tablecloth as a relevant and aspirational item that feels current, covetable and most importantly, cool – descriptive words that people hadn’t previously used in the same sentence as tablecloths before. I think we’re at that place now. Our end goal is to become the single destination for tablecloths, to truly own that product as our own and for people to recognise the S&B name and immediately link it to beautiful table linens.

If you could have a dream tablescape with your ideal guests, where would it be and who would join you?

Oh, that’s easy, it would be dinner with my mum and my grandparents, together again with my immediate family, at one of S&B’s signature tables. I’d love for my mum to see the legacy we’ve created for her.

What do you think is the secret to the success of S&B?

Authenticity. The brand was founded by two best friends, June Summerill and Bernadette Bishop – inspired by their shared love of entertaining. Their inimitable, warm and authentic style still encapsulates everything that we do, 27 years later. Nothing was or is contrived. Ultimately, the whole world slows down when you lay a beautiful table. It’s where the big decisions are made and it’s where your family share stories and their day. What happens at the table is life and there is nothing more important at the end of the day, than that. I think people have always realised the importance of this simple act but were too distracted to make it a reality. After the past year especially, it feels as though people are making a conscious effort to be present together at the table and we’re very lucky to do what we do, as we know that every time we sell a tablecloth, we’re bringing family and friends together.

www.summerillandbishop.com

Don’t miss the Summerill and Bishop sample sale which is on Thursday 20th May 2021, 10am – 6pm at the Tablecloth shop, 98 Portland Road, W11 4LQ. 20% of sales will be donated to the Kensington & Chelsea food bank.

Our top picks:

The classic deluxe tableware set,

Falling flower linen napkin in blue,

Striped linen tablecloth,

Set of four striped linen tablecloths, £100 from MATCHESFASHION

Winter rainbow linen napkin,

Winter rainbow linen tablecloth,

19th May 202125th October 2021

Cocktail Hour

Cin Cin! Thank goodness we no longer have to cheers ourselves in the mirror. No, we can now go out for a proper drink. And we don’t mean a pint in a beer garden. We want a cosy, dimly-lit bar with a bit of glamour un-dampened by rain. We want to wear something other than a puffer coat. But where to go? Here’s a reminder of some of our favourite bars around town.

Best for Martinis: Duke’s is the classic option – the martinis are so strong you’re not actually allowed to order more than two. The new kid on the block is the Noilly Prat terrace at Sussex in Soho. Go for Martini cocktails and freshly-shucked oysters.

Best for Champagne Cocktails: It’s hard to beat London’s old school hotel bars. Claridge’s Bar is a classic for champagne. We rate the French 75s at The Connaught where you want to be in the back bar rather than the Coburg Bar at the front. The Berkeley Bar and Terrace was recently refurbed, book The Snug to have the powder-puff banquette to yourself. And maybe it’s Mitford fever, but we wouldn’t be adverse to a glass at Searcy’s St Pancras Champagne Bar before hopping on a train to Paris.

Best for Margaritas: Dalston’s Hacha is London’s first Agaveria. The must-try is the award-winning Mirror Margarita that looks clear like water but don’t be deceived. This week Soho House’s West Hollywood Mexican restaurant, Maya opened up in London at The Hoxton in Shoreditch. Think rooftop views and plenty of mezcal and tequila-based cocktails.

Best for Classic Cocktails with a Twist: We’re huge fans of Smokey Kudu, Peckham’s first upscale cocktail bar. Drinks have a South African twist; try the Afro Twinkle and the Queens Road Sours. Old Street’s Tayēr + Elementary is another place shaking things up. The more casual front bar, Elementary offers pre-mixed cocktails on tap from just £7.50, whilst the back Tayēr section is more experimental with an ambitious changing cocktail menu.

Best for Negroni and Spritzes: Bar Termini is perfect. Espresso, cocktails, plates of prosciutto crudo – Rome by way of Soho. The new Eataly next to Liverpool Street station has all the Italian cocktails you could hope for from Bellini to Limoncello spritz.

Best for Gin & Tonic: The Gin Bar at Holborn’s Rosewood is a G&T paradise with over 500 bottles. Sit at a glamorous copper-topped bar. Mr Foggs’ Gin Parlour is fun and kitsch.

Best for Stay-at-Home Cocktails: Lockdown has really upped the delivery game, and not just for food. The best cocktails we’ve found come from Swift who translated their menu to at-home pouches – think Elderflower Gimlets and Smoky Old Fashioned’s. And for an alternative to Seedlip, we’re loving the new Sprigster from Pythouse in Wiltshire. A botanical shrub aperitif it’s made with five ingredients sourced from the garden – and can be mixed into dry non-alcoholic version of a G&T.

Cocktail Kit

This drinks trolley is made from alu-rattan meaning it has a strong aluminium frame and can be kept and used outdoors. Roll onto the terrace for cocktail hour, £856 from Skandium

For an indoor rattan drinks trolley we like this Carlo Bar, £481 from Fabiia

Art Deco style drinks trolley, £330 from Maisons du Monde

These are very good Martini glasses, £40 for a set of 4 from LSA

Manzanilla olives for the perfect Dirty Martini and silverskin onions to slip into a Gibson. £2.95 from Harvey Nichols

Hand-blown tumblers available for pre-order now, £28 from Bias Editions

Pink Bon Bon glass, £298 from Helle Mardahl

Handblown Italian circus glasses, £45 from Edition 94

Chiara Double Old Fashioned glasses, £12 from Anthropologie

Champagne couples by the Dutch brand &klevering, £19 from Arket

Brass sintra server, £175 from Aerin

Proper maraschino cherries, £10.95 from Harvey Nichols

Fortnum’s have 20% off summer tipples from 17-31 May 2021, with an extra 10% off if you buy a case. Get ready for a summer of spritzes with this Italian sparkler case, £195 for 12 bottles including delivery from Fortnum & Mason

19th May 202118th March 2022

Win tea for two at Anya’s Cafe

We might have taken it for granted before but the thought of going for tea with a friend (and eating inside in the warmth if summer is still not here), has us giddy with delight. Think cakes, biscuits, tea and all sorts of delicious, witty delights at the brand new Anya Cafe, part of the Anya Village on Pont Street with an interior designed in collaboration with Shayne Brady of Brady Williams, best known for his work at Café Wolseley. Next door you’ll find the Anya salon where you can get a blow-dry plus The Labelled Store and Anya bespoke in case you feel like some shopping whilst you’re there.

Inspired by the traditional post-war British café, Anya has reimagined it with upscale ingredients and her trademark humour. With seating for 16 inside and 22 outside (walk-in only, no reservations are taken), it is open all day and serves breakfast, lunch and evening drinks. Classic British biscuits have been re-invented and are made on site by the pastry chef. Digestives, custard creams, jammy smiles sit alongside signature chubby hearts and clouds which have been made into elegant patisseries, shaggy monster cakes, smile cakes and iced buns, mallow tea cakes and cartwheels. The ingredients and suppliers have been carefully selected including organic eggs come from Cacklebean Farm, teas and infusions from Good & Proper, who source from sustainable estates in plastic-free packaging and coffee from Alchemy Coffee, a small, family-run roasters in London.

We’re thrilled to say that we’ve got tea for two to give away to one lucky winner. Just enter the prize draw below and we will pick a name out of the hat after 5pm on June 10th. Please note that the winner will win a voucher for tea for two people and it will be sent directly from Anya Hindmarch. Good luck!

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12th May 202113th May 2021

What we’re watching, reading and listening to

Watching

Francesca: Eileen Atkins reading Funeral Blues by WH Auden for The Poetry Hour on Instagram which is dedicated to the actress Helen McCrory. This poem (the one from the film Four Weddings and Funeral) always makes me teary and whilst I used to go to the live performances of The Poetry Hour at the London Library with actors and writers such as Bob Geldof, Fiona Shaw, Alicia Vikander and Seamus Heaney, now they are online and available to everyone.

Liz: After a winter of watching darker fare, I’m loving anything that makes me laugh out loud. Palm Springs on Amazon Prime certainly fits the bill. Starring former Saturday Night Live cast member Andy Samberg, it will remind you of Groundhog Day, but wackier. Also, as recommended previously, if you haven’t yet caught up with Call My Agent on Netflix, it’s a must!

Daisy: The BBC’s new adaptation of Nancy Mitford’s classic, The Pursuit of Love is irresistible viewing. The clothes, the parties, the airing cupboard full of Hons make me want to climb into the TV. Andrew Scott and his whisky-drinking hounds steal the show.

Reading

Francesca: I’m reading all the Agatha Christie novels – at the moment it’s Ordeal by Innocence. It’s a great combination of being light but gripping – just perfect for what I need right now.

Liz: When the shops reopened, one of my first visits was Daunt Books in Marylebone. As usual, their window is pure temptation. So I picked up the new book by Edmund de Waal, author of the wonderful The Hare with the Amber Eyes. Letters to Camondo, transports the reader to the home and collection of Count Camondo, a contemporary and near neighbour of Charles Ephrussi in Paris.

Daisy: I don’t know why but I decided to take on a massive tome each lockdown. Hilary Mantel saw me through 2020. This time it was Middlemarch which had always looked dauntingly long before. I loved it and can say it is entirely worth pursing since it has one of the most beautiful endings to a book I’ve ever read. No spoilers but the final line feels particularly relevant after the year we have had:

‘But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life, and rest in unvisited tombs.’

I am now wondering why there isn’t a film adaption of Middlemarch? If there is I have yet to find it. I’ve also enjoyed an advance copy of Florilegia by Annabel Dover that looks at the life of amateur botanist Anna Atkins, widely considered to be the first woman ever to have taken a photograph. The story is told in a beautiful, fragmented way that is rather haunting. Next on my list is Animals the first novel by Lisa Taddeo, author of Three Women.

Listening to

Francesca: My kids started listening to the Harry Potter books but they got pretty dark by book five and I declared that they should wait until they were older before they continued. However, that’s when my husband became an official Potterhead and he’s now 6 hours away from finishing book seven, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (he’s playing it out loud so I get to hear them again). Stephen Fry is brilliant at doing all the voices and whilst these audio books aren’t cheap, they are worth every penny.

Liz: As a known podcast lover, a friend tipped me off to Smartless. Hosted by a trio of actors – Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, and Will Arnett — the format is very loose: actors interviewing their famous pals. I’m a little late to the game on this one, which means there is a great back catalog to dive into. With guests including Gwyneth Paltrow, Ricky Gervais, George Clooney, and Paul McCartney, there’s a lot to love. All done with great humour.

Daisy: I am lamenting the end of Sentimental in the City, a brilliant podcast about Sex and the City with Dolly Alderton and Caroline O’Donohue. A must-listen for SATC fans – you really do need to be a fan since each season gets its own 2-hour episode.

12th May 202125th October 2021