Posted on

Pina Bausch’s Rite of Spring on the beach

This beautiful and powerful performance was filmed just before lockdown on the beach in Senegal. A re-telling of the late Pina Bausch’s ballet, Le Sacre du printemps / Rite of Spring (1975) set to Igor Stravinsky’s score, the dance depicts a ritualistic sacrifice whereby the ‘Chosen One’ changes the season from winter to spring. In this new collaboration between Sadler’s Wells in the UK, the Pina Bausch Foundation in Germany and the École des Sables in Senegal, 32 dancers’ were specially recruited from 14 African countries with range of dance backgrounds and techniques. They were in the midst of the final rehearsals in Senegal before the start of an international tour when news of Coronavirus broke. In response to the impending crisis and the tour’s cancellation, the dancers’ went to the beach just after sunset to dance one final time and the result is this extraordinary performance, captured on film by documentary film-maker Florian Heinzen-Ziobwas. Dancing at Dusk is available to rent for just £5 from Sadler’s Well until 31 July.

Posted on

Skye McAlpine x Anthropologie

There’s couldn’t be a more apt moment for Skye McAlpine’s new cookbook, A Table for Friends: The Art of Cooking for Two or Twenty. As we start to plan celebratory reunions, these are just the sort recipes we need – simple and do-able whilst also looking spectacular. A good example is her Summer Berry Cloud Cake that we tried out last weekend. It’s essentially a pavlova, but here it’s layered up and transformed into a truly celebratory cake, fitting for a birthday or dinner party pudding. Of course part of this is presentation: cue Skye’s collection of homewares at Anthropologie that also launch today. We stepped into her kitchen and asked her about emerging from life in lockdown:

The title of your book sounds especially appealing after the year we’ve had. How has lockdown been for you?
As for all of us, lockdown has been quite a challenging time – though I feel incredibly lucky that my family are all in good health, and in some ways it’s been very special to be able to spend more time together at home. I have missed my friends though – and am so excited to slowly start having friends over and to sit down together to eat.

What have you found yourself cooking? 
Because we’ve all been at home, we’ve been able to have three meals together as a family which has been such a joy. I’ve been cooking lots from my new book – largely because the recipes in it are old favourites – and in times of crisis there’s something about the familiar that feels incredibly comforting, especially when it comes to food. But I’ve also become more creative with store cupboard goods over the past few months: lots of pasta, risottos and I’ve made my chickpea and saffron stew almost weekly. Because I’ve been trying to minimise trips to the shops, I’ve also become more reliant on what’s in the freezer. Frozen spinach has been a godsend, either in frittata or soup, or just as is with lots of butter. And once a week we’ve been treating ourselves to fish fingers (often in a sandwich)! I had forgotten how much I love fish fingers.

Your new book feels laid-back and inviting. Is that how you approach cooking?
Absolutely! Having friends over and cooking for them should be a pleasure not a chore! My favourite thing when I go to someone’s house is if they’ve made something really simple and cosy, like roast chicken and a nice salad. Maybe with a nice chocolatey pudding to follow. For me, it’s all about keeping things simple – of course you want it to be special, but there are small things that you can do to make it easy on yourself and a treat for your friends. I’ve collected in the book all those tips, tricks and the lessons I’ve learned through years of cooking for more people than ever seemed sensible to squeeze into our kitchen.

Can you tell us a bit about the inspiration for the book?
In many ways, it’s the book I wish I had owned when I first started cooking. The recipes are all divided by where you cook them, whether that’s something you just throw together (no actual cooking involved just artful assembling!), cook on the hob or in the oven – because one of the biggest challenges that I have found as homecook is juggling oven space and few cookbooks really address that issue. This way you can plan a menu that works for you and for the occasion: so much about cooking successfully is just knowing what to cook. I’ve included lots of menu suggestions, advice on how far in advance you can get away with making things and my thoughts on the recipes that work well for lots of people and the ones that are better for smaller groups of people.

Any stand out recipes?
I love all the recipes and make them often, but the chicory salad with creamy mustard dressing is my go-to at virtually every meal. I also have a really soft spot for the tagliatelle with gorgonzola, pear and walnut – it’s so quick to make and so ridiculously comforting to eat.

Do you like to listen to anything whilst you cook?
Yes, I love listening to podcasts and audiobooks. I’m listening to Nigella Lawson’s How To Eat at the moment and it’s the most soothing thing. I also love old musicals – my current playlist is the music from Cats.

Favourite kitchen possessions?
I don’t use many gadgets, though I love my Kitchen Aid freestanding mixer – it’s the dream for baking. I love old copper moulds which I use to make jelly and pannacotta – I buy them on Ebay. I also love all my old plates – they’re mostly from antiques markets and charity shops.

What inspired your new collection with Anthropologie?
The idea was to create a capsule collection that had everything you need to create a beautiful table. I have endless faith in the power of a beautiful plate; and I find that when I’m hosting (or even just cooking for my family), if I throw a few ingredients on a beautiful dish, maybe some lovely mozzarella and tomato, or some burrata with a drizzle of olive oil and herbs, or even just some slivers of ham it suddenly feels special. The food is transformed and suddenly you have something you’re excited to share with your loved ones. When it came to designing the collection, I took a lot of inspiration from old Italian ceramics and from my favourite pieces of vintage crockery. I also drew on the Victorian language of flowers throughout, so all the floral details in the collection have a special meaning, whether it’s lilac for happy memories or forget-me-nots for everlasting friendship.

What’s your favourite piece from the collection?
I love the yellow jasmine mug (above). I have one at home and have my tea in it every morning. I also love the cake stand – I use it to pile up fruit and for decoration, as well as for serving cake.

Favourite sandwich, birthday cake, cocktail?
Favourite sandwich: mortadella on focaccia bread. Cake: pistachio butter cake with marzipan buttercream icing – it’s one of my favourite recipes from the book and I’ve been making it on repeat through lockdown to cheer myself up. For my birthday, I added a little splash of rosewater to the icing which was a lovely twist. Cocktail: Pimms with lots of crushed ice, strawberries and fresh mint.

3 guests you’d invite to a fantasy dinner party? Margot Fonteyn; Diana Vreeland; and Marcella Hazan.

Which restaurant are you most looking forward to eating in again ,and what would you order?
Pizza Brixton – our local pizzeria. It’s such a friendly place and their pizza is delicious – I can’t replicate anything quite like it at home. Pizza with mozzarella, anchovies, black olives and basil (no tomato) – it’s my favourite. They also do amazing homemade lemonade.

Which ingredients are you loving most right now? All the summer fruit – strawberries, apricots, peaches, melon. I can’t get enough of it.

A Table for Friends: The Art of Cooking for Two or Twenty by Skye McAlpine is published on 9 July 2020 by Bloomsbury. Photography © Skye McAlpine. £26 (currently £18.52) from amazon.co.uk. Skye McAlpine’s collection at Anthropologie is available here.

To enter our Prize Draw to win a copy of the cookbook as well as a pair of mugs from the Anthropologie collection, enter the form below:

 

 

Posted on

Skye McAlpine’s Summer Berry Cloud Cake

An ode to the fruits of British summer. If you are catering for friends with dairy intolerance, you can also make this with whipped chilled coconut cream, which is every bit as good.

HANDS ON TIME

25 minutes

HANDS OFF TIME

1 hour baking
1 hour cooling

FOR 8–10

Flavourless oil, for the trays
6 egg whites
300g caster sugar, plus 2 tbsp
2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
850ml double cream
150g blackberries
300g raspberries
300g blueberries
30g flaked almonds
Thyme sprigs, redcurrants and flowers, for decoration (optional)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat the oven to 150 ̊C/fan 130 ̊C/Gas 2. Oil 3 baking trays and line with baking parchment. Draw a circle on each roughly 23cm in diameter (I trace around a cake tin).

In a clean mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until they begin to peak, then add the sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking all the while.When all the sugar has been added and the mixture is glossy, gently fold in the cornflour and the vinegar. Spoon the meringue on to the baking trays, spreading it out to make 3 discs. Bake for 1 hour, then switch the oven off and leave the meringues in there to harden for another hour.You want the meringue to be crisp so that it can support the weight of the cream.

You can make the meringue up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container.

To make the filling, whip the cream with an electric whisk until peaks form, but take care not to over-whip it, or it will lose that silky quality.

Take the first meringue disc and spoon roughly one-third of the cream on top, then sprinkle with one-third of the berries, half the flaked almonds and 1 tbsp caster sugar. Top with the second layer of meringue and repeat. Top with the third meringue, spoon on the last one-third of the cream and decorate with berries, thyme sprigs and flowers (just make sure they’re not noxious), if you like.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Extract taken from A Table for Friends: The Art of Cooking for Two or Twenty by Skye McAlpine (£26, Bloomsbury), Photography © Skye McAlpine. Order now amazon.co.uk

Posted on

Number One Bruton & Osip

This twelve-bedroom hotel was the last place we stayed before lockdown. We’ve not stopped dreaming about it since: the yellow front door, the cheese slate and bottle of West Country cider waiting in the bedroom, the view across the valley from the window. At its enclosed independent restaurant, Osip, creamy rice pudding and warm, homemade brioche are served for breakfast. No wonder then that we’re ready to head back to Number One Bruton. The hotel occupies a former Georgian forge and our favourite bedrooms, Townhouse 4 and 5 also happen to be the cheapest (from £130 a night including breakfast), a twin and a double tucked under the eaves with Morris & Co wallpaper and the comfiest beds.

Of the bigger rooms below, Townhouse 1 is the most luxurious with a roll-top bath. Scattered throughout the hotel you’ll find antiques like the intricate inlaid Syrian chest of drawers here, as well as art by local artists. In this area that means Sir Don McCullin’s photographs in the sitting room, Bill Amberg’s leather fobs attached to the room keys and a Penelope Hobhouse garden.

If you’re staying longer than a night, it’s worth booking one of the three cottage rooms across the courtyard as these have their own cosy sitting rooms with wood burners. These are more airy and rustic in feel, in Cottage 1 there’s a beautiful spindle bed and ancient fireplace, whilst Cottage 2 would work for a family.

 

Osip is an independent restaurant and lunch or dinner there must be booked separately, although hotel guests get a complimentary breakfast. It’s the creation of Merlin Labron-Johnson, the youngest British chef to be awarded a Michelin-star – aged just 24 – and it rightly fills up in advance, so you’ll need to book ahead. The set evening menu (£65) is a real treat, with the six courses changing each week. Such is Merlin’s passion for biodynamic produce and local sourcing that he handed over a tote bag and sent us out foraging for wild garlic and nettles in the woods during our stay.

If you’re stopping for a couple of nights you could wander up the road to At The Chapel for a wood-fired pizza, or follow the footpath to Hauser & Wirth that sits on the edge of town. The Newt is also just 10 minutes away in the car.

Both Number One Bruton and Osip will re-open on 30 July with new safety procedures in place. Due to wedding cancellations there are rooms available this August and September – we recommend you book now.

Posted on

Books to make you laugh

The lockdown might be ending but there is still grim news on the television, so we’re reaching for a little light hearted distraction in the form of these comedic books.

The Hungover Games by Sophie Heawood

Anyone who has read Sophie Heawood’s journalism will know what a brilliantly original and perceptive writer she is, from the hilarious column she wrote about Valentine’s Day, to a mind-boggling interview with the actor Jada Pinkett Smith. Her first book gets off to a strong start: Heawood describes taking home a stranger she meets on an app, thinking about Jesus to make herself orgasm and then being interrupted by her small child whom her date has no idea exists. We held our breath as she recounts driving her friends back from Coachella whilst she is heavily pregnant and also unable to drive. She is open-hearted in describing her own dysfunctionality: at one point, she wanders into a house she likes the look of and proceeds to flick through an engagement diary she finds. She can also see the comic absurdity in the most unlikely situations – not least at a clinic for the paternity test the father of her child insists on. It makes for reading that is both funny and moving and certainly isn’t for anyone who shocks easily or is uncomfortable with self-revelation. If it’s her mission to épater les bourgeois then, as Lynn Barber once said of Julie Burchill, “I was well and truly épater-ed”.

A Diary of The Lady by Rachel Johnson

Whilst Rachel Johnson is undeniably talented, she occasionally spreads that talent a little too thinly – we were disappointed by her latest memoir on her attempt to become an MEP. This memoir of her time as editor of The Lady magazine, however, is a minor comic masterpiece. She tries to persuade the Duchess of Devonshire to become the magazine’s agony aunt over lunch at Chatsworth, the Devonshires’ home. Johnson prepares her maquillage carefully for the meeting but the duchess confesses to being almost blind and says “Your face to me is a sponge”. Back at the magazine, the staff seem to hate Johnson and one of them emails anonymously, calling her a “flea-bitten old bitch”. She doesn’t fare much better with The Lady’s readers initially, a typical letter of complaint reads “Joan Collins on the cover? Do you want to give us angina?” Johnson feuded so publicly with the magazine’s owners that many suspected it was a publicity stunt. Either way, it all makes very funny reading.

Crooked Heart by Lissa Evans

Lissa Evans trilogy of comic novels will be completed when V for Victory is published this August. We suggest that before this, you go right back to Crooked Heart, the first of them to be published (Old Baggage is the other in the trio). Noel, a 10 year old orphan lives with his godmother Mattie, an ex-militant suffragette in Hampstead. Mattie, who is wry and loving, does not however survive the Blitz and Noel is billeted as an evacuee to stay with the exploitative Vee in St Albans. Looking at Noel, Vee – who is always on the make – spies a chance: “an idea rolled into her head, fully formed as a marble”. Between them they make an ingenious double act, going door-to-door, allegedly collecting for a made up “Dunkirk widows and orphans” fund. Evans worked in TV and radio comedy prior to becoming a novelist and knows how to sharpen a comic line.

Oligarchy by Scarlett Thomas

Scarlett Thomas seems to have accessed some kind of dark magic in her latest novel, Oligarchy, finding a portal into the teenage female brain. Its premise – a black comedy set in a boarding school full of girls with eating disorders may sound in poor taste but Thomas is far from making light of adolescent pain. When one of the girls goes missing, presumed dead, the school employs a pair of Scottish men to cure the girls of their disordered eating. As the narrator sardonically reflects: “Where do you even get two therapists who look so much like paedophiles?” The girls inevitably do their best to find something sexy about them but “there is literally nothing, which is a shame”. This is quite a different novel from Thomas, who made her name with the cult The End of Mr Y, and she gives full vent to both the monstrosity and vulnerability of adolescence to very funny effect.

If none of those take your fancy, then any novel by India Knight, David Nicholls or Marian Keyes should have you laughing. We’re also keen to read The Blessed Girl by Angela Makholwa, about which we’ve heard such good things.

 

Posted on

Sourcing Vintage Baskets

Elephants, snails and frogs form the menagerie of wicker friends available at Rococo London. This frog could be used in a bathroom to store loo rolls or magazines, or in the kitchen stuffed with Ocado bags. Vintage 1970’s wicker frog basket, £175 from Rococo London:

This elephant would make a lovely addition to a child’s bedroom. Large vintage planter, £215 from Rococo London

Channel Jane Birkin and swap your handbag for a basket this July. Straw London specialise in beautiful vintage baskets, as well as exquisite homewares, jewellery and gifts. Sign up to the newsletter to be the first to hear when the July basket drop lands. Subscribers get 2 hours’ to browse before the baskets go live on the site, and they sell out fast so it’s worth having the head start. Baskets from £85 at Straw London

One of the great things to come out of lockdown has been the move to shopping locally. Ditch the car and use this wonderful vintage-inspired wicker shopping trolley instead. New trundling trolley, £95 at Pentreath & Hall

 

Posted on

Interiors trend: Bamboo

Bamboo accessories are particularly lovely in the summer.  Here are some of our favourites:

Geometric bamboo dinner plates,

Byblos Bamboo cutlery, starting at £17.70 from The Edition 94

Bamboo salad servers,

Bamboo candle holder,

Melamine and bamboo tableware,

Bamboo and rattan armchair 311,

Bamboo and rattan stool 311,

Vintage bamboo dressing table/console,

Bamboo yuma mirror,

Bamboo handle cutlery set,

Brass bamboo coat hanger,

 

 

Posted on

Susannah Garrod Archive Sale

Illustrator Susannah Garrod is moving to a new studio which calls for a clear out. Her Archive Sale will go live next week and you’ll be able to snap up original works on paper (no prints) in her signature style; pretty and playful illustrations in watercolour and gouache. Garrod’s client list includes Sophie Dahl, Emilia Wickstead, Cartier, Jimmy Choo and Annabel’s. The sale will run from Thursday 9 July – Sunday 12 July on her website with prices from £75 – £500. This series of original paintings of Vintage YSL’will be in the sale – sold individually:
Posted on

Summer shirts for Zoom and beyond

Made from laundered linen, we love this laidback ruffle neck Camille top, £175 from Ren London

Dress up or down with this Bella Singleton Cecily blouse £225 from 

A loose-fitting pleated shirt, comes in three colours, £195 from 

The prettiest Dora pink flowers shirt, £295 from Tabitha Webb

Hard to choose a favourite from Frame’s summer shirts. We love this Panel lace button up blouse, £195 (was £290) from Trilogy

The work and attention to detail that goes into each Pero piece justifies the price tag on these exquisite pieces. Pero linen shirt £485 from Mouki Mou

We love the puffed sleeved detail on this Cobalt cotton shirt, £69 from Plumo

Soft 100% cheesecloth works just as well with jeans as over a bikini. Tunic top £99 from Rae Feather

Team with a beaded or shell necklace for simple glamour.

Stunning Marimekko shirts in blue and black,

This frilled lace organic cotton top says summer,

Indian cotton with rope string cuffs, this Delphine top comes in a voluminous slightly cropped shape, £195 from Ren London:

Posted on

Jelly Shoes and Summer Sandals

If you’ve had it with 2020, wind back the clock to summers gone by with a pair of retro sandals. If you were a child who grew up wearing jelly shoes to scramble across pebbly beaches, this year’s comeback will make you smile. The more glittery the better: we’re coveting a pair of Alexa Chung’s JuJu jellies with sparkly flowers. They’ve sadly sold out, but the good news is that you can still buy the more basic jellies direct from JuJu. Based in Northampton their online shop stocks a rainbow of different colours and styles for adults and children alike. Reilly multi-glitter, £25 from JuJu with free shipping.

 

Celine’s Beach Sandal in PVC comes in black or silver, £295 from Celine:

Swap summer espadrilles for this season’s woven shoes. Parisian shoemaker, Michel Vivien’s timeless woven block heels come in metallic tones that go with everything (also stocked at Aimé in London and on FarFetch). Woven strap sandals, £556 from Michel Vivian:

For a similar look at a fraction of the price, Sezane’s gold Lara Courts are hand-braided in Spain.

Also made in Spain, Penelope Chilvers’ has a new selection of woven flats in silver and black, as well as these Bancroft tan block-heels, £239 at Penelope Chilvers.

Velcro-strapped water-proof Teva sandals (invented in the 80’s) enjoyed a revival last summer. This season, find them in pared back monochrome from £59 at And Other Stories and also at Arket.

For added embellishment, Cecilie Bahnsen x Suicoke Kat’s second collaboration is landing soon. We love these, £370 at Matches:

Clogs are definitely a Marmite shoe, if you love them it’s time to invest. Lotta from Stockholm has a vast range of colours, all crafted in Sweden. Try the classic 70’s clog in black, £43.50. Or new this season, these daisy appliqué Fabrizio Viti Jean clogs, (sold out in raffia) are currently £215 (previously £430) from Matches.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted on

Collagerie Summer Playlist

We love what Serena Hood and Lucinda Chambers (former executive fashion editor and fashion director of Vogue) are doing on Collagerie with their excellent eye for curation and now they’ve partnered up with Zara Home to launch a new summer playlist on Spotify. From Tom Petty to The Velvet Underground and Nico, its a perfectly relaxed collection that will get you into the summer mood.  Find a quick Q&A with Hood and Chambers plus the playlist here.

Posted on

Thrift+: the better way to donate clothes to charity

If, like us, you’ve been clearing out your wardrobe recently (nothing a like a lockdown to feel a little Marie Kondo), then you’ll need a great new service called Thrift+ that has partnered up with shopping site Farfetch.  Order a free Thriftbag through their app, fill it up with your clothes (designer or high street but all need to be in good condition, clothes on the site range from Celine, Chanel and Gucci to Warehouse) and they will collect it for free or you can drop if off at your local  Collect+ store.  Thrift+ charges 33% of the selling price to cover their costs (there is a minimum fee of £5 per item sold) and by avoiding shop costs, Thrift+ give a 33% of the selling price to charity. Interesting fact: High Street charity shops only give 19% of the final selling price to charity because of their high  overheads.  Plus you can choose to earn the final 33% as credit to spend on Farfetch.com or donate all the proceeds to charity – any registered charity of your choosing in the UK.  As their tag line says ‘A first-class service for second-hand clothes’.  We think it’s a brilliant idea.

It’s goodbye for now…

The team at A Little Bird are taking a break to recharge and make some exciting changes behind-the-scenes. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

CONTINUE TO SITE

A Little Bird Told Me…

SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO STAY IN-THE-NOW. ONLY LANDING IN YOUR INBOX ON THURSDAY MORNINGS AT 11AM.